Days 6, 7, 8

It's like Russia, in the dead of winter.
No, really. It is. It borders Russia, so it's a good assessment.
It's not like Colorado, or Banff, or Park City. It's cooooooolllllldddddd and there's not much daylight... much less, sun. 

I happen to love this kind of weather. It's great. I prefer it to the beach. Even when all 7 of us come in the front door of the apartment, all covered in snow, and attempt to take off all our boots and layers, I'm okay with it. I still prefer dirty icy water to sand everywhere. 

Two of my five kids have chapped faces. Four of my five have chapped lips. They don't seem to stop. I've put all kinds of natural solutions on their faces and lips, but it's hard to convince your kids to stop licking their lips... especially if they don't understand English. 

cleaning for the court workers

Day 6 - The social workers and attorney came over. We were told the night before, way after we were already in for the night after an excruciating trip to the Central Market and hauling home about 40 lbs of items in the snow, that we should have tea and "bisqwits" for them. Well, sorry. We didn't have tea or cookies (I'm assuming she meant cookies?) We did have some Latvian meat pastry items that Sunshine wanted. Ray was able to make them coffee. One interviewed the Latvian children while the other interviewed us.

They wanted to look at all the pictures we have taken. They wanted to know how we'd incorporate Latvian culture into our family. They wanted to make sure we are taking them around Riga to do Latvian things (not realizing that all our money must go to actually getting these kids home!)

They want to know what we have planned for the next week. They will come again on Thursday.

Day 7 - Since we stayed in all day on Friday, we decided to venture out on Saturday. We took a bus to Sigulda to attempt some snow tubing. The bus for all of us for an 80 minute ride was 6 Euro. We grabbed a taxi and went up the mountain/hill to find this "ski resort" or whatever it was supposed to be. We heard there was tubing up there. When we arrived, we saw that it was catered more to our 4 year old. We stayed about 20 minutes and then asked where we could find a famous castle. We were told it was a 1.5k walk down the road, so we started walking. It was a busy road. We tried to stay as far away from traffic. I'd be lying if I said it wasn't excruciatingly cold. It was bitter. It was brutal. We walked past a restaurant and Ray said, "If that's a restaurant, let's go in." It was lunch time, so it was perfect. Snow covered the sign. We weren't sure what the name was. Last night, however, I got on TripAdvisor and found out the name and wrote a review. That is how much I loved it!

It was the best food I have had in at least a year! It was incredible and soooooo inexpensive. I am still dreaming of my "chicken on the spit" meal from yesterday! The restaurant looks so fancy inside that we were a little nervous of eating out there with our herd. Surprisingly, they were well mannered and quiet. There were huge portions and all of us had plenty to eat to finish our journey down the road to the Turaida Castle.

 
The castle was great! It was very cold. (Okay. I'll try to stop saying that, but it is soooooooooo cold here!)

We took the train back to Riga. I'm still surprised at how inexpensive public transportation is here!

Day 8 - J and I got lost walking a few miles around Riga. I was looking for specific gluten free treats and he was searching for some kind of sled to ride down all these big snow hills. Neither of us found what we were looking for, although it was a nice walk around the city.

We are meeting another American family for dinner tonight. Only 11 more days to explore this place!

For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,  and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. Isaiah 55:10-11