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Any Port in a Storm :: Compass Points :: Europe :: Latvia
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AuthorTopic: Latvia (Read 1,399 times)
liga
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Latvia
« Thread Started on Mar 3, 2012, 11:50am »		[Quote]
I find myself between two realities - one Italian, my actual residence, and Latvia -my homeland. So I wanted to share some impressions on both of these wonderful nations! As an introduction, here you have a shor explanatory vid about Latvian history. Hope you enjoy it!

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Re: Latvia
« Reply #1 on Mar 3, 2012, 12:13pm »		[Quote]
That was great. Poor little guy, though. I guess if I were to propose a motto for the country after seeing that, it would be "Survival through submission adaptability."

I hope you have a few thousand photos in stock to post here. :D
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Re: Latvia
« Reply #2 on Mar 3, 2012, 12:55pm »		[Quote]
My daughter and I went to the 3 Baltic countries in the summer of 2002. We were based in Riga and went on shorter trips to Vilnius and Tallinn. I preferred Riga to the two other cities.

I have lots of pics too, but they aren't digital.
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Re: Latvia
« Reply #3 on Mar 5, 2012, 4:31pm »		[Quote]
That's great! Myself I slightly prefer Tallin cause it still has it's medieval character, Riga was always the most modern one - it displays trends of all historic architecture styles as it evolved through time hand in hand with other european cities. Unfortunately I cann't comment about Vilnius - I have been there a long time ago and my memories are kind of blurred.
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Re: Latvia
« Reply #4 on Mar 5, 2012, 4:35pm »		[Quote]

Mar 3, 2012, 12:13pm, kerouac2 wrote:
That was great. Poor little guy, though. I guess if I were to propose a motto for the country after seeing that, it would be "Survival through submission adaptability."

I hope you have a few thousand photos in stock to post here. :D


Ahha, yep poor latvian guy! He suffered a lot, and I do have to admit that it is one of the principle negative traits of latvian people - we prefer to adapt rather than to say our opinions. Especially I feel it now that I live in Italy and they do love to argue! :) As for the pics - in two days I go back home, so there will be fresh supplement of those!
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Re: Latvia
« Reply #5 on Mar 6, 2012, 10:29pm »		[Quote]
Time for my next entry! I searched among my old and not so old pictures, and I decided to show you some 2010 and 2011 winters pictures. The winter is not yet officially over, so legally I can post them with my conscience clear!

First you can see some Baltic sea's pics - at least in Riga bay it froze over, and we had like 2 weeks with consecutive very cold days, and that's the outcome. As you see 29 degrees Celsium below zero doesn't scare us! People are having fun on ice, and with such cold days the sun is a guarantee. (usually the sky is overcast). If you wonder about the sign in front of the swans - it says: Beware! Ice! Danger for your life!

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These are some wievs of Riga, the capital in winter. You can see the Channel of Riga and the central park, and the Livu square with a panoramic wheel attraction

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This is Kemeri, it is a small and almost abbandoned town 50 km outside Riga. It was famous once for a renowned sanatory for respirotary disease cures and termal applications. The small temple is situated in the nearby park and it is called The Island of Love, it was a place for dating and for the lovers to meet. The second pic is of a sulfur spring pavilion - it is said that if you wash your face with its waters, you will gain beauty and youth, but it does stink a lot.

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And finally that's me doing the usual winter workout - cleaning the driveway! :)

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Re: Latvia
« Reply #6 on Mar 6, 2012, 10:38pm »		[Quote]
oh, sorry for the spelling mistakes! Bad, bad bad! I will improve!
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Re: Latvia
« Reply #7 on Mar 7, 2012, 2:12am »		[Quote]
Your photos and lovely, Liga. I especially like the one of the swans and the one underneath it with the two sets of diverging footprints.

It looks so cold, though! I would probably lose my mind.
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Re: Latvia
« Reply #8 on Mar 7, 2012, 2:39am »		[Quote]
Hi Liga! Your winter looks so much like my winter! I am from Canada so I can relate to the -30 degree weather, it was that here yesterday!

I understand the boy standing between the two boots, using them as a goal line, but where is the poor person who needs those boots! ha ha!

My home is on the shores of a lake and is of course frozen now, but we have to shovel the snow away to get down to the ice to skate or play hockey, it does not look like you have to do that on the Baltic sea, I guess because it is so open or is it because it does not snow so much when it is that cold?

I have watched travel shows on Riga and have wished to visit there.

Cheers!
Mich
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Re: Latvia
« Reply #9 on Mar 7, 2012, 5:56am »		[Quote]
Wonderful icy pictures. I have never seen a frozen sea before except in documentaries about Arctic and Antarctic expeditions where it all seems to abstract. To see the ocean freeze where you actually live must be amazing.

