LATVIA: Riga II – Baltic Beauty
The Lux Express Bus provided an exceptional way to journey to Riga. Comfortable seating combined with a personal entertainment system like the ones provided by the better airlines rounded out the experience. A coffee machine was an appreciated, added perk. I watched the Freddy Mercury biopic, Bohemian Rhapsody, and followed it up with The Meg which was a frivolous romp with Jason Statham about a very hungry, prehistoric shark. It always pleases me to see another follicle challenged gent kicking ass in a film. Rock and Roll and giant sharks easily consumed the 4+ hour trip to Riga.
The Bus station was five minutes from the hostel, and after unpacking and getting organized Riga was just as I remembered it in all of its sunny day splendor. I made a beeline for the shady, central park with a river running through it and soaked up the greenery and serenity as electric boats silently plied its waters. Riga, although larger, is less crowded and more laid back than the bustling Medieval Old Town of Tallinn.
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3 Comments
Z
July 30, 2019Wonderful! Great memories! Jurmala looks as beautiful as I remember it. Thank you for posting, John!
The Travel Zealot
July 30, 2019Glad to hear it, Z. So often our memories are ruined by unpleasant changes, but it seems they have managed to keep many of the old structures as well as integrating many pleasant modern buildings into the area. I arrived in Jurmala at 9:30 am before many people descended upon the town. I got off the train in Dzintari, walked to the beach, and then went back to the pedestrian shopping street that led to Majori. The place was spotless like a Baltic Geneva. I had an enjoyable stroll, taking pictures, soaking up the scenery, and eating freshly picked berries before hopping on a train back to Riga. Once there, I went back to Boris & Tamara’s old building and enjoyed the art nouveau splendor of Elizabeth and Albert streets.
I’m glad Jurmala remains unspoiled, and I think you will find the same is true of Riga. I think you might want to do the full Baltic sweep (Tallinn, Riga, and Vilnius) at some point. I’ll certainly have some useful and tasty tips for you.
z
August 1, 2019Will Be!