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AT THE DEPARTURE LOUNGE, RIGA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT --
You have got to be here.
Not here in the departure lounge, exactly, but in Riga; in Latvia; in the Baltic States.
A little over a decade ago, this was the Soviet Union. Yet even in those times, the Baltics always had an independent streak to them. Mother Russia was a faraway place in the hearts and minds of many here, not counting the transplanted Russians of course.
Latvia was the land of my grandfather, a man who to his last days was true to his word, and would not sit in the same room with a Russian (well past the age of 80, he actually walked out of the house when we had a Russian couple over for dinner – little did he know, or that is to say “we” know, the husband was suspected some years later of being a spy).
That aside, I will say that some of the best food I ate here in Latvia was Russian – simple stuff, really, like pilmeni dumplings filled with meat and served in butter or a garlicky sour cream. Though the beer halls here are quite good as well, the one I visited (http://www.lido.lv/lat/restorani/staburags) being a sort of Latvian version of North American down-home-country – smoky ribs, cheap beer, and bench seating.
What I did find a bit disturbing, though, was the number of casinos in Riga. Not Vegas-style casinos, but seedy corner places that, aside from giving an acceptable rate of exchange to the euro and dollar, gave no function or service to an otherwise developing country. Get-rich-schemes were probably also doing well in this land of newly found capitalism, I figured, while watching the local gentry walking into and out of (presumably with less wealth in the latter) these casinos in the middle of weekday afternoons.
Other than that, the Baltics are an industrious people, embracing of post-modern capitalism. Riga’s central market is a thriving place, occupying five former zeppelin hangars with separate divisions for meat, fish, dry goods, and so on. Stalls surrounding the place sell leather and other fashions, some produced locally with fine craftsmanship and others made cheaply no doubt halfway across the world. And in Tallinn, capital of fellow Baltic-state Estonia, the ‘Wall of Sweaters’ is a great place to get, what else, sweaters, nicely knit colourful Nordic sweaters – and hats, gloves, doggie vests, you name it. Sitting here now, I regret not having bought more than I did – bargain prices which are likely to go up as the EU entry proceeds.
Tallinn is perhaps the most visually appealing of the three Baltic capitals. Its medieval old town is fortified with walls and towers, and while I’ll do my best to give wide berth to any “Prague of the North” comparisons, is a bargain destination with all the medieval flair and charm of certain other Eastern European cities.
I arrived in Tallinn at sunset, with the parliament building, Orthodox cathedral, and old town walls aglow in a perfect light. Best of all, the streets were nearly empty, ideal for walking in a time not far off from the ‘white nights’ of summer solstice. The next day stood somewhat in contrast, with ferries and a cruise ship bringing in fresh passengers for a day’s sightseeing and shopping. Still, there are nooks and crannies to this place, cozy pubs and restaurants, a walk along the walls, that allow for escape of the crowds. And Tallinn’s main square is still a fine place to sit out on a sunny day, nurse a Saku beer, and watch the world go by.
An hour’s flight from Tallinn – or three hours since Estonian Air cancelled the flight and rerouted me through HEL (that’s the IATA code for Helsinki) – is the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius. You know this place vibes to a different groove when a neighborhood park has a mural of Frank Zappa, and the old synagogue is down the street from a square whose centerpiece is a giant egg. The churches of this town have been undergoing great restoration but are worth a peek. More stirring was standing on the sites where, just over a decade ago, the ‘January Events’ of 1991 led to the eventual independence of Lithuania, but not before thirteen civilians lost their lives.
Today Lithuania is much like its Baltic neighbours, moving towards central/western Europe in mindset and economy, but still with Slavic roots and an appreciation for its humble past. History and time have also contributed to something special in these parts – amber. Weekends are a time when artists and artisans are out on the streets with their wares, and amber jewelry is a highlight here (and in Riga and Tallinn).
Also much like Riga and Tallinn, Vilnius is an affordable place to stay, eat, and play. Rooms, meals, and drinks go for a fraction of what they would be across the sea in Stockholm or further away in London.
With that in mind, get here early, soon, before the rest of Europe figures this one out.
