Beer, Beauty, and Culture - Wonders of Latvia

Before living in Europe, I did not have a lot of interest in visiting the Baltic states (Mostly because I knew very little about them).  Living in such close proximity gives me such a wonderful opportunity to visit and experience places that I never thought I would, and find out how much I adore them.  Latvia is one of those unexpected joys that I have encountered during my time here.  I coupled my trip to Latvia with a trip to Lithuania; however, I'm going discuss them in separate blog entries, because they are so entirely different.

City Life:
I started my trip in Latvia's capital, Riga, and I'm so glad I did. The people
of Riga are so kind, considerate, and fun. The town has such a great vibe!  The last time I went to a city where I felt so welcome and enjoyed the vibe so much, I was in Brussels almost 10 years ago.

Famished from an early morning flight, where I didn't get breakfast, I went straight to get a bite to eat, and stumbled upon the wonderful bar Easy Beer.  The food was great (gastropub-type, not traditional Latvian), but it had an amazing selection of beer from the area.  The coolest part was that you could dispense your own beer! It was a neat concept, and a must-visit for any beer lover.

After lunch, it was time for sightseeing!  I only allotted myself one day for sightseeing in Riga, and I wish I had more!  The city has some of the most beautiful architecture and the city's Central Market is truly a treat for all of the senses--beautiful fruits and vegetables with the delicious smells of the stalls around.  Even though I had just had lunch, I couldn't turn down the delicious smelling freshly made donuts.  All of the cathedrals are simply exquisite, my favorite being the Nativity Cathedral.  Of course, you must also see the famous Riga Cat.

Nature's Beauty:
Even though it rained for most of my time in Latvia, I didn't miss the opportunity to get outside and see the landscape.

My first stop was Ragakāpa Nature Preserve.  Situated along the coast of the Gulf of Riga, it was truly a uniquely beautiful landscape. The dunes and gulf were picturesque sandy beaches; however, in order to get to those sandy beaches, you first had to traverse through a thick, Tolkien-esque forest filled with beautiful trees and extraordinary mushrooms, truly fit for a Hobbit.  There was even an abandon structured--though not quite as inviting as a Hobbit hole.

The rain let up just long enough for a visit to Venta Rapid in Kuldīga.  Firstly, Kuldīga alone is exquisite.  Kuldīga is cute little town situated along the Venta River with so much character, and I'm sure during the summer is a bustling place.  In the autumn, it's quiet and serene, and provides a different sense of excitement.  Venta Rapid is the widest waterfall in Europe, though it might also be the shortest.  I imagine in the summer it's bustling with people, but in the autumn, there are only people walking along the river banks, hoping to catch a glimpse of fish jumping out of the rapid on their trip downstream.  I was lucky to see a few of those such fishes on their journey--truly extraordinary.

But, time was of the essence--It was time to depart for my last stop on my Latvian whirlwind adventure. My final stop is also probably most popular in the summer, Liepāja.  Liepāja is normally a place people visit for the beaches, but I was visiting for a different reason. With the wind howling all around ferociously, my hands shook as I tried to take photos of the Liepāja's Northern Forts.  The Northern Forts were part of the fortifications surrounding Liepāja that were built by Russia in 1890, at the time, they were built to protect from Germany.  A few years later, Germany and Russia signed a friendship agreement, and the fortifications were seen as unnecessary and needed to be destroyed.  These are the remnants of those fortifications.  I rounded my evening out with a wonderful seafood meal including Liepāja's specialty: Liepājas Mencini--a delicious, creamy smoked cod stew--a must-try if you're in the area!

I loved every moment I spent in Latvia; it had a little bit of everything!  I wish I had more time to spend there--maybe I'll just have to go back!