Tartu, Estonia represented another turning point in our trip, 27 degrees East being as far east as we will get. Two things have become apparent the further east we go: Men in Finland and Estonia drink copious amounts of milk and roundabouts become of gargantuan proportions. We are unsure if there is a correlation between the two observations.
Crossing into Latvia we witnessed the greatest differences in apparent wealth between rural and urban communities we have seen on our trip. Unlike New Zealand, most farm houses are very modest with exteriors in varying states of disrepair.
The countryside itself is very attractive with lots of rivers, bush, extending to impressive beaches on the Baltic coast. Getting between the two is a suspension testing experience, we witnessed mufflers and other auto debris littering the roads. Except when on the motorway, our average driving speed would not have exceeded 25 km/hr.
As with Estonia the people were exceptionally friendly and their competence in English made conversation easy.
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| Gretel sheltering from the omnipresent rain |
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| Latvian children are very friendly, rain and cold weather did little to prevent Johan playing carpark football with local children.. |
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| This beach on the Baltic was designated for nudists only. The cold weather and rain meant we were protected from seeing any unseemly sights. |
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| Sunset |
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| Latvian river in their equivalent to our National Park |
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