It was cloudy all day with an occasional light rain. Our first stop was in Sigulda at a 1000 meters luge, bobsled, and skeleton run. It was a bit brisk outside, and I could picture myself zooming down the run. On the walk back to the bus, it was lightly sprinkling. The countryside is very green with lots of trees, so I presume rain is common.
Luge track
We stopped in Riga and toured a castle. In 1566 the castle was destroyed by Ivan the Terrible. In 1870 it was trendy to own ruins. The German Count Sigor built his impressive house next to the castle. Now the statue of Lenin that had been standing in the middle of the city, has been removed and is lying in a casket on the castle grounds.
Castle destroyed by Ivan the Terrible in 1566
German Count Sigor built his home next to the ruined castle.
Miina pointing the Way
We drove a while longer and stopped for lunch at Ungurmuiga. During lunch Miina sat with Linda and me. We ate vegetable soup, pork ribs, potatoes, and vegetables plus a baked apple filled with oats and cinnamon for dessert. We walked through the baroque style house after lunch.
During our hour and a half ride to Tallinn, Estonia, we watched a movie about how Estonia got her independence. It was fascinating how music played a huge part in it. Miina said she took part in the music festivals when she was a child.
We checked into the Raddison Blu Sky Hotel in Tallinn a little after 7:00 P.M.. Both Linda and I have nice rooms on the seventeenth floor. For dinner we were served white wine, vegetable soup made with onions, zucchini, carrots and cream.
Linda and Carol at popular beach in the summer