Unlike it’s northern neighbour, Russia still exerts somewhat of an influence on Latvia through a spattering of Russians who stayed behind when Soviet occupation left town, heard in conversations throughout the bilingual capital. Ethnicity and linguistics aside, the tiny Baltic nation contains a surprising amount of diversity and intrigue, thanks to its lively capital, striking untouched landscapes and spattering of forests and lakes. I only had time to visit Riga but I do hope to return, to get back to basics outside of the capital.
