Riga!

So, it seems I'm not going to get a white Christmas after all ... I think next year I'll head to Greenland instead! The weather here in Riga has been unusually mild. Last year the winter temperature was as low as -30 oC, but lately, it's been hovering around 2-4 oC, with no prediction of snow for a few weeks yet.





Nonetheless, it has been great catching up with my friend, Julya, and meeting her family. I'm staying with her Mum and Dad in their appartment and went to Granny's place this afternoon for her special pancakes.

The old part of town (in the centre) is great, with huge Russian Orthodox cathedrals and old buildings. For Christmas, there are special markets selling Latvian souvenirs, such as mittens and amber, as well as an outdoor ice-skating rink. It makes for a wonderfully festive atmosphere, even though much of Riga's population won't celebrate Christmas until mid-January. We even went shopping for a (real) Christmas tree this evening, which was quite thrilling for me.