Penguin Travels: Baltics - 13 June 2012 (3)

Art Nouveau in Riga

Stone & Railway bridges over R Daugava

National Library of Latvia

We popped into the hotel and then headed off to Town Hall Square to go to the Museum of Occupation.

We were in the museum for two hours, looking at all the exhibits. It traced the story of the first year of Soviet occupation, the Nazi invasion, including the murder of the Jews in Rumala forest, the main Soviet occupation and, finally, how freedom was won. So many people were murdered or relocated or fled and the suffering must have been huge. It was all very moving.

Castle from Vansu Bridge

Riga Radio and TV Tower

Then we walked to Dome Square, because May was going to an organ recital in the Dome Cathedral. We met Ian, who had just got his ticket, and went to Fillings in the square for a coffee. A screen had just been set up for people to watch the Euro 2012 football. I went to the Fillings Café itself to use the facilities. All the seats were red – including the toilet seats.

Congress House Fountain

When Ian and May went to their concert, I walked up to the City Canal to meet them later. I found myself near Vansu bridge, a cable-stayed bridge over the River Daugava, so I walked onto it to take some photos.

Alberta iela

I had some hot chocolate outside a café which I thought Ian and May would walk past. It was about to close, so I relocated to Jēkaba laukums, a park across the road. Two sparrows hopped onto my bench, in case I had some crumbs for them. One found a green caterpillar, but decided not to eat it. It was getting late, so I went to look for the others, but I couldn’t see them. So I walked to the bridge over the City Canal in case I’d missed them.

Alberta iela 4

Alberta iela 8

At long last they appeared, with Sue and Charlie too. We walked up to Elizabetes iela to do the tour of the art nouveau buildings in the area. We slowly walked along Elizabetes iela and then Alberta iela, Strēlnieku iela and back into Elizabetes iela, looking at all the buildings. Despite not being keen at first, the others took their time looking at everything and lots of photos were taken.

I was amused by a man watering the plants outside one of the buildings. The building was surrounded by fences as some restoration work was in progress. Undeterred, he aimed his hose through the fencing to reach the plants.

Alberta iela 13 - Detail

Alberta iela 13

When nothing more was left to be seen, we walked off in search of a pub. My feet were really starting to hurt after all the walking of the day, so I was pleased when Ian decided that we should go for a drink in a “Double Coffee”. Its logo is similar to that of Starbucks, so we wondered if the two chains were connected.

Strelnieku iela 4a - detail

Watering Plants from Afar

Cooked food was available, so I had a pasta. The waitress suggested a spicy mango juice, which was interesting but not spicy. As usual, we had a really good laugh, with Ian and Charlie in top form.

At 23.00, we headed back to the hotel. It was still light. David and Dulcie met us at a pedestrian crossing. They had been to the opera again.