Riga - Gaining Stride

A markedly better session tonight, perhaps because I was dealing with subject matter, not personal trivia.  Two "new" students showed up (ones who hadn't been there last night), there was good class participation and the time didn’t drag with nothing to say.  Even still, I had to stretch the session a bit and the presentation itself was over after 2½ hours of the 3-hour class.  During their break, while the students scrambled to the cafeteria before it closed, I figured out that I could stretch empty time by asking the students questions about their experience with legal matters.  That filled the last ½ hour nicely.  

From them I learned that warning labels on cigarette packs, liquor bottles and other items are not unique to America.  I learned that their acquaintance with U.S. law is by way of “Social Network” and “12 Angry Men.”  I described various cases I'd handle; they described pension scams (collecting grandma’s pension after her death and so forth).  I described the separate U.S. state systems and the federal system.  We even got into conversation about a few constitutional issues during the slides on the U.S. Constitution.  The 2^nd Amendment was a principal source of interest and astonishment.  While droning on about the U.S. government system, the three branches of government and the organization of courts (trial, appellate and supreme), I kept alluding to instances where their future (or current) employers might be affected by a lawsuit: whether they'd be sued in federal or state court, whether the case would be settled or tried, how long it might take-- anything that might maintain their interest.

As I walked back from the university at 9:45 p.m., I thought longingly of Chinese take-out. But then, taking a shortcut off the main drag, I saw a Turkish kebab joint.  That'll do-- and hallelujah, they have takeout!

The earlier part of the day was mostly a repeat of yesterday-- walking around Riga.  This time I ventured east, into the "modern" part of the city, to explore some shops and sites I had noted down from Internet research.   It was a bracing morning, perfect for a ride.  But I had no horse, not even a bicycle.  My first destination was supposed to be a gallery in the "Art Deco" neighborhood of Riga, famous for houses built in that style.  The gallery was nothing special and the Art Deco buildings were more rococo than Deco.  Too much facade sculpture and not all of it in the really angular style of that period.

Continuing to wander back toward the Old City, I got a bit lost but found the Art Museum.  Housed in the former stock exchange, another 19th-century grand building, the museum exhibits mainly paintings and porcelain.  The ground floor featured an exhibit of contemporary Latvian artists working with glass, who'd entered the Venice Biennale.  Apparently, Latvian artists have a traditional affinity for Venice; can't say I blame them.  Most of the works were conceptual, clever when good, gimmicky otherwise.  Paintings in the upper-floor gallery were 17th century onwards, none noteworthy, and very few beyond the 19th century.  Maybe there's a modern art museum somewhere.  The porcelain is pretty extensive, Chinese export ware mostly.  There's a tiny room with an Egyptian mummy and related small artifacts.

And so the routine emerges.  For an extended stay anywhere, an efficiency apartment beats a hotel anytime.  More privacy, more flexibility about meals.  However, I have solved the basic problems.  I will explore one-day excursions tomorrow or Thursday.