Knit like a Latvian!

Just had to blip some of the mittens. Another wonderful wool and linen shop we found from our list in the Old Town. The lady wedged the door open as it was so warm. It was warm out anyway but they have their cafes, shops and hotels stiflingly hot! No doubt when the winter comes they really need these cosy mittens. There were some lovely linen items too, some in the sale!

Found a rather nice cafe for coffee in an eclectic Art Nouveau building before heading across the canal park in the Boulevard Circle to the Museum of the Occupation.
We saw this on the first day and decided we would try to go.

Two doors up from our hotel is an old wooden building with a simple plaque - June - July 1941 To those who never came home.
Very poignant.
Latvia maybe celebrating 100 years of independence this year but it had 50 years of Occupation during the 20th century.
After the Hitler - Stalin pact in 1940 the Soviet Union occupied Latvia. In June the following year over 15,000 citizens were deported to far flung areas of Russia. Men and families were split. Shortly after Germany, having invaded the Soviet Union, occupied Latvia. Initially the people thought it was a liberation but many more were victims of the Holocaust and action in war as well as political murders. Latvia lost about 1/3 of its population. Tens of thousands fled at the end of the war fearing Stalin's reoccupation and more than 40,000 were sent to the Gulags in 1949.
They only regained independence in August 1991. I think they deserve their celebrations on the 18th November this year.

We passed the Orthodox Cathedral on our way back and it's is the first time we've passed it without seeing long queues queues. (Yesterday it went all around the park). So we decided to go in. It is very beautiful but unfortunately no photography allowed. Chris tried to ask about the queues but the lady only spoke Russian.

We've had a great few days, now we're in the airport waiting to fly home. Thank you for your comments stars and hearts. Sorry if I've missed any of you.

(See more in Flick albums - links on next two blips)