Latvia vs. Lithuania

I am not an impartial judge.  However, I am not voting for the obvious choice here.  Latvia is awesome.  The people are nicer.  I get why their economy tanked.  At least 3 times someone said to us, "don't buy that one, I'll give you this one for free."  And the waitress told us to go to the bar to order beer because it would be cheaper, and the teller at the bank told me to go away because the commission was too high there.  What?!??!  In Lithuania, the shop assistant won't even say hi to you.  People don't look at each other on the street, let alone chat.  One of our professors told us that in Lithuanian culture, small talk doesn't exist among strangers or customers/ salesfolk, because they think it is a waste of energy.  Once you get to know Lithuanians, they are a warm and welcoming people, but after 5 weeks there, how to crack that shell is still a bit of a mystery.  

Hmmm, anyway, back to Latvia. The guys are cuter, it doesn't look like a soviet tinker toy box , the food is better (or at least there are a lot more choices, although still no latin american food.  I am going to eat nothing but black beans, avocados, and corn tortillas for the first week I am home), Riga's river kick's Vilnius's river's butt, and the architecture is way more diverse.

Siiigggghhhhhh. Adventures are awesome and all and I love exploring new places, but maybe you can tell I am starting to get a bit homesick.  Made a Jason Deuchler reference in my last

 post as I found myself still awake tomorrow as he often does and thought, hmm, that was fun, but why don't I do that with people I know?

I missed Kristian yesterday. Riga is full of art nouveau buildings and he dragged me halfway across Baltimore the first time I was there just to see one.  I don't usually sing and dance for architecture, but I found myself looking up and smiling for quite a few hours in the afternoon.  Then there were all the scandanavian looking folks in Riga (long hair on guys is popular too, but K's

been out of that stage a while).  I saw a couple of guys that looked like they should really have been on their way to his house with their guitars to be in a band called Tre Bror. I spent the rainy part of the evening alone at Riga Art Space, and found myself having an imaginary conversation with him about the installations.  He didn't like the photo series on Gypsy living conditions as much as I did, but we both enjoyed the sugar mosque being eaten by ants and found Sasha Huber's Rentyhorn to be a pretty damn good use of art for the public good.  

I missed Courtney today.  Vitas and I were wandering for the sake of not going home yet. We walked into this place with no expectations, and immediately through the door I thought, my god I wish Courtney were here, we would love this together.   Chocolate cake just doesn't taste the same without her, even if it is being

enjoyed with a mid- 18th century concoction of Riga Black Balsam and hot currant juice in the cellar of a building that makes you think that your knight in shining armor is going to walk in any minute.  It feels so authentic in fact, that you realize while sitting in this dark and musty cellar, that his armor wouldn't really be all that shiny.  It would be muddy and maybe a little rusty.  And if he did walk through the door, he probably would actually be coming to see the buxom barmaid and not you, but who could blame him, you like her too.  She's funny.  One could also make believe that you were in the Hog's Head Pub at the first meeting of Dumbledore's Army.  I think you get my point.  Maybe I was just in the right mood, but although it seemed like it should have been a tourist trap, I didn't feel that.  Not a lot of cheese, just a little magic.

So yeah, I'd come back to Riga.  City #1 on the visit at least four cities I've never been before returning home tour gets a few stars. Next up, Frankfurt, Germany.  But first, two more days to say good-bye to Lietuva.  And while I can't say I've lost the travel bug, I will say it's currently competing with all the things I love in Chicago.  

That's you.