Liepaja, Latvia by a roundabout route

How to avoid a busy road with no cycle track?  The daughter of the owner of last night's accommodation told me that the beach was not possible to ride as it was so soft and that the Eurovelo route followed the coast road and was through forest; only a few places could you see the sea.  Ventspils was the next big town but there was more to see at Liepaja.

Friday became a day of riding, train, change trains, more riding and getting to a hostel at 2300, bushed!! 

The trains are no easy matter, the platforms are about a foot (30cm) higher than the rails leaving a vertical four step climb into the carriage; trying to heave many kilos of bike up was not a joke!!

Hostel Brize was to be my destination; I'd clipped my bike lights on and set off in a SW direction as stated by google maps.  I was searching for a street name to check my bearings when a guy walking past looked and said "Where you going?"  I explained I was looking for Ventspils Iela and was going to Hostel Brize on Oskara Kalpaka.  He scratched his head and said "Where you from?"  "Scotland" I said.  "Ah Scotland England (His words not mine) I work in England for bit, Boston Lincoln, wait here I get my book, five minute".  True to his word he was back with a Liepaja A to Z.

"Ah, Ventspils street, we want other side railway, wait I back", so I waited and a couple of minutes later he's back with his bike.  All this at half past ten at night and for a complete stranger, foreign at that!  "Follow" he says, so I did.  Over the railway tracks and off up the street, at a junction I spotted the street sign, Ventspils.  I said to him that I should be ok now and thank you for all your help.  "Follow, bad people here".  I duly followed.  About a kilometre further and there was Hostel Brize.  I barely had time to shake his hand and thank him and he was off back up the street!  Once again that unexpected help from a complete stranger!

Half of the swing bridge to Karosta open for another half hour!  Ah well, 8km detour.  Karosta translates as war harbour, the huge harbour was man made as there was no natural harbour.  Started in 1890 for the Baltic fleet and significant because of its westerly ice free location.

It's my photography, not a sloping church.  The St Nicholas Orthodox Maritime Church.  The largest Orthodox Cathedral in Latvia.

Around the church were several of these prefabricated apartment blocks in various states of decay, these were in sharp contrast to some of the grand houses used by the senior naval personnel when the base was in use.

I went a further 2km up the road to see the north breakwater and found a small memorial to fishermen drowned in the area and also a small plaque to the crew of a US plane shot down over Liepaja April 8th 1950. 

In the sombre shadows of the  forest close by was another memorial to 2750 Jewish mainly women and children who were forced marched here, made to strip and between 15th to 17th December 1941 all were shot and throw into pre dug graves.

On a lighter note, amber is often found along the shore line, this impressive hour glass is made from amber.

Latvian Mine sweeper in main harbour Liepaja.

This and next two pics depict words and scenes from Liepaja's song.

Fantastic crow!  words are in the branches above

There is supposed to be a fourth tableau about people huddled down against the wind but I couldn't find it, perhaps they've all gone inside to get warm!

These musical notes are set into the pavement marking a trail, or The Latvian Musicians walk of Fame.



A little red wine and some chocolate before bed!