A very early rise this morning to catch my 6:30 am train to Riga, the capital of Latvia. But a beautiful morning, with stars shining and a partial lunar eclipse!
Flat farmland and forest most of the four hour ride to Riga. Could be anyplace in the Midwest.
After a comfortable train ride, I arrived to nothing but blue skies in Riga! But I quickly found that Riga’s Old Town is a darn Mecca of cobblestone streets! And that there used to be a massive amount of road construction going on all around the city. Makes it tough getting around a on a scooter!
I headed toward a huge and popular market area away from Old Town where I’m staying. The market is in six huge old Zeppelin airship hangers! A different hanger for clothes, crafts, food stalls, vegetables, meat, fowl, and fish, etc.
I had lunch at a stall that consisted of: potato pancakes with bacon (ham), cabbage, and some type of mayo/sour cream sauce. Not jump off the plate flavorful, but I was satisfied.
Fortunately, I left room for dessert – a cherry and a apple cookie. Like big shortbread cookies folded over to hold the filling. Good, not great.
A side note: In every city I’ve stopped in there have been people, almost always men, going through trash cans on the streets. I think they were all going for aluminum cans and plastic bottles. Must be some reasonable value in turning them in somewhere. I’ve seen 2 or 3 pickers in Riga already.
In the late afternoon, I joined another “free” Walking Tour. Our Guide, Ulrika, was a Riga native, a graduate student, and an excellent salesperson for her city and country. Our group of twenty tourists include folks from Finland, Holland, UK, Poland, Germany, and America.
Riga was founded in 1201 by a German. But there were actually older Pagans tribes in the area long before western culture was established (brutally). Germans remained in the ruling/upper class on Latvia until the 20th century. But Riga had a long history of foreign domination going forward.
Riga fell hard for the Protestant Reformation in the 1500s and became the first Protestant center outside of Germany. That, of course, created problems between the previously dominant Catholics and the new upshot Protestants
In the mid-1500s, the first Russian Czar, Ivan the Terrible, attacked and Livonia (as it was known then) came under Russian rule for some 50 years.
Then Sweden battled and took over control of the territory for the next 90 years. And Russia came back on the scene and took over for about 200 years.
Latvia finally gained its independence after WWI. But, then WWII exploded. First, the Soviets took over Latvia in 1940, and in 1941, began the transport of dissidents to the Soviet labor camps in Siberia.
Later in 1941, the Germans invaded and took over control of Latvia for the next three years. Note: Guide today referred to the, “‘Latvian Jewish community who suffered from the Nazi Holocaust.” First time I’ve heard a guide refer to Jews in some way other than, “the Jews.”
What next? The Soviet “liberators” took over again in 1944. And deportations to the Siberian labor camps began again. Finally, after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Latvian Parliament voted for independence in 1990. Although the Soviets came back in force in 1991, the Latvian “Barricades” proved to be too strong a movement and the Soviets finally retreated.
Now, Latvians were once again “barefoot and free!”, and an independent nation. The country subsequently joined NATO in 2004.
Here are some photos from around Riga
Town Hall Square was one of the few places destroyed in WWII, so the buildings around the square are much more recent than others in the Old Town.
The Brotherhood of Blackheads is an association of local unmarried male merchants, ship-owners, and foreigners that was active in Livonia (present-day Estonia and Latvia) from the mid-14th century until 1940, but still remains active in present-day Hamburg. The Brotherhood originated as a military organization, but the non-military aspects of the association gradually became more pronounced until the Brotherhood became a predominantly social organization after the end of the Great Northern War in 1721. (Source: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Brotherhood_of_Blackheads&wprov=rarw1)
The Brotherhood most likely acquired their name from their patron saint, St Maurice. He is depicted on the emblem of the brotherhood.
Latvians also claim they created the first Christmas tree! Of course, so do the Estonians (and maybe others).
Looking at the ground around the Cathedral shows how much the city streets have been raised over the centuries. The bottom of the church is actually 8-10 feet below current street level.
Dome Square is also Riga’s main square. The local government actually destroyed many houses in the 30s to create the Dome Square. And it’s where Latvians’s gather for special events and festivals. They even set up giant screens when National sports teams have big games / matches, like when the Latvian ice hockey team when they came in 3rd at the World Championships in 2023!
For dinner I tried a Himalayan Restaurant and ordered the “Appetizers Mixed” to get several tastes. The menu had the name in Latvian, of course (Uzkodas Mixed).” But the menu also had it in Russian: “Закуски смешанные.” Wow!
It consisted of: 2 samosa, 2 tiger prawns, 4 dumplings, and 2 fish pring rolls, along with a glass of Tervetes, a Latvian lager
Off to Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, early tomorrow!
Words of wisdom, or just to amuse…?
It is a truth universally acknowledged that your urge to pee intensifies as you are unlocking the door.
A Captain’s Adventures 