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Greetings from Scotland! Over the past week, we've been making the most of the school break by travelling to this beautiful part of the world. We've explored Edinburgh…
As of October 16, 2026, our options-selling-powered dividend stock portfolio stood at $13,456, marking a weekly decline of 1.37% compared with the previous week.This…
As of October 9, 2026, our options-selling-powered dividend stock portfolio stood at $13,643, showing a decent weekly increase of +0.72% compared with the previous week.…
Širhans (Shirhan) is a lovely restaurant serving Azerbaijani cuisine located in the suburbs of Sarkandaugava in Riga, Latvia (Meža Prospekts 90).I visited this place just shortly after a visit to Riga Zoo.If you just like me enjoy Caucasian style cuisine you will enjoy this place. Although I must admit I'm very found of Georgian cuisine (Read my Tbilisi restaurant reviews) - this time I was pleased with Azerbaijani cuisine also. Thus take into consideration - to enjoy a real Azeri cuisine - you must visit land of fire. The local versions are usually adopted to local customer tastes. Restaurant Shirhan in RigaJust take a look at this lovely tiger - as seen in the…
Riga Zoo is a city-owned zoo in Riga, Latvia. It is located in Mežaparks neighbourhood next to the Mežaparks park, on the western bank of Ķīšezers lake. Riga Zoo houses around 4000 animals of nearly 500 species and is visited by 250-300,000 visitors annually.
Ocassionaly I love visitin Riga zoo, in this article some of my pictures and data when I visited Riga Zoo together with my mom at the start of May 2016
I took my DSLR camera with myself and captured more than 600 images here, just 17 survived to you my dear reader.
Entrance gates at Riga zoo
Riga Zoo is located in a lovely neighbourhood of Mežaparks.
Flamingos at Riga Zoo
A camel at Riga zoo
A peacock at Riga…
Right, lets speak about a topic I like a very much - Castle ruins. Recently I visited Dobele Castle Ruins (Republic of Latvia) and spent here some 30 minutes trying to make some decent photos of this place. History of this castle dates back to the 1335 AD. But prior to that there was another castle (Read more at the end of this post)Fortification walls of Dobele CastleFortification walls of Dobele CastleDobele castle ruinsDobele castle ruinsHere I laid down in the grass and experimented with a photography. Personally I have found this technique gives me best photos in case I'm not using a tripod. Actualy I did use here a small gorilla pad tripod. In a result I got a pretty interesting…
I was surprised to learn that this church is more than 500 years old. Prior I learnt that I was even more surprised to learn that Dobele town has a lovely historical centre. This church is located just next to this historical centre.
I took my camera and tried to make some great pictures here.
Dobele Evangelical Lutheran Church
I believe all is said with just this one photo. Just marvellous.
Entrance at this church
Info table
This church is now already 520 years old
Back view
As usual in Latvian churches, the doors were closed (some construction works were held inside) and I hadn't any chance to photograph inside interior.
About Dobele Evangelical Lutheran Church
The…
Dobele is a small town located in historical region of Zemgale in Latvia some 60 km South West from nations capital city Riga. One thing a tourist should visit while in Dobele definitely is it's historical centre - marketplace square. In recent years this place has gone through some renovation and last time I visited it - it looked just amazing.Well if you are hoping to see both old and new architecture, like it's for example in German city Bonn's marketplace, then no - you wont find here any skyscrapers. For some reason I got this feeling that time at this place has stood still from some 19th century.Historical centre of DobeleA tourist info board explaining history of this placeA fountain…
Cafe Dzirnaviņas is located on the roadside of Riga - Liepaja highway in a small county of Biksti. This place serves a traditional Latvian cuisine for a very affordable prices.Cafe DzirnavinasMenu at Cafe DzirnavinasAs usual it might happen in local Latvian restaurants - a pork chop is a most popular meal. Prices indicated here are in EUR. Portions? Enormous!A daily dose of Coca-ColaThey serves Coke with ice here (on request)Bread kvassAnother traditional element from Latvian cuisine - a bread kvassPork chopBoiled vegetablesThe Bottom LineCafe Dzirnaviņas seems is a very popular place among locals and foreigners I met here a few foreigners as well - Russians, Belarussians and even a…
Skrunda bus station is a regional bus station serving local Latvian cities and town. It mainly serves Riga and Liepaja route, but you can get from here to Kuldīga, Kazdanga and other local routes. If you are heading to Skrunda by bus you can either hire some local taxi here or walk to the closely located Skrunda abandoned military town (Distance ~ 6km).
