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Latvia
Mar 15, 2012 17:14:45 GMT
Post by mich64 on Mar 15, 2012 17:14:45 GMT
I really enjoyed your photos Liga! I cannot believe how much snow has melted already there. The snow is just melting here this week. On a map, your country seems quite north compared to where I live but you seem to have spring already. The soviet housing blocks are better cared for them some of our apartment blocks here.
Also, your Main Street looks very nice and also your street. I would like to ask a few questions. How are the homes heated, wood stoves or electricity? What made you move to Florence, Italy? Is tourism the major source of income for your home town?
Thank you Liga!
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Latvia
Mar 15, 2012 18:03:00 GMT
Post by Deleted on Mar 15, 2012 18:03:00 GMT
Perfect photos, Liga! This is exactly what we want to see -- where people live. I don't think it looks bad at all. Of course the thaw is always going to be a bit messy in cold places, but the block housing looks no worse than what is in a lot of the suburbs of Paris, and I presume that France is reputed to be a richer country than Latvia. So it just goes to show that it is often wrong to feel "inferior" about things like that. In fact, those buildings look quite a bit better than what a lot of the French social housing dwellers live in.
Impossible not to spot the bicycle path, and we have a number of threads about cycling. If you have any additional information about the popularity of it in Latvia and if the bicycle network is well developed (and/or respected), we will certainly want to know that also.
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Latvia
Mar 16, 2012 8:55:16 GMT
Post by liga on Mar 16, 2012 8:55:16 GMT
I am so glad that you've enjoyed those photos! Usually I praisa a lot our latvian nature, but when it comes to actual dwellings I have mixed feelings. You know, you can see a lot of contrasts here - next to a small shack you can find a 3 storey palace for a rich family enclosed by videocameras and a fence 3 meters high.
As for your questions, I've found them very interesting: I remember well the ugly block housing of Italian suburbs too, and really they are much worse, but you know when you think of Italy, there are quite a lot of things and values that outbalance the uglyness. In Latvia we have this term - Latvian grey, and usually it is refered to our natural hair color or to describe something that doesn't stand out. And here we don't have many superb historical treasures to outshine the general reality. But I have to admit that to live in those houses is not so bad. I myself have lived in one just like that for 18 years. And I have to say that the house I live in in Italy can be called anything but suitable for comfortable living (you cann't close windows, there is just 1 layer of glass, and the heating is autonomous but the pipes ar disposed so badly that mu room never gets more than 15 C in winter).
To mich64 - you asked: 1) about heating - the block houses all have centralised heating system, as for the residential family houses - it depends. My parents had coal and wood autonomous heating, and the stove is still well kept in case of need, but now we have put in the gas heating. Some use electricity for the pavement heating, but it costs too much. My friend has a pallets stove. 2) Aha, about Italy! I went there to study. I am almost done and I am writing my thesis project now. I will graduate in july and thats when I will be looking for a new home somewhere else! In italy there are so few job vacancies right now. And the life is quite expensive. 3) Tourism is a major source of income for the whole Latvia, but not for my town. It has little to offer, except 3 supermarkets and a beach. But you don't lack a beach in Latvia! Almost half of the nations perimeter is a beach! People usually work in Riga - it is an hour ride by train from here.
To kerouac - thank's, I forgot about the cycling thread! I will comment on that soon!
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Latvia
Mar 16, 2012 12:04:57 GMT
Post by mich64 on Mar 16, 2012 12:04:57 GMT
Thank you for answering all my questions Liga. I have heard of people heating their driveways but I have never known anyone personally who has, it would be extremely expensive to do here. We just shovel or have snowblowers.
We have a wood stove on the bottom floor of our house that we use when it gets really cold -25C or more. On the main floor we have a propane gas fireplace and upstairs we have an electric fireplace and electric base boards in all rooms. We have never heated by coal, it is not available as a source for heat in this region of our Country, although it is in other areas like the east coast, Nova Scotia for example. Some of my husbands family in France still heat by coal.
When you finish your schooling, where do you want to live? What will you have your degree in?
I think we find the architecture and culture of other places more interesting than our own, but I think there are many of us who think where you come from is interesting, picturesque and has a lot of history that we are unaccustomed to knowing about.
Cheers! Mich
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Latvia
Mar 16, 2012 18:25:14 GMT
Post by liga on Mar 16, 2012 18:25:14 GMT
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Latvia
Mar 16, 2012 19:37:47 GMT
Post by bjd on Mar 16, 2012 19:37:47 GMT
There is something strange with Google maps. When I type in Kauguri, I get a place to the north east of Riga. Sloki gives me a small place just beside Jürmala.
