I must say that compared to Estonia and Lithuania (The other 2 “Baltic States”), I had a less memorable time in Latvia and a big part of that was the lousy weather when I was there 🙂
Old Town Riga was nice.
What I did not like …
Nothing comes to mind particularly … As mentioned above, I had a better time in the other 2 Baltic States.
Location in the World map …
Some interesting tidbits about Latvia …
Riga, its capital, is a UNESCO World Heritage site famous for its stunning Art Nouveau architecture. Riga has the highest concentration of Art Nouveau architecture in the world.
Latvian is one of the two remaining Baltic languages, closely related to Lithuanian.
Foraging is Allowed: In Latvia, anyone can forage for food in state-owned forests.
Latvian women are among the tallest in the World. Average height is 5’7”.
Jeans was invented by a Latvian tailor who emigrated to USA.
Venta Waterfall is the widest falls in Europe.
More than 1/3rd of Latvia’s area is covered by forests.
Timeline:
Baltic Tribes à Teutonic Order (Germans) –> Poland –> Sweden –> Russia –> Independence in 1918 –> Soviet and Nazi Occupation –> Independence in 1991 after the collapse of USSR.
Capital: Riga
Largest City: Riga
Population: 1.9M (Riga: 0.6M)
Language: Latvian (31% speak English)
Religion: Christianity (Lutheranism being the main denomination)
Currency: Euro (1E == 101.51 INR)
GDP (Nominal): 42 Billion USD
National Animal: White Wagtail (Motacilla Alba)
My 1st impressions:
What a lousy weather when I reach Riga It was non-stop rain from Tallinn to Riga.
Again craving extreme spice after a few spice-less meals, I walk into an Asian “Wok” restaurant … The cook turned out to be an Indian youngster. Very friendly guy.
My Experiences
I must say that Estonia and Latvia have a lot of trees! With Estonia having 50% and Latvia having 35% forest cover, that is understandable. Air Quality Index (AQI) is pretty good.
Local bus … Riga, Latvia.Hmmm … How about a nice Latvian movie? Riga, Latvia.After a few spice-less meals, was craving something hot … “Wok to Walk” 🙂 You can create your own dish. Went with Spicy Chicken. Riga, Latvia.Oh man … How do you pronounce this? 🙂The terrain during the bus trip from Estonia to Latvia … Yes, these countries have a lot of forests.Pedestrian underpass … Central Riga, Latvia.Local tram with a nice lighted building in the background … Riga, Latvia.Central Railway Station … Riga, Latvia.Long distance train … Riga, Latvia.Long distance train … Riga, Latvia.Latvian Department of Transport … Looked quite rundown. Riga, Latvia.Signboards … Riga, Latvia.Stalinist-style Latvian Academy of Sciences. Reminded me of the Palace of Culture and Science in Warsaw. This one is way shorter, around 21 floors. Riga, Latvia.Central Riga has quite a few parks … Riga, Latvia.Freedom Monument. The 42-meter statue dedicated to Latvians who lost their lives fighting for Independence between 1918 & 1920. Riga, Latvia.Nativity of Christ Orthodox Cathedral. From 1883. The largest Orthodox Cathedral in the Baltic Countries. Latvia is a Christian-majority country. The largest religious groups are Lutherans, Roman Catholics, and Russian Orthodox Christians. Riga, Latvia.Nativity of Christ Orthodox Cathedral. The main entrance. Riga, Latvia.City worker using blower to sweep up leaves … Riga, Latvia.Distant view of the Freedom Monument. Riga, Latvia.Riga Cathedral … Riga, Latvia.Latvian flag in front of a Hotel … Riga, Latvia.Inside the Riga Cathedral … Riga, Latvia.Melngalvju nams (House of the Blackheads). Original building was from 14th century. Brotherhood of Blackheads were a kind of Trade Union, for merchants and traders. Riga, Latvia.The weapons used by the Brotherhood of Blackheads. Riga, Latvia.Rīgas Rātslaukums (Town Hall Square). Riga, Latvia.St. Peter’s Church. Imposing medieval church, dating from the 15th century, with a 123-meter high steeple. One can access the tower as well. Riga, Latvia.Entrance to St. Peter’s Church … Riga, Latvia.An aptly named Apartment Complex … Redstone! Riga, Latvia.Nice buildings in Old Town … Riga, Latvia.A weird display outside St. Peter’s Church. Bull, Dog, Cat and Chicken!? Riga, Latvia.Branded pothole cover … 🙂 Riga, Latvia.Central Market … Very mediocre I must say. Riga, Latvia.Baltic region is very famous for Amber … A store in Riga Central Market. Riga, Latvia.Tried these pastries … Two of them were sweet. Riga, Latvia.Liked the floral arrangements … Riga, Latvia.Latvian National Library … From across Daugava River. Riga, Latvia.During dinner at Ala Pagrabs, a local Gastro-Pub. Had a bitter Lager and Balsam … 🙂 Liked Balsam when I tried it at the House of Black Heads.During dinner at Ala Pagrabs, a local Gastro-Pub. Rye bread is very popular in Latvia. Pelēkie zirņi ar speķi, the national dish of Latvia which is made with cooked grey peas, fried onions, bacon Etc. Riga, Latvia.During dinner at Ala Pagrabs, a local Gastro-Pub. Rye bread is very popular in Latvia. This is Rye Bread Pudding. Riga, Latvia.Another Latvian beer … A fruity one this time. Riga, Latvia.The beautiful stained glass works inside Riga Cathedral … Riga, Latvia.Central Riga has many pedestrian underpasses … Obviously, the idea was to have shops Etc. Looks like it did not pan out. Not a single unit is occupied. For a NATO/EU Country, I must say that Riga, the capital, looks quite rundown. Several parts of the city made me feel as if I am back in Russia 🙂 English penetration is not that great. Also, there are way fewer tourists, though I did see a few large tour groups at St. Peter’s Church. There is so much smoking all around, I feel kind of left out 😁 Riga has a decent Old Town (One of Latvia’s 3 UNESCO World Heritage Sites), but Taĺlinn Old Town is way better IMHO.I 😘 Sparkling Water / Plain Soda / Carbonated Water. Exclusively drink it at home (Yes, I use a lot of single-use plastic 🙏) 😁 I notice that this part of the World has ample options readily available. In some countries I have had difficulty in getting Plain (Unflavored) Soda … Not here, for sure 👍 Riga, Latvia.The Balsam I ended up buying … Riga Bus Station, Riga, Latvia.The 4 choices I had … Balsam: Herbal bitters liqueur made from mixing vodka and natural ingredients, like herbs, flowers and berries. Riga, Latvia.That is me … FLiXBUS #1301 from Riga, Latvia to Vilnius, Lithuania. Riga, Latvia.That is me … FLiXBUS #1301 from Riga, Latvia to Vilnius, Lithuania. Riga, Latvia.
It was non-stop rain from Tallinn to Riga.
