Latvia 2014

Published on: 2014-11-18

Crews (in order of travel):

We, that is Agnieszka, Stefan, Piotruś (5 years old), Gabriela (1 year old) - Citroen Xsara Picasso 1.8 LPG + KIP 42 TTZ

Ela, Michał and Agata - Skoda Octawia station wagon 1.9 TDI + Niewiadów

Asia, Leszek and Kuba (3 years) - VW Touran 1.9 TDI + ABI

30.06 Monday

Yesterday at night, Michał and his family came from Opoczno with his little girl, they spent the night and today we are moving towards Lithuania, then finally - Latvia.

The weather is not optimistic. All forecasts indicate that it is supposed to rain for at least a week, our trip looks poor considering that we are focused on sitting on the beach.

But despite everything - let's go.

We reach Augustów quite quickly, where we are faced with a long traffic jam ... but there is no bad thing ... Leszek and his family catch up with us in the aforementioned traffic jam and after Augustów our three crews are rushing towards the Lithuanian border.

The border with Lithuania - as it is in the era of the European Union - hardly exists. We pass it quickly and drive slowly according to the regulations - 70 km / h on smooth and wide roads.

Lithuania is passing us slowly, empty and evenly, nothing interesting outside the windows.

On the way, we stop for a longer stop. Lunch, sandwiches, coffee and we move on towards the Lithuanian-Latvian border.

Latvia - it's starting to rain ... and it's raining ... for 2 days :(

We reach the town of Bauska. I have information on the Nameji campsite from the Internet

We pass Bauska and turn according to the map towards the campsite. The district is probably not the best one. But to our surprise, a picture of a pretty nice cottage with a large advertisement for the campsite emerges.

We stay ...

We put the cars up, tweak the trailers and get ready for supper. There are showers on the campsite that are cozy and dry, and most importantly, not windy.

Dinner, and we go to sleep.

1.07 Tuesday

The morning greets us with rain and cold wind. Over breakfast, a meeting ... what are we doing?

We will agree that today we are visiting the palace in Randalach, then the castle in Bauska, and the next night we spend the night at the campsite, and in the morning we will slowly move towards the sea.

The whole group goes to the beautiful palace in Randalach, 15 km away. Visiting the palace was made more pleasant by our children who were constantly running around somewhere. My Gabrysia, by the way, the youngest participant, liked the soft palace carpets on which she crawled with an extremely pleased face ... such a princess would fit here :) But Kuba was trying to get through the lines and check the royal bed ... unfortunately alarm him he was effective in deterring

Unfortunately, the weather disrupted plans to see the beautiful palace gardens.

We roll up and return to Bauska towards the castle.

The castle in Bauska is not a magnificent building, and its collections are not as dizzy as the palace in Randalach. But when we are already visiting it.

After sightseeing, quick shopping in nearby Rimi and return to the campsite.

2.07 Wednesday

It's already Wednesday ... it's raining again, but we believe it will clear. We fasten the trailers and head towards Riga. The road passes nice and without any problems.

Due to the relatively short distance - 170 km from Bauska to Tuja, where we know the campsite, we decided to visit another one closer to Riga. So, according to the signs, we leave the A1 road ... into the forest ... a wide but typically forest road. Pits, mud ... and nowhere to turn back. So, for 2 km, on the 1st or 2nd gear, we drag the coiled houses along the holes. Only the little girl Miachała seems to be happy, she jumps merrily on the holes;)

We get to the campsite. Nice clearing, with electricity connections, restaurant, quite nice toilets. The price is 17 euros per night. Leszek is negotiating ... 15 euros and not a cent less. We decide to detach the little girl and Michał to visit other campsites with a skoda. So here we go. We get to the town of Thuja. There we get to the Jurbaszeni campsite. The nice owner, Agata, offers us a stop for 10 euros for a set with electricity, toilets with paper! What she strongly emphasized :), the negotiations are ongoing and finally it is 10 euro - 10% discount. Unfortunately, showers are paid - 1 euro for 3 minutes. Negotiation doesn't help, because there are slot machines. But we can see that Agata would be happy to let us down from these fees. In addition, we are only a step away from the campsite to a shop and a pharmacy. And the road is asphalt :)

So we come back for the rest of the team that has already settled in keping and are besieging the tables. We pack and go to the aforementioned campsite in Tuja.

We find a nice place and set up a camp.

The weather has improved, it is not raining, the sun is shining, a little windy - it will be fine.

We go to the beach and say hello to the cold Baltic Sea. My Piotrek is delighted, but our Gabrysia sees the sea for the first time and seems to be very happy.

3.07 Thursday

The morning awakens us with a beautiful sun, it blows less. We take manele and go sunbathing. We hide from the wind behind the dune and fry.

In the evening, some liqueur for supper and… bright. 1 o'clock in the morning, and here it is as bright as ours on cloudy days. You have to get used to it because it will be like that until the end of our stay.

