Occupation, Museum and Alcoholic Shot that tells the History

Since  every single day I’m with backpackers from around the world who comes to Riga I’m really surprised how actually the 20 years old Museum of the Occupation of Latvia is popular among tourists. Almost every day I meet someone who has been there, is going there or wants to go there, what makes me to think that really is one of the must-see things in Riga.  And definitely the number 1 museum in Riga visited by foreign guests. 

The original building of the museum you can find at the Old Town – Town Hall square, BUT  - due to renovation it has changed the address for a while. Good news – it’s not very far from it’s previous location and not far from the Old Town. The Bastion Hill and the Freedom monument you can find right on the border between the Old Town and „New Riga” or the city center, and that’s where you can find the Museum of the Occupation of Latvia as well – at Raiņa bulvāris 7.

Check out their website here: http://okupacijasmuzejs.lv/en

Aaaand here is the virtual tour into the occupation of Latvia: http://www.e-okupacijasmuzejs.lv/#!/en/lang

 

Oh, almost forgot: if we talk about the occupation and museums here is some alcoholic entertainment to get to know the history in Riga.  Lately a new shot has concured the hearts of locals in Riga and it is called „Occupation Museum” (or „Okupācijas Muzejs” in Latvian). The shot „Occupation Museum” consists of something from Latvians, something from Germans and something from Russians (that’s already a lesson in history of Latvia): Riga Black balsam, Jagermeister and vodka. As bitter as the truth of history. Get it at Shot Cafe located at Jacob's Barracks at the Old Town.

*picture taken from the official website of  the Museum of the Occupation of Latvia

What's in a jar in Latvia?

That's it: no more food in fields, woods and gardens. Winter is just a step away. Those who worked and picked up different goodies the nature gives us, will get their healthy summer portion in winter too. Those who didn't... ups... those who didn't will have to hope that they will be invited to enjoy goodies in a jar by some nice family in a countryside. If for some people salting, marinating, boiling jam, preparing winter salad etc is just a hobby, for some people it's lifestyle. People at the countryside of Latvia has always kept this great habit, and of course economical crisis have made a lot of people to come back to the wisdom of our ancestries and take again in their hands grandmothers receipt notes. What's in a jar in Latvia?

And not only that. As you know - it depends on family traditions and taste buds. Add to the list of these goodies mentioned before - potatoes, carrots, cabbages, honey and herbs.

Old Latvian wisdom says "Make the sled in the summer and the wheels in winter". Isn't it a nice quote?

More about Latvian food: Taste The Place

Low-Cost World and People Who Should Pay More.

Once again about airlines, awards and low cost flights. I’m actually not so frequent flier to talk much about airlines, but as a former travel agent selling tickets to flights from almostly all airlines and as a person who is meeting a lot of different people flying more often than me, I still believe I have my own voice in this topic. What has inspired me this time?  World Low Cost Airlines Congress: The 2011 Awards Shortlist Announced 

Of course, I’m more than glad to mention AirBaltic again as an awarded airline: Best Ancillary Revenue Innovation Nr. 2. About AirBaltic and their inventions I wrote before here (it was another top). 

The World Low Cost Airlines Congress has listed different awarded cathegories: Best Low Cost Airline, Best Airport, Best Website, CEO of the Year, Technology Foresight Award, Best Ancillary Revenue Innovation, Best Sales and Distribution Innovation, Airlines Pacesetter Award. We see here Air Asia, dear friend Ryanair, SkyExpress, EasyJet, WizzAir, Jetstar Airways and others.

Have you checked, for example, Facebook pages for these airlines? „I fly with them just because I have no other option”, „They do not allow this, they do not allow that!”, „I’ll never again fly with them!!” When I was working as a travel agent it was normal to receive calls form people begging: „Please, I have no money, I have to get there, give me the cheapest ticket possible, but just not Aeroflot/Air Asia etc.” Here we go – cheapest possible, but please with candle light, jazz music and wine in crystal glasses. Correct? There are people who are choosing to pay more, to get more comfort and I’m absolutely ok with that. Saying „I fly with them because I have no other option” is kind of stupid – is there a country where goes only cheap Ryanair and no other airline? I really doubt. I have heard people even crying over the phone. But choosing low-cost ariline you choose also service, no? Do you really need all extras flying 1- 2 hours? Maybe you could just wait a little more to collect money for some not ‘low-cost’ airline if you know that comfort and great service is very important for you, or if you have to spend on the way more than 5 hours and know that ‘low-cost’ could spoil your mood and your holidays?

