Set off after coffee to Kaunas, a city that was the capital of Lithuania between the world wars. Arrived about 1.30 and hotel booking was a bit confusing as they were full but they sent us to another one at same price and also very central. Really hot today, about 33 but super humid. Went for a walk around town for a couple of hours and then had to go home for a cold shower as felt like I was melting from the inside! Too hot to even have a beer. Went back out and...

Left Riga and went to Jumala, a seaside town about 30minutes away. Famous for all the posh houses of wealthy Russians during soviet period. Posh houses still there! Went for a swim in the Baltic sea but had to walk about 200 metres until it was deep enough to swim, glad it wasn't a surf race as would have been a very long wade. Water pretty disgusting as more like a river but sand was lovely and white. A nice change from most European beaches full of pebbles. Bac...

Back on the tram again and did the free student tour again like the one in Tallinn. Again very interesting and not just facts and figures. Spent most of the time in what they call Moscow suburb which is the seedy part of town not advertised to tourists. It was also what was the ghetto where they put all the Jews during the nazi occupation. Really hot today but lovely all the same to see so much sunshine. Very thirsty after the 2&1/2 hour walking tour so had t...

Left our unusual guest house and went to another castle just out of Sigulda. Fantastic views from the tower but the steps in these old places are a bit dodgy and very steep. One way to work off all the beer! Drove on to the capital, Riga. Found hotel out of the way but near a tram stop. Nice hotel by Latvian standards for the price. Caught tram into town and wandered around old city and went to museum of occupation. Very depressing but interesting, it's amazing t...

Left Tartu after going to shopping centre and getting a great coffee. Interesting drive, some roads were great but I think others were melted by soviet tanks??? Passed some roadworks and only one lane open so traffic lights to control traffic, you would think so anyway. Not here, obviously if you can't be arsed waiting you just go anyway and hope for the best. Not us though, we waited for the green light! Arrived at our "hotel". We always knew there would be at l...