August | 2020 | LifeCornerStory

Our Europe Trip – #Latvia #Riga #Introductions

Latvia, situated in Baltic region of Northern Europe is bordered by Estonia, Russia, Belarus and Lithuania, has a kaleidoscopic range of terrains that made be a wealth of natural landscapes🏞🏖🏕, as well as the country holds a great deal of unspoiled nature with many of them worthy of conservation, volume of wild nature and rare flora and fauna that makes Latvia represent one of the Europe’s of the greenest countries. 65 thousand square kilometres of Latvia hold numerous spectacular highlights that to the diverse nature are studded with the ancient forests, dense vegetation, vast meadows, countless of deep river, thousands of tranquil lakes, over century of marshlands, shinning of gulf and sandy beaches. There is a continent’s worth of epic landscapes to explore, each more profound sense than the next and a feeling of being at one with nature.

One of the country’s greatest treasure is vast forests🌄🌲🌳, hike along ancient paths that meander through verdant meadows, wide marshlands, and intact forest landscape, It’s a priceless habitat for a variety of iconic wildlife including wolves, lynxes, otters, beavers and etc. Most importantly, it is an absolutely vital safe haven ground for birdlife🦅🕊🦜, including a large population of the black stork and the lesser-spotted eagle, “cranes birds”, golden plover, black grouse, Eurasian Whimbre, and Feregrine falcon. Located alongside The Baltic Sea; these remarkable that Latvia has fostered unique conditions where along with indigenous flora which are diverse mix of northern-southern and western-eastern vegetation. Rich of natural forest and marshes that offer the studded of many berries that growing here including wild strawberries🍓🍓🍓, blueberries, raspberries, cranberries, cloudberries and etc, simultaneously, coverage the largest range of mushrooms🍄🍄🍄 such as edible boletus, orange cap boletus, chanterelles and russula that available for picking and gathering.\

Although Latvia hold of rich and diverse pristine nature, simultaneously, the country possess by highly urbanised architecture of European modernity. Farmstead be one of the economic production unit in Latvia, It is considered Latvians’ most common residential model, where the Latvian combined with utility and harmonizing with natural rhythms. A formed by wood fence that placed around a yard, a group of buildings here both work and recreation took place here, festivities were celebrated and rituals performed. Cow🐄🐄🐄 and pig🐖 🐖🐖as important animal husbandry for farmsteads so in the central Riga market one of the whole building turns into an almost continuous strip of meat vendors that overflow with different part of fresh meat and pork. Locals are fond of dairy products like cottage cheese and curdled milk. Most of it is cow milk, as indicated by the many herds grazing in the farmsteads. These precious haven`s of natural and man-made landscapes, with bucolic rural towns dotted along this breath taking landscape and the peace and quiet with which to contemplate it at leisure.

Seaside🏖🏖🏖 along the Baltic Sea, a landscape that seems to stretch into infinity, is one of the important parts of the Latvian landscape. Golden beaches, river estuaries, marshes and lakes all come together in a composition so breath taking whether looking for adventure or relaxing. The half a thousand kilometre coastline is littered with fishermen villages⛺⛺⛺, coastal fishing traditions are an essential part of Latvian culture and they have catching the eels, flounders, sea lampreys and cods. The small harbours are still thriving and await yachtsmen. It is possible to traverse nearly half of Latvia by sailing from harbour to harbour.

Transport departure to Riga🚍🚌✈🚊:
From Saint Petersburg Russia to Riga Latvia, we tried one of the largest numerous long-distance bus companies that are serve routes between city-to-city and regional cities to rural areas – ECOLINES that provide the most extensive route network in the Baltic States as well as in Western and Eastern Europe. ECOLINES as one of the Latvia icons, the seats are spacious and even has a most experienced coach provider, which let us comfortable and safety on our routes travel. Simultaneously, let us satisfied is the company offering many different amenities, from the norm of the a small flip-down table, free Wi-Fi, power outlets, a washroom, air conditioning and reclinable seats to the like on an airplane service free drink with coffee machine and every seat provide motion picture screen that show of movies, music, games and books. Most important, generous luggage are allow and FREE, plus bus ticket price inexpensive and 15.00€ per adult, the distance take around 11 ½ hour to Riga, Latvia. By the way, we are advance buy the bus ticket on the network and their booking process is delightfully straightforward, just pay by card (Whether you are use credit card or debit card) no be problem.