There are soooo many people who have left their countries to work abroad because of crisis, and Ryanair in Europe usually is the airline helping these people to get where they want, helping them to meet their friends and families. Some people are checking Ryanair prices almostly everyday to get the flight just some euros cheaper, and they get it. Of course, there are different cases and different accidents, but I believe none of these low cost airlines are torturing people.

Are you expecting that your shoes bought for 10$ you will wear 5 years? Are you expecting crystal glasses on McDonalds? Would be nice. I’m more than happy if you get all what you need and all what you would like to get paying less!

Read the rules of an airline when you book your ticket! Low-cost airlines – go! Congratulations and best wishes for awarded low-cost airlines 2011!

"Rāma" - get your inner balance while eating! Vegetarian food. Little India.

If you are interested in Latvian cuisine, check the page "Taste The Place"! Yes, we are eating meat a lot...

For those who are not used to hearty Latvian food and also doesn’t want to make their wallet empty because of it, there is affordable vegetarian food at Indian bistro „Rāma”. And this is one more place in Riga with added value – actually the whole place where you will find „Rāma” is called Hare Krishna centre – there is an Indian shop in cellar with incense stics, cosmetics, food, pictures of deities, jewelry etc., there is also vedic yoga centre, girls working there are wearing saris and the place is filled with Indian chants. That’s the place where you can find light and tasty vegetarian food – rice, cutlets, salad, buns, snacks, vegetarian pizza, lassi, fresh juice and a big variety of teas with a special accent on yoga teas. Happy hour form 18.30 – 19.30 is the time when you get hot dishes with  25% discount and buying yoga tea you can get any of their Eastern sweets for free. And even without these discounts you will pay around 2 -3Ls for a good meal. Sounds good, no? This place invites you to get your inner balance while eating.

Working hours: Mo – Fr 10:00 - 19:30; Sa: 11:00 - 19:30; Su: 11:00 - 19:00.

Address: Riga, Kr. Barona Street 56

Save Money And Get New Experiences On Holidays!

Let’s say that you are keen traveller who: doesn’t need luxury, is fine with basic comfort and doesn’t need a high level of comfort, loves new obstacles and adventures, who loves to meet new people. Maybe you cannot afford expensive hotels? No matter what is the reason, but these are some options for low budget lodging. And I’m sure – some of these options can become a great experience! Creative travelers who are willing to consider alternatives to hotels could pay a fraction of that price —or nothing at all — by taking advantage of the following options. And it's not only about money - it's also about people :)

Of course the first place we can imagine if we don’t stay at a hotel is hostel. Though they're commonly known as "youth" hostels, this form of accommodation can be ideal for budget travelers of any age. Even if you're not up for the cheapest option — a bed in a shared dorm — you can often get a basic private room at a hostel for significantly less than the cost of a low-end hotel.

The next coming into my mind are homestays. I guess the most popular of them – CouchSurfing. Sleeping in someone's spare bedroom or on the living room couch is by far one of the cheapest ways to travel. Mostly it's free, and it's also a great way to meet locals. You can organize a homestay through long-established hospitality networks like Servas International, Hospitality Club or CouchSurfing.com.

You can try to find academic housing. When students go home for the summer, many colleges and universities open their dorms to visitors. Expect basic but very affordable accommodations (bathrooms may be down the hall, for example). University-Rooms.com is one to try — but it's worth calling a few local campuses directly to see if anything might be available during your trip. The local tourist board may also be able to help.

Take your tent and go camping! Sleeping under the stars can be a magical experience — and it's one of the cheapest options on the list, especially if you cook your own meals over a campfire instead of eating in restaurants every night.

Religious housing. Depending on where you're traveling, there may be affordable lodging offered by religious organizations — such as convents and monasteries in Italy (see MonasteryStays.com), or Christian or Jewish guesthouses in Jerusalem.

Farmstays. From rural B&B's to working ranches and cattle farms, this type of stay can cover a wide range of accommodations — and you don't necessarily have to be willing to milk a cow to take advantage of it. Farmstays are particularly popular in Australia and New Zealand. 

B&B's with shared bathrooms. And also bed & breakfasts can often save you money over hotel rooms, especially if you're willing to use a bathroom down the hall!

From UK to Riga: the cheapest destination this spring

The popular travel website Yahoo!Travel has named Riga as the best-value city break for its mainly UK-based readers this spring. Riga is top of the list, ahead of Tallinn, Warsaw and Budapest. Vilnius is not named – presumably because of its still poor number of connections by air with the UK and the rest of Europe. The UK’s Post Office has just released its new City Costs Barometer report, which puts Riga way ahead of the pack on cost-saving city-break destinations. The list was compiled by making a “basket” of typical holiday costs, such as hotel accommodation, meals, drinks, public transport and sightseeing. However, as cities like Riga recover strongly from the recent economic crisis, we can expect prices here to increase quickly in the coming year.

