Various days, from Monday, 10-June-2024, through Saturday, 15-June-2024
I adored the riverfront parks in Riga.
And, as June kicked into gear, the flowers seemed to love them too – so many flowers adding color to so many beautifully solid sculptures… I don’t know exactly what style of art these sculptures are (Soviet realism? Brutalist? Modern Classical?), but I know that they’re solid, and that they look really cool when contrasted with bright flowers and beautiful growing things.
I took these photos over the course of my wanderings around Riga – I didn’t set out to see any specific pieces, and simply found them as I explored and meandered my way around the city. It seemed like everywhere I turned there was another cool statue of sculpture to see, and they definitely helped me add more than a few miles to my sneakers.
Monday, 10-June-2024, through Saturday, 15-June-2024
I liked Riga.
It felt a bit smaller than Tallinn, and didn’t have the strongly-defined (and walled off) old town, but the old town was definitely there, and was absolutely lovely to wander around. Whereas Tallinn was built around the walls of the old town, Riga seemed to be built around the river – beautiful parks running along both banks, with amazing sculptures throughout.
Lots of beautiful buildings, and I definitely spent quite a bit of time just wandering and appreciating the architecture that surrounded me. It definitely felt like it was newer than Tallinn’s old town, with buildings that seemed a bit more… sculptural? Maybe? I can’t quite put my finger on it, but there was definitely a subtly different feel to the city. Neither good nor bad, but definitely interesting.
In all candor, I was also starting to burn out while I was in Riga. This marked my halfway point for the trip – it was my sixth week traveling, and I was starting to feel it. Museums became a bit more monotonous, and I didn’t quite have the endurance to see multiple galleries in a single day. I was still walking a ton (between 5 and 10 miles a day), but I was taking it a bit more slowly… and needing a bit more down time in the hotel in the mornings and evenings.
There’s nothing wrong with that. It’s part of anything – six weeks of vacation and museums and walking can wear on a soul similarly to six weeks of work… it’s a better type of wear, and I’d choose it every day over going back to the chaos of work, but it’s still there.
I took some days lighter than I normally would have. I rested a bit more, watched a bit more cartoons, and finished the book I was reading. I did laundry at a laundromat downtown, and relaxed at a cafe while the machine tumbled. I didn’t take a hard-rest, but I definitely slowed down a bit… I can’t tell you if it would have been better to fully stop, but I can say that slowing down definitely helped quite a bit.
Ohh! One extra fun part!
I found an archery range! By “range” I mean “a few cloths draped between trees, with some targets set up and a very overworked guy trying to keep the kids from shooting each other”. Like… seriously, how was this legal? I had fun plonking a few arrows into a target… but dear god it was concerning being around there.
Now, the part that everyone loves – Food! Where did I eat while adventuring around Latvia?
LIDO – A sort of cafeteria-style place, grab your tray and pick your food. Interesting, and I believe it was fairly authentic Latvian fare?
Rozengrals Vinarium Civitatis Rigensis – Very fancy spot, in an old wine cellar, with a strong medieval theme. Fun, but… I don’t know. I went on a Tuesday, and I think it’s more of a “go on the weekend” kind of place.
Big Bad Bagels – Awesome and simple. The bagels were great.
Portofino – Delicious italian spot… though their website was out of date, which meant that the meatballs that I was craving weren’t on the menu. But still, good food!
Caffeine – Awesome and simple coffee shop, beautifully welcoming for me to spend some time blogging.
This Place Doesn’t Need a Name – Ehh. This was okay. Wouldn’t really recommend, though the decor was really cool.
Cherry Fix – I spent an evening purging my system of this dinner, and then three more days recovering. Do not recommend. This’ll get its own blog post soon enough.
I’ve mentioned in a few posts before that I’m making a major effort to appreciate the simple good and small beauty in the world around me. I’m doing well with that, I’m proud to report, and I’m thankful to be able to share some of those views with the rest of the world.
These pictures don’t have big stories behind them, or epic adventures spent getting to where I took them. They’re in town, by my office, or found on simple walks around the park… but they’re no less exquisite for that nearness.
The simple good in the world is key – Mountains and grand vistas are fine goals, and serve to add spice to life… but eating an entire meal of spices alone wouldn’t be particularly enjoyable. The day-to-day can be just as excellent.