We went on an outing to Jürmala -- on a small local commuter train. It looked like a day trip/beach destination for people from Riga. Of course, between the train station and the beach, we only saw shops, souvenir stands and some nice houses.
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Latvia
Mar 16, 2012 19:50:36 GMT
Post by liga on Mar 16, 2012 19:50:36 GMT
to bjd - I guess Sloka in google earth is correct. You know all those small towns have been incorporated into one really long called Jurmala. You may have visited the most popular Majori- Dzintari area. I looked in google maps - and Kauguri is marked way too far away, but also Sloka is marked wrong. But from that point if you go to the right - the second railway station you find is the correct one!
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Latvia
Mar 19, 2012 13:04:29 GMT
Post by liga on Mar 19, 2012 13:04:29 GMT
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Latvia
Mar 19, 2012 13:56:22 GMT
Post by tod2 on Mar 19, 2012 13:56:22 GMT
Your photos are wonderful! It was nice to see some of the sights covered in snow and then again as it thaws. I just loved the forest!! - I can see when you walk around one definitely needs gumboots or waterproof footwear.
More please Liga!
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Latvia
Mar 20, 2012 21:56:21 GMT
Post by Deleted on Mar 20, 2012 21:56:21 GMT
I was inspired by you, Liga, when I made my recent report about the "abandoned" colonial garden in Paris. You have mentioned a number of things abandoned in Latvia from the Soviet era, but unfortunately (?), the abandonment and the deterioriation are not visible yet. I kind of hope that you never reach that stage, because it is quite regrettable. I hope that somebody steps in to save some of these old places before they crumble. Not necessarily a "rich oriental man" if he cannot follow through with his plans!
The photos of the thaw are indeed fantastic. It is something that those of us in warmer climes never get to experience, because generally the "thaw" comes about 2 days after the snow or freeze, so it is not a real part of life for us. I think that a long frozen spell every year must have a major psychological effect on people and make them really appreciate the warmer times of year.
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Latvia
Mar 20, 2012 22:11:20 GMT
Post by komsomol on Mar 20, 2012 22:11:20 GMT
Oh, a wonderful land of snow and ice. Thanks for the pics because I will never go there. It is very nice to see without suffering.
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Latvia
Mar 21, 2012 10:25:06 GMT
Post by liga on Mar 21, 2012 10:25:06 GMT
thank you all!
Oh, I saw your thread kerouac, and it is a lovely garden indeed!
And you know, the funny thing is that the cold we have here in Latvia, is no at all comparable to the cold I feel in Tuscany. Latvian cold climate is well bearable because of little relative humidity. -10 don't differ much from -25, it is cold. In Italy I am freezing with +6 (RH 90%) and I feel the humidity reaching right to the bones! But you're right - the landscapes and sceneries are so different! And thank to you all that we can see the remote corners of the world and fell inspired to maybe visit them some day!
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Latvia
Mar 22, 2012 0:16:15 GMT
Post by apres on Mar 22, 2012 0:16:15 GMT
The most beautiful ice I've ever seen! I love the forest, and the wooden buildings, and the Sanatorium, but it's all fascinating. Thanks for posting them!
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Latvia
Mar 25, 2012 10:10:36 GMT
Post by liga on Mar 25, 2012 10:10:36 GMT
Finally I went to Riga, it was a pleasure to walk with no haste in those streets and to see the beauty of my former city. When you live in the same place, you often miss the details and the true beauty of your habitat. So I took the role of a tourist and tried to marvel about everything. I hope to share some of that day's joy. This is our river Daugava and you can see the Riga castle and a part of the old town The national bank's building right in front of the castle More pictures from castle's square Going towards Dome square, this is a small street taht brings to the Anglican church in the background A facade with fake windows. Dome square. Unfortunately the dome church is being renovated, and it is enclosed in wrappings. This is for Kerouac and his thread on cariatides! There are many more in Riga, but I didn't have time to visit them. Main catholic church The three brothers ensamble This is a restaurant on the same street where are the Three Brothers seen above, once it was really good - it is called the Garlic Inn, so as you can guess everything has garlic in it! The Swedish Gates area On the other side of The Swedish Gate - along the city wall Our central park with the channel of Riga, divides the Old town from the new. In the background you can see my highschool! When I graduated it wasn't renovated yet, but now it is quite pretty! The monument of freedom. Don't do anything inappropriate there or you'll be arrested! Our national opera theater. If you go to Riga, you have to visit a play there. They are really good! Back in old town - around St Peters church
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Latvia
Mar 25, 2012 11:17:21 GMT
Post by bjd on Mar 25, 2012 11:17:21 GMT
Thanks for the nice memories, Liga. When I was there, they had just finished renovating the building on the right in the last picture and were opening the tourist office inside it.
May I mention that in the summer the big squares have tables set up outside and you can sit and have a drink?
