It is completed...

So, I enjoyed the last two full vacation days to the fullest. Yesterday morning I set off in Tūja, with an unclear destination. I only knew the route, but not how far it would take me. So, I soon crossed Riga, completing the first circle of the great Eight that I am doing in the Baltic States.

Afterwards, I went along the coast up to Cape Kolka. The whole peninsula was a restricted area during Soviet times. Even as a Latvian, you could only enter with an invitation from a local resident and a pass. The coast was heavily guarded and wired with barbed wire, and so that no one could flee from the paradise of the workers, the Soviets also confiscated and destroyed the fishing grounds. They simultaneously destroyed the livelihood of the Curonian fishermen and the area became desolate as people moved away. Along this coast, there are many opportunities to take a swim break or even stay overnight. But I decided to continue my journey.

Cape Kolka, the meeting point of two seas (Baltic Sea and Gulf of Riga) is beautiful and a small tourist hotspot. There is a brand new tourist information center in the village with friendly staff. I continue my journey a little further and end up in Mikeltornis, at Kempings Miķeļbāka (Michel Tower). Miķeļtornis is one of the twelve Livonian fishing villages in North Kurzeme. The Livonians formed a small community here in the 1930s with their own language, way of life, and tradition. Martin, the owner, introduces me and I find a place that promises me morning shade. A short detour to the beach rounds off the day. Luckily, after three weeks, I meet Swiss people again. Jeannette and Dave are on their way back from Scandinavia. But their journey will last several months, so they can still travel through Lithuania and Poland towards Switzerland in peace. We exchange our experiences over a cool beer.

Today, I decided not to continue driving, to have a proper vacation once again, and then tomorrow, complete the three hundred kilometers to Klaipeda. The roads are good and the ferry doesn't leave until 10 p.m. So, no reason to rush.

And so, I enjoy everything once again that made up these holidays: a cozy breakfast with kefir, fruits, and coffee, reading and dreaming in the Baltic sun, then an adventurous bike tour in breathtaking scenery, exploring Soviet secrets (the grounds of a former listening station), and finally, a swim in the Baltic Sea on a phenomenal, deserted beach. So, I filled up the reservoirs of my soul once again for long winter evenings. Speaking of evenings: I look forward to the first evening with a starry sky on my home terrace. After four weeks of "white nights," that will surely be a beautiful experience too!