The Batmobile

We bought a car! After two years, it was time to be independently mobile, and it's a great feeling. We bought the car a week ago, but today we finally get to take it into possession and take it out for a spin.

Like most things in Latvia, buying a car is not a simple undertaking. Start with the fact that there are no laws protecting the buyer. The seller of the car is fully free to roll back the odometer and pour whatever into the engine to make the car function for two weeks and then it's all over. The price of the car is not indication as to the shape it's in. Additionally, the used cars which are imported from other countries (mostly Germany, like ours)are the ones that typically get the sneaky makeover, so you have to be extra careful, but you can't even consider buying cars from Latvia, because the roads here are so bad that cars are totally worn out within the first couple of years.

Luckily, we have a close friend who was in the business for many years and was able to give each car we were considering a full inspection. While it was frustrating that for months he rejected any car that we looked at, it's finally satisfying to know that this one got the stamp of approval. (It's not perfect - in fact we had a good laugh that as soon as we had handed the money over and the seller stepped out of the car, the handle popped out of the door as I tried to get out of the backseat - no worries, it popped back in and I was able to get out. It's got a sound engine, and that's what matters - in fact, we will be getting approximately 60 miles to the gallon!)

But we couldn't take the car home right away because of this lovely scam where the seller just lets his friends know who he sold the car to and they come and steal the car back on the first night. So the car has been at the shop getting some crazy state of the art car alarm (I think we are not even going to be able to use keys to open the car) and it's finally ready for us.

In other news, KB passed his theoretical test to get his license here the day before we bought the car! Not an easy undertaking as well. This stack of flashcards I made are all the roadsigns he had to learn, and that was just one small part of the necessary knowledge....
If you're thinking this makes Latvians better drivers, think again. What they may know in driving theory, they are totally lacking on the roads. Every day you see drivers pull moves that you would never predict or even consider for half a moment in the States. That's why KB will be driving the batmobile. Way to go, soferiti!