Exciting Eurovision

From the Baltic lands of Lithuania I will head onwards to the completely different Baltic lands of Latvia.
I first watched the Eurovision Song Contest in 2002, the year that Marie N. won the contest with 'I wanna' for Latvia. Clearly not the best song in the contest (Malta were, as they regualarly are, robbed), this did feature the singer dressed in a suit, taking it off as the song progressed to reveal a stunning red dress underneath. Gimicks and Eurovision really do go hand in hand. Nevertheless, the nest year (2003 if you can't do maths, toughest year of my life) Riga, Latvia's capital, hosted the contest in what was my favourite contest of all. Featuring an out of tune T.a.t.u, Belly dancers and one of the competition's oddest ever performances by Austria'a Alf Poier, it will always hold a special place in my heart. Sadly it's unavailable on DVD.
Have I digressed?
Always.
Nevertheless, this is where I will be headed after Lithuania, just for 3-4 days in Riga which by all accounts is a beautiful city indeed. Maybe a day trip....

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/worldguide/destinations/europe/latvia

there it is, knock yourselves out!
Well, I find myself needing to write up a 'to-do' list because I'm down to six and a half weeks and I feel that I still have a million and one things to do (it's that last 'one' that's a real bugger). I need warm socks, a jacket perhaps and I need to go see a travel doctor about medications and vaccinations.
So much fun fun fun.

Before I sign off today, I'm very happy to hear my friend Graham whom I'm meeting up with for a beer or three in London is safe and well, as he is presently in Peru which was rocked by an earthquake a week ago. Stay safe all travellers out there!