Latvia: Not Knowing What to Expect

When Mark was first applying to summer internships, we all assumed that he would end up in St. Petersburg, Russia.  However, when he was encouraged by the Liden-Denz Language Institute to apply to their program in Riga, Latvia, it didn't take much more than a thought to decide.  We Kennedys like new places and new adventures.  If I hadn't thoroughly researched our family lines, I would assume we have some gypsy in us somewhere.

So with Ethan in Poland and Mark in Latvia, it only made sense for us to make a trip out here.  After all, there's nothing like visiting a new place with someone who knows the language and knows how to get around.

However, I couldn't find many recommendations on anything to do in Riga, let alone the entire country of Latvia.  So, flying to Riga from Warsaw, we had nothing set in stone.  I figured things would just happen.

I keep saying this, but Riga (and Latvia in general) are a revelation.  I don't know how this place has stayed hidden for so long, but it is seriously one of the most beautiful places I've seen in Europe.  I had read that it hasn't really been "discovered" yet by Western tourists, and as much as the city itself probably isn't happy about the loss of tourist dollars, it makes for a delightful visit.  The city is still occupied completely by natives which means that every place we eat, or visit, or walk to is authentic.

I love it.

And another great thing?  You can see all the major sites in Riga in a day.  Yep, the city provides all of the hotels with a delightfully easy-to-read map, and on the map is a walking route of Old Town.  We spent a good six hours today just wandering the streets, and yet it felt like nothing.  And I would do it all over again tomorrow, because there are so many places to discover that I know I didn't find or see today.

Just hours after our plane touched down, we needed food.  And what a coincidence that just feet from our hotel is an authentic, cafeteria-style, sit-down restaurant called Lido.  I would never have known it even existed (or any restaurant exists in this town for that matter), because Riga has done an excellent job of making sure the facades of all businesses fit into the style of the city itself.  No blaring neon signs, or waving banners.  I was wary when Mark used "cafeteria-style" to describe it, imagining some kind of middle-school lunch experience, so while he was correct, he was completely wrong too.  It's more like take a tray and choose from too many delicious looking meats, potatoes, vegetables and desserts, all freshly made, and housed in a building that could be hundreds of years old.  I would like to say the food is like homemade, but certainly never anything that delicious has come from my hands and oven!  It was one of those moments where I wished I had a bigger stomach and several more hours.  It was out of this world.

I told Mark that we would be returning there for every meal while in Riga, but funny thing?  Every restaurant is as good, and as cheap.

The next day, after swimming at the beach, we were starving.  Mark took us to another Latvian chain, Cilli, this time serving pizza.  Any kind of pizza made, any size, in a brick oven, in about 15 minutes.  We ordered large pizzas, thinking we would take home leftovers...except there weren't any leftovers!

And today, while walking around Riga, Mark brought us down to a cellar-inhabiting medieval restaurant.  He wanted to show it to us (in case we thought we wanted to eat there), but we only got a few minutes away from it before we decided that it was THE place for dinner.

Again, we wouldn't even
have known the
restaurant was here if it
wasn't for Mark.

Let me tell you:  we've been to our fair share of "medieval" restaurants, but I do believe this one has taken a page or two from the 13th century.  In fact, the walls and floors are from the 13th century.  And the menu reflects the times too.  Duck, deer and pork dishes, all handmade and very legit. In fact, some of it almost felt too legit for my mind.  I had to just push aside the fact that I was eating deer deli cuts on top of rye bread with some kind of cream and fresh currants.  And Glo inhaled her duck (which she was supposed to share with John but ended up eating the whole thing herself).  And three of us ordered deer soup.  That's right, deer soup.  It was brought to us in our own personal mini-cauldrons over live coals.  Yes, live coals.  We then used our own personal ladles to scoop it out into our wooden bowls.  We ate only by candlelight--there was not a single fluorescent or incandescent bulb in the establishment, not even in the restrooms!

That's our deer soup served in hot ceramic bowls resting over live coals.

Like I said, only natural light.

Who would have thought Riga would have so much to offer?  I was telling Mark that between his excellent writing style and love of the city, and my enjoyment of it all as a tourist, we should set up a "visitRiga.com" website, and make a couple of Euros from the Latvian government.  However, I don't really want anyone else to know anything about it, so that when we return someday, it'll still be the same. I wish I had another week to explore more restaurants!  No doubt there are many more gems hidden away.