Riga, Latvia
Riga, a city of striking architectural contrasts, greeted the National Geographic Explorer today as we sailed into port under sunny skies and with calm winds. We came alongside at the ferry terminal on the Daugava River, the half-kilometer wide artery for the surprisingly cosmopolitan Riga.
This 800 year old hub of former Livonia has been the economic hub for the Baltic States since its inception. It has suffered and prospered through the rule of the Hanseatic League, Poland, Sweden, Germany, and of course, the USSR. Even though it is home to more than a third of Latvia’s total population, we found the city invitingly quiet and relaxed as we strolled among the UNESCO-recognized old town, the elaborately-detailed art-nouveau district, and the stoic and austere facades of Soviet design.
Our local guides undoubtedly imparted a bevy of local knowledge and perspective, but we found it incredibly hard to concentrate on their words while surrounded by so many photographic opportunities. Babylonian-esque church towers, fortress walls, delightfully modern apartments, and embassies covered in exquisite relief greeted us at every turn and glance.
Perhaps in an effort to force us to slow our shutter-fingers, the walk took us into two performances of equal, but distinctive beauty. First, we found a troupe of youthful dancers performing a lively and remarkably complex traditional dance inside a wonderfully authentic old Hansa Guild-house. The children’s faces reflected concentration and joy throughout the show which kept us in rapt attention and elicited a standing ovation at its completion. Afterwards, we made our way over to and inside Riga’s dome cathedral for a chance to enjoy a concert from one of the largest pipe organs in the world. The immense structure offered fantastic acoustics as the music of Bach flooded the church and resonated in our minds.
From there, our group began to divide up and separate in order to explore our own individual interests for the remainder of our evening. Some of us shopped for amber, some hunted for the perfect picture, and some decided to finish our visit by partaking in some of the local culinary offerings.
And so, with jewels in tow, our cameras full, and our appetites sated; we pressed on through the night, for there is much still to explore in the Baltic.