Speaking of this station building - for me it looks like a pretty standard Soviet time architecture built from a concrete.
Skrunda bus station
Platform at Skrunda bus station
Buses from Platform NR1 goes to Riga
Waiting room at Skrunda Bus Station
Bus schedule
Skrunda Bus Station
We discovered Rudzisu Stone (Rudzīšu akmens) by accident driving some remote roads in Latvian countryside. What at start seemed an easy task turned to be a mini hiking tour. Although there is a tourist sign right next to the road some (perhaps you) will need walk to this stone some 500 meters (at least) from that road. You will have a chance to meet some snails, cross two wooden bridges, dive into a spooky forest in case you are up to for this mini hiking tour.Here are approximate coordinates for this stone: Latvia, Kuldiga district, Laidi municipality, 300 m E from Snepele - Kazdanga road, in small gully 140 m N from Rudzisi.Snails near Rudzisi stoneWe met a lot of these small…
This restaurant is located inside the Dairy Manor Berghof complex. During my visit at this complex I had a chance to try a local delicacy like salmon tartar at this restaurant. I learned there exists a gadget called a tea timer while I enjoyed my meal here. Dairy Manor (Piena Muiža in Latvian) Berghof is located in the remote Latvian village of Sieksāte some 160 km from capital Riga. This manor complex serves a hotel, restaurant, museum and a lovely park. Outdoor Patio at this RestaurantI believe some (perhaps you) will enjoy this patio in mild summer evenings. Indoor interiorIndoor interiorIndoor interiorEmbroidered blanketSaying Enjoy your meal!Tea timerSome…
Dairy Manor (Piena Muiža in Latvian) Berghof is located in the remote Latvian village of Sieksāte some 160 km from capital Riga. This manor complex serves a hotel, retaurant, museum and a lovely park. Bicycle parking at BerghofSome (perhaps you) can rent a bicycle here and enjoy a lovely ride around this manor complexCamper parking at BerghofDairy Manor Offers 17 well-equipped campers and daravan pitches and facility house, thus enabling travellers to spend holidays as close as possible to nature, at the same time having all comfort options of the Manor. Picturesque landscapes and pastures, centennial alley planted in the time of Baron, murmur of the leaves in the autumn inspire you to…
If you just like me are into fortification systems you will definitely enjoy The Northern Forts of Liepaja.
Built by Imperial Russia at the end of the 19th century and at the beginning of 20th century to provide the protection of Liepāja’s naval base in case of enemy attack. According to history - In November of 1908, Tsar Nicholas II approved a decision to shut down the sea fortress in Liepāja. It has been now over 100 years since these fortification walls don't function anymore and just recently they have been placed on tourist maps.
The Northern Forts of Liepāja
Over a century old but still in a pretty good shape
Wind Generator near Liepāja
Located just next to the old…
Caffe 'Lielā Pietura' literally translates as 'The Great Stop' and there is no surprise of this name, this cafeteria is actually located close to the ... a bus stop in Grobiņa, connecting capital city Rīga with Liepāja. This cafeteria serves traditional Latvian cuisine for a very reasonable price.Bus stop 'Grobiņa'Rīga - Liepāja interstate buses takes a stop hereCake 'Old Riga'Traditional Latvian cake named after a lovely Old Riga,filled with cottage cheese in sugar... or somethingRaspberry creamReally delicious deserts here at Lielā PieturaSolyanka soupInterior at Lielā PieturaChop dressed with cheese and tomatoes and served with potatoesThe Bottom LineCaffe 'Lielā Pietura' indeed is a…
I have always been into a digging stuff and walking around old ancient sites is just one of my favorite activities to do. Also I'm into a history. So it's no surprise I visited a site called Livonian Order Castle Ruins at Aizpute.
