Tag: History

Riga 🇱🇻

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The journey to Riga on the Flixbus was surprisingly comfortable, although despite it being advertised, it didn’t come with charging points, WiFi or a toilet.. We did get the quickest wee stop at a Circle K, however I’m also not convinced he even checked everyone was back on-board 😂 in 4 hours we arrived, and got our first feel for Riga. The bus station had an interesting vibe, with some rather questionable characters hanging around, making our five-minute trek to the hotel feel a bit twitchy arse — late-night subway walks are never the most reassuring! But as soon as we stepped into our hotel lobby, we were welcomed by a glorious fragrance, and we headed up to check out our room for the next 2 nights. It was huge, with a separate room for clothes and cases, and floral wallpaper reminiscent of the early 00s. The only hiccup was discovering how close we were to the train line, with each passing train shaking the room like a mini earthquake. Despite this, we had a great sleep. 

We started off our day in Riga, not in the old town, but heading over the river to the Holy Trinity Orthodox Church. The route here is definitely not touristy and very much off the beaten track, but we actually loved that. It was abandoned and eerie at times, but it gave us a taste of local life. The church was completed in 1893, and the red belfry with striking blue domes can be seen from a fair distance away.  A short stroll from the church brought us to the Āgenskalns Market, the largest and oldest market in the neighbourhood, bustling with the rhythms of daily life. Split across two vibrant floors, the market was filled with an array of local produce, from fresh vegetables to artisanal bread, showcasing the best of Latvian ingredients. We had some delicious coffee, paired perfectly with a slice of wood-fired pizza. We walked back through the snow-covered Uzvaras (victory) park, which stands as a reminder of Latvia’s complex historical journey. Here is the ‘carved tree’ which is adorned with an array of intricate carvings, each telling a unique story that reflects the rich history and folklore of the region.

After crossing back across the river, we were eager to dive into the charm of the old town, only to discover it was completely deserted! So, we headed to one of the best viewpoints
at the top of St Peter’s Church. Although quite pricey at €9pp (the church itself isn’t worth spending time looking around), it’s definitely worth it for the retro staircase to the lift and the 360° views across the city. Plus, there’s no glass or mesh obstructing
your view, so you can capture those perfect photos without any hassle. The lift attendant however couldn’t be any less arsed about his paying guests 😂 Facebook is much more important. 

We strolled through another park to the Freedom Monument, prominenly situated at the entrance to the old town. It serves as a powerful symbol of Latvian statehood, reflecting the enduring values of national unity, independence, and freedom. At the base of the monument, a two-man honour guard stands vigil, a poignant representation of Latvia’s sovereignty and pride. We continued further to the gold domes of Nativity of Christ Orthodox Cathedral, the largest Orthodox cathedral in the Baltic provinces. It survived the Soviet era, and restoration efforts began in the 1990s, driven by a strong desire within the community to reclaim their heritage and spirituality, allowing it to become a sacred sanctuary once more. Despite the bitter cold cutting through our layers, we stayed to watch the locals do their tricks on the ice rink next to the cathedral, before heading back into town to find something to eat.

We had planned to just have drinks in ‘Two More Beers’, as a lot of the menu was very I’m a Celebrity (think pigs ears and bulls penis) but we managed to find ‘normal burgers’ on the menu, and ended up staying for nearly 3 hours whilst Mark made his way through their extensive beer selection. Due to the time of year, most of the pubs were dead, with only a small handful of people in them. We spotted a bar that was absolutely rammed, so decided to check out what was occurring. Turns out they were in the middle of a pub quiz, and we joined during the all important music round (between us, we got them all correct!). 

The following morning we spent exploring another neighbourhood. Lastadija is known as the artistic quarter and is a project of the Free Riga union – dedicated to breathing new life into abandoned houses and transforming them into hubs for cultural and artistic endeavors, as well as residential spaces. Just down the road is the Latvian Academy of Science building. This striking example of Soviet architecture that dominates the skyline is hated by the locals, as they refer to it as Stalin’s Birthday Cake. In contrast to this is the Annunciation of Our Most Holy Lady Church, with its exterior of gold and green. As this area is just a short walk from the central market, it’s definitely worth the detour. 

