Page 15 - The Baltic Capitals & St. Petersburg
P. 15
Day 7 Klaipeda • Hill of Crosses • Travel to ,Q_P] M]PLVQL^_ Z`] ^XLWW R]Z`[ bTWW PYUZd
Riga, Latvia a discussion about contemporary Latvia
,Q_P] M]PLVQL^_ bP O]TaP _ZbL]O^ 7L_aTL LYO and its past, where your local Trip Leader
^_Z[ _Z aT^T_ _SP 3TWW ZQ .]Z^^P^ L R]L^^d bTWW []ZaTOP ]TNS TY^TRS_^ TY_Z _ST^ NZX[WPc
OZ`MWP STWWZNV MWLYVP_PO Md ^PaP]LW _SZ`^LYO _Z[TN ?SPY bPɪWW bLWV _S]Z`RS =TRLɪ^
crosses. Some say the tradition of planting Old Town, a dizzying collection of cobbled
crosses here began in the 14th century, and WLYP^ RL]RZdWP LOZ]YPO M`TWOTYR^ LYO
the area has long served as a place of peaceful WZaTYRWd ]P^_Z]PO "_S NPY_`]d L]NST_PN_`]LW
]P^T^_LYNP QZ] 7T_S`LYTLY .L_SZWTN^ bSZ `^PO _]PL^`]P^ `YOP] @90>.: BZ]WO 3P]T_LRP >T_P
the site as a memorial to their fallen freedom []Z_PN_TZY BPɪWW LW^Z bLYOP] _S]Z`RS _SP
ʭRS_P]^ LYO L^ L bLd _Z ^_Ld NZYYPN_PO _Z NT_dɪ^ .PY_]LW 8L]VP_ 7ZNL_PO TY NZYaP]_PO
their roots and traditions during the long Zeppelin hangars from the 1930s, the
Soviet occupation. Despite several Soviet XL]VP_ɪ^ [LaTWTZY^ PYNZX[L^^ XZ]P _SLY
attempts to bulldoze the hill, determined _S]PP \`L]_P]^ ZQ L XTWWTZY ^\`L]P QPP_ ZQ
WZNLW^ bZ`WO \`TNVWd ]PM`TWO _SP NSP]T^SPO ^[LNP LYO L]P LW^Z `YOP] @90>.: []Z_PN_TZY
place of pilgrimage. After leaving the Hill After an included lunch in a local restaurant,
ZQ .]Z^^P^ bPɪWW ^_Z[ QZ] W`YNS L_ L WZNLW dZ`ɪWW SLaP Q]PP _TXP _Z ^ZLV TY XZ]P ZQ =TRLɪ^
restaurant. Then, we’ll visit the beautifully timeless elegance on your own. Perhaps you’ll
]P^_Z]PO #_S NPY_`]d -L]Z\`P [LWLNP ZQ view the Latvian Academy of Sciences, a rare
Rundale, which was designed by the architect [TPNP ZQ >ZaTP_ L]NST_PN_`]P VYZbY L^ ɭ>_LWTYɪ^
of St. Petersburg’s Hermitage, Bartolomeo MT]_SOLd NLVPɮ _Z _SP WZNLW^ :] ]PWLc TY L
Rastrelli. café and, if you dare, order a beverage with
=TRL -WLNV -LW^LXɨLY SP]MLW WT\`P`] _SL_
Upon our arrival in the Latvian capital of Riga, 7L_aTLY^ NPWPM]L_P L^ LY TYaTRZ]L_TYR N`]P LWW
bPɪWW NSPNV TY_Z Z`] SZ_PW ?SPY bPɪWW PYUZd for whatever ails you. Dinner is on your own
dinner together at our hotel. this evening.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Breakfast, Lunch
Day 8 Explore Riga’s Old Town Day 9 Riga • A Day in the Life of
Set close to the mouth of the Daugava River, Ligatne Village
which travels from the Baltic Sea into Russia, This morning, we’ll depart for A Day in the
Riga was historically an important trade Life Pc[P]TPYNP L_ 7TRL_YP ATWWLRP 7ZNL_PO
port. Its prosperity also made it a target miles outside of Riga within Gauja National
QZ] NZY\`P]Z]^& MPQZ]P 7L_aTL OPNWL]PO T_^PWQ ;L]V 7TRL_YP T^ MZ_S L ^NPYTN LYO ST^_Z]TNLW
an independent nation in 1918, Riga was NZX[WPc ^`]]Z`YOPO Md ]ZWWTYR STWW^ NWTʬ^
claimed by Russia, Sweden, Lithuania, and ]TaP]^ LYO NLaP^ 1T]^_ bPɪWW PYUZd M]PLVQL^_
Germany. As a diverse, thriving city with bT_S L QLXTWd ZQ bTYPXLVP]^ QZWWZbPO Md L
L []ZXTYPY_ `[[P] NWL^^ =TRL Pc[P]TPYNPO _Z`] ZQ _SPT] []TaL_P bTYP]d BPɪWW _SPY XPP_
radical change under occupation by the with a Ligatne villager before heading to a
Soviets and Nazis. Buildings from Riga’s most 3ZXP 3Z^_PO 7`YNS bT_S ^ZXP ZQ _SP WZNLW
prosperous eras—particularly the Art Nouveau QLXTWTP^ BPɪWW RP_ L _]`P _L^_P ZQ OLTWd WTQP
period—still stand throughout the city.
Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-955-1925
15
