My late evening last night had one unintended consequence: I wasn’t in the mood to start my day very early. I first woke up at 0545 but was still tired; I went back to sleep and didn't get up until 0800. This turned out to be a happy accident, though, because it gave me an incentive to extend my hotel stay for another night. Even better, I had more time to complete Vidims’ (hotel clerk's) “Road Rally”. The clerk on duty at the Radisson Old Town Riga were very helpful and even allowed me to keep my room for an extra night (that hadn't been certain when I'd inquired the night before. After that task was completed, I made bus and hotel reservations for Vilnius (for the next day). During this window, I skipped breakfast and, instead, worked on getting ready for a full day of exploring. I finally left the hotel at 1010 and walked into the park nearby. The weather conditions were overcast, with temps in the low 50s F. My first goal was to find the operator and dock for a boat tour company that I'd been told was located very close to the hotel. When I arrived there (1020), I found only employees (I may have been the only person interested in such a tour). When I asked them how long it might be until the next boat departed, they said (in not the best English) that it would be “20-25 minutes”. This didn't sound so bad so I paid my fare. I also ordered some tea at their little kiosk (Cafe “Galbi”) to drink while I waited. While perched in a chair on a bank above the Canal, I watched a bearded paddle boarder with dog his dog perched on the bow of the SUP. Time passed and it became clear that the forecasted departure time was off - I started to wish I hadn't paid... I also started to wonder if they were looking for a minimum number of passengers but, since English was not the primary language, I didn't pester the staff. After about 40 minutes, though, I finally asked one of them (who I'd seen working on the boats at the dock) how much longer I'd have to wait. This man turned out to be the Captain and offered me a chance to get in the boat. Shortly after that, two more (German-speaking) passengers arrived and boarded. The boat rocked precipitously! When two more (Russian-speaking) passengers arrived, the Captain started a debate about the preferred language of the tour. Initially, it appeared that Russian might win the contest but then the Germans tipped the scale to English. I was very grateful for this but tried to mask my enthusiasm. We finally departed on my first Riga adventure of the day at 1110! The initial portion of the trip included a southbound ride through the Canal. As we passed different landmarks, the recorded guide audio explained what we were seeing. We passed the Freedom Monument and I learned it had been built in 1935. The three stars in the hand of the statue are included on the €1 coin! Next, we passed the Opera House and Riga Railway Station (which had a tower that visitors could climb to view the city). Suddenly, the Captain commented on the low water level (I guess it wasn't normally so bad). More scary, though: we had to travel underneath very low bridges and I thought "how would we make it if the water level was higher? Safely through that area, we sailed by the Central Market and the audio guide mentioned how Riga (like so many other cities on my trip) was a Hanseatic City. Vadims had told me that the buildings that made up the Market used to be blimp hangars. Though it wasn't mentioned, I noticed the Bus Station and filed that away in my memory. Soon after this, we reached the Daugava River and a strong, visible current caused the Captain to have to add a lot more power to control our course. We crossed to the other bank and arrived in the vicinity of Torņakalns, which was once a separate town but is now part of Riga. In that area, we were told (by the audio guide) about the National Library. I almost laughed when the recording said “we are rich because we each have a song”. Apparently the library records all kinds of musical audio to put meaning behind this Latvian philosophy. When I turned around (cautiously, since the boat seemed very unstable), I got an amazing view of the skyline of Riga. We were told about the Dom (Evangelical Lutheran), which is known for its famous organ. There was also a mention of St. Jacob’s Catholic, Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic (may not have been visible) and Riga Castle (where government is located and both flags mean president & parliament are there). Back across the river, we were told to note a fancy island with many pretty homes (Kipsala). The audio guide mentioned there was man who saved Jews during the Holocaust and he lived in this area. Nearby, we saw the main factory for Riga Gypsum (plasterboard). Soon after this, the Captain turned us towards the Port of Riga. We didn't see it, but the Tallink Ferry from Stockholm apparently docks there. Almost without warning, we entered a Marina Harbor and found ourselves back in the Canal. I was surprised to see the bearded paddle boarder and dog again, this time on land... Tour spots of interest in this segment of the tour included the Canal Side Greenery (Rifleman Garden = “Cromwella” Park), beaver “apartments”, several Art Nuveau buildings (including a Cultural Center with a beautiful staircase). We passed Congress Hall, National Theater (building (where Latvia Independence was declared in 1918) and the high "Ramparts of Riga" (on a hill above the Canal). The last point of interest that the audio guide mentioned was Bastion Hill, which apparently had waterfalls - I only noticed it when we reached the boat dock (1150). After my wonderful boat tour of the Canal and Duagava River, I said goodbye to my fellow tourists and the Captain and climbed Bastion Hill. It wasn't very tall but I got some nice views of the Freedom Monument. Next, I started following Vadims’ walking tour suggestions (he'd written them on a paper map he'd provided). This route took me through pretty parks along the Canal and into a Japanese garden. As I'd been seeing across Europe, there were a lot of school kids wearing matching smocks in several places along the way. Eventually, I found myself much deeper inside the Art Nouveau Quarter. There was a lot of amazing architecture there and I was happy to see several instances of funny statues of anthropomorphized cats (I never understood why). Later, I walked to National Museum of Art, which was located very close to (Orthodox) Nativity of Christ Church (the golden domed building I'd seen the night before). During this time, I realized I'd been seeing lots of local people earing ballcaps with the names of American Cities on them. My ultimate goal for this walk was to reach the Old Church of St. Gertrude and I found this place at about 1245. Vidims had highly recommended I get some treats at "Muffins and More" and I took his advice - I ordered some hot chocolate, a raspberry & creme muffin and a chocolate & caramel muffin. This was plenty of food to consider "brunch" and I ate everything inside the (mostly empty) restaurant. After wrapping up my meal, I walked a short distance and entered St. Gertrude's. It was old and pretty. Finished with Vidims’ Old City map, I started walking southwest again. Along the way, I passed Alexander Nevsky church (little & yellow) and then crossed a busy roundabout so I could stroll down a tree lined Esplanade. On one side of the street, I found the National Supreme Court (Augstaka Iesa) - on the other, the Nativity of Christ Church. I ended up walking all the way to the Freedom Monument. For the first time, I noticed that there were marching guards on one side of the statue - very impressive (it looked a bit like something from Moscow). I then followed the main street towards the river and located St. Peter’s Church. This was listed as a "Top 10" landmark (per the Radisson hotel) and I gladly paid for a tour inside and ride to the top. From the highest spire of the church, I was treated to a beautiful view of the entire city. It was a bit windy but there was not doubt that it had been a good idea to visit St. Peter’s. I'd noticed an ornate building from the top and sought this out when I was done inside the church. The Blackhead House (destroyed in 1940s, used as Red Rifleman Square and rebuilt in 1999) was an impressive example of the Hanseatic League influence on Riga. Nearby, I found displays about Nazi & Soviet occupation (one sign claimed that Latvian land was stolen after the fall of the Iron Curtain). After this somber reminder of how tenuous freedom has been for the Baltic States, I started looking for the entrance of the Dom (Cathedral). I had to buy a ticket to enter but, like with St. Peter's, the ticket ended up being well worth the cost. Inside a pretty courtyard, I learned that the founder of Riga was a bishop in the 12th century. There was plenty of art and remnants from when various parts of the building had been damaged and/or rebuilt. After exiting the church (1400), I could honestly say that I'd completed the Radisson Hotel’s “Top 10” sites and activities. With my tour of Riga wrapped up, I decided to try my luck with the Latvian train system. Last night, Vidims had told me about some wonderful, rural towns in central Latvia that had castles and adventure sports. Since I’d only planned one overnight initially, I never intended to go. With the extra day, though, I decided to attempt to ride the train to Sigulda and Turaida. Walking generally south through the city, I managed to find a place to cross the tracks and the Canal. I ended up close to the Bus Station and the LUX Express office (more information for tomorrow) and then walked through the (open air) Central Market. At one point, man fell down in front of me - I tried to help him but he refused all assistance. The reaction of some of the other people nearby seemed to indicate that he was only a drunk (rather than someone having a medical emergency). Beyond this point, I had trouble locating train station because of major construction., Eventually, though, I located a place to buy ticket. As I explained to the ticket agent what I wanted to do, she took my money and said "you have four minutes". Assuming (correctly) that I needed to hurry to the train platform, I practically ran up several flights of stairs to the tracks. Somehow, I managed to board a Sigulda bound train (1520). The train departed less than five minutes later - whew! It was very hot onboard and there were a LOT of other passengers. With difficulty, I successfully managed to answer some conductor questions. Meanwhile, it took a while to leave the city center. When we reached the town/stop for Jugla we passed off of the map Vidims had given me. For the first time, I encountered poverty among the local people - there were so many hardscrabble homes! I probably could have commented on this earlier but EVERYONE was smoking in nearly every venue (train cars included). After a long time in flat, open country, we entered new forests. We passed by a series of little train stations that reminded me of the Varykino stop from the movie "Doctor Zhivago" and, sometimes, people got off and walked off into the trees. I began to wonder if there would be an announcement (especially one I could understand and hear) when we arrived at Sigulda. Fortunately, the stop was the most obvious of the entire 70 minute ride on the rails - by 1630, I was off the train and was exploring again. Everything in the town seemed to be new, with pretty streets and well-maintained parks. Without a map, I still found my way OK. My first stop was to take a look at an old church. Beyond that, I noticed a larger park that had a swanky-looking home (New Sigulda Castle). When I arrived at this building (closed to the public), I found a