Generous Riga

Friday, May 8.

The day starts with a Skype family conference at 10am. We have to discuss and make a few decisions regarding the various book publishing offers we have had. It looks as if we are getting closer to a deal.

We expect to meet up with Silvia at 10 but she is in the middle of big business deals and cannot make it. We agree to establish contact again about early pm. The Skype ‘meeting’ being over, we go off on our own again to do more exploring. To us, Riga is still charming. We cannot help it.

The Guild Hall of the State Reception.

It is sunny and about 14 degrees – ideal for strolling. We zig-zag a new route targeting the ‘Blackheads’ building where there is a tourist information office. We are primarily looking for more guidance on the use of public transport which seems to be as good as in Helsinki. We get more information than we asked for and end up buying a 24 hour ticket for all forms of public transport for 5 Euro. Considering that any tram ride costs 2, it is pretty good value.

Old Riga is so attractive on this sunny spring day. It is a joy. Every corner is a picture. Ingrida calls to suggest arrangements for Sunday. It looks like our weekend is made. However, Silvija is still tied up in meetings and cannot meet up. We will talk to her on the telephone later.

As we slowly make our way back to HQ, we decide to have some sour kraut soup and piragi (@ .4E each!!!) in a little cellar café by the old city tower. Delicious. With pizzas, subs and big Macs everywhere, this is a good find. We get back on to Freedom Avenue for a while and then wind back along Elizabeth Street which seems to house most of the foreign embassies. This is a lovely area.

Time for coffee. There is a small Costa Coffee establishment a few doors from the hotel. Both the cappuccino and lemon muffin are good. Costa Coffee was good in Cairo (one of the not too many good things!) as it is in Riga.

The generous and considerate Erik and Tolik have given us a hamper of a few items from last night’s feast – some cured salmon, smoked chicken, a beautiful aubergine salad and a few slices of black fruit and nut bread. Wonderful! What an improvised yet gourmet dinner without cutlery. My cheep folding knife I bought in India years ago comes good once again as do the pair of plastic forks I usually carry in my toiletries bag.

People have been extraordinarily kind and generous to us. Silvija Greste has offered to take us to a heritage location outside of Riga tomorrow. The Otanķe family will entertain us in some natural settings on Sunday. We will dine with my old friend Sarmite from German camp days on Sunday night and we have just accepted an offer from Aiga Liepiņa, a senior Foreign Ministry official, to drive us to Smiltene, my father’s ancestors country on Monday. We are so fortunate!

Riga is not just charming old buildings. Below is the equivalent of Riga High Street.

Contemporary development keeps making the same regrettable mistakes as the rest of the world, despite so many good examples of how to do better.

The view across the Daugava towards our former hotel and the National Library.

In the afternoon, I go for an exploratory walk on my own in the near neighbourhood. 

Latvia's coat of arms.

Another great day.

P.S. I regret the leaning buildings and the tilting horizons. It is of course the confined spaces which can only be photographed with a wide angle lens, hence the collapsing walls.  The preview screen on my camera has either dulled or it is too difficult to read in the bright light. Thus, most of the time I shoot almost blind and hope that horizons are horizontal.