We're taking it easy today. We just had lunch and it's 3 pm. And that was after a morning of just sitting around in the room figuring out logistics for tomorrow--we're traveling to Saldus and Ventspils, all in one day, and needed to know if we could accomplish that by bus/train or not. Turns out not, so we're renting a car. That took a long time to figure out!
Yesterday, we really hoofed it. We walked to the Freedom Monument, all over the far end of Old Town, and went to the top of St. Peters (see photo). We also found the best jewelry so far, many great Latvian designs in silver and gold. I got two rings and a traditional Latvian "brooch" or pin that holds cloth together to make a cloak, or wrap.
Then we walked to the Central Market, then the bus station (for info), then the train station, where we got on board (after some rudeness from the surly blonde ticket agent) and went to Majori, one of the small towns that comprises Jurmala.
This was our first foray out of town. Seeing the smaller towns gives one a different picture than in Riga. Many of the towns seem to have mostly old, run down housing; one, Zolitude, had a huge complex of Soviet-era high rise housing that most reminded me of housing projects I have seen in cities like Chicago.
I shot some video from the train, as we headed into Boldure. Boldure is where I may have some cousins; however, I could not get their addresses before I left, and do not know how to contact them.
In Majori we had lunch at the first place we found, as we were starving from all the walking we'd done earlier. We had spare ribs and "fries with pickled vegetables." The pickled vegetables turned out to be carrots, red cabbage and beets, and were quite yummy. We also got "regular" size drinks of water, not the little mini bottles one usually gets and pays too much for here. {I have been wondering how the Europeans stay hydrated!)
After that we wound our way to the beach, which is sometimes described as the "Riviera of the Baltics." The Latts, having just emerged from a Baltic winter, were in swimsuits and acting as if it were 80 degrees outside. Swimming in the sea and playing volleyball, and just getting their feet into the soft sand.
I have often wondered if one reason that so many Latvians settled in the Great Lakes region was because they felt more at home there... I believe that more so now, having smelled the air, felt the sand and water, and seen the flora and fauna in the neighborhoods by the beach. Our cottage "up north" in Michigan could very well have been in Jurmala. Even details like the slope of the land toward the beach is much more like the Great Lakes than it is like the areas of the Pacific near where I have lived in Oregon and California.
Photo: My friend Susan wading the Baltic Sea
We're going to leave the room soon to go explore more architecture. That means I will have many photos to share; I'll post yesterday's photos as well as some from today, a bit later... now, it's time for a walk and exploration!