pathway that allowed me to enter a museum-type historical area with ruins and a reconstructed structure (Castle Of The Livonian Order In Sigulda). I paid for a ticket and then climbed a series of ramps and towers, looking for good scenery. From a high viewpoint above the Guaja Valley, I could see several other prominent landmarks, including the distant Turaida (tower) and the "green zone" of the Guaja National Park (1715). After my exploration of this interesting area, I exited the historic area and found a gift shop nera the New Castle. I bought some cookies and tried (secretly) to charge my phone with a USB port I’d found. Only partially successful in this effort (every little bit helps, though), I departed to explore more of the city. Soon after this, I stopped at the Visitor Center for the National Park. The women there spoke English pretty well and, unsolicited, gave me more impressions about the feelings of Boomer and GenX Latvians about the Soviet occupation... I got a map from the ladies and recommendations for more finding more beautiful scenery (too far away to visit on this trip). I continued wandering after that and was impressed with how many (so many) bike) trails I found. Even more surprising, I encountered a Camino shell ("Latvian Way" ?). Recalling Vidims' mention of a gondola (or cable car), I went search of it. When I arrived, there were no people nearby and I thought they might have already closed. However, I soon found that I could ride across to the Krimulda “Estate” on the second to last run of the day (1755). With a young woman driver, I crossed the Gauja River Valley in the gondola. In the distance, I could see Turaida Castle, Old/New Sigulda Castle(s) and the Krimulda structure. On the way, the driver told me that I only had 14 minutes to explore before she made her last run of the day to pick me up. Her quote: "You wouldn’t be able to see anything" implied that she didn't want to make the last run just for me. She offered to take me back right away but I decided to take my chances with the 14 minutes. This turned out to be a good idea because I saw some old ruins (in the trees), the estate building and some pretty gardens. There was some good birding there too (aw a Black Redstart and Black Stork). In the end, I actually had to wait for the last cable car - I watched it sitting (motionless) on the Sigulda side (1822). Seven minutes later, I saw it moving towards me (whew). During that time, a cyclist arrived at the top of the ridge and hung out with me (no talking, though). I was a bit relieved to get picked up... During the return ride, the same young lady drive was surprised that I'd been able to see anything at all in the "short amount of time." She admitted that she'd never actually left the gondola station. With the ice broken, though, she told me about the adventure company that employed her - they offer zip lining, bungee jumping, kayaking, SUP, tobogganing, etc. The funniest part of this story was how one local man gave his 90 year old mom a zip lining adventure - she loved it! After we reached the Sigulda side again, I wandered back towards the train station. Along the way, I found a Ferris wheel and a toboggan run (with chair lift). Soon after that, I realized that I’d lost my map - fortunately, it no longer mattered. After nearly 2.5 hours since I'd arrived, I felt good about my tour of the city. With time running short before one of the last trains back to Riga departed, I ate my first true meal of the day at a restaurant near the station; I stopped at Pie Vitoliem for dinner at 1855. Since the weather was still wonderful, I sat outside and ordered “Vistas burgers ar piedevam” (chicken burger with side of fries with garlic sauce). All the food came with rubber gloves and I saw other people actually wearing them (to prevent spillage of the loaded sandwiches). The food was great and, before I was done, I tried a local liqueur called Riga Balzams. While getting ready to pay, I talked with my server about tipping customs - it turns out that they see things just like Buenos Aires ("we are paid fairly and don't need the tip"). I was done eating at 1945 and walked to train station to board what I thought would be the Express train to Riga. There was already a train waiting there but, at 1955, another train arrived. Along with several other passengers, I went over to check out the new arrival; I found out it was the Express. However, the conductor lady told me my ticket wouldn’t work on it. Instead, I went back to the original train to ride it (via all the stops) back to the Latvian Capital. The Express departed just after 2000 and we departed at 2007. For the next 75 minutes, I rode the rails back to Riga. My cell phone was nearly dead and I kept it off for most of this ride to preserve the remaining battery. However, Brenna started texting and actually requested a call - when I noticed this (while checking my messages just before arrival), I told her I’d call when I got to my hotel. The battery on my iPhone SO low! At 2115, I got off the train in Riga and wandered into the park along the Canal again. I hoped to be able to take in a few more sights by the late evening light. As I continued towards the hotel, I passed the Opera House, … Tower, Old City Walls, Swedish Gate, St. Jacob’s, other churches, edge of Riga Castle and “Three Brothers” (cute little buildings in the old style of the city). It was still not dark by 2200 when I arrived at my hotel. Fortunately, Vidims was on duty again tonight and I had a chance to thank him for all his wonderful "tour guide" suggestions (he was very surprised at all the things I'd been able to do). Back in my room, I was able to have a (Facebook Messenger) call with Brenna between 2215 and 2255. After that, I did some reading, social media and Duolingo. I finally went to bed at 2345. Very glad I checked out the countryside of Latvia!