The Central Market is one of the largest in Eastern Europe, and the building was originally used as military airship hangars. It’s full of diverse and colourful produce, and I was looking forward to the smell of the fresh fruit and veg section. Unfortunately this is also shared with the fishmongers 🤢 potential unpopular opinion.. we preferred the Āgenskalns Market, but central is still worth the visit.

We headed over to Alberta Street, known as Riga’s Art Nouveu gem. The buildings are decorated with sculptures, balconies, columns, and other elements characteristic to this style. They survived World War II and decades of Soviet occupation, and you could definitely spend ages here just gazing up at the beautiful buildings.

We spent the rest of our time in Riga just wandering around the old town, and stopping for a delicious treat from Cruffins before the next leg of our trip. As a treat, I booked us extra leg room and extendable seats in the Lux Express to Tallinn.

So is Riga worth the visit? It’s full of history, beautiful buildings, a ridiculous amount of bars/restaurants, easy to get around on foot and it would definitely be a perfect Christmas market destination. However for the time of year we went, there just wasn’t really any atmosphere, and if was very much like a ghost town. The old town felt very geared to tourists, and around the train station felt very uncomfortable. But 48hrs was the perfect amount of time and we would defo recommend it.

Vilnius 🇱🇹

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What to do with 10 days off? Visit 4 different countries of course! We will be journeying through Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Finland – spending around 48 hours in each of their capital cities. 

The drive to Stansted was so pain free that we had a whole hour before we could get into the car park – look at us getting somewhere early! We used the time wisely by having a Subway and a Starbucks (still extortionate services prices, but at least not as insane as airport prices). The midstay car park was very reasonable with plenty of parking spaces, and after a 10 minute shuttle bus, we were at the terminal building ready to start our adventure. Security was empty – but unfortunately my boots kept setting off various machines. After multiple shoe swabs and leg frisks, I was eventually allowed into the Duty Free for the obligatory cheeky squirt of the most expensive perfume. We had a few beverages and a ridiculously expensive bowl of nachos in Spoons, before boarding the delight that is Ryanair for our flight to Vilnius.

Everything went very smoothly, and after grabbing our bags, we got a Bolt to our hotel where we spent the next 2 nights.

As Vilnius itself is quite small, for the first day we decided to take the bus to the well-preserved historical village of Trakai. The half hour bus, followed by a half hour walk past some bright coloured houses, makes it the perfect half day trip to the former capital of Lithuania. The main attractions is the island castle, and the cold, crisp, February Sunday also meant there was hardly any tourists about. As the snow began to fall, we crossed the wooden bridge to the castle standing proudly against the backdrop of winter. Whilst we could have ventured inside, we opted to explore the outside castle grounds instead. We could only imagine how the lake would transform into a watersport hotspot in the summer, but on this chilly day, it was a tranquil haven for a few local ducks. As the temperature continued to drop, we popped into a cafe for some hot wine, a beer, and of course, sample their homemade specialities of kibinai and honey cake. We headed back to the bus stop, but unfortunately didn’t realise the bus we had planned was weekday only.. Leaving us time to mooch around the local supermarket whilst we waited for the next one.

We always have a keen eye for weird and wonderful street art in the different places we visit, and just a short walk from the bus station is the Open Gallery. Open all year round, it has more than 50 pieces of art, and being located by a steel factory gives it that edgy and atmospheric vibe. 

On our way back to the hotel, we decided to pop into the 2D cafe, located in the Museum of Illusion. Usually these sort of places are all about the Insta or Tiktok, but the coffee and cake was actually very nice! 

We love trying traditional food when we travel, so we were buzzing to find a restaurant that offered a sharing plate full of local dishes! The Farmers Feast was a treat, featuring potato dumplings, crispy potato pancakes, potato wedges (can you see the theme 😂), along with succulent sausages, smoked pork, and stewed cabbage. All of that for just €25! It was mostly a fantastic meal, though we did find the potato-stuffed baked sausage a bit of a letdown—it just didn’t do it for us. 

