Sunday, May 30th, 2010
Upon landing we go to Jurmala, a town not far from Riga, arranged on a long strip of land along the sea and near to beautiful beaches. We have already visited Riga, so we stroll aimlessly, but still we see the main things: Ratslaukums, St. Peter, St. Jana, the cathedral, the cat’s house, Tris Bral, and many others. Then we cross the streets with the liberty houses and finally back downtown for dinner.
Monday, May 31st, 2010
Continuing our journey we stop in Sigulda, a town pretty close to a cave, Gutmana ala, famous for a legend associated with the nearby Turaida (where there is a castle).
Legend says that in 1601, following a battle at the foot of the fortress, the clerk came out of the castle in search of survivors, found a baby in the arms of his mother died. The clerk took her and raised her as a daughter, giving her the name Maja (or Maija). Grown up, Maja was soon nicknamed the Rose of Turaida because of her beauty and fell in love with Victor, the young gardener of the castle of Sigulda.
One autumn day in 1620 the young Maja was lured into a trap by the evil Jakubowsky Adam, a Polish nobleman who wished to have her as wife. Jakubowsky sent a fake letter to the girl in which Viktor gave her an appointment at a cave near the castle, and when there she saw the danger, Maja asked to be left in peace in exchange for his magic shawl which ensured the invulnerability, and challenged Jakubowsky to test the powers of the same.
The Pole drew his sword and beheaded the girl, who had thus saved the honor. When he learned of the tragedy Viktor buried his beloved, he planted a linden tree on his grave and left the country forever.
We continue then to Parnu in Estonia where we stop for a while. In the evening we are in Haapsalu and admire the beautiful sunset.
Tuesday, June 1st, 2010
First of all, today we would like to visit a nearby island, but unfortunately the ferries are all full and we must change our itinerary. We decide to go to Tallinn, following the coast. We go to Padise where we stop to visit an abbey/fortress and Turisalu on the beach. When we arrive in Tallinn it’s cloudy, we have been to Tallinn on another trip, we walk to the center, both in the lower part with the main square, and the upper part with the beautiful Orthodox church. In my previous trip in Baltic countries, I went to Saaremaa Island.
Wednesday, June 2nd, 2010
We dedicate this day to visit the surroundings of Tallinn. So, we go to Palme, and 2 villas in Sagada. We stop also in Altja, an ancient fishing village. While we are there, a deer jumps quickly into the sea and passes a few feet away, disappearing in a few moments among the trees. After, the last place we decide to visit today is Rakvere with its castle. While we are here, the sky is cloudy and not raining, but when we come back to Tallinn the sun shines and we are in time to climb the tower of the city hall and enjoy the view over the city.
Thursday, June 3rd, 2010
Today is a wonderful day and we spend it entirely in Tallinn, getting lost in pedestrian streets and passing by all the main monuments.
Friday, June 4th, 2010
We leave Tallinn and back to Latvia, stopping on Salacgriva’s beach and then to Jelgava for lunch. We do not know this city, but it’s really beautiful especially Sveta Simeona un Svetas Annas pareizticago katedrale with its blue domes and the castle, now university.
Then, in the evening we stop in Siauliai, Lithuania, and at short distance. We stop at the Hill of the Crosses, a small hill where pilgrims have deposited (and continue to deposit) thousands of crosses.
Saturday, June 5th, 2010
We spend the whole day on the Curonian Spit, a narrow strip of beaches, sand dunes and beautiful towns. The houses have very beautiful colors: brown, red, blue, all colors that recall the nature (the sea, the sky, the earth ,…). Before going to Klaipeda for dinner we have the luck to see a fox a few meters from our car. It’s a beautiful way to end our Baltic trip.
Sunday, June 6th, 2010
From Klaipeda we head off again to the airport, where we arrive slightly earlier.
