I have to hand it to Riga (capital of Latvia) it made me like it!
Driving in during the early evening with light snow falling, the multi span bridge over the Daugava river lit up with lights and a light fog hanging in the air it wasn't hard to feel like I was going to enjoy being here.
I found a great hostel very close to the old town and as soon as I had checked in I went off (as usual) for a brisk walk.
Quite brisk - as the temperature by this time was close to double digits in the minus!
Riga also is known for its wonderful Art Nouveau buildings of which a large number survived the ravages of two World Wars.
foggy arrival
riga city park
town centre
it's beginning to feel a lot like christmas...
riga church
by the city stream
town centre
nouveau
more nouveau
etc
etc
bored yet?
almost done
there that wasn't so so bad was it?
even better when the sun came out
another church
who says you have to have an angel on top of your tree?
I also took the opportunity to head out of Riga to a satellite town about 3 hours west called Kuldiga. It was an opportunity to see some of the rural landscape, and catch a glimpse of life in a smaller country town.
Kuldiga's main claim to fame is having the widest waterfall in Europe. It also has a lovely collection of very old timber dwellings which gives parts of the town an almost medieval quality.
kuldiga bridge
kuldiga winter scene
the waterfall!
old timber house
kuldiga high street
my hotel room (insert joke here!)
kuldiga's small town centre river
* A terrible play on words which refers to 'Jugendstil' the German for Art Nouveau!!
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