Despite some disappointment from the delayed start, we were ready to hit the ground running in Riga. It’s been several years since we’ve travelled in Europe during winter and - my oh my - I forgot it gets dark so early!
By 4:30 the sun had set. It was cold, cloudy and there was a steady drizzle, but Josh and I were undeterred. Near our hotel was The Corner House (the infamous KGB headquarters during Soviet occupation from 1940-1991) so we stopped in. This building was the location where tens of thousands of Latvians were “disappeared” either through deportation to work camps in Siberia or killed for crimes against the Soviet state. The main areas were closed already but we explored the small lobby and ground floor. It was an eerie place. Ask us about our spooky encounter!
While the detour was interesting, what we really came to Riga for was the famous old world Christmas Market and we were set on getting our money’s worth. We were so excited to arrive at the Christmas Market located in the center of the old town.
M - well, she is painfully three and didn’t pay for anything, so she - could not have cared any less. It was cold and it had been a long day and she was very tired. We temporarily appeased her with a gingerbread cookie.
But right about the time we ordered a plate of stewed cabbage and open-fire roasted meats (we got duck leg and pig ear), she melted down. As frustrating as it was to not get the full Friday night Christmas Market experience, we headed back to the hotel and M fell asleep on the way.
The next morning, we took it easy and spent some extra time in the hotel. It had been a rough few travel days and even though it pained Josh to let us have down time on such a short trip, he acquiesced (it was two against one, after all). He was rewarded for his kindness with a fully refreshed wife and M in a significantly better mood (still painfully three, but less angry about it).
We ventured out into the Riga Old Town district for sightseeing while we still had some daylight to spare. We visited Saint Peter’s Church (where we climbed the spire) for an amazing view of the city; The Swedish Gate (the only remaining portion of the original medieval city walls); The House of the Blackheads (built in the 1300s and location of the first ever publicly decorated Christmas tree in 1510); and the Riga Nativity of Christ Russian Orthodox Cathedral.
We ended with another round at the Christmas Market which finally elicited the response of wonder of Christmas magic in M that we had hoped for the night before.
We were all joyfully immersed in the sights and sounds of European Christmas - Christmas carols, both familiar and new; happy chatter among friends and family; twinkling lights in every direction; aromas of holiday spices and smoked sausages wafting through the air (and staying on our clothes and hair long after we left). Christmas magic at its finest.
M enjoyed an old fashioned, wooden, hand-pushed carousel and a holiday pony ride. A sweet, warm, blueberry drink was her favorite while her dad and I preferred to sip on mulled wine as we strolled the cobblestone street.
The Riga Christmas Market was honestly perfect. Not too big. Not to small. Not too expensive. Not too crowded. Despite covering only a small part of the city square, the market seemed endless in the best way with surprises around every new path.
This was definitely the least commercial, most “authentic” Christmas Market we’e visited. Full of old fashioned treats and goodies. This has to be among the best that Riga has to offer. And Riga - though we were here only a short while - had much to offer.
For those of you interested in some historical background, Riga is the capital city of Latvia. Founded as a city in 1201, now a third of the country’s population resides here. Originally a trade center for Vikings, then German Merchants, the area has been a documented location of culture and community since the second century.
Riga has an interesting and complicated modern history. The Soviet Union first occupied Latvia in 1940. There was mass deportations that June, but Soviet rule was short lived as the Nazi’s invaded and took control of Latvia from 1941 - 1944.
In October 1944, the Soviets regained control of - badly damaged from the war - Riga and reoccupied the country. Efforts to rebuild Riga were initiated and an influx of Russian immigrants and laborers poured into the city over the next few decades.
This time, Russian occupation and control lasted until 1991 when Latvians restored full and peaceful independence. Called the Peaceful Singing Revolution, independence was achieved through a series of non-violent acts amongst the citizens and governments of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia between 1987 and 1991. Such acts included the placing of flowers at the historic Freedom Monument (pictured below) in 1987 and participating in the 1989 “Human Chain” of people holding hands stretching 373 miles from Tallinn, Estonia, through Riga, Latvia and ending in Vilnius, Lithuanian.
In 1990 pro-independence candidates were elected to the local Soviet government as a final signal of the county’s intentions to restore sovereignty. In a last gasp of waning power, pro-Russian forces attempted a violent attempt to overthrow the newly elected assembly in January 1991.
In a show of solidarity, Latvian civilians stopped the invasion by building barricades to protect important government buildings and keep Soviet forces from overtaking Riga. On January 13, 1991 (after a Russian attack in the capital of Lithuania), citizens of Latvia were called via a TV broadcast to meet at the Riga Cathedral Square. 700,000 demonstrators showed up.
The Russians began dropping leaflets via aircraft over the crowd warning them to disperse. Instead, leaders of The Popular Front (the pro-independence group) called on citizens to build barricades. Members of the Latvian parliament were asked to stay overnight in the parliament building to ensue quorum requirements were met.
Trucks with building materials and agricultural machinery flooded into the capital from all over the country. Logs, construction waste, cement blocks and other materials were used to block streets and protect important targets. Men, women and children from all over the country appeared and readied themselves to serve as human shields to prevent Soviet restoration.
The barricades (see one below) which ultimately secured Latvian independence were built in approximately three hours! Local journalists worked to ensure information of what was happening made it out of the country and documented everything in preparation for a counter defense against potential, future Russian propaganda. Efforts were even made to assist Lithuania in keeping lines of communication open after damages to the telephone lines in Vilnius silenced mass communications.
Communities came together in an incredible show of solidarity and the goal of restoring independence was achieved shortly after. There is definitely still a sense of community and pride felt in Riga that comes from this history of resistance and I wish we had more time to explore the here.
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