Road-tripping around the Baltic States. Day 7: Kuldīga-Kolkasrags-Jūrmala-Rīga.

Today has been quite a long day, and an exceptionally sunny day (I mean that I didn't really see rain). My asshole of a brain woke me up at 6.30 in the morning, so I took profit and left early. As usual, I had setted up the driving route on Google Maps on my phone, but when I started driving I still had access to WiFi and it decided to reroute me (like a fucking jerk), therefore I took out my old friend the map and headed towards Kolka to go to the Cape Kolka. 

The Cape Kolka (Kolkasrags) is the place where two currents meet and, as such, is a quite violent place. Waves on two different directions collide creating square patterns in the water, it is windy as hell and I would have never gone if it weren't for some priceless advice (if you're reading it, thanks Paul (here's a lesson for you kiddos, always pay heed to the advice of the locals)). I stayed there walking up and down for a long time, but it just felt right. It didn't matter my eyes were watering or that I had salt on my lips, all that mattered was the strenght of the sea. 

Then I took the coast road towards Rīga. I don't really know if it is usually a little used-road or it was only today, but I kind of wished I had a self-driving car to take a nap. I stopped several times along the road to take pretty pictures of the sea, because if there is sea I am so going to take pictures. 

Before heading to Rīga, I stopped in Jūrmala. Jūrmala is a weird place, it's really focused on tourism, and therefore it looked like a closed amusement park. It was extrangely poetic in a way, a show of how pretty things are left behind when they are no longer useful. The good thing about Jūrmala is that it is by the sea, and we all know what that means. It also has a park with a really tall observation tower that made me a bit uneasy as I worried something would fall down. 

It was finally time to go to Rīga, and because I always get to places at the right time, I got there at peak hour. After the stress of the traffic, I decided to do a first scout of Rīga, a group of Hare Krishnas singing down the street greeted me, only for me to realize afterwards that I am not ready for Rīga. Or for any big city, and I fucking live in one. Holding back anxiety I walked around the Vērmanes Garden and to the Ortodox Church, I even got inside the church to find some quiet spot among the people (mind you it's not like the streets are crowded, but it makes me uncomfortable all the same). I will give the city and myself a second chance tomorrow when I expect things to be better.