We returned to Old Riga for another day of history and culture. Our walk began at the Riga Pils, the offices of the President of Latvia. We noted that both flags were flying above the Castle indicating that the President was present.
The sculpture of the young girl honors and laments the deportations of young children to Siberia between 1941 and 1949. Tens of thousands of children shared a similar fate to Siberia as countless tens of thousands of adults...
We were able to walk in front of the Presidential guard, and we noted how much more accessible is the Latvian Presidential Office.
We took in the view of Riga from the spire of St. Peter's Church, and the rooftops and winding streets and buildings of the Old City were wonderful!
We attended a JS Bach Concerto Piccolo at the Riga Dome Cathedral. and enjoyed the beautiful music in such an historic Cathedral.
I especially appreciated viewing the photos from the 1991 Barricades. The Cathedral served as a staging ground for protesters, as a hospital and as a source of spiritual and physical sustenance during that time of historic change.
The organist, Jolanta Barinska, was very talented and as I listened, I took in the vaulted ceilings, the stained glass and the rapt facesof the other attendees...
We then had lunch (dinner) at my new favorite Latvian cuisine retaurant, and then headed to the Latvian Open Air ethnographic Museum outside of the city on the Juglas Lake.
Craftsmen and women had tables filled with amazing crafts (yes, I bought), and the walk through the woods viewing all the preserved buildings was a joy.
We even came across a wedding party watching the happy couple take photos in the picturesque surroundings. Inga pointed out that the bridal car was a swanky Russian model that was popular with government and party officials during the Soviet era.
We had a rain shower, but we were prepared. Yet another spectacular day in Riga!
No comments:
Post a Comment