Hi fellow nomads,
You may or may not remember that I took a trip to Riga recently. I thought I’d share with you 5 things that I learned whilst I was there.
It stays light really late // We were in Riga at the beginning of June and it never really got dark. On the one hand this is fantastic for late suppers in the twilight, or staying out even later and still being able to find your way home. On the other hand, if you’re trying to sleep somewhere with thin curtains it can be a challenge. Bring an eye mask!
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| Nativity of Christ cathedral |
Don’t hand money directly to someone else // Apparently it’s Not The Done Thing. They have little trays next to cashiers and when it’s time to pay, you put your money in the tray for the cashier to pick up. They put the change back into the tray. Hey, it works, and you don’t have that awkward change vs notes fumble.
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| Jurmala beach |
The Baltic sea is surprisingly warm // Seriously it’s like a bath. I was pretty apprehensive, seeing as it’s so far north, but Jurmala beach was just delightfully warm. With that gorgeous scenery (plus plenty of bars) I could easily have stayed on that beach all day.
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| In the New Town |
Mint is not a thing // I love mint flavoured things, but apparently Latvia doesn’t. My search for mint choc chip ice cream having ended in nothing (I tried ice cream shops, convenience stores AND supermarkets – hey, I did say I love mint flavoured things) I then moved on to mint flavoured chocolate. Again, nothing except for lots of false alarms with things that turned out to be pistachio flavoured.
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| In the Old Town |
Stag dos are the worst thing ever // I’m sorry Riga. I really, really am. The behaviour of some Brits Abroad really does make me hang my head in shame, and mutter silent apologies to the poor residents who are subject to this behaviour. It certainly made us avoid the centre of the Old Town, so I can only imagine how fed up Latvians get with it. Again… sorry.
Have you been to Riga?
-Rachel
