Almost all Riga suburbs looks very similar. Furthermore in all Soviet cities suburbs are built in a similar way :) One of the most famous Russian movies is Irony of Fate. This movie is about regular guy living in Moscow, who get drunk and accidentally took a plane to Leningrad (second largest city in USSR) In Leningrad airport the guy took a taxi and ask to bring him home by telling his Moscow address. Taxi driver brought him to the same address but in Leningrad. Area was identical, street was identical, house was identical, and the key to his Moscow flat matched to the Leningrad door... He got entered into another flat and felt asleep. What happened next? Owner of the flat, good-looking woman, came home later and found a stranger sleeping in her bed...
airBaltic is national Latvian airline. Flights are quite cheap and service is relative good. airBaltic has more destinations than any other airline operating in Riga Airport, so I choose it almost always when I travel abroad. Since today I have holidays and I am going to Istanbul for New Year celebration among my international friends. As far as possible from the routine life! :)
One of the most criminal and poorest neighborhoods in Riga is Maskachka. Maskachka is shortening from Maskavas Forštate (Moscow suburb). It's named like this because of road connecting Riga to Moscow. Today it is mostly undeveloped area with prewar buildings and narrow cobblestone-covered streets. Junkies, bums and poor people make here the highest crime rate in Riga.
Before New Year Railway Station building is decorated very nice and stylish :) Just look at this toy train going at full steam ahead :) Centrālā Stacija means Central Railway Station in latvian. See also: Central Railway Station Webcam.
Writing on pasteboard angel's body reads as "Pedestrian not using a reflection elements, will be an angel" This is social advertising campaign of using of reflectors, to reduce car collisions with pedestrians during the night time.
Where was placed the first decorated Christmas Tree? :) This is a very controversial point, but the first documented reference appeared in Riga in 1510. To memorize this occasion in front of Blackheads' House 3 years ago was placed a plaque with writings in 8 languages. Nowadays every year, just few meters from this monument, new Christmas tree is placed. Again, Merry Christmas :D UPDATED: Revealed that Christmas tree is older than 500 years.
Priecīgus Ziemassvētkus (Merry Christmas) to everybody. Most of Russian-speaking people in Riga celebrate Christmas on 7th of January :) Because of difference in calendars. Century ago the 7th January was the same day as 25th of December in Western world. On photo is depicted one of numerous Christmas tree in Riga. Simple and nice :)
On day before yesterday the biggest club in Riga was La Rocca club. Saturday morning, when all visitors left the club, the roof started to fire.. Preliminary investigation discovered that the cause of the fire was a roof repair work. La Rocca club hosted about 2-3 thousands of people every weekend night, so this news touched almost all young people in Riga in less than an hour, becoming an event greater than elections of the President :) After 1 year, La Rocca open its doors again.
As in many European cities, in Riga are sightseeing double-decker tour buses too. They depart every hour from Museum of Occupation. You can listen to audio-guided tour in several languages, including Russian. But, have look at the flags, especially at the Russian one. It turned it is upside down.
Updated: answer to anonymous in comments: Yes, it is such a negligence to fix flags wrong.
One of Riga problems is finding free space for car parking during working days because of lack of underground parking zones and narrow streets in the city center. On this picture is depicted one of many parking meters in Maskachka neighbourhood. Parking prices vary from 1 to 2 Euro per hour. Price is growing each hour till 3 euro in some places. So, more you stay - more you pay. It is one of methods to reduce number of parked cars in Riga center.
This old pier located in Daugava river in Riga. It is ruins of Iron Bridge blown up by Nazi army during Second World War. When Nazi army surrendered Riga in 1944, they tried to demolish all stragetic objects in Riga, including all bridges, stations, warehouses, etc.
One of the main Riga shopping centers is Olympia, located on Ķīpsala island. Opened in year 2002 in place of a little forest, which was here before :( Actually, since the opening, shopping center has never been very popular among people. See also Gallery Shooping Center.