From Bestriga.com. Check the whole article with the whole top of cheap destinations this spring here: http://www.bestriga.com/en/page/expanded/article/555

AirBaltic on airlinetrends.com Top 10

Latvian-based low cost airline AirBaltic on “Top 10 most popular trends and innovation stories on airlinetrends.com in 2010” is number 6.

Why? Because AirBaltic in recent years has made a transformation from a point-to-point low-cost carrier to a hybrid network. Besides rapidly growing its network, airBaltic also established its own taxi company - BalticTAXI, and BalticBike - a bike sharing service. The airline has turned its Riga hub into a connecting point for travelers from Nordic and Northwestern Europe to the rapidly growing markets of the former Soviet Union and the Middle East. AirBaltic offers transfer its passengers (60% of customers) at Riga through ticketing and check-in, as well as 25-minute connection times, and other hybrid LCC features include a 2-class cabin, airport lounge, and a frequent flyer program.

 

Full Top 10:

1. KLM surprises passengers with little acts of kindness

2. Monocle creates the perfect airline: Nippon Nordic Air

3. Finnair goes on an upcycling spree  

4. Premium economy gains further ground on long-haul flights

5. Qantas unveils ‘next generation’ check-in for its frequent flyers

6. Entrepreneurial airBaltic extends brand to taxi and bike sharing services

7. Airlines go local with their inflight drinks

8. Airlines create innovative guarantees to ease passengers’ booking worries

9. Schiphol Airport teams up with Philips to develop ‘ambient gate’

10. Emirates, Cathay, Air NZ latest airlines to ‘crowdsource’ new products

Web: http://www.airlinetrends.com/2010/12/23/top-10-most-popular-stories-2010/

Top 10 Hostels in Europe

Here are two tops of 10 best hostels in Europe - subjective tops made by travellers. After the top you will also find the link. I’m glad Riga is in these tops with Frendly Fun Frenks hostel. We start from 10th and go up...

 

10 ) Cardiff Backpackers Hostel - Cardiff
9 ) Flying Pig Hostel - Amsterdam

8 ) The Kabul Hostel - Barcelona

7) Ducks Hostel, Paris

6) Balmer's Herberge - Interlaken Switzerland

5) Kismet Dao Brasov - Romania

4) St. Christophers Inn - London
3) The Pink Palace - Corfu Island

2) Friendly Fun Frank’s Hostel – Riga, Latvia
1) Kadirs Tree Houses - Olympos, Turkey

 

And here it comes: Riga with Friendly Fun FranksHostel  is number 2! Author’s comments about Frenadly Fun Franks Hostel: „It is located in Riga, Latvia. People looking for an all rounder vacation, should definitely go to Latvia.  The place includes reduced prices, fantastic location and amazing social tours. One can truly enjoy themselves here. A fun fact, about this hostel, is that the hostel only employs winners of the Miss Latvia beauty pageant. The beds in the hostel are also not too expensive. The beds, in the hostel, are for about 9 Euros.”

Material from http://www.traveltowork.net/2010/12/top-10-best-european-hostels/

Another top 10 tells:

10. Foresteria Valdese – Venice, Italy

9. Cardiff Backpacker’s Hostel – Cardiff, Wales
8. Flying Pig Hostel – Amsterdam, Netherlands

7. Kabul Hostel - Barcelona, Spain

6. 3 Ducks Hostel – Paris, France

5. Balmer’s Herberge – Interlaken, Switzerland

4. Kismet Dao – Brasov, Romania

3. St. Christopher’s Inn - London, United Kingdom

2. The Pink Palace - Corfu, Greece

1) Friendly Fun Frank’s Hostel – Riga, Latvia

Author's comment: „If I was ever going to open a hostel somewhere in the world I would want to make it just like Friendly Fun Frank’s. This place has everything: great location, cheap prices, excellent local knowledge, social tours that drag you from one great nightclub to the next every night, and all in a place that is set into the walls of Old Riga’s medieval castle. Maybe it’s the 9 Euro dorm beds or maybe it’s the fact that Frank (an Australian ex-pat) only seems to employ ex-winners of the Miss Latvia beauty pageant but Frank’s is easily the best hostel in one of the best cities of the world.”

