For those of you unfamiliar with Latvia, it is one of the Baltic states (along with Lithuania and Estonia, to which Latvia is nestled in the middle of the three) and neighbors Russia  and Belarus. Latvia was taken over by Russia, then Germany, then Russia once again...all within a few year period during WWII.  Hundreds of thousands of Latvian perished and to this day, there is strong Russian and Germanic influence. 

 

Some of you may be thinking...hmm.....if Latvia neighbors Russia and it is February when y'all visited Latvia, it must have been cold.  Well, yes, it was absolutely freezing cold.  It snowed while we were there, the temperature was a brisk -10 degrees and I felt like I was in a Baltic state in the winter (and darned if that wasn't the case!!!).  Frigid as it was, Riga offered amazing architecture (some of the best Art Nouveau architecture in the world), plenty of divine restaurants and teahouses to catch a bite to eat and warm up the soul and soles and lots of museums and galleries.  If you should decide to visit Riga, make the Occupational Museum your first stop (http://www.occupationmuseum.lv/)!  This museum is dedicated to the history of Latvia and its occupations of Russia and Germany, all the horrific events that unfolded for these people and how the Latvians prevailed to the country they are today!

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