Atputa Cesis

... one of those can be climbed to the onservation deck (though arcaic in form!) - you do have to climb with the assistance of candle-light lanterns as the stairs are not lit and there is no natural lighting (no widows).
There is a museum of the history and restoration of the site - which is visually appealing - however none of it has been translated in english.

... fromt he train station to the first Castle ruins of Sigulda castle, there is just a few walls and half a tower left. The castle was in full use back in 1200-1500 but fell into ruin after the Great Northern war of 1700. It is still very impressive standing under the walls. Next I hike a total of 4 more km up to the entrance of Turaida Castle. This another one of the Livonian castle strong hold but better ...

... or departure, were just sitting around on low walls. Cēsis itself is nestled amid the pine forests of the Gauja National Park, one of the things to see in Latvia. But I didn't plan to visit the park today. That was in store for the next day. I decided to devote my time only to the town this time, and I would go to the park from another starting point. As the second oldest town of Latvia, I considered it worthy enough to be a one-day filler, in a leisurely manner ...

Утром мы собра 83;и все вещи и отпра 74;ились к Андре 02; на дачу в Саулк 88;асти - чудес 85;ый г ...

... and get up on the platform just minutes before my train departed. Considering how confusing it was to find platform 11 (it's next to platform 1, not 10!), I was lucky to do just that. With a couple hours ride ahead of me then, I was able to munch a little assembled breakfast and get a bit of shut-eye before arriving in the little town of Cesis. Compared with the big-city bustle of Riga, Cesis seems pretty darn provincial upon arrival. The train station is nearly vacant of activity ...

... and there is clearly a desire to develop it into a centre for outdoor activities. It has an Olympic Toboggan centre which Virg was keen to try until I explained what it was. We walked the Gauja Gorge and made it back to the hotel without the need to call mountain rescue:). Anyway, a little sun-burned and a lot bitten we set off for our next country and spectacle, the Hill of Crosses in Lithuania. A&Vx

... my back in the process - oh what fun! I stood up and found myself slipping again so I did the 'smart' thing and started running down the hill - how can I lose traction if I am going in that direction!? I managed not to fall down by running about 50m down the hill and finally clasping onto a tree branch - what an adventure. Zane followed me down laughing the whole way all smug in her snow-suitable shoes. When we got to the bottom of this ...

... I have found out that my knowledge of the entire Soviet Union is wrong. I guess I should have paid much more attention in School History classes! *** A small touch of reality came across us when we our translator told us that she had the same Lino as in the bunker, in her house when she was growing up, and the smell of cabbage soup was lingering in the bunker kitchen, was the same as she remembered from school. I doubt she was much older than us ...

... car would arrive but I headed on to the palace. I had tried to stay here in the hostel accommodation but the tourist information had just given me the information for where I am instead. It would have been a great location to stay. The Palace is now a sanatorium and so closed to the public. I headed down hill to the river passing men that were mending the wooden stairs. I was pleased to see what they had done when I got to the parts yet to be repaired ...

... a king who was wounded and they laid him on a white banner. The banner became red with his blood, but retained a white band in the middle. It was a small town, but it had a castle and a festival grounds, with the stage just under the castle. It would have been very nice in summer. We went out to see the park, which was located by a number of resort hotels by a tiny ski hill. The ski hill was no bigger or steeper than the Martock bunny hill, where you learn if you can't ski at all ...