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The trip to the Baltic capitals started off in Tallinn, Estonia. After a side trip to Helsinki, it was time to head off to Riga. Geographically, Riga is about equal distance from both Tallinn and Vilnius. This made the trip easier to negotiate. I was very impressed with Tallinn. I had heard mixed things about Riga so I was unsure what to expect. I knew that it was UNESCO certified as a World Heritage Medieval town. I was curious to see if it could equal or approach the beauty of Tallinn.

My stay in Riga was only a couple days but it proved to be an interesting venture. I also came away with a lot of mixed feelings. I greatly enjoyed the city but there were many flaws. One the things that struck me was that there was a lot of construction going on. This is partly the lingering result of the Soviet occupation. Latvians are also guilty of trying to modernize too quickly. I learned that they were nearly stripped of their world heritage ranking. They seem to be taking it more seriously now.

One thing I liked about Riga is that the bus station and train station are right near the Old Town. I stayed at a hostel that was less than a five minute walk from the bus station. They have an underground sidewalk to get you across a boulevard that stands between the station and the Old Town. No matter what time of day I walked through the underground tunnel, there were musicians playing. It could be accordion or guitar but song filled the air.

One thing that will instantly greet a person emerging from the bus station is the Central Market. This is an enormous market. The outdoor overflow of vendors nearly comes right up to the station. They flew in five zeppelin hangars to house the market. You can find almost anything here. There is quite an abundance of produce and meat vendors. There were also a lot of people trying to sell me clothing that likely wouldn't fit me in a million years. My days of a 29 inch waist were gone even before I was old enough to drink. CDs, souvenirs, DVDs can all be found. This is a very impressive market. The people are pretty friendly but not really overbearing. It would be very easy to while away an afternoon here.

Of course, you really need to explore the city. Riga is an interesting town. The city is split between Latvians and Russians. There is probably a slightly greater number of Russians living in the city. There were not a lot of problems that were immediately visible but much resentment does exist. Like the Estonians, the Latvians do harbor a lot of resentment toward the Russians. It is even illegal to teach the Russian language in schools there.

I'm not going to get involved in a long discussion on the politics of the country. It is just something that does linger in the air. For my own part, I felt that I was welcome wherever I went. I didn't find people of Latvian or Russian descent to harbor resentment toward Americans and finding English speakers was an easy task. It is also very easy to have a good time in Riga. This is a good party town.

The local drink is called Black Balsams. This is a liquor that uses orange peel, wormwood and other exotic ingredients. It is about 90 proof. I read about it in the Lonely Planet: Estonia, Latvia & Lithuania guide book. The liquor is black in color and pretty thick. I found it to have a pleasing taste somewhat similar to licorice. The tale is that a Rigan pharmacist named Abraham Kunze created the drink in the 18th Century as a medicine. It has long since flourished. Now it is a staple in bars throughout Riga. I was impressed enough to bring a bottle home with me. There is a bar called Riga Balsambar which specializes in Black Balsam drinks but I was unable to pay a visit.

I was very interested in going to the Museum of the Occupation while I was in Riga. This is a museum that documents the history of the Soviet occupation of Latvia. It is a disturbing series of exhibits but well worth visiting. The museum operates on a donation basis so you can contribute whatever you can afford or desire. The Monument of the Riflemen also stands right outside this museum.

One disappointment I found was that St Peter's Church was closed when I visited. They do not open up on Mondays if I properly understood the sign on the door. This church has a spire that you can go up. It will give an impressive bird's eye view of the city. You should also be able to see quite a bit across the Daugava River. It was a bummer but next time I know to go there later in the week. This is still a beautiful Gothic cathedral. It is one that has been rebuilt and restored as it has been destroyed in a couple wars.

Like Tallinn, Riga is very restrictive about automobile access to the old town. I noticed barriers that could be lowered with an access card. I guess this is a good idea to help preserve this historic area. Riga is not nearly as well preserved as Tallinn. World War II was not kind to this town. The Soviets didn't do much to help the situation either. Perhaps this is the root of resentment toward the Russians.

I greatly enjoyed sauntering around the old town. There were numerous interesting sites such as the House of the Blackheads. This was a guild of unmarried merchants. This gorgeous building was built in 1344. The  Monument is also worth checking out. It is near Raina Bulvaris. This street is known for the numerous embassies that are located there. The Freedom Monument is a large structure originally built in 1935 through public donations. It was a central rallying point for the independence movement in the 1980s.

Of course, one will also want to do a little dining and imbibing while in Riga. I found that it was very easy to find local brews. Almost every pub I visited had a few Latvian beers on tap. There seemed to be a high proliferation of English and Irish pubs in Riga. Dickens Pub was a fine English pub. They had a nice selection of English beers and Latvian locals. I enjoyed a restaurant called Four Rooms and a nice Irish pub called Tim McShane's. McShane's was highly recommended by a local denizen. The bars are usually open till three or four in the morning.

Like Tallinn, there is also a proliferation of strip clubs. Prostitution is legal in Latvia but most guide books urge one to exercise extreme caution. It is not as clean and safe as an Amsterdam veteran might desire. There are also several casinos. Gambling has found a home in the Baltics. The casinos like the massage parlors tend to be 24 hour establishments.

Another thing to be recommended is Lido. This is a chain of theme restaurant/recreation centers in Latvia. Most of these establishments offer entertainment as well as food and drink. I visited Lido Atputas Centrs. This is considered the main one in the city of Riga. It is actually located on the outskirts of town. A short cab ride will get you there. There are also a couple buses that run from the Old Town.

Lido Atputas Centrs is certainly unique. First you walk in the gate and see several buildings. There is an ice skating rink off to the side. It was a rather large rink, too. A lot of people were taking advantage of this. I noticed a small stage with mascot like creatures putting on a performance for children. The other direction features a room with a dance floor and a live band playing Latvian music. There is a large building that features a cafeteria, cellar pub and restaurant. Lido brews their own honey beer which was rather tasty. The cafeteria was interesting. You could select your own ingredients and then give it to a cook to prepare. This place was great. I ate upstairs at the restaurant. There was a rather generous cold buffet to whet one's appetite for the main course. Lido from what I am told this is a Latvian institution. I was happy to have participated.

I had a great time while I was in Riga. I found the people to be very inviting. The construction was a bit of a turn off but it should be worth it when more of the Old Town is restored. There is much potential. This is a city that is both modern and ancient. They seem intent on bringing out the best of both worlds. I would like to go back in a couple years to check in on this construction. There are a few spots that likely will be more beautiful minus fences and cranes.