Riga, Latvia was founded by German crusaders at the beginning of the 13th century. It joined the prosperous Hanseatic League during the Middle Ages, and for a time reigned as the largest city in the Swedish. The Russian Empire took over control in the 18th and 19th centuries, and then the Soviet Union from 1940-1991. […]
Europe
A Dog Sledding Adventure in Latvia
Keen to try out regional winter activities, I found a company, Discover Latvia, that organizes dog sledding tours, and gave them a ring after a particularly snowy week in January. What better place than northern Europe to give this sport a try? And I was in luck – they had a group going out! I eagerly waited […]
A Tipsy Tour of the Riga Black Balsam Factory
In 1752, a Latvian pharmacist by the name of Abraham Kunze developed a potent elixir from 24 different plants, roots, spices and oils that was said to cure just about anything that ailed you, from malaria to sword wounds. Kunze sold his herbal balsam in clay bottles priced to match the grandiose claims, around 60 euros […]
Kutna Hora and its Church of Bones
With a full week to spend in Prague, I had plenty of time for a day trip to see more of the Czech Republic. My destination of choice was the Kutna Hora Bone Church, an unusual attraction famous for its skeletal decorations. Creepy as it might sound, I found the macabre display to be surprisingly […]
Partying Like a Latvian on Winter Solstice
Before ringing in the New Year, we joined in on Latvia’s winter solstice celebrations at the Latvian Ethnographic Open-Air Museum, a short distance outside Riga. According to local websites, the event would be marked with singing and dancing Latvians wearing animal masks and culminate with the burning of a yule log. I knew this was not to […]