After a sleepless night in the Naughty Squirrel Hostel have signed into a hotel with wondrous air con and a great view plus free breakfast.
Perhaps my backpacker days are numbered as I like the peacefulness of the hotel. Only a short tram ride to the centre with its throngs of tourists. It is a mighty different place than Tallin where the tourists move at a slower pace.
There is a tradition in Europe it seems esp with the Brits to come to these lovely cities and wreak havoc with stag nights. Louts parade around in Tshirts ascribed to their wedding affiliations wearing stupid makeup or hats etc behaving like Attila's Huns. Riga is a popular place it seems as was Prague. How to ruin a city! No wonder there are police everywhere here...ah well - I digress...
There is a plethora of the most amazing Art Nouveau buildings here and they are truly beautiful. Yesterday I went to house preserved in its decor which was on Alberta Iela. I sat at a cafe and had a salad and a local beer and paid 6 Latvian Lats which is about 12 bucks in C money - not bad really as far as costs go.
I took a few tram rides, got lost and found myself again and then went for a boat ride on the river which was extremely delightful and chatted with a local man (conductor of a choir) with his 12 year old daughter who kindly explained all about the buildings and about Latvian history.
The weather is superb and will be so for the rest of my days here going up to 29 on wednesday. There is a nice breeze too which helps with the humidity whch it seems is ever present on the Baltic.
Disappointed in the price of amber which is too high - am told it has gone up in the last year. Lots of woolen items to buy but I am travelling light this trip and wont be buying much unless it is lightweight of course.
Latvians are also very friendly and disctinct again from the sour Russians who live here. When boating on the river the man I was chatting with stood up and waved at people on the shore - they stood and looked and did not wave back - I joked with him and said, "they must be Russian" and he laughed hard and said I understood well....haha
There are well over 200 Nouveau buildings here so I shall trip around today and see the sights - the Museum of Occupation is my first call and I will try and see as much as I can. The beach is a 20 minute train ride which might be a nice way to spend the afternoon.
Go Cannucks Go!
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