Riga Christmas 2014

Hello! My name is Julija. I’m from the small country called Estonia. My biggest hobby and passion is making beaded jewelry and accessories, but I’m not only Handmader. I’m starting my career as a physician right now, but beside my work and my hobby I also like travelling, hiking, cycling, backpacking, water sports and climbing. I often get my beading ideas while visiting places I have never been before. In the future you can see more photos of Riga on my Facebook page - follow me! All of my beadworks are available in my Etsy shop .

 Riga Christmas 2014

  This year we – me and my Belowed decided to break the routine and spend the Christmas holidays in the different place. It took us some time to think and finally we decided to go to Riga.

We have been to Riga once before shortly, but this time, decided to discover not only the old town.

Day First – the 23th of December 2014.

 Riga is the place, where you can see a lot of uncommon and interesting. You just have to walk around and have your eyes opened.

After checking in the hotel – you can get a great rooms in the very centre of the old town – we decided, that our first destination will be the telephone tower. As we are backpackers and hikers and the weather was great, we decided to make a walking trip. According the map, there are nearly 4 km to go. There’s a taxi and busses available and the transport is not expensive at all, but you just see more during the walk! So we started our trip along the embankment of the Daugava.

This is where we came from J

The television tower places in the island in the Daugava. And also, it’s the highest viewpoint of the town – 97 metres. Riga’s television tower is one of three hieghest in Europe. It is 360 metres high and was built in 1980.

Unfortunately, we could not get to the viewpoint – the tower was closed during the holidays. But we will get there someday!

After coming back to centre – it started to rain and we took the taxi – we went to the one of  Riga’s famous bakeries to have some tea. They bake great cakes and have very warm atmosphere!

Aаfter te tea we had a walk around the old town – the Christmas mood was everywhere and the lack of snow didn’t affect it!

Some photos of Riga’s famous Christmas bazaar.

And some greatly decorated souvenir shops!

Just… Oh, every Handmader will understand me without words!

To finish this day, we went to the Powder Tower, to see the gorgeous museum of War, which shows the war history from the very beginning to the nowadays.

Day 2 – the 24^th of December

The next day we decided to enjoy the Old town and the Christmas Atmosphere and make the walk to the business part of the town to visit some stores we were interested in. The moring began with seeing Santa J

And some architectural pieces of the Old town.

The Famous Riga cat J According the unchecked legend, two symmetrical cat sculptures appeared to the roof of the house, because the owner was not accepted as the member of the Guild. So, he planned the revenge and turned the cat’s bottoms to be seen from the windows of the Guild house… 

No snow??? But there are still snowmans in the park J

It was getting cold, so we found the tea house, and had some tea. Again.

There was really warm and cozy in this tea house. And a lot of different teas.

After we had a rest, we continued our walk. We visited some bead shops – there is a gorgeous shop with gemstones on Kr. Barona 39, they also sell TOHO!

After some shopping we went to the top of the Radisson Blue Hotel to make some photos, but unfortunately, the Skyline bar was still closed (it opens at 16.00) and after making some photos we continued our journey.

*you can see the television tower on this photo and it’s hard to believe, that only day ago we were there, right?

Next, we went to the park to see the parade of Christmas trees. There were lots of them! In every stile you can imagine! For every taste and point of view!

Oh well, I don’t know, what it was, but it was funny.

And finally I could take the photo of the Motorbike Santas we have seen a lot of times during this day J

There was already evening, the lights in the squares went on and the Christmas Bazaar was going on, but we felt the hunger and took the place at the Planeta Sushi to have some food.

The one of the most remarkable part of Riga is the restaurants and Bakeries, but the greatest thing about them is not only great food, but also the great service! We were just stunned - comparing to Estonia, Latvian service is gorgeous – polite and accurate! We just felt, that during this days we became more polite ourself J

This evening we decided to go to the Jazz bar and listen to the music. I have found some addresses and we went to check them.

Well, it got dark, when we managed to find the square, where this places had to be. One was missing and another was closed. But there was a small pathway of red stones leading us somewhere under the Christmas decorations….

Suddenly, the bells on the church started ringing and we found us in the front of the dungeon door. Looking back there was nobody on this pathway! The bells were singing and garlands shimmering. Well, it was a little be scary, but we decided to come in.

We opened the door and…

… found us in the magic dungeon. Candles, tubes, bottles, soft classical music and girls in the medieval dresses.

The name of this place is Black Magic Bar and ot became our favorite one in Riga. Their specialization is making drinks and desserts using Riga Black Balsam. Well – hot Blackcurrant juice with the Balsam is great! We spent a great evening there – the atmosphere of the place is just gorgeous!

Day 3 – 25^th of the December

This day was our final day in Riga and we had the last big trip to make – we went to the other side of the river. We had a plan to cross 2 bridges and make some panorama photos.

The Swedbank’s buiding with the angel made of closed and opened jalousie – it shines in the dark and is seen from the old town.

The Central Library of Riga. Strange but beautiful. They are planning to make a gorgeous park around it.

The view on the telephone tower island. We have been there!

This photo is made from the middle of the bridge. Look at the roof! There’s written “you are not alone!” on the roof. What do you think about it?

We assumed, that this text has saved not only one life….

Just a view

The view to the Old Town of the Riga from the other side of the Daugava.

There was a strong wind on the second bridge. Later, at the hotel, we heard, that there was a storm this day in the England, Belgium and Germany. But we only got cold and started to the Old town to find a place to have some warm tea.

Some places were closed, because of the holidays, and we just took the photo, to return there someday.

Santa )))))

Deeply fallen in thoughts about how to get it eaten J 

After we managed to eat the hamburger, it got cold and dark and we went to the Radisson Blu Hotel’s Skyline bar, to drink non-alcoholic coctails (great receipt from there – Grapefruit + Orange + ice + blender + Schweppes + some brown sugar) and take some photos of the night town.

The angel on the building of the Swedbank.

Day 4 – the 26^th of December. The day of arrival.

After waking op, paccong our thing we still had some hours to spend in Riga. We just left our backpacks in the Hotel and went to the town. And saw Smurfetta! There was a lot of concerts on the aquares, a lot of action and a lot of holiday preparations! We just walked and enjoyed the atmosphere.

And had again some final Riga Black Balsam coctails in the Black Magic Bar before getting on the bus and going home.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/Biserinka