Let's get lost . . . in Riga

Over years of travelling, I've developed a highly strategized approach upon arrival in a new place.  It used to be: find the nearest tourist information office, get a map, and begin checking off the sights on my must-see list.  Now, it's much simpler.  Stop first for coffee, if possible to go.  Then get lost.

I've learned it's the aimless wandering that yields the most: the picture that captures the very essence of a place, the perfect restaurant scoped for a memorable meal, a lovely shaded garden to read in on a sunny afternoon or a cozy coffee shop to while away the hours of an unexpected rainy afternoon.  And it's this leisurely discovery that enables the quirky, sweet and lively interactions with people that gives strength of good memory of a time and place.

Riga had the potential to be a frustrating leg of my summer travels.  In the interests of saving my family the worry of me trekking merrily through the wilds of Latvia on my own, I'd added an extra day and a half to my stay.  I'd planned one last night of Baltic "luxury" before my early, rather expensive flight from Kaunas, Lithuania back to Croatia and so was counting my pennies in anticipation. I'd just left the best hostel of my travels for one with which I didn't really connect.  Guess I'm just not a Naughty Squirrel kind of girl.  And then I met someone who shared my great theory of getting lost.

Oh, to be sure, there was some structure, but everything evolved organically:

Sunset drinks at the Skyline Bar

Watching the changing of the guard at the Freedom Monument during a walking tour

rediscovering the beauty of Art Nouveau, not just in the city's official district

finding random photo opps outside the Russian embassy

shopping at the massive daily market, both in and around four Zeppelin hangars

Splashing in the Baltic Sea at Jurmala

watching fireworks beside the scuplture commemorating the 500th anniversary of Riga's invention of the Christmas Tree



experiencing a gorgeous sunset over a traditional Latvian meal


Even the one booked activity, an Eat Riga Beer & Balsams walking tour changed unexpectedly with the addition of three Aussies from my hostel.  A highly irreverent and unorthodox evening with our hysterical guide culminated in a beer and liqueur tasting in a tiny local pub.  Joined at first by our guide's girlfriend, our table spilled rapidly across the sidewalk until we were toasting into the wee hours with our new Latvian best friends.

If this is the end result, I should be getting lost more often.