Riga+

 

Friday, September 20^th, we spent a very sunny and beautiful day in Riga, Latvia.  Riga is being called the Paris of the Baltic and/or the pearl of the Baltic.  Back in 2005 Gordon and I and two of our friends visited Dubrovnik, Croatia, which at the time was being called the Pearl of the Adriatic so it makes sense that we are here!   One of the main differences of this formerly Soviet controlled country is that people are warm and inviting, speak English and smile!  The old town has intricately designed cobblestone streets and lovely old buildings all very orderly and clean.  Lot’s of cafés and coffee shops line the streets and, as in Stockholm, the town has many, many young people.

Arriving in the Port at Riga, Latvia

Our cruise ship docked just before this interesting bridge.

We spent the first hour of our visit sitting at a coffee house on the square checking our emails and for me, publishing my blog.  I’m not expecting people to actually read this, it’s more for Gordon and I to keep track of our various journeys and remember where we’ve been and what we do/did, before age takes its’ toll on our memory!  As if!

Another city of beautiful cobbled streets and colorful buildings.

A square with WIFI!

We walked through this awesome park on our way to the Museum of Occupation.

 

We walked the old town streets and went to the Museum of Occupation showing Latvia when it was occupied by the Soviets, the Nazi’s during World War 2, and a second occupation by the Soviets.  Latvia finally gained its independence in 1991.  It was an interesting but sad museum.  Thousand of Latvians were killed or removed and families split up and sent to various regions in Siberia.  Most didn’t return.

Jill just outside this Occupation Museum.  What goes through her mind?

A blue palace!

Riga's Independence Monument with guards.

 Later we poked around the charming village streets, watched the changing of the guard at Riga’s independence memorial and had a Latvian lunch of potato pancakes with smoked salmon and yogurt, a salad for me and minestrone soup for Jill and Gordon and Latvian beers all round!  Sitting outside on a warm day was lovely and beats the rain and cold of Tallinn yesterday.  Our moods were considerably lighter today and we enjoyed people watching, a favorite past time when traveling.

Colorful flower stalls abound.

Home Sweet Home!

In the evening we were invited to the Captain’s Cocktail party for returning Oceania Cruisers so we got dressed up and went to the cocktail party in the 12 floor forward lounge.  There were several hundred people in attendance all returning cruisers and “awards” were handed out to cruisers with upwards of 5 cruises.  We were shocked at the number above 10, then 15 and the ultimate 20 cruises!  Steve, the 20-cruiser man, was on his cruise for free!  Apparently if you cruise 19 times….the 20^th is free.  Anyway we went over and met Steve and his girlfriend, Fawn Eva, a 15 time cruiser and had a nice time visiting with other fellow cruisers while enjoying free cocktails and canapés (the only thing on the ship free!)   We met and ended up dining with Ken and Kyle, a couple from southern New Jersey, in the Main Dining Room then together went and watched a “magic” show later.  The magician called Jillian on stage for a “magic” trick but when Jillian returned to her seat with us she declared him a FRAUD!  Wasn’t a great show but some of the older folks were fooled!

The next day was a much needed cruise day, and after our 30 laps on the track, Gordon went down to compete in table tennis and then up to the gym and Jillian and I found the spa lounge available to suite-dwellers and planted ourselves on a comfortable double lounge to read and nap.  It was great!  And the sun was shining which was fantastic!  Later we dined in the Polo Grill, had steak and lobster and watched the moon rise from the stern of the ship.  Just lovely.