The word is a very exciting place

Jurmala is Latvia's seaside town. It's a charming yet quiet place, and the beach is exquisite. Clear waters, clean beach, it's a joy to be on. I was desperate to have a little paddle, but it was freezing, so I went paddling with my boots on. It did the trick! You can see I pretty much had the beach to myself! It was the same at the boardwalks, just north of Jurmala. A beautiful bog and nature reserve with a boardwalk running the length of it. Its stunning and wild, and that's what makes it quite so enjoyable. It's a massive walk from the boardwalks to the beach at Jurmala. I did it, but felt like my feet were broken by the end of it. There is a mini bus that runs occasionally, but you're pretty lucky if you are able to catch it. If not, you can always walk back to the train station and catch the train a couple of stops to Jurmala central (although it's not actually called that, double check before you go) At the boardwalk...

Riga has many medieval buildings, towers that stretch into the skyline, and a great many churches. It's quite fascinating, especially from the opposite bank of the river, where the modern Riga blends quite seamlessly with the old.                  Little things around Riga remind you of it's time under Soviet occupation Riga, like all cities has a city museum. It's not the best ever, some of the exhibits are rather dated, and it doesn't flow particularly well, but it will fill some spare hours if you have them. The Mortzendorf museum is a rough gem among Riga's attractions. It's a medieval house, which was under some reconstruction when I was there. It has some of the best medieval wall paintings and decorations I've ever seen, but it's sparsely furnished, and there's very little information to read, there being a few cards dotted about with some info on what you can see. Hopefully after the restoration, it will hav...

Riga, Latvia's capital, doesn't quite have the charm and magic of Tallinn, but its still oozes history and interesting things to see. Riga for me, had the more sombre history, it's a city full of optimism, but also, a city of painful history. Aside from Warsaw, Riga is a city that sticks out in my mind of it's history during the second world war. Like most eastern European cities, it had a horrendous time, with masses of round up and executions, but it also held hope. The Zanis Lipke museum was testament to that. It was a very small and intimate museum, celebrating his and those around him's efforts to save live during the Nazi occupation. He hid Jewish people in his shed, which had been extended and enlarged several times, and cared for them until they could safely escape Riga. It was unknown just how many people he saved, as neither her, nor his wife, ever kept a list. It was safer not too. It really touched me, because of the sheer horror and trauma of the war...

Tartu is Estonia's second city, and what it lacks in beauty, it more than makes up for with it's cosmopolitan feel, and it's incredible museums. But first's first. On the top of the hill by the university, there's a huge half ruined cathedral. I say half ruined, because one end has been restored as a library, and the other has a tower which (in the summertime) you can climb up and have an excellent view of the city apparently. There's also a nice park surrounding it, with a few statues and pieces of art to gaze at. Two of Estonia's largest and most impressive museums are the AHHAA science museum, and the Estonian national museum. The science museum is incredible. It has many hands on exhibits, as well as an incredibly interesting biological exhibit, and some really cool embalmed body parts in the upper terrace too. It's well worth the entrance fee. The Estonian national museum is the best museum in Estonia. It's a sprawling c...

The Kaali crater is beautiful. But I warn you, there's little else there. Kaali is the name given to a huge meteorite crater, formed several thousand years ago (no one seems to be quite sure when), and the ensuing hole is quite simply, breathtaking. It's lined with tall shady trees, large crushed rocks and a gorgeous lake, which fluctuates with seasons. I arrived just after a coach tour was nearing the end of their visit, so I had the place to myself after they left. If you love beautiful sights, then head to the crater. There are another seven dotted about but some were in farmland and fenced off, and a couple are really hard to find. If you are driving there, or using a bicycle, then perfect. If not, it's about a three hour gap between busses, so make sure you take something to keep yourself amused with, especially if it starts raining (which it did) and you are stood under the little shelter there for a while. Another day, another dodgy panorama! They are...

Angla is a tiny village in the middle of Saaremaa. The village itself didn't have much to see in, but just outside is the wooden windmill museum. It's a small but rather charming collection of historical and local windmills, the largest of which is home to some rather creepy dolls, demonstrating how to grind flour and skinning people alive. You'll know what I mean when you see them.  It started off as a cloudy but nice day, but gradually worsened until it began dark and with very heavy rain. Try not to let that put you off though.  Apparently the local knitting ladies made the figurines. They were rather creepy though. Try a panoramia they said. It would be easy they said. It bloody wasn't. This was the best attempt out of about a thousand. It was raining by this point and with quite a strong wind too. One day I will be technically savvy and able to post amazing shots of the places I visit!