4.07 Friday

The next day welcomes us with mixed weather, a little cloudy sky through which the sun breaks through, it blows. Today we decide to go to Riga. Michał with Ela and daughter Agata jump on Leszek's "bus" and set off to explore the old town, we and the kids go to the Riga Zoo. We saw the old town two years ago, and our Piotrek would be terribly bored, which is why we decided to visit the zoo.

After 70 km we reach the zoo. 19 euro - including the fee for the car in a guarded parking lot.

The zoo is large, similar in size to that in Warsaw. The runs are different, old straight from the USSR, but many are refurbished.

Overall, we are very satisfied.

We visit, eat and visit. Lunch and shopping on the way. At around 6 p.m. we return to the campsite.

5.07 Saturday

It's hot - we fry all day and bathe in the sea.

To our surprise, a wedding is getting ready on the beach.

6.07 Sunday

Departure to the church: first we go to Limbazi. However, to our surprise, only one mass is celebrated in the local Catholic church at 9 o'clock. We came to 11 with the hope that there would be mass either at 11 or 12 ... and threads. So we went to visit the town of Limabazi and the ruins of the local castle.

Still on the beach after returning. Lunch, dessert and a walk for ice cream to the shop - beach ... and dinner, tincture and sleep.

7.07 Monday

After breakfast, we go to visit selected places in the Gauja National Park. Direction - the town of Ligatne. First we go to Limbazi and then towards Ligatne. We turn from the main road onto a gravel path that leads us to the oldest river ferry in Latvia - in Ligatne.

We take the ferry across the river.

We find tourist information and download maps and information.

We visit interesting caves in which the warehouses of the local paper mill were located in the 19th century.

Then we go to visit the anti-nuclear bunker for Latvian dignitaries.

Finding this place is not easy. We drive past the town of Ligatne and reach the sanatorium. The bunker is under the main building. However, the entrance on weekdays is only guided at 3 p.m., however, every 2 hours on Sundays. Unfortunately, it is 2 o'clock and we are wondering what to do. The girls go looking for toilets ... and they find a restaurant with quite nice prices. We eat dinner. However, the plan also includes Sigulda, and we have nothing to wear for the children - there are about 7 degrees Celsius in the bunker ... unfortunately we give up. We are primarily because of Gabrysia who has not eaten for 2 days and has diarrhea ... we are coming back. The rest of the team went to Sigulda and we went camping.

Unfortunately, Agnieszka and I decide that we have to come back. We are concerned about the health of our daughter who is clearly ill.

We pack the trailer, roll up the vestibule, last swim in the sea, last holes in the sand and at 20:30 (Polish time) we go home. The kids fall asleep very quickly. A straight, even and empty road allows you to drive all the time 70-80 km / h. The kilometers go by quite quickly. Border with Lithuania, Kaunas, border with Poland. Smooth and no problem. Polish roads make themselves felt right away. Narrow and tight. About 20 km from Białystok, there are two trucks in front of us ... I brake and run to the side of the road - the trailer leaves the asphalt, I bounce - jumps onto the asphalt ... the trucks also brake and I succeeded. 560 km traveled without any problems until suddenly we would have problems in front of the house. Right after 6 a.m. we are at home, safe and sound. I go to sleep with Piotrek, and Agnieszka takes Gabrysia and they go to the doctor. Fortunately, nothing serious. Given preventively Smekta in Latvia - it was a good luck and the daughter is not dehydrated. Will be dbor.

Our friends the day after us, i.e. on Tuesday, set off towards Poland and anchored for a few more days at Lake Serwy near Augustów.

Summary

We are satisfied with the trip, despite our daughter's illness. I was lying on the beach, Piotrek lounged in the sand. Aga rested and we stayed with the children, which was the most important for us. Swimming in the sea cleared. Just a little sightseeing. What we only saw spurred us to visit Gauja National Park even more - but this is when the children are older.

Prices and shopping

Prices are similar to those in Poland, maybe a bit more expensive, but this is rather the result of the Latvian currency - the euro. Industrial products are definitely more expensive - usually imported from Poland, food is of a similar price. Fuels the same - prices similar to Polish ones.

Campsites

Bauska town - Nameji campsite. Nice little campsite. The perfect place for a trip to the Rundale Palace. Prices are 15 euros for a caravan, but you can negotiate - we managed to lower the price. The price includes electricity, water, showers, kitchen. Additionally, paid washing machines and honey from own apiary. Clean and nice.

http://www.nameji.lv/

Tuja - Jurasdzeni campsite - great campsite by the sea. Silence peace. It is forbidden to listen to loud music, the curfew after 10 pm is very respected. Camping with the ADAC badge. Price - 10 euros for a trailer with a crew. The price includes electricity, water, washing-up facilities. Unfortunately showers payable in vending machines 1 euro for 3 minutes. Separate places for motorhomes and caravans.

Very nice owner - Mrs. Agata who even provided us with lettuce and chives from her own garden, for which WE THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

We highly recommend this campsite !!

https://jurasdzeni.lv/lv/about-us

Numbers

We drove a total of about 1600 km.

The car - xsara picasso 1.8 LPG burned us on average with a trailer (KIP 42TTZ DMC 1100kg) 12 liters of LPG / 100km.

We spent about PLN 1,500:

including: