On The Morning Of July 9,2017 We began our trip from the Baltics to Germany As you leave Riga, you see the tallest structure in the country – a Soviet TV tower.

From Riga, one can go anywhere in Europe, Moscow,Kiev ,Minsk and onwards to China.

Afternoon stop in Lithuania. As part of the EU – the only formal border crossing s are with neighboring Belarus and Russian Kaliningrad. The currency is the Euro.

Buses to all parts of the small country.

Finally that night, Bialystok, Poland.

The next day, we continue West, passing though Warsaw and Lodz.

We stop in our ancestral hometown of Stargard, , traditionally German, now occupied by Poland, Thanks to Josef  Stalin. Here our Great, Great Great And Great Great Great Grandfathers were Baptized.

A Library Tower In Stargard.

A Middle Ages Warrior .

On Tuesday, July 11 , we finally arrive in East Germany. This house looks as if it might hold soldiers from World War 2 even now.

After settling into our Hotel in Riga, we were famished from our overnight journey across the Baltic. One of the reasons we visited Latvia was for dining on wild game, readily available from the primeval forests of the lightly populated Baltic Republics. A quick perusal on the web led us to Meža Garša  – ” Taste Of The Forest “.

The first course was a wild soup – with venison ,rabbit and local forest mushrooms and totally organic vegetables.

Next was an assortment of moose, bear and deer.

An excellent dark, cold ale to accompany.

Venison Tartare.

And Finally The Main Course – Roast Bear. According to the owner – Ivo , the best bear comes from Estonia because they live on a diet of berries – creating a sweet flavor. In many areas bears live near rivers and eat a lot of fish – creating a fishy flavor. All of Meža Garša ‘s game is fresh hunted or farmed and locally sourced in the Baltic Republics.

A lunch at Taste of The Forest Was Truly One of The Meals of a Lifetime For TotalAdventure – And We Beat Anthony Bourdain To It. !

Riga is a beautiful city of the Hanseatic League.It is amazingly well preserved considering the last century of brutal war and occupation.

Victory Over The Invaders !

A Cool Summer Day In The Capital.

On July 7th TotalAdventure flew from Paris to Stockholm in order to meet son Martin, who was just finishing up a student adventure tour

About 2 hours from CDG to ARN.

Midnight In Stockholm. A Bergmanesque Scene.

We Boarded the Tallink Ship Isabelle for the 17 hour overnight trip across the Baltic Sea to Riga Latvia.

Moonrise and Midnight Sun In The Baltic. Taken At Midnight.

The ship also passes very near Estonia in the early morning.

Arrival Into Port In Riga,Latvia.

On Monday, July 3 , TotalAdventure landed in Paris to begin a Northern Europe excursion.What the region lacks in adventure it makes up for in culture, and of course there are many great sport activities. Flying from Paris to Stockholm , then ship to Riga Latvia. Overland though Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and then to Germany.We will circle Kaliningrad as the cost of a Russian visa is $ 350 a person with a multitude of documentation.  Business meetings related to the site are being held at the beginning and end of the trip. If any travel providers are interested in meeting with TotalAdventure. Travel while in Europe, please contact us at  travel at totaladventure dot travel.

Latvia is not a country of high adventure, but with modern cites in close approximation to old Northern European villages and countryside, it is a great place to hunt and enjoy simplicity on the beaches.