My next adventure: Istanbul/Izmit (Türkiye) – April 2024

Day 3 (Riga) – The Lack of Latvian Health and Safety!

Today has been much warmer than yesterday (although I have just been told that it’s raining…fantastic) making perfect walking conditions for the short walk to the Latvian Academy of Sciences within which an observations deck can be found. On the way, we passed the same woman that was in the lift on Monday night (who a PA has aptly named Doris)…she did not look happy with us!

Anyway, the tower soon loomed over us and we followed the wheelchair signs around, around and around…until we reached an ominous fire exit door equipped with a concrete slab acting as a ramp…

As we entered said door. we were greeted by a series of steps with a precarious stair climber lift to one side. As we had entered into a basement area, there was no one to assist us thus we simply operated it ourselves, getting onto the thing was difficult enough due to a tight turning circle. In the UK, these kind of lifts have some kind of barrier to prevent you from falling off said platform, not in Latvia! What is worse was that there is a ramp connecting said lift and the top of the steps to navigate also. In the middle of said lift journey, a mechanic appeared and precariously we navigated the obstacles (only one scary part to be seen)…

I really think that this mechanic guy thought that we were students as he sent us to a floor that can only be described as a hospital, even had the smell! Realising that this was the wrong floor, we headed up to the top floor where we were greeted with two doors; one presumably leading to some seminar rooms and one sign posted with ‘Panoramic Riga’ on leading to a series of steps. After deciding which PA would have the pleasure of walking up numerous steps, we video chatted to marvel at the views…

(Note the lack of safety netting etc!)

After that thrilling experience, we headed through the Central Market, crossed a few roads and took a riverside walk…

The fun didn’t stop there though, after a while, it was decided that we would hop on to a bridge and circle back through town. I knew beforehand that said bridge had a lift connecting the footpath at the bottom to the bridge deck. What I didn’t realise was that the platform was corroding away with just a plank of plywood to catch you if it fell to imminent death…ahh well, such is life!

Tomorrow, we catch the 22 bus route back to the airport and then back to old Gatwick…better be nice to Superbunny this time!

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Day 4 (Riga) – The RIX Experience + Plans for 2023

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