In Latvia: Pt 2 (recap)

I know I've sorely been neglecting you all for the past few days...life has kept me contentedly busy.
I've been back to Riga for more shopping, to the forest to pick blueberries and hunt for mushrooms,
to the "Sleeping Beauty" ballet, and to the beach of the Baltic Sea. I have several pictures that I can
share with you later. Until then I will give you a summary.

In Riga we had a girls' day out. It was Elizabeth, Rachel, Ariana, and me. I had a great time shopping
around in all of the stores, even if I didn't purchase everything I considered. I bought a couple of lovely
tops. One floral, the other a heather oatmeal with lace around the collar. (Side note: Rachel was right
when she told me that the clothes over here really are cuter. They have many more things suited to my
taste!) We ate at a Cili's pizza place where we were served an amazingly large pizza with a thin crust.
We ate the whole thing. I hate an amazingly decadent beverage called "Love Heart". It was non-alcoholic,
and had a tropical creaminess to it.

Going to the forest was just another part of the faerie tale that is Latvia. Elizabeth, Matthew, Rachel,
Daniel, Amelija, Ariana, and I all trekked out into the fascinatingly tall trees. These trees really do reach
for the sky (I know...all of you who love Toy Story are probably thinking about Woody right now).
My left hand got saturated with blueberry juice. It took several washes to get the stain out of my skin
and nails. The other marvel that was harvested are these yellow mushrooms with slightly flattened heads
and long, skinny stalks. They're something that artists dream of capturing on paper or canvas. Yes, they're
just that interesting.:)

The ballet was surreal. I felt like I was in a dream. I'm really in Latvia. I'm really all dressed up sitting with
Matthew and Rachel in an opera house gilded with paintings, satins, beads, velvet, bannisters, and many
balconies. I giggled and marveled over the movements of the dancers. Each sparkle and poise poetry
in motion. I reveled in the music. How I love to hear the music from the story "Sleeping Beauty".

Today we shopped a little, then went to the sea. I always think of Caleb from "Sarah Plain and Tall"
when I think of the sea. I think of the part where, after Sarah brings him some colored pencils, he says
"Look! The colors of the sea!" (I'm add libbing here, so feel free to correct me if I'm miss quoting).
My first reactions were that of the wind, the blue water rising up against a clear blue sky, and the softest,
silkiest sand that my feet have ever touched. I was incredulous over just how soft and powdery it was.
Another fascination I had was when I waded in the shallow waters. The light was playing on the ripples
like an echo, the show dizzying and breathtaking in its effect. The sand was pure tan with silver sparkles
catching the light here and there. Minnows darted about in abundance. I was tickled.

A major happy thought for me at the beach was a seagull. Rachel pointed him out to me as we were
working our way deeper into the waves. This little fella sat nonchalantly on the water, allowing each
wave to bob him about like a bell buoy. He looked like he hadn't a care in the world. No matter if
people were swimming all around. He could very well have said "Doo doop dee doo." several times
as he rode the waves. I laughed so hard I could barely get a word out to explain to Rachel why I
thought he was so funny. :D

Oh, the crowning touch for the outing is the sterling silver ring I bought with a bezel-set amber stone.
Very special, indeed! :)