Riga and the tires

EDIT: PHOTOS WILL FOLLOW!

Riga, 08/21/2017

As always, we arrive in Riga in the evening. Since we unfortunately couldn't find a couch to sleep on (we are always a bit late!), we decide to stay in a cheap hostel near the old town. First, we realize that parking in Riga costs a lot of money, so we have to park our car in a private parking lot.

The next morning, we start repairing our damaged tire. Unfortunately, the first car dealership only sells SUVs and the salesman looks down on our tire size a bit... However, he refers us to a tire shop. When we arrive there, we go into the store with the tire and I show the gentleman at the counter the problem. Shortly after, the workshop manager stands behind us with a frown on his face and says that there is a nail stuck in the sidewall of the tire and he doesn't know if a repair is advisable and that he definitely does not provide any warranty. Hanna and I decide to simply buy new winter tires, as our old summer tires are actually worn out. He is happy that we want new tires, takes ours into the workshop, and comes out half an hour later with a repaired tire... That's not what we had in mind. It costs 12 euros and he says that the tire will probably hold up, but there is still no warranty. Well, at least it wasn't expensive and we hope for the best.

Riga is a beautiful city. The old town feels more like a real big city compared to, for example, Vilnius. There are tables and chairs everywhere on the streets and people sit in cafes listening to live music. After a city tour, Hanna and I sit in a small cute café away from the hustle and bustle and Hanna gets an acute chocolate overload with a huge piece of chocolate cheesecake and a hot chocolate. No need for dinner anymore!

The next day, we get breakfast at a gigantic market near our hostel. Here, almost exclusively Russian is spoken. The guidebook reveals that it is one of the largest food markets in the world. Tons of blueberries and chanterelle mushrooms from the surrounding forests are sold here. Many private individuals also sell pickled cucumbers and other crazy stuff. When I'm just about to buy a piece of cheese and pay with a two-euro coin with Michel on it, the nice lady behind the counter asks me where this good piece comes from. All attempts in English, German, French, and Spanish fail, and I have to use my first knowledge of Russian. It worked: "немецкий" means German and she is visibly happy. For some reason. In general, everything in Riga is bilingual and Hanna and I can significantly improve our Russian reading skills. We end the evening with solyanka, ribs, and the usual cabbage salad. The next day, we continue towards Estonia and the island of Saaremaa after a detour to the west of Riga.