A Voyage Through Time: Venturing to Latvia's Ancient Castles

In Gaujas National Park lies a relic of Latvia! The Turaida Castle was initiated in 1214, its name meaning "Thor's Garden" in Livonian, a near-extinct language. Follow along my autumn day in Sigulda!

Location: 
Sigulda, Latvia
Location Data: 
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Photos

These are Limousin cattle, not commonly found in the U.S.... cattle farms make up roughly 15% of the land use across Latvia and are major sources of income for many rural residents
This painting in a small cafe in Krimulda includes loads of Latvian culture, including Jāņi (midsommer festival), violin players and a rendition of the Turaida Castle
Boardwalk pathways like this one in Gaujas National Park are common in Latvia's natural areas, as much of the ground is mossy, wet and boggy
Even in the middle of fall, rhododendrons can still bloom! A great place to see rhododendrons in East Tennessee is Cherokee National Forest... check it out!
A beautiful autumn view during our hike through Gaujas National Park on the way to Turaida Castle... the cloudy, rainy weather is quite common in Latvia!
A shot of the aptly named Southern Curtain Wall of the Turaida Castle... though the name "curtain" was originally in reference to its protection from attack, the south-facing wall now boasts a curtain of ivy!
The view of Gaujas National Park and River from the top of Turaida Castle, which provided a strategic vantage point to locate any potential invaders!
A model of the entire Turaida Castle complex, showing the red brick used for its construction; it gets it color from the local clay utilized in brick making (see https://www.turaida-muzejs.lv for more info!)

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