Navigator Priks back at the helm. So, Latvia. You can read the first part of our Latvia trip here. Before evaporating out of Ventspils, we grabbed a bite to eat because Muti had discovered a café where vegans wouldn’t be immediately laughed at. If I’m not mistaken, the café was called Ramala. In a nutshell it was cuteness cubed. A small, living room-sized warm place. This was true in terms of temperature, design, and the service from the staff. A tasteful playlist played in the background, and the chef cooked behind the cabinet. Later, Muti admitted that she didn’t experience an eyebrow-raising flavour experience, but at least she didn’t leave hungry. Anyway, if you don’t eat animal products and find yourself in Ventspils, remember this place.
And then there was Kuldiga! This is my heart’s city. Also Muti’s. She claims she lived here in a past life. I’m not so sure about myself, so it’s probably best not to dig too deep. Who knows what kind of sod was her other half back then and where I might unexpectedly run into him.
Kuldiga’s old town was recently added to the UNESCO World Heritage list, and there are plenty of reasons for that. Yes, it’s ridiculously charming and compact, but what really gives it its unique soul is how life is conducted there. No neon signs or plafonds, all shop signs are painted on the walls. No plastic windows or any kind of fake decorative elements. Either you restore the building in its full authenticity or you don't touch it at all. You can stroll through Kuldiga’s old town in a couple of hours, but it offers admiration and wonder for much longer. I recommend downloading the IZI TRAVEL app on your phone and putting on your headphones. A soft-spoken woman will guide you in English through all the city’s landmarks, unraveling the stories with a gentle voice.
Just outside Kuldiga, there’s another attraction that’s the icing on the cake of a visit to the region – the Riežupe Sand Caves. Inside the sandstone massif, there are tunnels stretching for two kilometers, but with a guide, you’re allowed to wander through these slightly claustrophobic labyrinths for 400 meters. But it’s quite an experience. On the one hand, of course, there’s the knowledge that you’re meters and meters underground, with nothing but your phone’s flashlight to guide you. But the real highlight is the guide herself. We had the privilege of a private stand-up show with a German couple, and when we finally stepped back into the light, shaking the sand off our shoulders, our backs were wet—not from exertion or fear, but from laughing. Oh, and I can’t leave out the fact that a whole bunch of different bat species hibernate in these caves, and you might just get a chance to meet them.
Alright, there's one more amazing spot in the visited Latvian region. Completely different from the low, cozy Kuldiga. I’m talking about Rundāle Palace. This place is where you get to see the enormous wealth of the old aristocracy in all its glory. You feel like bug shit on the enormous glass-walled façade of a skyscraper. A massive amount of art, unnecessary extravagance, and a hazy sense of how the truly rich used to live. I haven’t been to the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg, but judging by photos, I’d venture to say that Rundāle rivals it in grandeur. After admiring the palace and taking a stroll around the rose garden that sprawls across fuck-knows-how-many hectares, our feet were burning, and our drying throats were crying out for a beer.
So there it is. After spending the last night in Bauska, we checked out the ruins of Cēsis Castle, and it was time to head back to Mulgimaa. Of course, I would have liked to keep adventuring, but let’s be honest – when you’ve been properly heating up in a sauna, jumping into a pile of snow doesn’t seem like a medieval torture method. A good chunk of energy for continuing life was brought from right next to our home. If you take food and drinks out of the equation, three people were covered for fuel, accommodations, and all sorts of tickets for five days of adventures for 400 euros. Let’s keep that thought in mind!
Comments