Why was Kemeri abandoned? Too cold? ;)
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Re: Latvia
« Reply #10 on Mar 7, 2012, 5:58am »		[Quote]
It's a wonderland, Liga, & your magic camera captured it!

What is that chair thing in the second photo, please? And did the person who left the boots put on skates instead?

I've looked at the pictures three times so far. They seem like illustrations of an enchanted land.
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Re: Latvia
« Reply #11 on Mar 7, 2012, 11:52am »		[Quote]

Mar 7, 2012, 2:39am, mich64 wrote:
Hi Liga! Your winter looks so much like my winter! I am from Canada so I can relate to the -30 degree weather, it was that here yesterday!

I understand the boy standing between the two boots, using them as a goal line, but where is the poor person who needs those boots! ha ha!

My home is on the shores of a lake and is of course frozen now, but we have to shovel the snow away to get down to the ice to skate or play hockey, it does not look like you have to do that on the Baltic sea, I guess because it is so open or is it because it does not snow so much when it is that cold?

I have watched travel shows on Riga and have wished to visit there.

Cheers!
Mich


Hi Mich! You're right about the lack of snow when it's so cold outside, and don't worry about the boots! The kid that lend them had skating shoes! :)
I miss latvian climate a lot. Here in Florence you don't feel the seasonal change. From summer you go directly to winter. Tomorrow I am leaving for Latvia and I am quite happy to return in a colder weather!
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Re: Latvia
« Reply #12 on Mar 7, 2012, 12:01pm »		[Quote]

Mar 7, 2012, 5:56am, kerouac2 wrote:
Wonderful icy pictures. I have never seen a frozen sea before except in documentaries about Arctic and Antarctic expeditions where it all seems to abstract. To see the ocean freeze where you actually live must be amazing.

Why was Kemeri abandoned? Too cold? ;)


Kemeri is not totally abbandoned, the town still has 2000 inhabitants, but it has changed its status as once famous health recovery center for the whole Soviet Union to just a small satellite town with summer houses. The Health center was shut down and it is still closed till today. So the only visitors this town can attract are those who like to do some walks around the Park. The town itself has no city center or a place to gather and you have to go to the nearest cities to find some recreational possibilities other than natural tourism. The town is very much neglected and there are no funds, and no interest from the government to change this situation.
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Re: Latvia
« Reply #13 on Mar 7, 2012, 12:05pm »		[Quote]

Mar 7, 2012, 5:58am, bixaorellana wrote:
It's a wonderland, Liga, & your magic camera captured it!

What is that chair thing in the second photo, please? And did the person who left the boots put on skates instead?

I've looked at the pictures three times so far. They seem like illustrations of an enchanted land.


Thank you for the nice comment! That chair is a sled for very small kids! I still remember how my mother cariied me around in one of those in winter! You can see those really overdressed babies with many layers of clothing being pulled around in a sled. The main attraction was of course to slide down the hill! It is very much like an alaskan dog-sled, just small one. :)
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Re: Latvia
« Reply #14 on Mar 12, 2012, 8:24am »		[Quote]
Goodmorning everyone!
So I am at home, in Latvia for a holiday break, and there is this interesting occurance I wanted to show you. On March 9 I went to the seaside near my house, and I found these really weird ice formations - they are like feathers,disposed vertically and moving with the gusts of wind, like one big frozen meadow! That was so beautiful! Unfortunately we have spring coming and they melted right away the next day. Have you seen anything like this? I will attach also a youtube video of mine, sorry for the poor quality: I've got a shaky hand and my phone is not the most suitable for doing videos!

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Re: Latvia
« Reply #15 on Mar 12, 2012, 5:44pm »		[Quote]
Oh, that ice is magical and your video puts all of my little YouTube crap to shame.

I imagine you'll never want to return to Florence now. :D
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Re: Latvia
« Reply #16 on Mar 12, 2012, 6:01pm »		[Quote]
I have certainly never seen anything like that in my entire life! I love the picture of your gloved hand holding the big flake. Not only is is a great photo, but I wouldn't have imagined the flakes to be so big. Can you find out what creates this phenomenon? Thanks so much for showing!
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Re: Latvia
« Reply #17 on Mar 12, 2012, 6:09pm »		[Quote]
To Kerouac2 - to do that 2 minute video it took me 5 hours! I pic up one program that was real difficult to use and it took time to put those 2 and a half minutes together!

To bixaorellana - if I only knew how this phenomenon is called! I will try to google it and see what happens!
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Re: Latvia
« Reply #18 on Mar 12, 2012, 6:11pm »		[Quote]
Since you're "at home," I for one would love a tour of the town if you have time -- all of the ordinary stuff is completely fascinating to us, from the local supermarket to the abandoned school that has become the drug hangout (or whatever else happens to be around town).

