Welcome to the village or kommune of Lilasate in Latvia.

latvia is a Baltic country lying between Estonia and my next destination Lithuania. With a population of a little over two million Latvia was until 1991 part of the USSR and to this day the artitecture, building styles and much of the cultural landscape shows little change. One while driving or walking could be in a street in 1950. Infact I visited a cornor store tonight and the decor, dress of the sales lady and the layout of that store had not changed. i asked why?

The answer stated included "ït works", my customers and I see no need to change""this is how shops operate". I purchased some 14 handmade chocolates each wrapped carefully and placed in a brown paper bag for $1,45AUD so why change?

The ride from estonia into Latvia was border free well there is a borber crossing but it is closed! so one just drives the diversion around the border post.

The scenery reflected that of much of Latvia, green fields of fodder crops account for 50% of the 1.7m arable hectacres with grain (wheat,barley) taking up 40% and the remaining land is under human food production with potatoes,sugar beets and market gardens.

While the Capital Riga (Rega) is worthy of having great historical buildings and mounments especially honouring Freedom (independance) fighters the real Latvia to me exists outside of the Capital.

With a free afternoon I set out off the beaten track (literally) to visit the area of Lilaste. On arrivial I was stunned to find the begining and nd of the village was barely the length of my motorcycle. (see the title photo).

However it is a long narrow stretch of land and water that is both a summer and winter haven for the people of Riga. It offers swimming at a natural beach which I had intended to check out. However emerging from the bushes on the motorcycle into a carpark I was met by an attendant who sits in a small wooden shed everyday collecting a entrance fee! I soon established that the carpark was nothing more then a turning around point for me and head back into the bush towards the lake.

My Triumph Sprint ST has the basic DNA that later grew into the Tiger & Explorer off road models so having conquered dirt tracks in Croatia, Bulgaria and Albania on previous trips this bush bashing exercise soon had me parked by the lake.

Further on the intercity train arrived at Lilaste Station,unmanned, and 4 locals headed home from a shopping trip to Riga.

my Hotel in Riga suburbs the NB Hotel was soon found and with the motorcycle resting I set out on foot to explore the district.

The photo's show again many buildings of the 1950-60 USSR era in style,construction (mainly wood or stone) and colour (reddish browns) with the odd brightly painted and restored apartment. Shops are usually in the lower floor of apartment buildings and as they service the local population signage is limited even the Post Office has only two small signs.

Like so much of Europe construction of roads and buildings during the summer season appears almost never ending. Added to raodworks my ride in took me exactly through the centre of Riga in peak hour traffic that was hindered by a number of road restrictions for a week long music folk festival held annually that attracts people from most of Europe especially the Baltic areas.,

It's time s like this that riding a motorcycle becomes not only a skillful exercise in throttle and clutch control but a nimble beast to carve up the traffic.