Material from http://matadornetwork.com/notebook/top-10-lists/the-top-10-hostels-in-europe/

Friendly Fun Franks Hostel voted and awarded by Hostel Customers: Number 1 for the Year 2005 + Number 6 for the Year 2006 + Top Ten Monthly Award 30 times. Picture: Friedly Fun Franks Hostel, Riga.

Searching For The Hotel... Cheap...

There is a newspaper called „Baltic Stand By” for tourism professionals. In the last one I saw this: „Guests will always search per rate and not per discount” And this is true. Sometimes you don’t see any discount offered even on the home pages of the hotels, so when booking a hotel room, make sure you ask about discounts that may be available. And there are also hotels which has the same „Special Offer!” for years...

Try shopping early for your hotel room, especially if you're planning to travel during peak season, always call in advance, rates tend to get higher as the season approaches.

Sometimes hotels will reserve a block of lower-priced rooms, available on a first come, first serve basis. Getting the best lodging deal is often based on timing and planning ahead. Don’t try to guess! Talk with them! Ask!

If it’s possible, plan your vacations on off seasons: hotel rates,  airline tickets and car rental rates are lower during this time due to lower demand, you can get as much as a 50% discount if you book a room during off season.

Some hotels give discounts to certain people like students, military contingents, senior citizens, honeymooners etc. Some hotels and even car rental companies, give "free days" if you use their services for more than a week! And sometimes, hotels provide free airport pick-up. Use it, if you have a chance! Ask your confirmation number as soo as you reserve a room.

And thanks to the biggest encyclopedia in this world called Internet you can check out photos of the property, rooms, the surrounding area and of course reviews of those who have stayed at the same hotel before you. There is nothing better than reviews!!! Of course, there are different travellers with different needs – that makes reading them interesting. But even if you don’t have any special needs and you really need just a place to sleep, check the area where you are staying – or it may cost for you more than you are planning to spend.

On October 15th 2010, the Riga Tourism Development Office spokeswoman Guna Caune informed that Riga – the capital of Latvia has been recognized as the world’s cheapest travel destination, quoting the latest study by the world’s leading hotel reservations site Hotels.com, aimed to determine the world’s five most and least expensive travel destinations.

According to the Hotels.com study, Riga’s hotels offer rooms for an average of 52 pound sterling per night. Meanwhile, the Swiss city of Geneva ranks as the world’s most expensive travel destination, as the average room rate in Geneva’s hotels is 155 pound sterling per night.

Pictures: Hotels & hostels in Riga.

Shopping Around For Your Holidays

Everybody hates „shoppers”. Again someone is just checking the prices... No chance to sell something for a shopper... And that’s good for you! It doesn’t matter what are you shopping around for – plane ticket, hotel, excursion – if the one you are talking to knows that his/her/their offer is not the best, you will feel their attitude to you. Just tell them: „I am shopping around.”

And if you are looking for the cheapest option don’t be shy to TELL THEM THE CHEAPEST PRICE YOU HAVE FOUND. It can help you to get what you want cheaper. But don’t try to lie. Usually they know what’s the approximate price – with taxes and WITHOUT TAXES. Make shure your „greatest deal ever” includes all taxes and applicable fees and is still available. Also don’t forget that every price depends on – availability, season, goverment and other authorities imposed taxes, region, quality, and being flexible with your travelling dates can really help you to find the best deals.

Don’t be afraid to USE TRAVEL AGENTS! Why? Because – they really can get for you good deals: 1) some of them can offer to you the price you can’t get anywhere else, just because of private contracts, 2) some of them will give you totally the same cheapest price you found before checking directly from the airline/hotel etc., if you trust the agent/agency – buy from them – you will also help them to earn their daily bread with getting commissions and without putting a mark-up on you, 3) they will really try to find what you want, 4) they know the secrets you don’ t know.

When you are in a trouble? Well... If you get into the hands of sales master... That’s the point where I can’ t help you and have no advice: don’t even try to cry over the phone or scream at them. There are different tactics shoppers are using and sales people know them and recognise easily – you can’t invent something new. The only one is being just nice and honest – not trying to be, not acting. Even people who are into sales have feelings. And when you get a good deal, not always there is a chance that you will get it also tomorrow. There is the guy in the movie „The Seelp of Science” who says: „Maybe yes, maybe no... Maybe rain, maybe snow...”

(If you are searching for the cheap ticket to Latvia - I hope you will get Ryanair, from other places also Lufthansa, Aeroflot, AirBaltic could be cheap).

These two pictures: Riga Central Market - the 2nd biggest market place in Europe.

Good luck!