This is not to say that monuments or beautiful buildings must be ignored. :)
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Re: Latvia
« Reply #19 on Mar 12, 2012, 6:18pm »		[Quote]
^^^^ what he said ^^^^ :D !
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Re: Latvia
« Reply #20 on Mar 12, 2012, 9:19pm »		[Quote]
ahahha, tomorrow there will be just the chance! But atention, I live in a small post-sovietic town 40 km out of Riga! Here the most important building is the new soccer stadium! :) So my photo-diary might present more "supermarket" and "drug hang out" type monuments! And especially now, that we have the muddy - pre-spring weather! uuurgh
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Re: Latvia
« Reply #21 on Mar 12, 2012, 9:44pm »		[Quote]
I would love to see the mud. ;)
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Re: Latvia
« Reply #22 on Mar 13, 2012, 5:58am »		[Quote]
You're good Liga, VERY GOOD! That was a spectacular video and awesome photos of a phenomenon none of us will ever encounter.
All of your photos are beautiful - I re-iterate Kerouac's sentiments......I too would love to see the mud ;D
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Re: Latvia
« Reply #23 on Mar 13, 2012, 4:05pm »		[Quote]
Beautiful ice formations Liga! They reminded me of ice shavings, like when they do ice sculptures for winter carnivals. I look forward to you showing us more photos of your beautiful home country.
cheers!
Mich
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Re: Latvia
« Reply #24 on Mar 13, 2012, 7:56pm »		[Quote]
Stunning - pics and video

Are they perhaps frost flowers ?
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Re: Latvia
« Reply #25 on Mar 13, 2012, 10:31pm »		[Quote]
they could be frost flowers, but I googled the name and frost flowers seem more "fluffy" and have different structure. But thanks for the guess!
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Re: Latvia
« Reply #26 on Mar 13, 2012, 10:52pm »		[Quote]
I found some pictures of some incredible ice formations at some time in the past but I don't remember on what thread I posted them! In any case, they were different from your photos.
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Re: Latvia
« Reply #27 on Mar 14, 2012, 6:22pm »		[Quote]
Wow, that is unbelievably beautiful! I also would love to know what they're called and how they form.

Very, very nice photos and video. Thanks for taking the effort, it really paid off.
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Re: Latvia
« Reply #28 on Mar 15, 2012, 3:32pm »		[Quote]
Ok! So I listened to your advices and here I am going to show "the ordinary stuff". Don't think that Latvia is all pretty nature and white swans - we have mud and grim places too! Like the small town where my parents live. Two days ago I went to my hairdresser and took the idea from Google - I made Liga Street View. You'll see a bit of typical post-soviet town in spring. And you're lucky too that it was a sunny day and the photos doesn't look too spooky.

I live in Kauguri - it is a residential area with aprox 20,000 inhabitants. It was an outer part of a seaside resort area, but there is not much left from the original conformation. It has been invaded by 10 storey concrete monsters and block houses, and the smaller fishermen lodgings have fell slowly apart from neglect. Most people live in stand-alone private houses with gardens, and of course in the block houses.

Here we start:
Yeah, here is the MUD! :) That's my street -as you can see we still live in the woods....
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Still more mud and melted snow
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Oh, and here we have a paved road!
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Another small street in my neighbourhood
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This is one of the 3 schools. It is a typical soviet project for schools and kindergardens.
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Some block housing in distance. But these ar not so bad - only 5 storeys.
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oooo, the sad photo. It says :store on the door, but it seems quite shut down.
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More block housing and in foreground small private gardens.
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Wow, I was surprised myself, there is a sports club, it wasn't there a year ago!
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Zoom on the block housing, but as you can see some streets are well paved! The box that looks like a recycle bin, is actually for sand - to be distributed on the frozen roads.
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Two of the old houses. That would be the typical architecture -wooden house with sloped roof.
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The monster of globalisation!
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The main street from town hall to the market
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New religious center - roman catholic church, still not finished, but active.
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This was a cinema once, now it is a place for school shows, concerts and repetitions.
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So, what's your opinion? Today I went on a tour on the other side of the railway - to the old town. I still have to upload the pics.
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Re: Latvia
« Reply #29 on Mar 15, 2012, 4:38pm »		[Quote]
Thanks for this. We took the bus from Riga to Tallinn and I guess we went through places that looked more or less like your town. Of course, the Soviet era blocks aren't so great, but they seem reasonably well maintained. And I like the street your parents live on, with the individual houses and gardens.
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