Riga, Latvia Sunday 3rd August
Bloody Lovely.
Riga is on the
mouth of the Daugava River and is the capital and the largest city in Latvia. Riga has been in existence since the 2nd century when it was settled by the Livs, an ancient Finnic tribe. It was a lovely sail in/out. Riga has always been
an important cultural and commercial hub for the Baltics. It was an important
site on the Vikings trade routes and then caught the attention of the Hanseatic
League – German merchants. For centuries the Baltic Germans were the main
ethnic group of the area. Now it is a mix of Russians and native Latvians who
live there.
Riga is stunning.
Its most recognisable style is the German Art Nouveau style with 13th
century cathedral and castle along with Soviet high rise apartments and many
really interesting modern building. The Old Town is a UNESCO site and was
great. There are lots of lovely parks.
Chatting to Andy on the phone.
After walking
around Old Town we wandered through the new town then went on a boat ride along
the canals. Brilliant. Right through the heart of the city past such
pretty stuff.
We also found a
lovely place with the most delicious cocktails. They were quite strong and were
not wasted.
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