Tia Hotel Riga

... of the buildings. Almost everywhere you look, there is a magnificent structure that reflects the prosperity and attitude of the citizens. Even the restaurants are beautifully decorated and the food is very excellent. You can order some traditional Irish cuisine or go to one of the many international places. Of course you must visit some of the famous Irish pubs on your visit to Dublin. This part of the world is best ...

... were high for the rest of the Baltic. After a short walk around town we ended up at Friendly Fun Frank's Backpackers Hostel and were slightly worried about the Australian theme (we've both been keen to avoid the crazy party-animal lifestyle of the travelling australian!), but it turned out to be very and we were offered a free drink when we checked in (Sarah turned down the free champagne for a bottle of water!). It has apparently been voted as the 6th ...

... this time with them and seeing Kaspar and Oskar make friends of their young second cousins. My head was swimming with a hundred stories and associated feelings and we have enjoyed have some much needed down time in Berlin. Today we did a little bit of last minute sight-seeing before heading to see Willi and her family in Switzerland tomorrow. BTW, happy birthday to Guntis and Marcis for Monday :-) Love to you all, Juri 24 September 2008

... at 5.30. The high steeple of this church was once wood, then brick and is now metal, and there is a lift to the top of the steeple! If the weather is good we might do that tomorrow. I don't know if I'll feel safer inside a lift that I could see from the outside of the building as it went up & down, but at least it would be easier on my knees. So instead we decided to go back to the supermarket we've found & get some more ingredients to supplement those left over ...

... apartments. I had heard so much about the roving English stag parties in Riga that I was expecting the place to be full with drunken Yobs but there where more retirees there than stag groups. I don't no which is worst. When I was waiting for my bus out of Riga there where about 7 or 8 guys who looked like gypsies who were constantly circling the buses. I have no idea what they were up to but they kept me on edge until my bus arrived. They ...

... be a very long night with no time for sightseeing the next day! April 27, Fri A very long but wicked day! I had a bit of a sleep in (I guess I shouldn't of had that last beer...) and then got ready and headed out around 11. Fist stop was the info center to get a decent map (the good ones with little pictures of all the sights!) Then I thought since I only had the one day I would fork out for a walking tout. First though came breaky! Had the "Russian eggs", never would of ...

Day trip to Sigulda - a small village or gateway to the local Gauja national park A Ukrainian guy from the hostel decided to join us for the day. Although he reminded both Erica and I of our rather geeky german exchange students back in the 90s, i thought that pretty soon that could be me, alone and desperately wanting to hang out with other people. So off we went on the 8 something a.m. train. The Lonely Planet describes Sigulda as the "Switzerland of Latvia ...

... ingredients, is carefully prepared in oak barrels, which allows its characteristic strength and the slight bitter-sweet taste to develop. I blamed it on a very hospitable local at the bar who persuaded me that the drink has medicinal values. He also told me that Americans are stupid - obviously I thought of myself as Malaysian at that moment. I finally understood the meaning of "staggering home." I had a Big Mac ...

... lo mas cerca de Rusia que estare por muchos anos.(lei que puedo pagar una visa para ir a Rusia, pero demora 10 dias, pero si pago extra se demora solo dos....solo en mother russia!) Yo se que van a decir, que siempre repito lo mismo, pero esta ciudad le puede hacer la competencia a Estocolmo, aqui tambien son todos muy agraciados, pero demasiado...y como no es cosmopolita(la ciudad) se nota muchisimo mas. (eso me recuerda a un profesor del colegio que viajo a Rusia, y ...

... de Riga et la Gare du Nord de Paris. N'empeche, j'ai eu comme un coup de foudre en sortant de la gare de Riga : il faisait beau, on sentait l'air de la Baltique, les gens etaient souriants et accueillants, il y avait des trams de toutes les couleurs se croisant sur des rues pavees claires et propres, le soleil du Nord creait des reflets dramatiques sur les facades de briques du 16e s., le premier paquet de Camel avait un vrai gout de Camel, et l'on pouvait acheter des ...