Boarding Gate

The sun was shining high above the forest as I arrived in Riga on a cold April afternoon.
“So why did you decide to come to Latvia?, the taxi driver asked as we crossed a bridge over the Daugava river. Many thoughts crossed my mind, but the truth was I had no answer. However, as I the Old Town of Riga was drawing closer, I knew I had made the right decision.
I started remembering the long path that lead me to that special place. My journey started as a young child fascinated by world maps who grew up to become a teenager obsessed by the wonders that awaited me on far away lands. However, I never imagined that one day I would get the chance to visit such an extraordinary ancient town like Riga.
The city was not initially on my itinerary. But as my research of European capitals deepened, I decided to open my mind to relatively unexplored places. Until then, I had never met anyone who had been to Riga or anywhere else in Latvia. To me, it was like a blank page waiting for me to write my own story.
And reality was even better than my expectation.
I started exploring the antique narrow streets and urged to analyze every brick and every corner of that magical place. I imagined the people who spent their lives building the city and how much it changed through the centuries. Each and every detail of the Old Town was unique and full of secrets waiting for someone to discover.
At sunset, I found a cozy place to relax and think about all the amazing things I had seen. I drank apple and ginger tea and watched the colors of the sky change beautifully over the flowing waters of Riga’s channels. Sitting on that teahouse, I knew I would never forget why I came to Riga and felt more ready to continue my journey and see all the amazing places in world that were waiting for me. I decided to write my story.