To finish off the evening, we had some drinks in a cute little bar whilst watching the following scene unfold: Hamilton and his 65-year-old dad trying their best to charm a couple of young Lithuanian women. The dad was really going for it with lines like, “I used to be a rock climber, so I’m good with my hands and know how to use rope!” Here’s hoping they managed to escape…

The next morning we woke up to a blanket of the white stuff! So we donned our warm clothes and headed out to explore Vilnius in the snow. But first, a trip to the opticians to get a contact lens pot for Mark. She didn’t speak English, and Mark doesn’t speak Lithuanian. Luckily, they both appreciate a game of Charades, and she soon realised what he was after.

Three Crosses Hill – a prominent monument often illuminated in different colours to commemorate Lithuanian special events. Also great views across the city.

Gediminas’ Hill – one of the highest points in Vilnius old town with views over the Neris River. Didn’t realise there was a funicular to the top.. Fuming 😂

Cathedral square – home to the cathedral and bell tower. The cathedral is neoclassical style, resembling a Greek temple, and the tower is one of the cities oldest brick buildings. There is also the memorial plaque which marks the end of the longest ever human chain – in 1989, approximately two million people joined hands across Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia to make the Baltic Way.

Užupis – the smallest district in Vilnius. On 1st April 1997, Užupis declared independence, and since then, the community celebrates independence day every year on April Fools Day. An independent republic has to have money, power, an anthem and constitution, and above all, a free spirit. You will find all of this in Užupis.

Literatų street – a short, narrow street mostly known for public display of decorative and artistic plaques. These are dedicated to writers who have lived and worked in Vilnius or otherwise have shared a connection with Vilnius and Lithuania.

There’s a wealth of churches in Vilnius – 28 in the old town alone! Here is a selection…

It was time to head back to the hotel, grab the cases and get a Bolt to the coach station, ready to catch the Flixbus to Riga. 

If you find yourself with a few days off and are seeking an adventure with affordable flights to a budget-friendly city, consider adding Vilnius to your itinerary. It may not boast traditional beauty, but it certainly possesses a unique charm all its own. The city is clean, and while the locals might not have seemed particularly ‘warm’ towards us—perhaps influenced by their own history—we always felt a sense of safety wandering the streets. It’s a reminder of how different places can shape our experiences in unexpected ways.

Phnom Penh 🇰🇭

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So far, we’ve been travelling everywhere by plane, but today, as we head into Cambodia, we’re going by bus. The journey to the border was uneventful, but the border itself was an absolute nightmare. As a group, we had to decide whether to support the corruption and slip some money into our passport, or not give anything and risk being stuck at the border for hours. As we were keen to get going, we decided to put $2 in and hope for the best. We got into 2 queues, and people were trying to push past, and everyone was shouting at each other. We all had to put our elbows out and block people with bags at one point. Someone managed to sneak past in our queue and gave the guard about 20 passports and a large wad of cash, therefore meaning we had no chance of getting through any time soon. We left that queue and joined the others from the group, and our leader passed all our passports to the guard. Around the same time as we joined, a group of Canadian mature ladies tried to get passed. As I got to the front, the guard kept saying I hadn’t put my Vietnam visa in, which I 100% had! I, therefore, had to find it on my phone whilst I had a Canadian woman in my ear making comments about me delaying her. In the end, I told her to shut up and that she was a silly old woman 😬 not my finest moment.. but she deserved it! I managed to find my visa, and they let us through. You then have a 10 minute walk across ‘no man’s land’ to get to the next set of checks. The guards here were very pleasant, and this next leg went quickly and smoothly. We were now in Cambodia! We stopped for some lunch where I had my first taste of the local dish Loklak – beef fried rice with an egg on top. It was actually very nice! Mark had noodle soup, which had some suspicious looking balls on the top…

We had a minibus waiting for us to take us to our first city – Phnom Penh. I don’t really know what I was expecting, but it certainly wasn’t high rise buildings, casinos and Rolls Royce cars! Turns out the Chinese have put a lot of money into PP over the last few years which is why the main areas now look like that. Locals however are not allowed to use the casinos. We dropped our bags off and met our guide for the evening cyclo tour of the city. This was such a fun experience and a great way to see all the main landmarks, and as the sun set, the amount of money that’s been put into PP became more apparent. The city dazzles with lights, flashy signs and even more expensive cars. The Royal Palace was also complete lit up with gold light, which apparently doesn’t happen very often, so we were very lucky to see this. We walked back to the hotel after a lovely dinner with the group and it became very apparent about the rich and poor divide. Expensive cars on one street, and begging people on another.

