The 5-day weekend was eventful. Thursday and Friday were spent just kickin' around town. There were some concerts in the park, some festivals, and some good weather which were enjoyed. The real weekend began at 6AM Saturday morning. I had previously expressed my desire to visit the capital of Estonia to some of the friends in the branch. A few decided they wanted to go too. My proposal to travel by bus (a short 4 hour ride) didn't go over well due to financial constraints. They proposed the best option to be thumbing for rides all the way up. Incredulously I asked if that would really work to which they gave their firm affirmations that it would, backing it up with the fact that they had done it many times before. I was stoked. I was to hitch-hike my way from Riga, Latvia to Talinn, Estonia. What could be more adventurous than that?
As mentioned, I got up at 6AM and met up with Zane, Jo, and Simona and we took a bus to the outskirts of the city where immediately we began thumbing. Within just a minute a car pulled over and picked the 4 of us up. The lady was only going about 10 kilometers in our direction but that was a great start. We got out and proceeded to thumb again. Another minute or so after and a commercial van pulled over. Amazingly, this van was going directly to Talinn. Unfortunately, it only had room for two so Zane and Jo took off leaving Simona and me to the mercies of the driving masses. An hour after getting left, we finally got a ride. This car, however, like the first, only took us 10 or so kilometers. After that, we got another ride another 10 or so kilometers.
It was at this spot, after 3 rides taking us maybe some 50 kilometers outside of Riga, that Simona and I would be stranded for 4 hours - FOUR HOURS. By the time we received a text announcing the arrival of Zane and Jo in Talinn, I was so fed up with it all I said screw it, walked to the others side of the road, and began hitching for home. My great adventure had been laid to waste.
After a further hour and a half, a heaven-sent messenger pulled over and took us straight to Riga.
What a horrible experience. Never again will I attempt that crap.
Independence Day was fun. There were celebrations and concerts and activities around town. At first I kinda laughed thinking how ironic it was that Latvians, after being occupied for practically most of their entire existence as a state, were so exuberantly celebrating their independence. After giving it some thought, however, I realized that for that very reason, they had all the more reason to celebrate. It was funny, once I realized this I almost got a bit emotional. Freedom is something that EVERYONE desires, and Latvians, only in the past 15 years have truly gained it. I suppose it makes it all the more sweeter to them, as it should.
The day's festivals were followed by everyone watching the national hockey team get their butts kicked 6-0 by Canada in the World Hockey Championships. For them it's ok though. Hockey happens to be their favorite sport and the national team, although getting completely tramped by both the USA and Canada, is good enough to consistently qualify for international play, which makes them very proud.
On Monday I decided to visit a region in Central Latvia named Sigulda. Locals call it "the Switzerland of Latvia." I have yet to visit Switzerland but I'd say this is more like a...West Virginia maybe. It is gorgeous, however. There is a national park and a bunch of medieval castles and ruins all over the place.
I jumped on a 7:45AM train and wandered around taking pictures and hiking for 8 hours before coming back to Riga. It was awesome. I was in nature. No city. Few people. Fresh air. Centuries old castles. European forests and woods, that were totally new and different to me. There was moss and growth everywhere. I felt like Robin Hood in Sherwood Forest. It was a great, and I mean a GREAT day. I felt totally liberated. I must have hiked10 miles or so. I came home just in time for Family Home Evening and no one could believe I was there all day long. On Sunday they all had told me a couple hours was more than enough time to spend there. Well...I'm going back for another day because there is still so much to see and do.
It's probably that I'm an American, who has never seen an actual castle in his entire life, that makes it all so intriguing. When I wasn't Robin Hood, I was running around defending the fortress against invaders as arrows and stones were being hurled my way with people yelling and falling from the high castle walls. It's every child's dreams after all the fairy tales and Disney movies we've all been raised on. All the Europeans are just like, "meh, that's cool - there's a castle in my back yard." Just wait though, when they cross the pond and see their first red rock, they'll be a cowboy fleeing for his life from a band of savaged Apaches who want their scalps. That is what I think of when I'm there anyways.
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