First time I saw this woman in Riga more than 10 years ago. Since then I see her very often in Vecriga always dancing to tape recorder. She always wears red clothes, always moves in the same way. For past 10 years only tape recorder was changed. Before it was also red :) In my opinion she is the most famous street artist of Riga :) See also: Playing Grandpa.
Just look at this! :) It is a original bench made from stump, chair and furniture board on top :) Please, pay attention to carpet in front of bench :) Also, despite filth everywhere around, this bench has a rubbish bin from the left side :)
Somewhere there, inside of darkness is Police Station of Torņakalns neighbourhood :) Just 50 meters, but I wouldn't like to go there.. It isn't looking safe at all :D
No, this is not advertisement of kids clothes shop :) This picture is a real example that marketing specialists in Riga sometimes forget about the euphony of brands and foreign names for people living here :)
This is Mārtiņa kapi (Cemetery of Martin) in Riga. Most of tombs here were buried more than one hundred years ago. Some of them even 250 years ago. Interesting that writings on tombstones are in German, English, Russian, Hebrew and Latvian language. It shows that Riga was very multicultural city all its history. See also Lutheran Church, which is just next to this cemetery.
Riga is not a huge city, but has big transportation problems during rush hours :( Every day tousands of cars trying to get over the river. But there are only 3 bridges, so working day mornings and evenings traffic jams reach few kilometers before entrance to bridge.
Nowadays it is very rare in Riga when you can see such picture. I mean, when somebody is painting advertisement on the wall :) Some years ago there was many artists, who painted big pictures on houses. Now they make it much easier - just put a big poster on some wall and that's it! So, what those artists do now? Where their talent is used?
Very few Russian Monuments remained in Riga since USSR collapse. One of them located on the right embankment between Stone and Railway bridges. It is devoted to Russian Revolution of 1905 against the Czar (Russian King or Emperor) rule. This monument depicts two real men trying to keep flag flying despite difficulties and wounds they got.
To say it more precisely, Ķīpsala island is expanding its border, not Riga :) I didn't see before, how such embankment are being built. It's a long and hard work, especially during such cold and windy weather it is getting even more diffucult. Brrr.. :) Photo was taken at place where Zunda river separating from Āgenskalna līcis (Agenskalns Bay) and Daugava river :)
Vecā Ģertrūdes baznīca (Old Gertrude's Church) in Riga from Baznicas iela. During the autumn and winter, sun is shining in Riga very rare. So for me this photograph looks very warm :)
Torņakalns (Tower Hill) neighborhood located in West Part of Riga called Pardaugava. There are few noteworthy objects in this area, and one of them is the railway station which is infamous for its purpose during the Second World War. It was the biggest departure point for people who were deported to Siberia.
This is composition of graffiti from Hanza tunnel, which is located under Kipsala island, next to Hansa Building :) In the beginning it was very nice place, decorated with graffities. But then after come some vandals. Actually they was other graffiti artist, but who wasn't invited to decorate this tunnel (for reward of course). So they was upset and started to damage graffities with some stupid slogans like:
This monument devoted to First Commander of Latvian Army - Colonel Oskars Kalpaks (1888-1919) was set several months ago in front of Hotel Latvija. Funny thing is that in russian slang word "kalpakam" (Колпакам) means "for/to junkies" :) Now you know the second meaning of this monument :)
This is a building of two new skyscrapers in Pardaugava (Over River) neighbourhood. They build even in night time, so very soon Riga landscape will be changed :) Take a look at Z-Towers after 4 months.
Believe you or not, but the world biggest Christmas tree record belongs to Riga already several years in a row :) Actually it isn't one piece tree. It is partly artificial, made from a lot of fir branches. But anyway it looks very beautiful and exciting. It's located in Lido amusement park in Kengarags, Riga. Welcome :) See also the same Christmas tree next year.
4 sundays till Christmas are left, hence all flowers shops start to sell wreaths with 4 candles :) On photograph is decpited a flower-shop working 24/7 on the busiest street of Vecriga. Sometimes passing it in the night, I just wondering how those grannies can stand on street whole night, even during cold times, like -25 C (-13 F)
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