Europe

[Visited: June 2013]

The rain had just stopped falling when I started driving from Jiepāla to Kuldīga. It was getting late, but midsummer night had been just a few days before, so I still had a few hours of daylight when I arrived in Kuldīga. I walked the old town, which was almost deserted; I was surprised to find virtually empty streets in this attractive town in Kurzeme, the western region of Latvia. The light was not as good as I had hoped, but I used the remaining time to explore the cobble stone streets of this medieval town. Once built as a suburb of Kuldīga castle, the old town now is the centre, surrounded by more modern parts of the town. Near the Old Town Square, where I found the City Hall to be under reconstruction, I saw the oldest wooden house of Kurzeme, with beautifully carved doors, flanked by purple flowers. It was getting dark now, and I had a tasty dinner on a wooden platform right above the Alekšupīte river, which flows through the Old Town.
After another very short night, I was out when daylight just started to chase the darkness away. I walked to the old bridge, which looks pretty new nowadays after the reconstruction of 2008. It is one of the longest clay brick bridges in Europe, and it is mostly when you stand on the bridge that you realize the bridge is older than it looks. The fog was limiting my views; fortunately, when I saw the sun work its way up, its powerful rays started to slowly burn away the mist, resulting in great views. I walked once more through the small park, where Kuldīga castle once stood, and which is still surrounded by a moat, to the old town. The light was much better now, starting to cast warm glowing morning light on the wooden buildings of Kuldīga.
Even though I was revisiting places I had seen the day before, it looked much better now. I saw the several churches and a synagogue, cobble stone streets, a shopping street, the Old Town Square, and more. Some of the wooden buildings reminded me very much of Norway or Sweden, especially with their yellow and red tones. I marvelled at the doors and windows in many houses, often adding to their charm and old-town look. Slowly but surely, it was getting warm, the light was getting harsh, and I walked back to the bridge, which was now basking in the summer sun. I descended to the Ventas Rumba, the waterfall I had seen from a distance, sat down on the rocky ledge, and ate the cherries I had bought in town, while listening to the sound of falling water. So this is the widest waterfall in Europe - albeit not a tall one. Even though I liked Kuldīga a lot, I was on my way to East Latvia, and I just had no more time to spare.

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Kuldīga Old Town (Latvia)

Kuldīga Old Town > Latvia > Europe

[Visited: June 2013]

Around the World in 80 Clicks