Riga, Letonia, a 4 de octubre del 2008. Buenos dias por alla (aqui son las 6:18 PM, y alla las 9:18 AM). Pues en mi primer dia en Riga no se pudo conocer a la gente local porque la ciudad vieja esta llena de turistas... No les entiendo nada de lo que hablan pero son turistas... Ya visite 3 museos el dia de hoy (tan cultural como siempre), no pude visitar más porque todos los negocios cierran a las 5 PM!!!!!!!!!!! Haganme el favor... Y con mi limitado ingles no he tenido problema porque los letones tambien medio cascabelean a la [View Full Entry]

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I had wanted to go to Latvia since I heard about the KGB Prison in Karosta long time ago, and it has the fusion architectural charms of old Russia, and the modern Scandinavia. Riga is a very small and beautiful city, and it was good value of money. Riga is also the city feeling more of that Soviet Republic than other Baltic cities. The flight from Istanbul to Riga took us less than 3 hours and we touched down just before the dark. Going through immigration, and officers complete with Soviet style uniforms, we entered the modernized airport lounge, and again [View Full Entry]

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In December 2001 I visited Grimsby on the East coast of England with my pops for a football match that will live long in the memory... for me and my Dad that is, the reason for this unmemorable event was that we both agreed that it was the coldest we had ever been in our lifetimes. Biting wind, driving rain and sleet, and two seats on row 1 with no roof above us all contributed to a shivery, dithering 2 hours at Blundell Park. Fast forward 8 years and myself and Rebecca booked flights to Riga in Latvia, I was convinced [View Full Entry]

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A weekend in Riga A few months ago we went to Latvia. We haven't come around to publish a blog entry on that trip until now. But we figure it doesn't matter much if we are a bit late before we publish our travel tales and photos. We spent a total of three days there enjoying some nice spring weather while walking around in Riga old town and a few other places. The old town is a World Heritage and is the major tourist attraction in Riga. Many of Riga's visitors barely venture outside of the city centre and therefore don't [View Full Entry]

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It was towards the end of the day and the city looked a lot busier than before. Many locals walking around, laughing, smiling it seemed a happy place. It felt safer too. The Police don’t look as intimidating now with their florescent yellow vests. In transit at Riga airport and 5 hours to kill there’s no better way to kill time than to exchange some money and head out to the Latvian capital for some Baltic life. 3 hours - that’s all I needed to see how much the Baltic’s have changed since my first visit - In 2004 it just [View Full Entry]

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Sun. 30 August pretty as a picture - and that is all you are going to get with your Monday morning Weeties folks, its too late to write anything! proper anyway - man's gotta rest sometimes, at least in between Latvian feast times! [View Full Entry]

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this is the (almost) final Riga instalment (30-31 August) - being written on the bus Liepaja-Klaipeda (in Lithuania)- while battery holds out. (and no pics as takes too long - now in Lithuania its 3pm on 2 Sept. and I want out of my hotel! gee it is starting to get difficult to remember whats what from the Travel Blur! What di I do on 30 August? - well I do remember Diana at the K&G must have helped me with some more Latvian travel details re buses etc - the Rundale palace ones which went to waste (see later). I [View Full Entry]

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Our last day in Riga! We decided to take it easy -- both of us had sore feet, and my headaches and sore throat suggested that I might be getting a cold. Our friend Laurie, who’s done long trips like this before, once mentioned that it’s important to take a low-key day every now and then. So we didn’t set the alarm and didn’t make big plans. 
Mid-morning we headed to the Central Market to grab breakfast. This is the largest indoor market that either of us have ever seen -- it was built in a hangar tha [View Full Entry]

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this is about yesterday 28 August: as I already told you I arrived into Riga on the 6.45am bus from Tartu at 10.45 - walked to the LP recommended Krisjanis & Gertrudas B&B. After a blog update - and more importantly a nap - i was knackered after the early start and less sleep the night before - I was finally out the door for a walk. Headed down Gertrudas iela where K&G is towards the Art Nouveau are the other side of Brivibas which is where the fancy area of Riga begins - embassies and that sort of thing. As [View Full Entry]

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late night Riga 10pm+ rainy Sat. nite 29 Aug.two blogs in one day - this is truly net addiction! - cos I can, as I keep saying. Having posted the earlier entry and finally got out of the K&G at about 4pm - call this being a tourist?! - fair dinkum, its like the Leunig cartoon of the people inside watching the sunset on TV while its actually happening outside! in a way I welcomed the opportunity to come back "early" to the hotel as it was raining - the real reason I stopped for dinner at 7pm was I was [View Full Entry]

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