Riga🏛⛴🥩🍖🥔🥕🐄🐖:
As the capital of Latvia, Riga is the city lies on the Gulf of Riga at the mouth of the Daugava River where it meets the Baltic Sea and become as port facilitates export and transit trade from Russia and Belarus to European ports and beyond. While less of the magnificent architecture, the unique architecture of Riga that pack the full of Art Nouveau (aka Jugendstil) style of architecture dominating the Old Town manages to capture the same old world charm. This unique of architecture well preserved so it is refreshing to see it, that is a mash-up of Medieval and fairy tale vibe of Riga that brings us back to the Middle Ages which is perfectly accented by its amazing food and wine. Although here surrounded of architectural treasures, the main highlights including Riga Central Market as one Europe’s biggest food market which is deals mostly in fresh and cheaper food including meat, seafood, local farmer product, local fruit, vegetables and etc.

Internet Data Sim Card🌍🌎🌏：
With going on an endless journey to European adventure, Internet connectivity is very important for us. Even on a travel trip in Saint Petersburg Russia we have buying a SIM card but that only can be using in the Russia, so in Riga we must buy one of international SIM cards offered us can enjoy a great internet connectivity Europe to Europe. Actually much simpler than you had imagined, you can buy the Prepaid SIM Cards in any of the convenience stores, no need passport, after buying your SIM, you just have to insert it on your phone and start using it. The price of SIM card we buy is 3.99€ but after that you must going to telecommunications company for top up package and we buy the package of 5.99€. So the total price is 10.00€, that is effective of best connected network during our Europe journey that including in Estonia and Finland even travel in small town. That can make international calls or send international text messages from Europe to worldwide.

Groceries🛒🍞🧀🥛🍫🍎🥒🥔🥩🍤:
Just as other of the Europe countries, Latvia has a number of different chain grocery stores which include regular grocery stores along with a large number of discount grocery chains. Even though Latvia has a large number of discount grocery stores that pretty good discount on a selected range of products, one of the different is Latvians are very fond of their own local produce. Grocery stores as the most convenient place that greater variety of imported and local goods, making quite fun for us that to discover and notable of the usual range Latvia local products maybe you’ve probably never seen. Here, fun for us who’s like to attempt and consume some different fresh of goods.

Rimi and Maxima are the two largest discount chains in Latvia that you can easy found and look in everywhere even in differently town and city. Here also have more on foreign supermarkets such as Sky and Stockmann’s food hall or smaller chains which name as Top!, Elvi and Mego. Normally, the chains of Rimi and Maxima these are usually built with supermarket in every corner of the Riga city, although those are small-acreage but variety product of store get cheaper and fresher produce. Simultaneously, they also built up the Large ‘Big Box’ Grocery Stores located in the outskirts of the city or the towns. During our Latvia trip, when us travel in different region journey, one of our fun are go to the groceries store for discovery and buy some different of Latvia local products. In the Riga city, we go to the Rimi chains buy some staple items that including Latvian recommended goods: cream cheese, milk, black bread and spices that be fond of its after tasting: Latvia chilli powders, Taco, cheese powder and some groceries goods, the total price is 16.75€ (the goods we buy that can seem on photo picture). At night, walk into the Maxima chains buy a 0.40€ ice cream and be a crazy, cooler and joyful savour of ice cream in the winter street of Riga city, you will find the ice cream can be more tasty. In the Riga city the supermarket are business hour until night in every day.

Accommodation🛏🛋🚿🚽🧯🍽:
During our journeys trip in Riga, we using Airbnb, a website let us with a great base for exploring the local surroundings, through accommodation, you will live like local residents and understand and get closer to their lifestyle, this also be one of our journeys to enjoy. Similarly the site also let us compares different facilities, environment and price vacation rentals. Latvia, one of the reputation means that accommodation prices tend to be lower than in the Northern Europe and here also with the scenery of sun shines the beach and sea, the lush scenery all views of pine and chestnut trees.