As a little warning, the next part of the blog is about the killing field and the S21 prison. I’m going to be graphic, and also include a few photos. It’s very upsetting so you may want to scroll past. Travel isn’t always about having fun and exploring beautiful places, its also about exposing ourselves to the uncomfortable past to enhance our learning and understanding.

According to estimates, during the rule of the Khmer Rouge from 1975 to 1979, two million people (around a quarter of the whole population) lost their lives. Why? To create a classless society. If you had a degree, if you spoke another language, even if you wore glasses! All traces of capitalism were abolished. Hospitals, schools and shops were shut down. These 2 places are the most historic places in PP and stand as a cruel reminder of the atrocities inflicted upon the masses of Cambodia.

We went to the killing fields of Choeung Ek first. Just like Auschwitz, it’s quiet (apart from the chickens!), and you can feel the strange energy straight away. As you walk in, you’re met with a huge memorial stupa filled with around 5000 skulls. Each skull has a coloured dot on it, which represents the trauma they suffered, including spades, wooden clubs, bayonets, and farming hoes. Bullets were not used as this was too loud and too easy. There is a magic tree that was used to hang speakers on to drown out the screaming. The next pit we came to was by far the worst – the mother and baby pit. Mothers were made to watch their newborns and children be killed, either by someone holding them by the legs and smashing their head around a tree or throwing them in the air and catching them on spikes. This was done so they couldn’t take revenge for their parents’ death. The mother was then brutally killed, sometimes having their throat cut using the rough part of a palm tree, and they were thrown into the pit together, often with no clothes on. There was not a dry eye during the explanation of this pit. You can hang a bright bracelet on the tree as a sign of remembrance, but there are also children’s toys and bottles, etc, around the bottom. In 1980, remains were exhumed, but 43 of the 129 communal graves remain untouched. During the rainy season, bones, teeth, and clothes come to the surface. These are collected by people who work there and put them into memorial boxes. As you leave, there is a memorial statue of a mother holding her baby. Where I work, there is a similar statue, but one symbolising the happiness and joy of a new life. This really affected me, to think that I am privileged to be there at the start, and these awful people took new, and all lives, in such a disgusting and inhumane way.

We then went to Security Prison 21 (S21), the site of a former secondary school. This became the largest centre of detention and torture in the country. Over 17,000 people held here were taken to Choeung Ek to be executed; detainees who died during torture were buried in mass graves in the prison grounds. Like the Nazis at the concentration camps, they kept records of what they did, often taking photos of the victims after their death. Each prisoner who passed through S21 had their photo taken which are on display. The cells at the prison are open to visitors and they still have the same beds (if you were ‘lucky’ enough to get one) and shackles in place, and even blood stains on the floor. If you had a smaller cell, you were shackled to the wall or concrete floor, and those in large mass cells were shackled to a long piece of iron bar. The all slept on the floor next to each other without mats, mosquito nets or blankets. They were forbidden to talk to each other. Prisoners received 4 small spoonfuls of rice porridge daily. They had strict regulations and received beatings if they disobeyed. If they spilt any contents of their very small toilet box (which they could only empty every 4 days) they had to clean it up using their tongue. When they were taken for interrogation, they were beaten, electrocuted and cut with knives in order to get them to name family members and close associates, who were then also tortured and killed. The vast majority of prisoners were Cambodian, but some were foreigners including one British and two Australian. They were blindfolded and burned alive.
On the day the prison was liberated by the Vietnamese army, of the estimated 20,000 people imprisoned, there was only 12 survivors; 5 of those were children. They found 14 others who had been tortured to death, still shackled in bed, and their individual graves are in the grounds of the prison.

