In just over a week I will be breaking through a comfort wall that I've wanted to do for a long time and that is going solo travelling!
I've wanted to go to obscure countries in Europe since I was little and my first country I plan to visit is Latvia. Now Latvia has become quite the tourist hotspot in recent years but still somewhat unheard of by most people.
There are a few reasons why Latvia appeals to me and they are in no particular order the history, culture and food. Latvia has been occupied at least twice in the last 100 years or so but the two that I know of were by the Germans in world war II where they took Latvia from Russian rule and then the Soviet Union took Latvia back after the war. They had only been an independent country for less than 20 years until they regained complete independence in 1991.
Latvia is a Baltic country between Estonia and Lithuania and has along with Austria the oldest flag in the world, the Latvian flag has a darker red and a thinner white stripe. It's also reported to be the place of the first public Christmas tree!
I've been attempting to learn some Latvian which hasn't gone as well as I'd have hoped but hopefully I can get by! But a lot of Latvians probably speak better English than some English speaking people do! But Reddit told me I should be able to get by with sveiki and paldies which is hello and thank you so I should be fine.
From the weather apps my birthday seems to be the coldest day of the rest of January so I'm slightly concerned I wont be prepared for the weather as I'd hoped because when I did my research the monthly average low was -7 it's looking to be -12/-16 with 69% humidity so wish me luck! I have opted for thin layers and a thermal coat, hat and gloves. I've also got a travel umbrella that I'm taking too in case it decides to have stuff fall from the sky!
I have a fair few items on my must see list that most are photo opportunities and only one museum is closed the whole time I'm there which isn't too bad going. The big ticket items I'm seeing are:
- Academy of Science - known as Stalin's birthday cake and is one of the only buildings that still has the hammer and sickle symbol on. I will be doing this at night so I can see Riga all sparkly from the observation deck
- KGB Corner House - this was where Soviet's interrogated and incarcerated Latvians and still has the jail cells it is situated on Brīvības iela which translates to Freedom street which I think is quite fitting.
- St Peter's Church - this also has an observation area in the steeple and I will be going there for a daylight view hopefully I can see a fair amount of the city.
- Riga Ghetto and Holocaust museum - this is obviously what it says on the tin.
- National Library of Latvia - honestly this building looks so cool.
- Holy Trinity Church - this is a pink church and I have to see it for the novelty of it.
- Riga Central Market - this is the largest indoor market in Europe and is in buildings that were built as zeppelin hangars and I am an aircraft nerd so that is exciting. This is where I'm probably going to eat most of the street food options and get my souvenirs.
- Cosmos Illusions - this is an attraction with well illusions from what I can tell it's a lot like Camera Obscura in Edinburgh without the telescope at the top.
- Anatomy museum - this just tickles my morbid curiosity as it looks like a mixture of the Surgeons Hall in Edinburgh and the Thackeray Medical museum in Leeds. I love medical history.
- Riga Congress House - this is because I have bought a ticket to see my first symphonic orchestra!
- Pokrov(a) and Meža kapos - I love a cemetery (taphophile if you will) and these two are close by my hotel and will fill a bit of time before the museums open at 10am.
Obviously I will be seeing The Three Brothers, House of the Blackheads and The Freedom Monument plus the other statues, buildings and monuments. Plus I'm getting a tattoo!
Have you been to Riga or solo travelled before? Or are you planning to in the future I would love to hear about it. I am both excited and nervous but when I get back I will make sure I tell you all about it!
Add comment
Comments