We stay for 5 day in Riga Latvia and choose for stay in this stylishly renovated an old traditional condominium, the location is handy for both the old town and the beach. if you want more buzz, with just walk a few ten minute that can arrived the old town, simultaneously, not least its proximity to a bus stop where you can take the public transport direct to the Jūrmala Beach. It’s probably not going to be love-at-first-sight, when you approach this condominium, what in this is general traditional old style building looks, but inside is the wide space, light, airy the décor mix of modern and vintage. The modern style of kitchen that parquet flooring that’s pits wood style of kitchen cabinet, paired with to a complete of modern appliances and dining utensils, dining areas with bright colour gingham tablecloths. Modern decorative floor tiles and contemporary bathroom fittings. A large lounge with vintage furniture set (including bigger size of vintage sofa and coffee table set) against light pink walls and modern appliances, cosy corners strung with vintage bookshelves against bright big window. Although the wide space of bedroom makes up but with radiator heaters that even though in the winter let the room keep warm and with antique wardrobe finds and vintage furniture set that including large size of comfortable double bed and office equipment.

Transport🚕🚎🚊🚋🚃🚍:
Latvia has both an extensive network of railroad as well as land transportation; these are easily accessible from city to regional and regional to regional by public regional transportation systems – minivans, trains or buses. Nearly every train and many of long-distance bus either begins or ends at Riga city and one of the advantage is the train and coach station are location in the Riga city center and each of them are very nearby just only walk a few minutes. Even there have vast network of bus connections around Latvia, it is advisable to go by train from Riga especially in the areas close to Riga, the passenger railway traffic is especially frequent, with a train in each direction every 20-60 minutes between morning and midnight. One of our travelling Latvia trip experience is as we ride the minivan from Riga city to the nearby regional, HA!HA!HA! We missed drop-off our travel destination and just followed the minivan route to the next town. In the outskirts of Riga city with the wide of public transport system so this is not be problem that you has worry, at once just find and walk to nearby train station, the train is arrived our destination about 20minutes and train ticket price is cheaper just 0.90€ per ticket.

In the Riga city, for our suggestion walking is probably your best bet, with most of city center and historic districts can easily accessible by foot it let us relaxing and easy walking around city. Although there is no subway in Riga, but public-transit systems network has developed and within cities have fairly dense public transport system. In Riga, traffic of 8 tram routes,17 trolleybus routes and 55 bus routes, as well as that of minibuses, express buses and night transport is ensured within the united route network. Want a comfortable and relaxing travel journey, no problem the taxis in Riga are normal price. Download and using app for assured the taxi fees, at Riga normally are 2 big taxi apps available – Bolt used to be called Taxify and another is Yandex. We use Bolt, this is the local equivalent of Uber, quick and easy to use, from Riga Central Coach Station around 2km to our staying accommodation and the transport fees is 2.30€.

Luggage Storage🎒👜:
Latvia a country hold numerous spectacular highlights that to the diverse nature that let your enjoy and experience the best of the natural environment in the different regional. Same as us habit for bring a large luggage during the travel trip, here these is problem and let us imagined not so fun for struggling to haul your suitcase up and down natural landscape all day long. These luggage storage options may come in handy that to avoid dragging your journey and in Riga you can decide the best place to affordably stash your bag! Luggage storage can be found all from many convenient locations in Riga city such as train and coach station, pay a small fee, and drop your bags. Coach station has luggage storage but calculate in hours so these is not suitable for us which drop our bags for a few day, the price is very high .It is worth considering the luggage storage of the train station itself, just follow the signboard of luggage storage icon . It located on lower ground floor, next to the car park and you can take the lift for. You can drop off luggage in a luggage storage area, storage price is reasonable at €6 per bag with any size for whole day (24 hours) plus a staff take care our luggage and we leave a suitcase for 3 days. HA!HA!HA! thanks for give us a discount price and total price is 16€.

While, continuous follow us start our Latvia Journey ” Even though Latvia less of the Magnificient & Gorgeous Architecture, Latvia, a country with rich and diverse of the Pristine Nature, Stately forests, Countless Rivers, Broad Sea, Sunny Beaches, Animal Husbandry and Passionate People ” .