Riga is a lovely city on the banks of the Daugava River just as it enters the Baltic Sea. There is an old town which has been beautifully preserved or restored. This area is mostly a walking area. Cars may enter but must have pass cards. There rest of the city is modern and spread out. Since the fall of the Soviet Union almost all signs are in Latvian or English. There are suburban areas with wide roads and stand alone stores. Latvia exports large quantities of timber from its forrested lands. The Daugava River used to carry the logs to the seaport. Now trucks carry the logs to Riga. The Daugava was an important entrance into Central Europe for the Vikings in ancient times.