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Wednesday, 1 August 2012

Day 62: These boots are made for walking...

All 43 students of the Baltic International Summer School were awake nice and early this morning to go on our first field trip out of the two weeks to Gauja National Park in Sigulda, the oldest national park in Latvia. We were told to wear "comfortable shoes". I didn't bring any practical trainers with me (as I've constantly said before) so I wore the only footwear that I don't mind getting a little bit dirty - the boots that my mum sent me from England.

After a hour's drive by coach to the park's main conservation office, we were given a short presentation by the Public Relations Manager - who also happened to be an alumni of the university - about the host company's aims, visions and functions in Latvia. Feeling awed and inspired, we hopped back on to the coach  to go to the starting point for our walking tour of the park led by the PR Manager.

Our first view of the entire park.

It was all going so well (boot-wise) until we had to walk down our first flight of stairs.

Going down...

The longest and steepest flight of stairs I've ever seen.

Good news - I didn't fall. Only a couple more of these to go. Deep within the park, the scenery was amazing.

The deepest part of Gauja River.

The fact that it was raining last night made the ground we were walking on very tricky and sticky. We eventually made it to our next location and stopped for lunch.

The "Devil's Cave" in the sandstone cliffs.

We sat on the sand and ate our packed lunches overlooking the river. But there was no time to spare. Before we knew it, we were off again!

A very, very long bridge.

I'm not exaggerating.

Trying not to slip in the mud, the students were exchanging different parts of their culture to one another, singing pop songs and happily laughing. We walked up and down stairs, through mud and meadows, all whilst surrounded by the most beautiful preserved nature.

The river from above.

As the weather started to become hotter, we arrived at the end of our tour to see another cave up close - Gutmanis Cave, the deepest cave in the Baltic countries, connected to an old Latvian legend.

19 metres deep, 12 metres wide and 10 metres high.

Our personal tour guide explained that before Gauja National Park was established in 1973, people would carve their names and dates into the soft sandstone. Some were even paid to carve business names high up on the stone.

A few dated back to as early as 1811!

After 3 long hours, we made it and so did my boots! I don't think my travel insurance would have covered me for tripping on a branch, rolling down a cliff and into Gauja River...

My Welsh friend and I proudly standing
under the cave.

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Let me know if you have any similar experiences or any advice to assist me on my journeys.