The Color of the Day: Gray

 For more pictures of Riga in other seasons and with more colors than just gray posted on this blog previously click here.

How Can It Be That Latvia is The 2nd Greenest Country in The World?

This year on January new study of EPI (Environmental Performance Index) placed Latvia as the 2nd greenest country in the world. That was a huge surprise for us and for others as well. Nobody really believes when a Latvian tells about it to foreigner. 

 

How is that possible that Latvia is the 2nd greenest country in the world??? In 2008 Latvia was the 8th on the list, on 2010 Latvia was the 21st and now - the 2nd??? The 1st is Switzerland. So that means Norway, Germany, France and Sweden are behind Latvia??? Yes. Just don’t scream. I’m not going to apologize for it; I’ll just give some explanations for you to understand what is happening here.

Latvia doesn’t look like the cleanest country in the world, we are not very aware of separating garbage etc. although the situation here is not so bad and we are doing a lot to improve it. Collective country cleanup lately has become a new great tradition and people everywhere in Latvia are keen on such activities widely supported by media and local authorities.

After the results of this EPI study appeared the joke that Latvia is clean because there are no people living was spreading around very fast. Well, that’s not really true... Our demographical situation is not very positive, but there are still around 2 million people living in this country. What we do not have here is industrialization and huge manufactures (ehmm... ok, so unemployment is easy understandable factor now). The biggest city in Latvia is Riga with around 1 million inhabitants. So the other half is spread around the rest of the territory of Latvia so, yes, the countryside of Latvia is pretty calm and peaceful. While others can be proud of their modern cities, we can be proud of Riga and our nature. Biological diversity, clean water and air – that’s what we really have here.

What you can easily enjoy in Latvia is our green gold – woods, bird watching and hiking on long lonely beaches where you don’t have to be scared to swim naked. The food we grow here for ourselves is pretty ecological and usage of local natural cosmetics is definitely in the boom phase here now. This country is green – no doubt about it. We just have to learn how to keep it this way.

The snow is melting, the spring is coming and soon it will be green again! :) 

Oh, you can check here some pictures of the countryside of Latvia:  Getting away in Latvia: absolute peace and simplicity. Part I, Getting away in Latvia: absolute peace and simplicity. Part II

 

Don't Joke with it in Latvia!

In every country there are some prejudices and hot topics to talk about and be careful talking about. Here are some things which, depending on the local person you meet, in Latvia can be offensive and unpleasant to hear or talk about. 

Latvia vs. Lithuania

There is no problem between Latvians and Lithuanians, we are friendly neighbors with similar languages, history, architecture, traditions and problems, even the names of these countries sound similar in different languages like Lettland & Litauen, Lettonia & Lituania, but... The same as Germany & Austria with the same language or Slovakia & Slovenia with similar names, Latvia and Lithuania are two separate countries. If you are in Riga and tell that you are glad to be in the capital of Lithuania, the face in front of you might change from friendly smiling to truly disappointed. Although it is not a big deal, but it is happening pretty often that foreign people being in Latvia keeps calling it Lithuania. The capital of Latvia is Riga and the capital of Lithuania is Vilnius. As a small country fighting for its identity and recognition, we just want people, who are visiting us, to know where they are. 

Latvians vs. Russians

You probably know something about the history of Latvia, you see in the map that Russia is our big neighbor and have heard something about Russians in Latvia. What’s the problem? It’s the BIGGEST problem for a lot of people in Latvia now. Just 20 years have passed since we have got independence from Russia and there is a huge percent of Russian speaking inhabitants in Latvia, referendum about accepting Russian as the second official language in Latvia is coming soon and Soviet time memories are still alive. You don’t know you are meeting Latvian or Russian and both sides are quite nationally minded. If you discuss this topic with Latvian you will get a version of stupid, cruel, rude, uneducated Russians. If you talk with Russian you might get a story about stupid, racist, heartless Latvians and that Latvia actually is Russian country not Latvian. We are just all the time incited against each other by politics and mass media. Don’t say that Latvians and Russians have no difference between them. In fact, there is no problem for Latvians and Russians to be good friends, but if you meet some especially nationalistic person with strict opinion about what is happening and how it should be, this conversation can become never-ending and pretty uncomfortable.