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Latvia
Mar 25, 2012 18:04:00 GMT
Post by fumobici on Mar 25, 2012 18:04:00 GMT
Fantastic set of Riga photos. I've seen tourist ads for Riga in Italian magazines and your photos would work in those.
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Latvia
Mar 27, 2012 15:24:40 GMT
Post by liga on Mar 27, 2012 15:24:40 GMT
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Latvia
Mar 27, 2012 22:35:21 GMT
Post by bixaorellana on Mar 27, 2012 22:35:21 GMT
Oh Liga ~~ because of my iffy internet connection, I've been dipping in and out of this treasure of athread. Except for waiting so long to comment again, it was quite nice, as I got to enjoy the many pictures you've posted that have become favorites of mine.
I particularly scrutinized the "regular" stuff. Some parts reminded me of parts of the US midwest, possibly because those parts were settled by people from your part of the world. There was also a feeling of familiarity with some buildings from the early part of the 20th century. But then there are all kinds of things that are fabulously, delightfully foreign to my eyes, really giving the feeling of visiting a fascinating place.
You take such wonderful photos -- the wide view across to Riga, the peeks down winding lanes, the excellent panoramic shots capturing different architectural styles, just to name a few. But the ones that knocked me out are the pictures from your visit to Kemeri -- dreamily beautiful, & I could almost smell the cold, moist air.
A real delight -- thanks!
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Latvia
Mar 28, 2012 9:01:34 GMT
Post by liga on Mar 28, 2012 9:01:34 GMT
Oh thank you very much bixa! You made me blush! Too many praises! ahaha, but I am glad that you liked the beauty in simple things. I understand your problem with the slow connection, I have posted too many photos and it takes a bit for my computer too to load them all. I have another veeeryyy traditional surprise for you, but I don't know if it would be better to continue this thread or to make a new one. Maybe a new one could be better, cause I would love to see other people adding their pictures as well. Good day to you all!
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Latvia
Mar 28, 2012 11:18:16 GMT
Post by tod2 on Mar 28, 2012 11:18:16 GMT
Beautiful photos Liga! Thank you so much for showing us wonderful Riga -And that Faberge` egg is magnificent along with the other beautiful glassware.
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Latvia
Mar 28, 2012 16:29:48 GMT
Post by bixaorellana on Mar 28, 2012 16:29:48 GMT
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Latvia
Mar 28, 2012 16:50:47 GMT
Post by liga on Mar 28, 2012 16:50:47 GMT
Thanks for the indication! That is an amazingly rich and interesting thread, although I cann't place my "surprise" there, it is not exactly from that category, but more of "traditions and rites still practiced".
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Latvia
Mar 28, 2012 16:59:43 GMT
Post by liga on Mar 28, 2012 16:59:43 GMT
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Latvia
Mar 28, 2012 18:40:05 GMT
Post by Deleted on Mar 28, 2012 18:40:05 GMT
Continually wonderful, liga. However, for the future you don't have to keep putting everything about Latvia all on the same thread. Do not hesitate to create new ones about different details. We are very much on Google's radar, so each specific subject quickly is picked up in web searches all over the planet.
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Latvia
Mar 28, 2012 20:53:55 GMT
Post by liga on Mar 28, 2012 20:53:55 GMT
Thank's for the advice! I saw this thread is getting too "heavy loaded"! But it is going to slow down for a while!
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Latvia
Mar 29, 2012 15:26:44 GMT
Post by bixaorellana on Mar 29, 2012 15:26:44 GMT
Really enjoyed that last batch of pictures, Liga. It really helped round out this wonderful tour around your home area.
I particularly liked this group because it fit in with my romantic imaginings of that part of the world.
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Latvia
Mar 29, 2012 18:42:36 GMT
Post by liga on Mar 29, 2012 18:42:36 GMT
ahahaha I loved how you called it "that part of the world!"
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Latvia
Nov 11, 2012 17:05:28 GMT
Post by liga on Nov 11, 2012 17:05:28 GMT
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Latvia
Nov 11, 2012 17:17:44 GMT
Post by bixaorellana on Nov 11, 2012 17:17:44 GMT
Liga!!!!!! Absolutely wonderful to see you here. Just yesterday I was wondering about you -- how & where you were. CONGRATULATIONS on your graduation. So .......... that's a pretty nice new place you have now!
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Latvia
Nov 11, 2012 17:27:18 GMT
Post by Deleted on Nov 11, 2012 17:27:18 GMT
Superb photos, Liga, and you are very right to be proud of such a wonderful cultural heritage (about which most of us are so terribly ignorant -- so that makes it even more important for you to post here).
Are storks a regional symbol in Latvia? They are in Alsace.
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