Riga
Juni 2006

I have to admit, that I had to look on the map, where this country Latvia was exactly. The destination of our city-trip was called Riga, Latvia's capital. The little baltic state with only 2.4 million people was found quickly. It located far in the east and that means that one has certain conceptions...

Four of us travelled to Riga in order to have some fun and make some party. Riga is well known of this. At least in insider circles. Thus we flew from Berlin Schönefeld towards the Baltic. In Riga a completely new airport awaited us. Should all prejudices be wrong? I make it short: Yes!

 Riga is a wonderful city. One felt remembered to a giant open air museum. The houses are built in the middle age and they were obviously not destroyed in war. With every step you feel the pulse from the old "hanseatic time". Riga was a part of this federation and German merchants built many houses in the city center. You recognize much from our hanseatic cities: Narrow lanes, high gabled roof-houses  and certainly monuments like the Roland and Bremen's "city musicians". It's funny and intersting, strolling the old cobble stone. Furthermore the prices invite into the numerous beergardens. Half a litre beer costs not more than 2.40 Euro, mostly less than 2,00 Euro. In addition the weather was simply ingenious. We looked around and visited the cathedral, the guilds, the market hall, the old powder-tower and the many other scenic parts of Riga. Summing up, you can say that the city is a puzzle of all these fantastic old buildings and monuments. You can do all this in one and a half day, because Riga isn't that huge. Although I recommend this 890,000 inhabitants-city.

Be sure, that we also had a good party! For warming up, we went to a cocktail-bar (cocktails 4,50 Euro) in the city center. Some girls, which danced on the bar, said hello to us. The cocktails tasted very good. Then we asked where to go later on, they gave us a hint: The Essential. We danced into the early morning. It was a great atmosphere. Remarkable that we went in the disco before sunset and came out, when the sun was up again. That means it was midsummer. The night had only a few hours. Not much time for sleepingm we only had two nights in Riga... In the second evening we visited the Fashion. Here the level of girls was condemned high, however the atmosphere was great. Later on, we went again to the Essential. In Riga you can have great parties. Many English fly in for bachelor parties. So the Latvians are keyed to tourists and speak good English.

I expected Riga somehow different, but I was impressed. No ugly buildings ... Wonderful architecture, nice people and crazy parties. Who did not see Riga yet, fly there!

"Schwarzhäupter"-Houses	"Cats House"	The oldest street: Torna iela
The cathedral	The castles (parliament building)	Break on the Liven-place

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