2 of the prisoners are still alive today, and they were both at the prison that day for us to meet. One of them is Bou Meng, who is now 87 years old. He was kept alive because he is an artist and was able to produce portraits of the Khmer Rouge leader, Pol Pot. He was also tortured on a regular basis but given more food and water to keep him alive as he was useful to them. When he arrived at the prison, they took his wife and two children away, and he later learned that they had all been killed; his wife had her throat cut and his children of starvation. He was regularly beaten and had salt water rubbed into his wounds. Guards would sit on his back and make him crawl up the stairs. He has no teeth left after he was regularly kicked in the face. As he’s an artist, he has drawn everything that happened to him and the other prisoners. We bought a copy of his book, which he signed for us. I don’t know how mentally he could step back into the prison grounds again, but he’s made it his duty to make sure that people never forget the horror that went on during those years and use his memory as a tool in the search of truth and justice.

After an incredibly draining morning, we were brought back to Phnom Penh centre for some free time. It’s hard to know what to do with yourself after such an emotional morning. We decided to grab some food at a highly rated bagel shop and go for a drink at a local brewery, and have time to gather our thoughts and reflect on what we had seen. As we hadn’t had much time in PP itself, we decided to have a quick look at the Silver Pagoda as a Google search said it was free. It wasn’t… as it’s part of the Royal Palace grounds, you have to pay $10 to get in. It’s a huge complex and one we would have liked to have spent much longer in, but we that evening we had a boat ride with the group for sunset so we had to rush back to get ready. It was beautiful. We had drinks and fresh fruit and was a great way to watch the hustle and bustle on the river and on land, too. The next challenge was finding somewhere to eat.. the first place we tried was extortionate, the 2nd place had cow’s penis and all sorts of weird and wonderful on the menu, so we settled for ‘The Pub’. It’s always suspicious when there are minimal people in there, but we had a great time! The food was great, the drinks were cheap, and the owners were so friendly and welcoming. It was then back to the hotel to pack, and get ready for the long drive to Siem Reap in the morning.

Pompeii 🌋 🇮🇹

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Normal order was restored for the coach trip as we were up at 6:30 ready for a super early pick up for our trip to Pompeii. We were lucky as we had a very knowledgeable guide taking us around – but we did look like the ultimate tourist wankers as we donned the headset and followed the umbrella 🌂

A little history lesson for you all… Pompeii is famous because it was destroyed in 79 AD when the nearby volcano, Mt Vesuvius, erupted, covering it in at least 19 feet (6 metres) of ash and other volcanic debris. The cities and their citizens were discovered in the 16th Century, and they remained exactly as they had that summer day, frozen in time. The bodies of Pompeii victims had been covered in layers of fine ash that calcified over the centuries, forming a type of protective shell. When the skin and tissue of the Pompeii bodies eventually decayed, all that was left were voids in the layer of ash around them — in the exact shape of the victims in their final moments.

Made from pouring plaster into the air pockets, letting it harden and then chipping away the outer layers of ash.

There is so much to see here and I would 100% recommend a guided tour. There are many options, from 2 – 7hrs of walking. Although it’s incredibly busy, and at times hard to really take it all in, it is an absolute must in you are in the area. A particular highlight is hearing the word Penis mentioned at least 100 times whilst on the tour. They believed that having a phallus outside the home acted as a good luck charm (other theories suggest you followed the direction of the penis to the nearest brothel) either way I’m definitely going to have a massive peen on the wall outside my house 🍆

This afternoon was a guided bus tour around Naples. I’m going to choose not to write about this as we spent most of the time stuck in traffic, so didn’t really get to see much – Santa and Momma therefore took this opportunity to get a few Z’s in 😴 we did however get a very quick 10 mins to jump out the coach, grab a photo and a super tasty ice cream.

This evening we went back to the bar we sniffed out yesterday for a drink and views of the sunset. It was absolutely glorious and definitely somewhere we will return to during this trip. There is nothing better than sitting with a glass of white with a stunning view and some free nuts and crisps.

Tonights dinner, feat pudding which is also available at breakfast 🍧

Iceland Day 1 – The Golden Circle

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Today I’ve had the grand total of half hour sleep thanks to the most uncomfortable bed at the Ibis Budget in Manchester (I got SOB lying on my front because I was basically lying on a slab) so I needed to treat myself to a cheeky Giraffe airport breaky to keep myself awake for the day ahead.

