Art Nouveau Riga

This is probably the most well known example of Art Nouveau architecture in Riga so I am choosing it for my blip. It isn't necessarily my favourite but I do like the peacock.
We walked to this small cluster of streets that feature the biggest concentration of the buildings this morning and we were not disappointed.
Riga rightly has World Heritage status for these buildings and has more than any other city with over 40% of it's buildings featuring Art Nouveau designs or related architecture. (National Romanticism can also been seen throughout the city but I found these buildings a bit dark and dingy and not wearing very well) I have put a picture of the full building in extras but it is beset by wires, as are all the streets in Riga, and it was taken into the sun. (As you can imagine I took lots of photos so I will post a Flickr album later if you are interested)

Just after taking this we hopped onto the bus and returned to the Old Town. Took a look at some of the oldest buildings in Riga which were warehouses on our way to the Market. The market is housed in 1930's Zeppelin hangers with each one specialising in a particular food. Nearby are riverside converted barns which, as in many cities, are now becoming trendy shops but the whole area used to be a ghetto outside the main city. It was known as Moscow Town and housed Russians, Jews and Gypsies who were allowed to trade in the city but not stay within the walls.

It was such a fabulous day we decided to take to the canal and river. Our bus ticket gave us half price for this excursion.
It was a bit nerve racking as he needed everyone in the middle of the boat for weight to get under the bridges on the canal as the water was high but other than that it was most enjoyable. The Daugava river is quite large and runs from Germany as far as St Petersbergh so it's easy to see why Riga became such an important port and part of the Hanseatic League. It is very close to the Baltic sea too of course. There was a ferry preparing to depart to Stockholm, our boatman said the Prince of Denmark was on board. Don't know how he knew but there did seem to be security boats around it flying the Danish flag.

A bit more walking round the old streets before the sun went down and then we returned to the Yellow House - see Sunday's blip - for a drink and dinner. Our waitress was right about the weather improving, we've had two lovely days since Sunday evening's rain.

An amazing day from start to finish.

(PS yesterday's bear is from Berlin - it says Buddy Bear Berlin on its plinth and Yorkshirebred posted me an article about them. They are a gift from Berlin to celebrate the Centenary of Latvia's independence)