Back on the street, I'm still fascinated by the facades. Next, sadly, I succumb to the siren song of the narrow cobblestone streets. I head north along the Daugava and reach the Riga castle, the 13th century, and current, government seat. That's one of the castle towers straight ahead. Besides government offices, the more modern parts of the complex also house a number of museums.

So, let's say you were dating a nice Latvian girl hundreds of years ago. What does a fellow give her for her birthday? The Latvijas vestures muzejs, the Latvian Historical Museum, was right around the tower. They were finishing up a new archeological exhibition. Here's the answer - a stylish choker necklace, and below, a headress for those special nights out when a girl wants to feel really elegant. And with those bells, a girl could always ring her escort to keep him close for safety in ancient, uncertain times.