Picked up the trusted wheels that’s going to get us around for the next few days, who we’ve named Tómas the Toyota. Never driven on the opposite side before; nailed it!

Our first stop was at Þórufoss. It isn’t officially on The Golden Circle but worth the stop as it’s very scenic and peaceful. The drive up to this is stunning as the sea of purple lupins take over the side of the road.

Thingvellir National Park was our second destination; home to some of the scenes in GoT. Unfortunately it rained the majority of our time here but it was still stunning, especially Öxarárfoss. The different shades and textures around the park make it such a special destination and it’s clear why it was given World Heritage status.

Gullfoss was up next and is thought to be one of Iceland’s top tourist attractions. The natural beauty of this place made us keen to return to be snap happy once again and enjoy the lush surroundings. Loaded up on a latte as the severe lack of sleep was starting to catch up.

As the rain clouds started rolling in we hopped into Tómas and made the short drive to Geysir. What could be better than the smell of rotten egg! Luckily the main Geysir ‘Strokkur’ erupts every few minutes so armed with the Nikon and the Tripod I was able to get a good few snaps.

Last stop for today was Kerið; a volcanic crater lake. The vivid blue of the water against the shades of reds and greens surrounding it made it such a treat and a lovely but windy way to finish the trip.

Back at the hotel and no energy to go out and eat, so we made do with some sandwiches and crisps from the local supermarket. Unfortunately we might have to hang around a few street corners to pay for it. They also don’t sell any alcohol.. what a shame for Santa!

As I’m writing this it’s 22:30 and still broad daylight.. so here’s to another sleepless night!!

 

Day 3 – Trondheim

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Woke up this morning to the white stuff, and lots of it! Luckily we packed our salopettes so were well prepared for today’s adventure. Hopefully lost at least a stone today, it’s hard work wading through snow that is at some points up to your knees!

Trondheim was extremely quiet, considering its meant to be a student town. I think they all looked at the window and thought sod that. That for us however meant we had the place to ourselves. We visited Gamble Bybro (old town bridge) which had plenty of pretty Norwegian buildings creating reflections in the water below. The Nidaros Cathedral, the largest medieval building in Scandinavia, was also specular against the falling snow. I decided to pretend to mess around with my camera so I could earwig on a nearby tour… Cheeky!

On our way back to Richard the sun decided to come out so we were able to capture the same photos, however this time with much better lighting.

On deck today was the tasting of local blue mussels. Anyone who knows me knows how much I hate fish, but decided to give it a go. I’ve had worse things my mouth (skips  😂) but it wasn’t as bad as I was expecting. I wouldn’t rush to have another anytime soon though.

Dinner tonight was Rudolph, sorry Santa 🎅

Little Bighorn Battlesite to Cody

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Today was a beautifully hot day so I could finally wear one of the dresses I’ve brought. We started the day at the Little Bighorn Battlesite; more commonly known as Custers Last Stand. We were given a tour by Rusty (how fabulous!) who had long flowing hair (they are not allowed to cut it and you’re not allowed to touch it as they believe that is where your soul is) and double jointed arms.

The battlefield went on for miles and miles and it was so quiet apart from the wind blowing the long grasses. Make time to reflect and walk amongst the white graves. Rusty was incredibly knowledgeable but he packed so much in to a small space of time; therefore if you want to know about the battle, Wiki is a good place to go 😉

We then set off on the long trek to Cody, having another supermarket picnic en route. Cody is another Western style town which again is closing down due to being the end of the season. We walked into a bar and were basically stared back out again by the locals. On our way back to the hotel we spotted some Mule Deer who were snuffling around the locals gardens. They were very obliging and let us get some fabulous pictures of them.

Dinner tonight was of course in the local brewery. The staple burger was ordered and it was absolutely delicious.

TTFN x

SANTA’S SESH 🎅

Santa had so many that he can’t remember the name of the beer he had tonight! A 7% IPA which was very nice and finished off with a Porter.