Lovin' Life in Latvia

Riga was ah-mah-zing (or should I go back to my 'amazeballs'  craze?!). A breathtaking city, with a long and complicated history and beautiful and friendly people.

But, it was pretty dang chilly there. Like cold enough for us to think that it was 'warm' when we got back to Finland. Hmmm, there is something that I never thought I would say. Warm(er) Finland ;)

Summer is probably the ideal time to visit the city of nearly one million residents, but cold weather just means that there are more chances for hot chocolate, dessert and red wine breaks. All of which are highly necessary when the weather is below freezing.

To be honest, we didn't know squat about Latvia before we got there. But in a way, I think that is by far the best way to go into a vacation. Know next to nothing about the city, let a tour guide or locals show you the way, and somehow get the most out of the 48 hours you are there. No itinerary to get in the way, no set plans that must be met. By doing so, we stumble into some of the neatest places, bars and restaurants in the city without previous knowledge that they even existed.

Well, I actually knew a little about the city. I knew that Riga is known for it's wild bachelor party scene and strip clubs. But, surprisingly enough, that was not going to be the highlight of our trip. Strip joints are sketchy enough in the U.S., and no way am I walking into one in a former Soviet state!

For the short weekend we were there for, we actually got to see most of the Old Town, the surrounding industrial areas and the newer commercial centers. Because of heavy bombing and destruction during various wars throughout the last 200 years, many of the buildings are restorations of the originals. They are gorgeous and you could spend hours just looking around at all the different structures.

One of the best things in town was the Museum of Latvian Occupation. Ok, yes, I know the name is deceivingly boring, but this museum was so interesting and so well done, especially for a place that was free of charge (a donation is appreciated).

I had no idea what the Latvians had been through in just the last 100 years. I'll give you a very short run down, so you can appreciate their perseverance as well. Latvia declared itself an independent country 1918, just after the end of WWI. They earned a few years of freedom, but the USSR made a move into the country at the beginnings of actions leading up to WWII and the people became powerless under the Soviet regime. The Latvians resisted for some time, but when the possibility of German forces crossing their borders became a real threat, they 'welcomed' the Soviet occupation, hoping that it would help their chances against the Germans. Not the case. This began the "Year of Horror". Many high ranking officers and public officials, along with their families, were deported to harsh Gulag camps. Most of them did not return.

After enduring what they thought was the worst of their trials, the Latvians openly welcomed Nazi soldiers into their country, hoping that they would bring some relief to the previous horrible year. Things seemed to get better at first, until the Nazi regime started targeting Jewish citizens, minorities and mentally handicapped people. Over 200,000 Latvians died in WWII, which for a country as small as theirs, is a huge percentage. Over 75,000 of those were Jews murdered by the Nazis.

Following WWII, Soviet forces reentered Latvia and took control of the government and its citizens once again. Talk about not catching any kind of break. History was repeating itself as high ranking patriots who did not seek refuge in other countries were forced to work in gulags. At first, over 43,000 higher society citizens were sent to Russia for manual labor. And then another wave of over 100,000 were packed up and imprisoned, repressed or sent to Soviet concentration camps. As you can imagine, many of the families never returned to Latvia.

Harsh times under soviet rule lasted until 1991. 1991, just 20 years ago. Although it was declared an independent country for over 70 years prior, it wasn't until the 90s that Latvia got to control itself.

I was amazed at their history, I honestly had no idea. It just goes to show the spirit and perseverance of the human race in times of hardship and oppression.

Anyways, you needed a history lesson for the day, so there you have it. I do highly recommend Riga. It was so gorgeous. And a very safe, clean and fun place to visit. But maybe go when it's warm, brrrr!

There is so much more funny things to tell about our trip, but, come on, I have to space it out so it at least lasts me more than one blog post ;)