Riga

Once I got a bed, I took a shower, a nap and then set out to explore.

I truly can't wait to come back here and rent a car and drive through the Baltics. It is a completely beautiful and relatively small, untouched area. I've been told that Riga is the new Prague due to a new RyanAir line here and that heaps of stag parties from the UK come to buy cheap beer and cigarettes, but it looks fantastic so far to me. The old town of Riga is very small and full of windy, cobblestone roads.

There is a huge market, bustling with life. Meats, cheeses, breads, fruits, vegetables... amazingly clean and stocked with everything you can imagine. The colors were stunning. Old ladies peddled homemade pickles and shawls and honey.

My first sunny day in a while. While Russia couldn't have been more miserable and rainy, Riga is brilliant and the sky is crisp and blue with a warm sun above. Feels like spring in State College.

Dave got here tonight so we went to eat and drink and see the nightlife. No big plans here- just relaxing and checking out the city.