Just think of that - I was walking through Riga, looking around, and then I came across this place. This is Vaļņu iela. Building itself houses a hostel for people, and its basement - a hostel for cats. Such a great sense of humor.

This is the street called Pulkveža Brieža. This is not the Old City, but it's also a center. There are many Art Nouveau buildings in this district. We saw this house in the eclectic style at the beginning of the street. Do you see Santa Claus?

Here's a Riga's hatch.

Parking lots are right on a sidewalk. There's no any border stone, just a demarcation between a pedestrian zone and a roadway. Note a license plate number on this car. You can officially make the number of letters in Latvia. However, it's very expensive.

There's a monkey astronaut in Kronvalda parks situated nearby!

Monkey's name is Sam. The sculpture is installed in honor of the animals that visited space. It was originally planned that it would stay for about a month before it would be removed. However, it's still there.

You can also see the monument to Andrejs Upīts. He is a well-known Latvian Soviet novelist, poet, playwright, satirist and critic, a statesman. As well as a National Writer of the Latvian SSR, award winner of the Stalin Prize of the second degree, and Hero of Socialist Labor. Sculpture is erected near the Congress House, which is now used as a concert hall. The building was constructed in 1982 for the Communist Party of Latvia.

There's a gazebo in the park. Two Yogis are sitting and meditate right on the pavement near it. The process lasted for a long time, I even got tired while waiting for them to change their pose.

Here's a stele with a clock on the background of

Art Academy

.

It turns out that

Riga

is a sister city of the Japanese city of Kobe. Friendship between the cities was established in 1973. I've already been in Kobe.

This is Venus of Willendorf.

Here's the monument to Jānis Rainis in Esplanāde Park. He is a National Latvian poet.

This is the 

Orthodox Nativity of Christ Cathedral

. It was built in 1877-1884. As usual, it was used for other purposes in Soviet times, there was a house of knowledge. It has operated as a church since 1992.

There's also a mini zoo for rabbits in this park. I do not know why it is for rabbits, maybe it has something to do with Christmas. There are houses, towers, all kinds of castles for them. The main inscription means: rabbits are not cold.

There's the Freedom Monument on a boulevard. There's also a guard of honor by the monument. I would even say there's a security. Two guys are exemplarily plying back and forth, back and forth. 

Here's the symbol of freedom and the iconic monument. It was erected in 1930 in memory of the fallen fighters for the independence of Latvia. There are sculptures at a pedestal. All the figures are turned to the West, the Statue of Freedom looks in the same direction. On the east side, there are statues in chains with their heads inclined.

Statue of Liberty holds three stars - symbols of historical regions in Latvia: Kurzeme, Vidzeme and Latgale.

Let's move to another district. This is a pedestrian tunnel under the railway near the Riga station. It is painted with cartoons. Of course, for a reason - it is an advertisement.

There's the Latvian Academy of Sciences not far from a market.