From Stalin’s Cake to Singing Locals: Ri

Dodging a few thundershowers (because why not add a bit of drama to the day?), we kicked off our Riga Old Town adventure with a bird’s-eye view from none other than Stalin’s infamous “birthday cake”—a.k.a. the Latvian Academy of Sciences. Ah yes, the good old communist charm wrapped in concrete! Surprisingly… we loved it. And that panoramic view? Worth every socialist breeze.

From there, Riga swept us off our slightly soggy feet. Medieval buildings straight out of a fantasy novel, peaceful parks whispering “sit down, you’ve earned it,” and statues that looked like they were mid-debate about Marxism. Even the library had flair—locals were singing, probably to the books, but who cares? It was magical.

And the best part? No tourist stampede! Unlike the bustling crowds of Tallinn, Riga gave us space to breathe, explore, and fall in love with its quirky, history-soaked soul. 10/10, would thunderstorm again.Read more