Latvia was the final stage of a long road trip through 15 European countries with a length of more than 10 thousand kilometers.
After countries like Switzerland or Luxembourg, Eastern Europe seems boring and poor in impressions. Driving through Lithuania, from which I did not have a single photo or memory except for a delicious hot dog at a gas station, in general, there were no special expectations. And who would think that the capital of Latvia - Riga can be so pleasant?
The first thing worth noting is that 2018 was a relatively friendly year for interstate relations. Therefore, the local population, fluent in Russian, always helped to navigate the medieval streets. I don't know if the sculptures of bears painted in themes of different countries of the world still stand in the central square, but back then there was a feeling that Latvia, and all of Europe as a whole, advocates what our president calls a multipolar world, equality, respect for peoples and cultures.
Riga is famous for its balms, and having found a themed liquor store with tinctures, I bought about fifty measuring cups of all types of plants and berries, expecting that it would be delicious. What a disappointment it was when, upon returning to Moscow, even my driver, calling them oil, refused to accept them as a gift.
I think I can return to Latvia.