A Loop Through Kurzeme

Zaķu Krogs (Hare Inn) near Jūrkalne

We deliberately left Rīga on Friday early evening, so that at least Saturday morning could begin without an alarm clock. In under three hours we were there. The inn was already closed, but the amiable host lit the fires and switched on some gentle jazz music again. Someone stirred in the kitchen and - lo and behold - supper for two hungry Rīgans was on the table.

As we later understood, we were the only overnight guests in the entire inn. We settled into a room on the second floor, furnished in pleasant pastel tones and without a television, radio, or any other chattering device. Such a room is decidedly a 21st-century extra. We could open the window and listen as swans - or perhaps wild geese - beat their great wings and flew away into the dark; it was hard to make out which. However do the birds find their way?! Nature's built-in GPS. What could be seen in the dark sky were the constellations.

In the morning: coffee, an omelette, and off we go!

For reference:
Accommodation for two (1 night) - 40 EUR
Dinner for two ~ 30 EUR (roast wild boar, salmon steak with sides, drinks)
Breakfast for two ~ 10 EUR ("Hare Bread" snack platter, omelette, coffee)

Jūrkalne Cliff

A classic. With nature trails where an improvised witch's house and various other wood-carved objects are placed. An inseparable part of the Latvian traveller's experience - a paid car park in the middle of the forest. But Latvians are well seasoned in such matters, so all the cars were neatly parked beside the adjacent cemetery with its Catholic church. Hmm - speaking of confessions, quite unusual for this part of the country.

Pāvilosta

Another classic. That day the little town was rather desolate - not a living soul to be seen on the streets or the seafront. Only on both piers were anglers, trying against the fairly sizeable waves to catch something.

Pussy willows in full bloom. This year Easter is late, and tomorrow is Palm Sunday (pussy willow Sunday). A sense of travelling through time - just as in 2008, only then it was summer and a proper storm broke out with lightning and thunder. Back then we sheltered in the nearest inn. This time we enjoyed the first warm rays of spring sunshine, clambering over the rocks on the pier.

Ziemupe

Not a classic. And judging by the attractions side of things (don't get your hopes up from the brown tourist sign), there is nothing whatsoever to see, unless you count an Orthodox cross erected in memory of Russian sailors or an old, nondescript church without a tower. The river mouth where it meets the sea is quite beautiful.

Liepāja - Northern Forts, the Pier, the Promenade

The Northern Forts - a tsarist-era fortification system, gnawed by the tooth of time and almost collapsed into the sea. Cannon emplacements, staircases, the ruins of listed buildings. Dark, inexplicable openings gaping from underground, which evidently lead into a system of secret passages. Everything as a reminder that all things are transient, nothing is eternal. Everything has its beginning and will one day be gone - completely, without a trace.

The Liepāja pier, however, was almost packed. We found a space for the car in the adjacent car park with difficulty. Blue marvels - free of charge. The thought of Taxify crossed our minds, but it turned out the app had not yet "arrived" in Liepāja.

Our hotel was on the promenade, so we parked opposite Hotel Fontaine Royal and settled into a suite. Hmm - the photos on Booking.com did not lie: genuinely spacious and with a distinctive interior - a Victorian-era bed, Moroccan floor lamps, and colourful tiles in the bathroom. High industrial ceilings and concrete walls. I am increasingly falling in love with loft-style accommodation.

For reference:
Suite room (1 night) - 65 EUR + SPA complex visit included
Next door: "House Of Food" - a fast food restaurant with burgers and chips; we did not eat there and would not recommend it

See: Where to Eat in Liepāja?

Liepāja Lake Boardwalk

On Sunday morning, after a fairly substantial breakfast, we set off on a couple of hours' walk around the city, where at every step one can find shiny metal musical notes embedded in the pavement stones (similar to keys in Ludza). A lovely touch for the city of musicians.

We then headed to Liepāja Lake, where along a fairly long wooden boardwalk we made our way to the birdwatching tower. The wind was blowing with gusto. But from the tower a fantastic view opened over the dark blue lake and the many white dots on the water's surface. It seemed a swan summit was in session. Beautiful.

Kuldīga

If truth be told, we simply did not want to return to the walls of Rīga, so we looked for somewhere else to stop and something else to see. We walked the central pedestrian street, which hares periodically threatened to cross. A very interesting monument to the Duke of Courland, Jacob - a teleportation from the 17th to the 21st century. Ah well, Latvians do still need a master - a proper one, with a firm enough fist.

The Venta Waterfall was full of spring floodwaters, pouring over with considerable noise - admired and immortalised in the many cameras and smartphones of tourists and locals alike. Just one selfie, please!

We had a meal right there at Restaurant Bangerts - a place with a view of the waterfall. An old-world interior, not particularly extensive menu, but very enjoyable flavours and pleasing presentation.

We sampled:
Red tomato, spinach, and fish broth soup with mussels, lentils, and potatoes, served with a rice cracker and sour cream - 4.80 EUR
Prawn roll with dill cream, tomato confit, seaweed, herb gel, and parmesan cracker - 8.00 EUR
Unpleasantly surprised that only Cēsis Beer (Brūža) was on offer.
However, a wide selection of wines, including local wines. We tried Smilškalns wine (dry) - 2.80 EUR (a glass).

After another hour's walk we popped into Café Pagrabiņš to warm up and have a little treat. There a find awaited: Lavender Cheesecake, 4.90 EUR. Distinctively bittersweet, but excellent with coffee.