Latvian Tour
A tour of Latvia reveals one thing if nothing else; that the area is the very definition of “crossroads.” Nestled on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea, the area has been tread across by practically every major occupying force in the recorded history of Northern Europe. From the Mongol invaders of the Russian steppes to the defeat of Hitler’s forces on the Eastern front, it may come as small wonder that the area has one of the largest concentration of fortified castles and manors of anywhere in the world. Throw a rock hard enough from the center of the capital city of Riga, and you stand a good chance of hitting one lovingly restored Castle or another.
Rolands Lakis, while not technically a castle, stands as a pristine example of the old world European manor. With its clay tile roof, thick windows and verdigris exterior, one can’t help but wonder who has crossed that threshold before.
Even with such a rich cultural history, Latvia has resisted the temptation to lose its identity. Many century’s old churches and cathedrals line the country side, in very much the same condition as they might have been during the dark ages. How many poor souls might have taken refuge behind those oaken doors during Viking raids is anybody’s guess. The ghosts of days past whisper in the eaves of Latvia. Theirs are the voice of history, and a Latvian Tour may just give one inclined the chance to listen.
