LATVIA..

'Where is Latvia?' asked Cherie. And she continued,

'Haha. I think I've only heard of it at Miss Universe pageants.'

4 Australians, a Dutch, a French, 2 Germans, a Singaporean and a Swiss..

10 exchange students to Riga on the Regina Baltica..

In beautiful Swedish waters..

The boat was a party boat..

With crazy drankards like the Lithuanian, second left, who kept coming for our alcohol..

Trashed..

Good morning Riga..

Our very orange hostel with very steep stairs.. Was a nice hostel though..

Party again..

And again..

Trashed..

Rented a car for a drive out of the city..

Breakfast in Sigulda, the Switzerland of Vidzeme..

Emo boys at the ruins of Sigulda Castle..

Doing what the Beatles did on the Abbey Road crossing..

Gūtmaņala Cave, the largest grotto in the Baltic states.. I was trying to teach some lady how to operate my camera.. But she snapped us before I could finish..

Lake Burtnieks.. Having some wild time..

Dayong Sampan..

We crossed the Estonian-Latvian border..

Nice toilet huh?

Back in Riga alone.. The guys left for Stockholm before me..

Saint Peter's Church.. The largest Gothic church in Latvia..

Old Riga..

The Latvians are a patriotic people..

Freedom Monument..

Russian Orthodox Cathedral of the Birth of Christ.. Amazing interior..


This was my first visit to a Russian Orthodox Church..

Dome Square with the Riga Dome Cathedral in the background..

Got a stranger to take this picture of me at the cloister of the Riga Dome Cathedral..

I love this building.. Socialist Classicism..

Went to Mass on a Monday.. It was traditional.. The priest came out carrying a veiled chalice and people received communion on their tongues at the altar rails.. Before communion, large white cloths were flipped over the rails.. I didn't know what to do.. I was lost..

Standing along Alberta Street.. Famed for its Art Nouveau buildings..

Riga boasts the largest collection of Art Nouveau buildings in Europe.. I love Art Nouveau..

View from Sky Bar..

On my way to the airport.. Daugava River..

Back to Stockholm!