Cake decorating

Since coming to Riga, I have further developed

my cake decorating. I made a cake for a baby-

shower and I can't just go to my local

cake supply store and buy pre-made decorations...

so I made my own! I made marizpan and then

colored it and sculpted the bear (those high

school art lessons came in handy :))

F-15s

For Riga's Birthday, two F-15's flew over the city at noon.

I was lucky enough to get to go to the Riga Airport

to look at the planes before the flyover.

Even though I know it may seem silly, I really

enjoyed viewing them. I'd love to fly a plane!

You know all those cool cadgets that are in your

car? Well, there are even cooler cadgets inside

the cockpits of these planes. We weren't even allowed to

take pictures of the cockpits...but some

truly "cool" stuff!

Sigulda Castles

As with the rest of Europe, there are castles doting the country-side.

Just north of Riga is Sigulda, and there are 4 castles.

(They are pictured in the order visited.)

The above castle has been restored. It was mainly in ruins but

has been restored over the last 20 years. Many of the castles

in Eastern Europe have been damaged due to war and

neglect. Only years after being unihabited have they

been restored and preserved.

This and one other castle in Sigulda (which we didn't go

to because it doesn't even look like a castle) haven't

been restored. They are new enough that the owners

have been able to preserve them. We didn't get to

go inside this one because there was a wedding

taking place inside. One member of our group wanted

to crash the wedding, but all of us were dressed to

causually to even try and pull it off...not that I would've

done it anyway.

Rafting Trip

We went and rafted down one of the rivers just north of Riga.

It was a calm-peaceful trip, no-one feel out of the rafts.

I don't know when the last time was that I just did nothing

for two hours! Much needed...

Of course, it didn't take long for me to take off

my life-jacket (I mean, come on! I'm used to rapids!) and

turn around to sit on the outside of the raft to

view the scenery. It was really pretty and apparently

you can camp along-side the river (definitely next summer!)