An hour by train, we walked to Kemeri National Park. A beautiful clear morning for the Raised Bog Trail, built in 2000.Fall colors, detail and highlight the Raised Bog Trail. This is the largest and most accessible bog in Latvia. It is also a very important bird migration area.This bog started forming about 8,000 years ago. As the peat layer grew thicker the bog started to rise into what is now called a dome. Inner pressure cracks start collecting water into numerous pools.This is a massive bog as we saw from the viewing tower — basically around 24 square miles.This gives a sense of scale as we enjoyed the reflections and sunshine!We got off the train at Majori Beach. A very popular area on the Gulf of Riga! About 30 minutes from Riga — nice!Jurmala means ‘seaside’ and has this extremely long sandy beach — 21 miles! Gorgeous. While Latvia was under Soviet occupation, Jūrmala was a favorite holiday resort and tourist destination for high-level Communist Party officials.Now everyone can enjoy! We were lucky to get a seaside table for an afternoon FIKA with our own lion sand sculpture.Amber is found tangled in seaweed in the Baltic — all along the coast after strong storms. And the store windows are so enticing! Made us think about what did happened to Catherine the Great’s Amber room…The Rundale Palace — in southern Latvia — dates back to the 1700’s. This Russian summer palace was designed by the same architect as the Winter Palace in St Petersburg. Catherine the Great’s brother lived here before Napoleon destroyed the interiors.We toured the lovely gardens with lots of different “rooms” devoted to tulips or hydrangeas, or roses.The Salaspils Memorial was built in 1967 by the Soviets to emphasize how bad the Nazi Work Camps were. Renovated in 2018, it now honors the German prisoners of war who died here as well under the Soviets. And explains the complete story of all who perished under the horrors of war and occupation.The statues are monumental as you can see from the people walking around. Very emotional in their depictions.Concrete statue “unbroken”. But the country was broken, but has recovered in the last 30 years of independence.
Riga located on the Bay of Riga — the largest Baltic city — has been a trading center since 1100’s: Vikings, Crusaders, Hanseatic League….The Daugava river and the stylish cable stay Vansu Tilts Bridge. The newer town on the left bank, the older on the right.The dominate National Library of Latvia, 2014. The Castle of Light design is derived from a beloved local 1909 book titled ‘The Golden Steed’ — only those “clever, purity of heart, and empathy” can get to the top of the Ice Mountain to waken the princess.Riga was the European Capital of Culture in 2014: On 14 January 2014, thousands formed the ‘Chain of Light’, (2,014 meters long) transferring books one by one to the new library! The first book to pass was the German Chancellor’s 1825 family bible, published in Latvian.The wonderful and impressive people’s bookshelf holds many special books, such as family bibles and cookbooks with personal messages — all donated by Latvians and visitors.The world renowned Latvian born American architect, Gunars Birkerts, had his office in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He pioneered expressive moderism with emphasis especially on the use of light. The library had a wonderful exhibit on all the libraries around the world he created as well as many of his other projects.Riga has a history of great architects and is lucky to have many of their building remaining. UNESCO has recognized the Historic Center of Old town as a Cultural site which deserves protection for the benefit of all humanity.Most of the buildings are unique in that they are only 5 stories in height.The House of the Black Head, — originally built by wealthy Hanseatic merchants in 1334 — was restored in 1999 after WWII bombing. We stayed across the square in a fabulous Apartment Hotel.There are many faces watching you as the highest concentration of Art Nouveau architecture anywhere in the world is here. Most of Riga’s 600 Art Nouveau buildings date from between 1904 and 1914.Stylistic influences derived from present-day Austria, Finland and Germany — while the establishment of a faculty of architecture in Riga in 1869 was instrumental in providing a local cadre of architects.Between 1897 and 1913, the city grew by 88%, reaching a population of 530,000 in 1914 — making it the fifth largest city in the Tsarist Russian Empire.The Art Nouveau center was in one of the earliest example of buildings in this style and has recreated much of the interiors as they originally appeared. Here is their website with link to buildings, architects.Fabulous entryways! The buildings are wonderful at the street level and also keep you craning up to see the top adornments.Very impressive stairway leading up all 5 floors. On Alberta Iela 2 (Art Nouveau Center) designed by Mikhail Eisenstein, one of the most prominent Latvian architects.
