Cesis - Birthday part two

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July 12 part 2 - The bus took about 45 minutes and put me there in Cesis around 4pm. So adventurous of me, as I normally think about going back to my hostel soon after that. I wanted to get the 6pm bus back to Riga, so I only had two hours to wander. I took some pictured of the church and then headed for the caste. So many in one day! But this one was also great. And had a free bathroom. So I went there first and washed my face in super cold water, which felt amazing. I am getting so tan, even with the sunscreen. But it's a farmer's tan. Anyway, when I started to head out they gave me a lantern with a candle in it to light the way inside the tower later. Fun. First I looked at the yard with a model of the castle and an old statue of Lenin that used to be in the town square. Once Latvia was no longer part of the Soviet Union they took it down. It is laying down in a wooden box. Poor Lenin. Then I crossed the dry moat and walked around the castle ruins. I like it a lot, as I usually do. When it was time to climb the tower, my lantern finally came in handy. There was no light at all on the stairs, and it was easy to imagine yourself back in the old times, using your lantern or torch to light the way. On each floor there was plenty of natural light that came in through the windows or broken walls. It was a lot of fun, and I enjoyed being there on my birthday alone, pretending to be adventurous.

The last stop was the dungeon. It was under the other tower and required you to climb down a metal rung ladder if you wanted to go it. Of course I did! I barely fit through the narrow opening with my backpack, but I didn't want to leave it. The ladder was wet and the place was cold and damp. I would have lived there to get out of the heat but had to get back to Riga. I didn't have time to walk around the rest of the town, because I thought getting back to Riga at 8pm was late enough.

The bus ride took two hours and once back I bought a ticket to Klaipeda, Lithuania for the next morning. I then took myself out for a bithday dinner at Friday's, a restaurant from home. I haven't eaten in an American non fast food restaurant since January, so it seemed ok to do for a special occassion. I had chicken fingers, my favorite. And they were just the same as at home. After dinner I went back to the hostel and booked a place to sleep in Klaipeda. Then I had a skype date with Jeroen and read all 50 birthday emails. It felt good that so many people sent a birthday wish (thanks facebook, with the reminders). Afterwards I packed and got into bed. All in all, a very good day.

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