Melnā Kaķa Mājas and other things to piss off The Guild

I awoke around 9ish but decided to lay in bed for a hour reading. I had gone to a Mexican restaurant last night and had stuffed jalapenos and chicken enchiladas verde (with jalapenos). It was tasty (though not up to Ochoa's standards) but I kinda paid for it last night.

So up at 10 and headed to the mall to get a new camera. I was getting tired of the old one. It does a fine job, but its bulky and I need to carry a backpack in order to lug it around. It also started having an issue where, if you tried to use the flash - it would sometimes lock up and the batteries needed to be disconnected briefly. I mean I've had the thing something like 8 years or so - so its done it job. I wanted to try and find something that I could fit in my front pocket for when I didn't want to make it super obvious I was a tourist.

This is the mall on the corner across the street.

I ended up getting a Sony that had a MUCH better panorama mode, 18 megapixel resolution (my old was 10), and 20X optical zoom (my old one was 10). PLUS it folded up flat to easily fit into my front pocket. Voila! No more lugging around a backpack if I didn't want to.

I then headed out to hit the nearby river. The streets in Old Town are very picturesque. Old buildings and cobblestone streets overlooking new trendy shops and custom craftworks. I went by the hop on/off bus tour starting point, so now I have one place to hit tomorrow. I eventually ended up for a nice walk along the river.

The day was perfect. I even took off my fleece jacket since it was a little warm walking around with it on. The river view was gorgeous and I was mostly alone with the sound of traffic off on my right hand side. The bridges had two different architectural styles, one old school stone and mortar, the other was modern and done in an artistic fashion.

I ended up walking up to the bridge and then down into the newer heart of the city. I passed parks, then a stretch of parkways, and then the city proper. 

Well this is a pleasant peaceful little park and a neat statue, I wonder what its about?

Oh... awkward... I'll just kinda chill on the happy smile I have for a bit...

It was taller building built in a new Western European fashion, glass and steel, but also allowing for traditional brick buildings in between. Stores and restaurants of all sizes shapes and fashions. Also a TON of beauty salons. One of the reason East block gals look so good is because they takes great pains to look good. 

I then wandered down the road leading to the Freedom Monument. a large pillar in the center separating Old Town from the new city. right beyond it was an absolutely stunning park, decorated via autumn in shades of auburn, red, yellow, green, and a rich dark brown. There was a canal running through it, ponds and fountains, and a painted steel lattice lined bridge - though now covered completely with lovelocks. They have a canal boat tour which I'm afraid I'm going to have to check out. Apparently there is also an island nearby off the coast or some such that is gorgeous too. I'll have to figure out how to get there sometime this week.

 I wandered about, to and fro, and managed to make my way into a confectioner's shop. I had a bottle of a local soft drink made from wheat and herbs called Kvasa. Unlike the kefir, a fermented milk drink with grain wort in it, that I had which - sorry to say - is disgusting. The Kvasa was odd but somewhat tasty. I wouldn't drink it again, but it was cool in terms of trying something new. I prefer the Swiss Rivela better though.

I wandered down into a tea shop which smelled incredible and which I will have to go by again; then into a Latvian craft store. I asked the gal in there what the deal was with the black cat on all sorts of Riga tourist stuff. She remarked that it was based upon the Black Cat's Restaurant across the square. Hmmmmm. I headed back to the hotel to drop off my goodies and head the the restaurant.

 I knew there was a reason I loved Riga. Here's the blurb about the building with the cats.

"The legend known by most Rigans, which is also told to tourists, comes in at least two versions. One version of the legend has it, that the wealthy tradesman who commissioned the building was refused membership in the Riga Tradesman Guild, mostly just called the Great Guild. The central element of both versions is the anecdote, that seeking retribution, the tradesman had two copper statues of angry-looking cats with arched backs and raised tails placed on the turret rooftops with their tails turned towards the house of the Great Guild, situated across the street.

The other and perhaps older version of the cat legend has it, that the wealthy tradesman placed the two statues of angry-looking cats on the building turret rooftops with their tails towards the Riga Town Hall, following a dispute with the Riga City Council, after which he urged the erection of the building. The Riga Town Hall at the time was in the same direction as the Great Guild, but it burned down during World War II, was demolished 1954 and only rebuilt at the very same place in the years 2000—01."

I had a delicious meal there -
Sauerkraut soup with smoked pork and pearl barley.
Wild boar with porcini musrooms, mashed herb roots and cowberry jam.
Cottage cheese cream with cherries, raspberries, and caramelized oat flakes.

The dessert was something my kitteh Dago would go nuts over. I used to buy Swedish cream from the New Season's grocery store down the road. She loves the stuff and has since she was a tiny kitten. I dip my finger in it and let her lick it off the tip. Its a treat for her.

This was basically like the Swedish cream but on steroids. It was a little sweeter and was a lot more fluffy and creamy, topped with real whipped cream. Its only fitting that they would have it at Melnā Kaķa Mājas.

So far I absolutely love Riga. No fair having a black cat restaurant Riga, no fair at all.