Рижский женский монастырь Св. Сергия or Rīgas Sv. Trijādības Sergija sieviešu klosteris (Riga St. Trinity Sergius Women's Orthodox Monastery) was opened in 1894.
Despite it is located in the very center of Riga, on Kr Barona street, only few know that it does exist.
Monastery is hidden behind the thick trees and modest wooden fence next to Holy Trinity Cathedral.
I guess it is very calm and sacred place protected by the most tallest walls in the center.
It is hard to believe that in the middle of vainglorious and lascivious city some people can keep a vow.

Labels: buildings, center, doorways, girls, houses, orthodox, religious, walls, winter

I am interested what people were thinking of when they named a bar I love you, which is located on Aldaru iela.
The bar itself very similar to Krogs Aptieka. Generally good prices, Latvian people, friendly culture.
See also I Love you writing at AB Dambis

Labels: bars, nightlife, vecriga, winter

Coyote Fly or simply Kojoti is officially the second most busiest place in Riga, after French Bar naturally.
Kojoti is also the most Latvian place ever. Foreigners are traditionally banned. In order to get into club you have to show Latvian ID document or be fluent in Latvian language. Very fluent!
Pros:
Always busy
Good Location, just next to Embankment
Lots of nice ladies, who dance on the bar
Strict face control
Unique toilets for guys
Cons:
Prices are a little bit higher than in average place
Slow Service
Usually no place in wardrobe
No place to dance (no place to fall down neither :))

Labels: bars, clubs, elite, girls, night, nightlife, restaurants, vecriga

It is another nice photo taken from Swedbank office during Riga Smog in the end of January.
On the photo it is clearly visible that smog was at level of 50 meters, basically the middle of Shroud Bridge

Labels: bridges, panoramas, weather, winter

6 months passed since I posted the photo of the most interesting on-going building in Latvia.
See the all time line of the LNB Building.
Due all-winter-long abundant snowfalls, the snowdrifts are more than 1 meter high almost everywhere in Riga

Labels: buildings, lnb, lnb building, projects, snow, weather, winter

23th February is Defender of the Fatherland Day (День защитника Отечества) in many ex Soviet countries.
Fortunately in Latvia it has not legal status. Otherwise my patriotism would look for answer, who is the defender of Latvia? And from who?
The guys on the photo are doing very serious job, they are hunters of deadheads in tramways, aka Controllers.
They fight against crime everyday, perhaps they are defenders? :)
BTW, the price for single use ticket has grown for almost 50% since last 6 months. Now it is 0,70Ls (1 EUR)

Labels: funny, holidays, jobs, military, pardaugava, people, prices, snow, tramways, transport, winter

About one and a half year ago I have already took a picture of panoramic view from VEF Tower.
In fact, there are no changes in Riga since then, I mean no new buildings were built, so the photo is almost the same, just a little bit more wider.
Horizon line from leftmost Science Academy till rightmost Rietumu Banka building is about 2.5 km (1.6 mi)

Labels: buildings, center, houses, panoramas, roofs, skyscrapers, towers, winter

Rīgas Svētā Alberta baznīca (Riga St. Albert's Roman Catholic Church) is built on Liepajas iela in 1901, in the year when Riga became 700 years old.
I guess it is named after Bishop Albert, the founder of Riga, although he was never canonized.
Saint Albert's church is the biggest Catholic church in Latvia, it is crowned with baroque towers.
Regular divine services are in Latvian and Polish languages.

Labels: agenskalns, baroque, churches, pardaugava, polish, religious, towers, trees, winter

Cozy restaurant Lauvas Nams, which is located on Brivibas iela, is not only a good place to have lunch.
Lauvas Names could be considered as well as part of Riga night life. Because it is open 24/7, and it became a popular destination to go of many party people after night at clubs.

Labels: bars, cafes, cars, center, night, nightlife, restaurants, snow, winter

Exhibition Erots 2010 is being held this weekend at Kipsala hall. Erots stands for sex shops, tattoos and piercings artists, live performance by pornostars and everything else related to erotics.
It is said that Erots is the only regular Erotic Exhibition in Baltic States. In fact there is nothing special, so if you have missed Erots, then you can always go to Amsterdam any day and the experience there will be much better :)

Labels: cars, culture, famous, girls, kipsala, people, show

Alfa shopping center is the biggest shopping mall in Riga. It was opened in 2001 and extended in 2006.
Today Alfa hosts more than 100 shops, cafes, restaurants and even cinema - Cinamon.
It is named after famous electronics factory Alfa, which was located just across the street.

Labels: brivibas, cafes, cinemas, restaurants, shopping, snow, teika, winter

Latvijas Valsts vēstures arhīvs (Latvian State Historical Archives) is located in a massive building at intersection of Slokas street and Kalnciema street since 1930.
The building itself was built in 1908 as city pawnshop, hence it has such a huge size.

Labels: agenskalns, buildings, eclecticism, pardaugava, winter

Minsterejas iela (Minster street) was formed in 17th century when the bed of Ridzene river has been drained and converted into two new streets - Kaleju and Minsterejas.
In 1921 Minsterejas street was renamed into Klosterbaznīcas iela (Cloister Church street) for two years, but then renamed back.

