Driving Through Latvia

I get up in my hostel in Riga, Latvia and meet up with my Estonian friends. We go shopping and I pick up an budget tent. We drive to Sigulda, Latvia which was once home to the ancient Liv people. There is a cool 800 year old castle called Turaida Castle meaning "Garden of Tur". Tur is an ancient Liv God similar to the Scandinavian "Thor". We see a cool sculpture garden and go on some hikes through the woods. We visit the Gutmanis Cave which has 500 year old graffiti proving that it's the oldest tourist attraction in Latvia. The cave is a landmark in the legend of Turaida Rose - Latvia's Romeo and Juliet-like national tale.



Eventually we decide we need to find a place to camp for the night. We found a map in Sigulda which seemed to indicate a camping ground by the Amata river. So we drive off and after some U-turns and sketchy dirt roads we find a really beautiful camping ground right on the river. My budget tents turns out to be really nice except its hot yellow tarp has super insect-attracting powers and soon enough I have an insect zoo exhibit in my tent. Even though it had been raining we managed to get a fire going for a good 20 minutes. In the morning we had a quick swim in the hypothermia-inducing river and take off for Cesis, Latvia. In Cesis we visit a monument to Estonian fighters who came to help Latvians fend off Germanic forces after the end of WWI. We meet up with a few more Estonians for a picnic in the park and then head off to Salacgrīva, Latvia for the 2-day Positivus AB festival.