Sex-tourism

A lot of inhabitants of Riga would throw eggs or tomatoes on me just because I mentioned it here. Stay calm: I’m not promoting Riga as sex-tourism destination! Riga has sparkling nightlife, more girls than boys and open-minded girls what leads to what is called "sex-tourism" here. You might also face people considering that every male tourist in Riga is sex-tourist. The word ‘sex-tourism’ in Riga is not used meaning the same as in Amsterdam or Thailand – it’s not about prostitution. This 10 minutes Youtube video gives some explanations: 

Freedom Monument

If you are in Riga there is no way you could miss seeing Freedom Monument – it’s 42 m high monument separating the Old Town from the new city centre with the majestic opera house on one side and the Bastion hill on the other side. We are all extremely sensitive about any joke you make about it. Mass media also have told us that many times foreign people find this almost holy place for relieving natural needs behind the monument. You get a penalty for this. Just don’t do it even if the police doesn’t see you (what is pretty impossible there in any time of a day).  This monument is embodiment of Latvian strength, history and identity. Read about it here:  Monument, Freedom & Flowers

At the end I should say that Latvians have sense of humor and they love joking about themselves (of course - we can joke about ourselves but are sensitive when others are joking about us - as anyone else). The picture below shows the world through eyes of a Latvian. :) 

If you have other observations, questions or something to add to this post - feel free to comment here!

Discovering Nature without Going Into The Wild

There are people always keen on visiting museums, but if it is not some really famous museum or something you have a special interest in, would you go there on a sunny summer day if it is not an open-air museum? Majority of us would say  - noooo.... But autumn/winter season is just perfect for visiting museums!

I remember myself as a child: I didn’t live in Riga, but my grandmother was living close to Riga.  Natural History museum was a place where my grandmother took me almost every time when I visited her on school holidays. I’m not so sure about the correctness of my own childhood memories to remember how many times she took me there, but I was never bored there and always happy that I’ll go there again. Natural History museum of Latvia is a place for people in all ages and just perfect for visiting it together with the children. It is located right in the centre of Riga, close to the Old Town & Railway station on K. Barona Street 4. 

Their website says: „The Natural History Museum of Latvia is the largest and one of the oldest complex museums of natural history and sciences in the Baltic States.”

Entrance fee: pupils (7 – 18 years old) 0,50Ls, students & seniors 0,80Ls, adults 1,50Ls, family ticket (1-2 adults with 1-2 children under 18) - 20 % off admission (proof required - student card, senior card etc.) For temporary exhibitions there will be extra charge, but half an hour just before the closing time you can visit for free permanent exhibitions! Working hours: Monday & Tuesday – closed, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday 10AM – 5PM, Thursday  - 10AM – 19.AM (with 2 happy free admission hours from 5PM – 7PM).

Try virtual tour in the Natural History museum of Latvia http://www.dabasmuzejs.gov.lv/media/360/index.html

Check out also these articles and places: Winter in Riga: What to do? , The Town Hall Square: Blackheads House & The Museum of The Occupation, Wonders of Art Nouveau, Botanic Garden: For Family Holiday and Nature Lovers.

Where Locals Have Fun III

Time to get to know other places where locals are having fun, in other words - places for your evenings and nights in Riga. Previously I took you to "Pulkvedis", "Greenwood", "Nabaklab", "Leningrad" and "Shot Cafe".

If "Pulkvedis" is a place with 16 years experience in making people to dance, then here is one other place with huge experience  - "Cuba Cafe" - coctail bar in the heart of the Old Town, on the same street with other bars like Spot Cafe and Greenwood next to the Dome Square. "Cuba" cafe doesn't give you a huge dancing place, but still - their DJs will make you to move. Quite romantic place, often filled (or really crowded) with tourists and locals. Kind of a place for tequila and heating the dance floor. 

One of newest most interesting places in Riga Old Town is folk club "Ala" on Smilšu street, close to the Powder Tower (War Museum). This place takes people in the journey around the world: folk bands from around the world are performing here, and when there is no foreign artists, you will be invited to join joyfull Latvian folk dances. This place in the basement is really charming - the first and only traditional music bar in Latvia. Dancing evenings are great here: you can watch traditional Latvian dances, find a couple for yourself and get into the dancing like Latvian. If you are in Riga, I hope you will get there in one of these dancing evenings. 

Where Locals Have Fun I
Where Locals Have Fun II