My first week in Riga.

I arrive in Riga in the afternoon, a day after I had intended due to strikes at Frankfurt. I don’t have the opportunity to do much exploring; I had hoped to have dinner at a highly-rated ramen restaurant but have to make do with something more quickly as it’s a Monday night and I have meetings to attend.

The next morning, I’m determined to make up for it. I’m going to get ramen for lunch. It’s about a 20 minute walk north and I take the opportunity to explore the city.

The apartment is close to St. Peter's Church, and I’ll find myself walking past it almost daily to or from one place or another, always in the rear. I pass the Town Musicians of Bremen sculpture and pause to have a look. Later, I’ll take a free walking tour and will be told that touching the noses of the animals brings luck. The higher you reach, the luckier you get. I’ll jump after the tour is over to touch the beak of the cock.

I’ll also learn that they’re peering through the iron curtain, offering another dimension to this work of art I will see almost every day.

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I continue up the street passing churches and the Three Brothers, a building complex that form the oldest dwelling houses in Riga. I won’t realize this in the moment, but stop because I see people stopped to take photos. It’s another thing I’ll learn on the free walking tour I do at the end of my stay.

I pass government offices on my way out of the old town, crossing Krišjāņa Valdemāra iela to a slightly more modern area with a park and a tram running alongside the road.

Posters of an animated cat run alongside one block and I think they’re for the game Stray. Later, I’ll realize that they’re for the animated film Flow which will win the Oscar for best animated feature. I’ll catch the film at the local theater in celebration.

Lunch is awesome. Shoyu does not disappoint. It’s some of the best ramen I’ve had in some time, and I’ll go back twice during my stay.

Walking back I pass the Riga Nativity of Christ Orthodox Cathedral and duck in for a look before continuing on to the Freedom Monument. I cross the river back into the old town and stop for an ice cream before heading home.

The next day I step out once again to explore while hunting for lunch. Passing St. Peter's Church I walk around to the front and walk to Plac Ratuszowy.

In the plaza, I spot a monument to the first public Christmas tree, placed where it stood. That said, Tallinn would like to have a word, as they also lay claim to the first public Christmas tree. It makes me want to visit Tallinn in season to attend the Christmas market there.

The House of the Blackheads borders one side of the square. Erected in 1334 and bombed to ruin in 1941 during a fight between Nazi Germany and the Soviets’ army, it was rebuilt between 1996 and 2000, which explains its almost immaculate facade. Originally a meeting and celebration place for merchants, it’s now an event center and museum.

To the west lie the Latvian Riflemen Monument, built to honor the elite soldiers who fought for Latvia during World War I. It exists not without some controversy. Originally dedicated to the Latvian Red Riflemen, which included individuals who later became personal bodyguards for Lenin, it’s viewed by some as a reminder of Latvia’s Soviet past and a symbol of the old Communist regime. Others see it as a necessary tribute to the sacrifices of Latvian soldiers during the early years of World War I. An expansion to honor all Latvian Riflemen reflects a broader commemoration.

At one side of this square rests the Memorial to the Victims of the Soviet Occupation. On one side the memorial has a pattern of the Latvian blanket. On the other is a Wailing Wall with a reproduction of Mērija Stakle's handkerchief in the center. Mērija Stakle was a teacher who was deported to Siberia in 1941. In 1950 she was denounced as a counter-Soviet propagator dangerous to Soviet rule and imprisoned. In prison she kept a handkerchief upon which she inscribed and then embroidered with her arrest date and signatures of fellow inmates with threads taken from the clothes of the prisoners.

A few days later I’m rewarded with my first clear day. It’s been overcast since I arrived and in a small shop the cashier ringing up my postcards tells me I should embrace the nice warm days when I can.

On my usual break for lunch I decide to head to St. Peter's Church to visit the tower for its views over the city.

Inside, I’m directed to my right and climb a set of stairs to an elevator that takes me to the top. It’s a lot easier than most church towers I’ve visited. On the walking tour I’ll take at the end of my trip we’ll be told about how the spire had been struck by lightning and destroyed multiple times. Tradition now states that the architect who redesigns and builds the new spire must sit atop it and drink a glass of champagne, tossing the glass to the streets below. The number of pieces the glass shatters into determines how long the spire will stand.

Back on the streets I consider what to do next. Looking at the map I decide to continue to be a tourist and decide to head to Riga Cathedral.

Built in 1211 by Livonian Bishop Albert of Riga, The Riga Cathedral is considered the largest medieval church in the Baltics.

For lunch I walk back to the ramen shop. It’s been a long time since I’ve had ramen as good and I want to try more variations and take advantage of what I have.

Walking back I cut through parks and squares in an attempt to see as much of Riga as I can. It’s amazing what a difference the weather makes, and I can feel spring and sense summer approaching. The city is coming alive and outdoor platforms are being set up in front of restaurants and cafes across the city. I can feel the city is ready to shake off its winter slumber. 🇱🇻