Riga ‘AHFC Mystery Tour 2016’
This is an abridged review of my time in Riga. I traveled to Riga towards the end of May on the 5th Annual Altrincham Hale Football Club ‘Mystery Tour’.
The Mystery Tour is run by First Team manager Bobby ‘Liner’ Walsh who organises the trip in complete radio silence. 28 members of the club supply Liner with money and their passport details and turn up on the day at an allotted time to be greeted with a mystery destination.
Past trips have done to Budapest, Sopot (Poland), Sunny Beach and
Lagos (the Algarve) and I will put up blogs of them in due course.
The tour started at Beech Fields in Timperley on Friday afternoon and the destination was announced, Riga. Flying from Liverpool Airport. The weekend was a blur of beer, fun, beer, games, beer, Manion Games, beer and then some more beer. I have pointed out some of my favorite places to drink because I cannot quantify anything else in the state I was in.
Jurmala Beach – We spent the Saturday at Jurmala Beach which is about 25km (£12) away from the centre of Riga . The beach itself is over 26km long (as far as the eye can see) and very wide making it a perfect beach for a game of football and a race for ego’s to see who is the fastest in the club. Yatesy won that one.
Rock Cafe – The best bar in Riga. It is 3 floors of bars and music with an excellent dance floor on the top floor. A natural meeting place for large groups and a place to dance and enjoy the evening. We went every day and it stayed open until the last man was standing.
Egle – The absolute best place to enjoy the sunshine. Egle is a large group of bars / stages and seating areas in one of the main squares in Riga. With large bespoke comfy chairs and DIY features.
Kiwi Bar – A good sports bar, beer is inflated but one of the only places to watch British sport if required. It was FA Cup final weekend and Manchester United were playing Crystal Palace so it was a necessary sacrifice.
Paddy Whelan’s – Where there is alcohol there is an overpriced Irish Bar. This bar has a great terrace at the back which is well shaded to get out of the surprisingly potent sun. Beer is available in towers but this tended to be cheap and flat.
Overall an eventful weekend and a good send off for one of our keepers Paulo who got married the following weekend and feared for his life / eyebrows. Below is a picture from the wedding the next week.
