latvia
coach trip to rigas, latvia......about 4 hours .stopped at beach- powdery white sand...perfect for strolling....no one swimming; tooooo brrrrr..this would be a wonderful vacation spot in warmer weather..the beach just goes on and on....
Did Old Town on our own...top of St Peter's cathedral had great view; 72 meters high..lots of terra cotta roofs...narrow cobblestone alleys- looks like a postcard...
English is not widely spoken, so lots of hand gestures ( gotta be careful!)
food is hearty...like those folks eating outdoors.....
sorry this is not so newsy, but computer is pretty slow and unreliable...bye for now.
PS : When I reread this, it sounds like mostly all shopping and eating ( and a few drinks).....we really did a mix of things: a bit of "highlights", strolling through narrow streets without the group, ducking into an interesting building- whether it was a church or artisan shop or cafe or apartment building ( we were able to see the inside of one gorgeous "apartment" that was being renovated..the details were gorgeous. If you renovate in some areas, it has to be in a certain style- in keeping with the art of that period etc). Views from the bridges are usually lovely..fortified walls look huge and imposing and, of course, great views of the land below.