YoC.3: Night of the Barricades
Another night of culture, this time in the form of music. First a classical/contemporary concert at the Riga Dome Church followed by a rock show at Depo bar.
Year of Culture Part 2: Latvian National Museum of Art
A visit to the Latvian Museum of Art and a new movie make for a two-fer of cultural events for the week of January 8th.
Year of Culture Part 1: Museum of the Occupation of Latvia
The Museum of the Occupation of Latvia is worth a visit, but make sure you are emotionally prepared.
2022: Year in Review
One of Those Years 26 December 2022 I had a strange message from an old friend yesterday who said that “you haven’t written much this year.” It is true, I have not. Well, that isn’t exactly true because I write everyday for my job, and I write in my journals and I write poetry and …
Little Baby Lockdown: Covid Diaries
For those of you who do not know, I live in Riga, Latvia and a few weeks ago, the government announced emergency measures were returning because Covid is on the rise. I have been shocked to see how quickly we went from almost 0 cases this summer to over a thousand cases a day with …
March: to Ainaži and Beyond
March 2021 March has always been my favorite month because it is my birth month along with the birth month of some of the best people I know. This year, it also coincides with my first year anniversary at my new job, and we are supposed to use our vacation days each year, but because …
Update: Covid in Riga December 2020
Draugi, nav labi! That is what our Latvian Primeminister, Kariņš, said in his last speech about Covid. It translates as “Friends, it isn’t good.” Now they make t-shirts with the saying on it. It has quickly become his catchphrase. Earlier this year, I think I wrote about how Covid was pretty much under …
Music. Summer. Latvia 2020
Note: I am writing this out of total appreciation for my existence in this place at this time and the opportunities that I have, none of which have been earned or deserved. I tell people that a Latvian day sometimes feels like 3 or 4 stuffed into one. This is both true from a work …
Līgo 2020: To Estonia and Back
When I started writing the last Līgo post, I realized that I would not be able to tell about the entire holiday in just one entry, so this is the prequel to Līgo 2020… With a five-day vacation in the middle of June, we decided to take a road trip. We knew we wanted to …
Līgo 2020: Lielvārde and Lāčplēsis
Last year, around this time, Rita and I were returning from our honeymoon in Italy. We spent a quiet Jāņi on June 23 in Vilnius, Lithuania waiting for our bus back to Riga. This year, I was happy to stay in Latvia for a more traditional and joyful celebration. Although with the current Covid situation, …