Riga, Latvia

Due to an unforeseen turn of events, we spent a day in Riga, Latvia, a city neither of us ever proposed adding to our “Travel Wish List”. My first impression of Riga was not entirely positive. Walking through the Central Market, which dates back to 1201, butchered meats and fresh produce are on display on stands staffed by harried workers who look like they were born working; outdoor kiosks and stands are lined with DVDs, second-hand clothing, and what looked to me like used electronics repackaged to be resold. As we approached Old Riga, the construction work diminished, and the hubbub of daily life dispersed. Although St. Peter’s Church is re-known as the city’s central church, I preferred the domed, 19^th-century Russian Orthodox Cathedral. Perhaps because our arrival to St. Petersburg has been delayed or perhaps because I am guilty of exoticising anything that even remotely resembles the Church on Spilled Blood, the Russia Orthodox Church remains my favorite spot in Riga. Palete, a Latvian restaurant in Old Riga, became our oasis inside the city. Our host, who’s English is miles ahead of my Spanish, spoke to us as if he has rehearsed his lines with the kitchen staff only moments earlier and poured us water better than any sommelier in one of London’s best restaurants.