Day 38 Riga, Part One

Here we are in Riga after a 4 hour ride in a big van.  It had one seat on one side of the aisle and two on the other - about 24 in all, and all full with luggage down the aisle.  We got to the autobus stotis early, so our little bags were stowed away in the back compartment.  We stopped at two little cities to pick up people and for bathroom stops and then at the Riga airport before arriving at the bus station.  All but four of us were headed for the Riga airport.  It is much cheaper and more direct to fly from there than from Palanga.  The trip was uneventful.  I read, listened to Lithuanian on my MP3 player and napped.  I took a picture of the border guard who came in to check passports as we crossed from Lithuania to Latvia, after he got off the bus and was standing by the side of the road, of course.  The Lithuanian ladies seated around me looked at me and laughed.  Maybe I should have rethought that, but he didn't arrest me, so I guess it was okay.

 You pay one lita to use the facilities in the stations, by the way.  I remember that when I was a child, you had to put a dime in a slot in the stall door to use the bathroom in Thalhaimers (sp) and Miller and Rhodes in Richmond., but in Lithuania you give the money to an attendent.

John and Cheryl Lubans met us at the station, and we walked a couple of blocks to our hotel.  It is located in Old Town, and you will love seeing all the wonderful streets and buildings.  I brought all but one piece of what I need to upload pix, so you will have to wait until we get home to see them.  Home meaning Klaipeda.  The hotel is quite a pleasant place.  Our room is small, but spotless and comfortable.  The bed linens are so white they seem to shine, are as smooth as silk and must have a huge number thread count.  I have not minded using rough dried towels in Lithuania.  They give a loofa effect, as I have said, but deliver me from rough dried sheets!

The four of us had dinner at a nearby little restaurant that was just charming, and the food was wonderfu..  I had chanterelle rissoto with chicken and Del had rissoto with salmon.  We took pictures of the lovely presentation.

Off to bed.  More tomorrow.  It is almost the 4th over here.  Tomorrow was a busy day 41 years ago.