A strange but interesting day.

As we headed for Riga there was something missing, something was different.The road was so familiar, but there were no storks in the fields, yet that wasn't it. The laughter was there,the greeting of friend meeting friend was there, but what was missing, and then it came to me the seat next to me was empty,Valerie wasn't there.
It began  three or four weeks ago when I was asked if we wanted to go on a trip to Riga and naturally I said yes. The visit planned was to visit an art gallery, a library and a garden and as the first two are not particularly high priority for Valerie she declined the opportunity, hence I found myself alone but surrounded by friends a most unusual and strange experience I must say.
So how did the day pan out, with this void beside me?

Latvia's National Art Gallery, the buildings are reflected from
across the road.

A very grand entrance to a wonderful collection

One of two grand stair cases

No modern gallery would be without a glass floor.

Lost in my own little world (where I'm told I spend a good deal of my time these days) the journey to Riga was quite uneventful, as it was quite early we were able to park just a short walk from the "Nacionalais Makslas Muzeis " the (National Museum of Art) only to find we were too early the doors wouldn't open until 9 oclock so we had 15 minutes to spare.


 Right on time the bolts were drawn and we were the first visitors of the day, our guide was ready and waiting for us and she spoke excellent english, rather than go round with the group I asked how long the tour would be and set off to wander around the galleries at my own pace. The building has just undergone extensive restoration and building works which include a vast underground gallery and storage area and houses over 52000 works of art.the majority of which are by Latvian artists the greatest of which is Janis Rosentals.

There was even a rooftop promenade 

As it was an art gallery I thought I would try an
'arty shot'

How do they polish that dome?. Riga's orthodox cathedral
Just across the park.

Built in 1905 the timber in the cupola is the original
there are some tremendous shakes in the wood but
it still stands secure a testament to the builders.

A painting that looks like a picture, my kind of art.

By Janis Rosentals

another by Rosentals

Deep in the basement where the collection is stored and it
also opens out into a large gallery , very impressive.

After some 2 hours we left the Gallery to head across the city and river to visit the National Library. This is again a new building and in complete contrast to the one we had just left. Opened in 2014 it houses over 6 million items.

Books books and more books!!

Is this the entrance? It looks more like the entrance to
 Darth Vader's lair.

Looking down through the atrium from the 8th floor.

From the 11th floor, that's our coach down there. 

Shortly before opening a human chain was formed from the old building to the new and thousands of books were handed from person to person to transfer much of the libraries collection, Like most modern buildings in old cities (the shard or gherkin in London ) the new library is not without its critics. But judge for yourselves. Again I obtained a pass that would allow me access to all areas,  I found a nice restaurant and had a spot of lunch as you do and then  wandered round at my own pace, meeting up with our party just as they were about to go to the11th floor which access is only allowed with a tour guide.
It was raining extremely hard when we reached it so the view was pretty dismal.

Now those windows are dirty,  

The last visit of the day was to the National Botanical Gardens, which was more my cup of tea, again our guides were waiting for us and we set off. First stop was the palm house followed by a temperate greenhouse and cactus house and then back out to walk round the gardens.

Heading for the palm house

Pelargoniums, 

 I spotted a show of Brugmansia we have two here in Upes Iela, so asked our guide how best to look after them through the winter, "don't ask me I'm not a gardener" he replied so I found a nice member of staff who spoke a little english who supplied me with the answers.

Brugmansia

Then all to soon it was back on the bus and after the obligatory stop at Maxima supermarket we arrived home about 8 oclock. Quite early for a Stelpe outing!! and back to filling the 'emptiness' that I had had by my side all day. [coming home to  Valerie again].

Ali Baba's water butt.