If you are not familiar with what a Livonian Order actually is - in short: The Livonian Order was an autonomous branch of the Teutonic Order and a member of the Livonian Confederation from 1435 to 1561. If you are up to for a longer version, please read this article on Wikipedia: Livonian Order
Meanwhile, please enjoy some photos I captured here:
Livonian Order Castle Ruins
Tourist sign near Aizpute castle ruins
Castle mound
Tourism…
The Saint John evangelic Lutheran church in Aizpute is one of the oldest churches in Courland, historical region of Latvia. On a rainy day I took my DSLR camera and headed to Aizpute Church mound to photograph this ancient site. Latter I was surprised to learn that on this place, prior a church were built was an ancient Curonian castle.
Church mound in Aizpute
This church is built on a mound, you can see a view from this mound in above image
River Tebra near Aizpute church
And what a wonderful island on it
Aizpute church has been built in 1254
According to chronic's, prior to church building here, there was and Curonian fortress.
In the year 1254, in the place…
Kazdanga Mill lake (Dzirnezers, Dzirnavu ezers in Latvian) and its surroundings is lovely I would even say a touristic place in a small Latvian village of Kazdanga.Someone (perhaps you) will find a lot of outdoor activities to do here - starting boat ride on that lake ending cycling around this area, I learned that you can even smoke a fish here (didn't try)Located in a very close distance to the impressive Kazdanga manor Kazdanga Mill Lake and its surroundings is a must-have attraction while you are in Kazdanga.The mill was built in 1840, it has been completely rebuilt and only the external façade provides a small insight into the times, while the mill dam is very well preserved…
Kazdanga manor is located in Courland historical region of Latvia.As I have already stated back when visited Snēpele manor - Latvia is a land of old manor houses and palaces, they dates back from the times when German nobles ruled this territory. A lot of manors one (perhaps you) can find in a historical region of Courland. As usual, I took my camera and headed here to photograph this manor.Old tree alley and cobbleI spent a few minutes on this cobble playing with my gorilla pad and my cameras aperture settings, and in fact, I really enjoy this image.Kazdanga manorI did find some similarities in this image with Chateau Mukhrani back in Georgia. This time I…
When I was back in Germany and visited Germany's most visited landmark - The Cologne's Cathedral my travel mate said to me - it (Cologne's Cathedral) doesn't impress me as much as Valtaiķi church in Latvia. I looked at her - and asked, what? Seriously? Yes, she replied - the stained glass at Valtaiķi church are more impressive than here at Cologne.
I was left with no options and decided to visit this church by my own. Unfortunately, as usual in Latvia, this church was closed and I hadn't any chance to see those stained glass in close, but by reading this church's history (see bellow) I did find that it's one of the best of it's kind in Latvia at least.
Valtaiķi church
Ahh, again…
Restaurant Kūriņš in Jūrmala serves a traditional Latvian cuisine. It's located close to the seashore in Kauguri (part of Jūrmala). Rumour has it - in weekends it's hard to get a table here. The reason probably is a great food, large portions and a lovely location.aSignboard at Restaurant KūriņšLatvians are really into a carving, and Restaurant Kūriņš is no exception when speaking of wood and wood carving. Road to the sea from this RestaurantWorking hours for restaurant Kūriņš in JūrmalaAs said on this table - Restaurant is open every day from 12 to 23 (12 PM - 11 PM)Interior at Kūriņš restaurantMenu at Restaurant KūriņšWhen visiting a traditional Latvian cuisine you should expect a…
At the start of January 2015 I was contacted by a locally living foreigner, originally coming from South Africa doing some fish business in Republic of Georgia, after a brief conversation via e-mails we agreed to meet each other and I insisted I would love to see those fish ponds he is working for. Well I just like things like that. I once even visited a dairy farm here in Georgia and made some nice looking photos of cows.Shortly we arranged a sightseeing tour. Read: South African Fish farms in Georgia and our friendship started. Soon afterwards we started to hang out, did some hiking tour. Read More: Hiking in Birtvisi. Johann (Production manager at these fish…
I booked this hotel in Altlay because of it's close location to Frankfurt-Hahn airport, cheap price and free parking. I had like only 10 minutes for hotel research back in the Linden town. I was hoping to use hotwire for selecting a fine hotel near airport area, but unfortunately hotwire this time didn't served any hotel in a reasonable distance here. So my next move was booking.com. I didn't paid much attention of overall hotel interior as I already said - location, parking and cheap price was my main criteria. Zur Morschbach qualified for all my criteria. So we packed our belongings and headed here using our navi system. Didn't see anything much during our drive (it was night…
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