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A romantic bridge in Riga--Couples get there name engraved on a lock and then lock it to this bridge and throw the key in the lake.

A romantic bridge in Riga

And a lot of ice cream stands---how much better can it get

More Scenes from Riga, Lativa

A glass tea shop in the park.

The occupation of Lativa

I enjoyed the Museum of the occupation of Latvia. By a secret agreement between Hitler and Stalin in 1939, Poland and the Baltic states were divided between the two countries. Latvia was then Incorporated into the Soviet Union. When Hitler broke the treaty the Germans then attacked the Soviet Union and captured back all the Baltic States (Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia). After the defeat of Germany Latvia was back under the rule of the Soviet Union. Three occupiers in less than 6 years and each time many of the native Latvians (especially the leaders and academia) were deported into their occupying countries prisons and towns...many never to return. Today almost 35% of Latvians are native Russians and the percentage is even higher in Riga.
Around the same time 9The early 1990's) that Russia decided to leave the Soviet Union so did the Baltic states.

Riga, Lativa