A lot of people didn't know that Riga is in Latvia.

...Me included. I had to google it first to find it on the map. *shame on me*

I'm glad not many people do though, cos it's a wonderful rare jewel of the baltic seas...

The people at the Garden Palace Hotel were sOooOo nice. They were quick to answer my emails before arrival, and they upgraded the room for free..!

It's bigger than my living room. :p

A sauna can be found in the bathroom. Woohoo!

Ok let's divert a little. Boredom struck while at Brussels airport. Had to kill 5 hours of layover time. So went over to what they call the 'Prayer services'...

There were several rooms. Each room was dedicated to each major religion. This was for us Muslimins and Muslimas.

Another room.

Nice ball. I mean, nice bull.

Ok back to Latvia.
Big nightlife. The skanks were out on the prowl.. looking for victims i guess (pictures of which i will not post here just in case you've got a weak heart) LOL
But for laid-back folks like me, you can sit and enjoy some country music outside... And if that's not your cup of tea, walk around a little and you'll find other bands playing other types of music, like slow rock. :p

A few of the scenes at the Central Market of Riga.

It opens most days of the week, including Saturdays and Sundays.

This is the Freedom Monument - honoring soldiers killed during the Latvian War of Independence (1918–1920)

There is a story behind the Black Cat on the roof of this building. It dates back to the 14th century, where the original owner of the building was disgruntled with the prestigious Great Guild, as they denied him membership. To show his displeasure for the guild, which stood opposite to his building, he placed the black cat, tailed raised and rear end facing it. The cat sculpture created the desired affect and after much deliberation, the owner agreed to turn the cat the other way for admittance of the guild.

I'm definitely gonna have a black cat standing on top of the front gate of my house one day. I'll make sure unwelcome visitors can see its backside. LOL

The House of the Blackheads. What i originally thought was something to do with some sort of skin irritant, the House of the Blackheads was actually a place rented to the Blackhead Brotherhood - a guild for unmarried foreign merchants who lived in the Baltic towns without families.

I don't see this everyday.

Pork ears? Uhh..

Ls 4.60 for a sex on the beach.

An After Sex drink.

Dessert at a sushi restaurant. Coconut cake shaped like a maki. Didn't taste as good as they looked though.

The Riga Aviation Museum.

This is the biggest helicopter I've ever seen in my life.

There was another mini museum inside the helicopter. Soviet era stuff. Too cool for a nerd like me.

Overall, it was a great trip. The people were friendly. Everything was reasonable priced. And almost all the places of interests/major attractions were within walking distance. I would recommend you to go and visit if you get the chance..