Latvija /Rīga/ (II)

A few things I’ve noticed during my time in Riga:

1. Riga is famous for massage. (Actually, Tallinn is famous for that too, it seems, but it’s even bigger in Riga) So we felt obliged to at least enjoy a nice relaxing massage at the hotel to give ourselves a little treat. I chose the “honey massage” therapy and it proved to be a grave mistake! I’ll explain how honey massage works in the hotel – first, the masseuse applies red-hot honey on me. And then she starts tapping (not massaging!!) on my skin. After maybe half a minute, the honey becomes sticky. So while the masseuse was tapping, it felt as if I was being constantly waxed! *OUCH* It’s the worst “massage” I have had - if you can really call it a massage when all you get is being tapped!! I should have followed Gaz and just picked a normal, regular, classic therapy! DAMN!
   
   
2. Something we realised not long after we were in Riga was the lack of aintenance in the city. Literally everywhere inside the Old Town and around the city centre, you see old deserted buildings and houses that are no longer occupied/used. But nobody bothers to tear them down or repair them or do something to them. They are left standing there like they are part of the scenery. One extreme example is the pavement right outside Stockmann, a massive modern department store in the city centre. The crossings right outside Stockmann are as busy as the ones outside SOGO. But none of the bricks on the pavement is “intact” – so to speak. There are always corners missing or cracks here and there or worst of all,the whole brick missing! You have to really watch your steps while you walk. Such an extreme merely a few steps outside a glamourous department store. Guess this country just do not have the funds to fix this kind of not-so-important flaws?!
   
   
3. People in Riga (or even Latvia) must be crazy for football. While we were flipping through the TV channels in the hotel, there were always 2 to 3 channels showing football, mostly Russian football we guessed. We even had live feed from the Europa League! Wish we had the same thing in Tallinn. We missed Valencia v MU the other night. Nowhere, apart from pubs/bars in the Old Town (but it was too dark and we didn’t feel safe to go there at night), showed the game!!
   
   
4. Riga is also famous for stag parties (due to the cheap prices I would presume). Consider a dinner at our 4* hotel (a glass of wine + 2 main courses + 2 desserts) cost only like 50e (with a stunning panoramic night view as well), it’s really a heaven for a stag. I have to say, though, those people were really annoying! We happened to be in Riga from Thursday to Saturday. Starting from Friday afternoon onwards, we started to pick up some English and realised gangs of about 5-6 people shouting loudly (and randomly) on the streets. By the time we got back to the hotel, some English guys were having troubles with another gang, arguing and kinda pushing and shoving. Now, I have nothing against stags at all. I just wish they were more well-behaved and not taking the piss of other people who are trying to have a peaceful holiday. Gaz even said he was almost embarrassed to admit that he’s English!
   
   
5. People in Riga are really skeptical (which I feel have something to do with their communist past). They don’t trust people AT ALL. One day, we went to a small kiosk wanting to get some 24-hour bus pass. The vendor, who was an old lady, was literally “well-protected” inside the kiosk, sitting behind a little glass window. I tried to tell her we wanted to get some bus pass but she didn’t really speak English. A while later, she showed me a small paper card thingy and told me, I presume, a price (in Latvian). I held out my hand into the little pigeonhole, wanting to take a look at the card to see if it’s what we wanted. She held back the card and repeated a price (in Latvian) which I didn’t understand. I mean fair enough, but at least let me see what it is you idiot woman! The card wouldn’t cost more than HK$10, but still she just won’t trust us!
   
   
6. Another time we were at the Archive. We opened the door and there seated another old lady at the reception. Her face read – what on earth are you two - a Chinese and a white guy - doing in a Latvian Archive? And of course she didn’t speak English. We tried to explain to her we’re there to meet a researcher named so-and-so. It proved futile. She didn’t understand and gave us a look that said a middle finger. We kept repeating the researcher’s name, showed her the name in printing and still she would just say “No”. What the hell! After a while, she had finally decided to look for the researcher from the directory and BAM! found her!! Still, the receptionist won’t call the researcher herself. She just wrote down a number and Gaz had to call the researcher. WHAT STRANGE PEOPLE!!!!!
   
   

   

   Goodbye Riga!