Sigulda (Latvia) and Valka (Latvia) / Valga (Estonia)

We made our way out of Sigulda with some trepidation. In theory, we should be able to make it all the way to Viljandi in Estonia with public transportation. However, the details were sketchy at best, and our guide book had already proved more out of date than we liked. The first hiccup we had noticed when we arrived in Sigulda - the train station was closed for renovation. After wandering around a bit, we found the temporary office. We boarded the train bright and early. The carriage was never more than a third full, but as the stations ticked away towards the Latvia-Estonia border, it became emptier and emptier until there was no one left on the train except us and the two ticket checkers. Each station we passed was more remote and didn't even appear to be connected to any town or village. The only sign of civilization would be the lone station agent greeting the train in uniform and cap, holding a colored circular paddle like something out of Thomas the Tank Engine. I did get to see a couple of antelope through a clearing in the pine forests though.

Luckily, Valka (in Latvian), or Valga (in Estonian), magically appeared more town-like on the border. Of course, we had exhausted all the highlights on the visitor's map within the 2.5 hour wait for the next leg of our journey. But the slightly desperate ladies in the tourist information center were really friendly, and the cafe they recommended served us almost a taste of North Carolina - hamburgers with cole slaw! Best of all, catching the coach bus onto Viljandi ended up being relatively cheap and painless. This low season, off-the-tourist-trail plan was becoming easy peasy.

Sigulda (Latvia)

The town of Sigulda is an 1.5 hr train ride outside of Riga. Famous for its outdoor activities, our visit unfortunately coincided with the transition period between winter and summer sports. There is a World Championship luge and skeleton track that visitors - at the right time of year - can go down on in a tourist bobsled. Ever the daredevil, Rich was very disappointed he couldn't have a go. However, we did get to take the elevator up and marvel at the drop from the start gates on the sixth floor(!) to the finish line somewhere far off in the ravine below.

As the gateway to the castle-strewn Gauja National Park, Sigulda is also a nice place to walk around. The New Sigulda Castle, built in the 18th Century, sported a fresh exterior, and seeing it was open, we eagerly stepped inside. We started to suspect something was amiss as we passed a couple of business people in the stain-glassed stairwells giving us odd looks. We realized our mistake when we opened a door and wandered right into the reception of the City Council's office! Had we examined our guide book a little more closely, we would have noted that the New Castle has been used for official government business since the 1990's. We tried to back out of there as quickly and discreetly as possible.

We had better luck with the Sigulda Medieval Castle, otherwise known as the Old Castle. The 13th Century ruins are open to the public, but besides one other snap-happy photographer, we had the place to ourselves that day. The Old Castle overlooks the Gauja River and Turaida Castle in the distance. It also boasts a sizable amphitheater, which just cried out for someone to hop onstage and recite a Shakespearean soliloquy in the dramatic shadow of the ruins. Sadly, my memory got stage fright.

Riga, Part II (Latvia)

Snow falling thick and fast drove us indoors to the movies in Riga. The last time we'd seen a film in the theater was in the magnificent Raj Mandir in Jaipur, India. The first flick we picked after two years - knowing nothing beyond what we could gleam from the posters and that it was in English - just happened to be set in... Jaipur! The Best Exotic Magnolia Hotel was a pleasant time-killer with some of Britain's best older folks (Billy Nighy and faces from Downton Abbey) moving to India in their golden years. For only 2 Lats (2.80 €/ 3.70 USD), the assigned seats in the theater were cushy, and the drinks weren't overpriced or over-iced. Striped pork rinds seemed to be a popular cinema snack, but we had already stocked up on provisions in the bulk candy section.

Other great hidey holes from the elements were the tea/coffee houses. We found a heavenly pagoda-shaped one whose glass walls afforded a 360 degree view of the Riga Canal and surrounding park. People-watching is so much cosier from the comfort of bright floor pillows and a steaming pot of rooiboos.

Last but not least, the refuge of many Northern Europeans from the cold weather is the spa. Riga has several. We settled on a smaller one with pools of different temperatures, a dry sauna, and a steam bath. Should you over-exert yourself in making those rounds, you can retreat to the "quiet room" where an attendant will cocoon you in a warm blanket, and light snacks and herbal teas await you. A couple of hours of that kind of treatment (with a massage thrown in for good measure) is a great way to beat the cold.

Riga (Latvia)

Brr... it's cold here! Leaving Barcelona, where the tourists have already begun to appear in sunburned masses, for the snowy Baltics is a shock to the system. The upside is that visiting the former Soviet states in the low season means that British stag (bachelor) parties, which have boosted local tourism, seem noticeably absent.

First impressions of Latvia are not that promising. The landscape is flat, a thin layer of snow is on the ground and grey slush in the streets, and big box shopping malls abound. Not unlike the Midwest in the U.S. from which I fled, really.

Thankfully, Riga improves upon further inspection. The capital of Latvia has delightfully-colored gingerbread-like dwellings in the old city. The Blackheads' House could double as the face of a gilded cuckoo clock. Saint Peter's Lutheran Church has a fantastic Gothic spire, but the "Cat House," sporting a spooked black cat on the roof, is considered the most iconic symbol of Riga's skyline. The gorgeous architecture is almost overwhelming in the Art Nouveau district. Elaborate stone carvings of flora and fauna adorn the facades while human and monster faces stare down from the cornices. For a glimpse of more beauty, we also popped into the Riga Bourse Art Museum, which was hosting an exhibit of the wondrous works of Russian jeweler/artist Carl Fabergé (he of the Fabergé eggs).

Five ex-German zeppelin hangers house the Central Market, impressive even by Spanish standards. One whole hanger houses the fish market, where the catch is so fresh that the eels are slithering and the carp are still flopping. Shoppers purchase tubs of glistening caviar by the big scoop. Pastries sell for 0.30 Lats (0.43 €/0.56 USD) each, and we managed to decide on a couple of small danishes... and an almond-studded, circular concoction the size of our heads, which lasted for several days of delicious breakfasts. Cured meats and cheeses are also on prominent display in the market. The Latvian fondness for fresh milk products (including kefir, a fermented milk drink) were a welcome relief from the UHT milk (boxed milk) dominance in Spain.

Food outside the market is also ridiculously cheap. Latvia is in the European Union but hasn't yet been able to convert to the euro due to inflation issues (2014 is the predicted introduction). This made watching our budget a little easier. There seemed to be a lot of cafeteria-style joints, which also makes for easier ordering - just point - and the options are filling. Pelmeni (traditional Latvian dumplings akin to ravioli or potstickers) and pancakes (think blintzes) come with different savory or sweet fillings and are topped with a generous dollop of sour cream and sometimes jam. Most of our meals came to 5-8 Lats (7-11 €/9-15 USD) for 2 people, including alcohol and dessert!