Labels: buildings, cars, lights, night, roofs, streets, vecriga, winter

Cascade icicles on roof of Agenskalns Market. Some of them are longer than 2 meters (6 feet)

Labels: agenskalns, buildings, doorways, markets, roofs, snow, weather, winter

Православная церковь Нерукотворенного образа спаса or Kristus Pestītāja Svētbildes pareizticīgo baznīca (Orthodox Church of Vernicle) was built in 1893 in territory of Tornakalns cemetery, at then border of Riga, hence it is so small and almost invisible.
This church was built mainly for requiem service, but today it is church in the full sense of the word.
Today taking this picture I met a woman who gave me a candy by saying С Праздничком! (Happy feast!)
I am curious what she meant, because today is dual holiday - St Valentine's day and Maslenitsa.

Labels: buildings, churches, holidays, orthodox, tornakalns, winter

Covered Ice rink in old town is located at new square which was formed recently after demolition of the building of Riga Technical University.
At least in the winter this free space is being used properly :)

Labels: entertainment, hobby, people, sports, squares, vecriga, winter

Nightclub Scandal (former name Martini) is located on Kalku iela, just next door to Malibu.
Scandal is one of the biggest clubs in Old Town, it has two dance floors and a lot of chilling sofas, so it looks more like a lounge bar.
Pros:
excellent location
almost always packed
free entrance
Cons:
minimal face control, hence many drunk people looking for problems.
sometimes very strange music

Labels: bars, clubs, music, nightlife, vecriga

Es tevi atkal gaidīšu te↓ (I will again wait for you here) - is the content of the massive message written with soil on the snowy track bench, which is next to 13 Janvara street.
Check also other lovely messages: "I love you" and "You are not alone"

Labels: art, center, culture, latvian, love, night, railway, roads, snow, winter, writings

Pils laukums un skvērs (Palace square and garden) is located next to Riga Castle.
It was formed in 18th century as prestigious walking place for official parties.
In 1928 it was renamed after Janis Cakste, the first president of Latvia. During Soviet times it was named as Pioneru laukums (Pioneer square), since 1987 original name and purpose was placed back.
Nowadays it ceremonial place for dear foreign guests, like visits of other countries presidents.

Labels: castles, parks, snow, squares, trees, vecriga, winter

Uzbekistan Airlines is the only airline which perform transatlantic flights from Riga Airport.
The plane with the blue hood makes flights Tashkent - Riga - New York - Riga - Tashkent 3 times per week.
Basically it makes New York JFK airport just 10 hours away from Riga.
Not that far from the capital of the world, isn't? :)

Labels: airplanes, airports, american, asian, foreign, transport, winter

Riga 1st Police Department of Central area is sharing the same building with Fire Department.
First department is one of the oldest in Riga. The building itself was built in 1886 on Matisa street.
History of Riga police dates from the beginning of 1880s, when policemen started to patrol busy streets and places like markets, stations, hotels.
Initially policemen were only Germans, who very rarely could speak Latvian or Russian, therefore their efficiency was extremely low. After some years Riga council began to draft into police the retired soldiers, who were able to speak language of the common people.
Nowadays there are 15 Police departments in Riga.

Labels: buildings, cars, center, first, history, jobs, people, police, snow, winter

Rīgas Krusta Evaņģēliski Luteriskā baznīca (Riga Cross Evangelic Lutheran Church) is located in Teika.
The building was completed in 1909 and the first worship service was held one year later.

Labels: churches, gothic, lutheran, religious, snow, teika, towers, winter

I have never been a big fan of blues, jazz music nor live music in general. Before I visited Bites Blues Club.
I was invited by Lynne Jordan, who were not just performing here tonight, but also brought me a souvenir magnet from Chicago :)
Her stage performance turned me into a new fan of live music, where an artist controls and interact with the public, making jokes, etc. Basically she behaves like an absolute leader and makes fun even with relatively quiet and passive crowd. So you can easy feel the energy exchange :)
The club itself has a great atmosphere, nice design, it is without high prices and with enormous collection of blues artists' photos performed here, in Bites blūza klubs.

Labels: american, center, clubs, culture, famous, music, nightlife, people

Salsa became an ultra-popular leisure activity worldwide and particularly in Latvia.
Tens of clubs and study groups offer relatively cheap and qualitative salsa classes in Riga.
I guess nearly everyone in Riga dances or had danced Salsa, Mambo, Bachata or Reggaeton. Do you dance? :)

Labels: clubs, culture, education, hobby, music, people, snow, windows

This beautiful building built in 1910 in Art Nouveau architecture style is located on Smilsu iela 3.
It was headquarter of Parex Bank, the bank which was bought by Latvian government for 2 LVL (3€) 1 year ago.
Now the building is empty. The bank is still operating, but in another place.

Labels: banks, buildings, jugendstil, night, streets, vecriga, winter

Bruņinieku iela (Knight street) looks like rural road in winter, but it is one of the most important streets.
It starts next from Krisjana Valdemara iela, flows through the whole center and ends next to railway station Vagonu Parks.
During Soviet times it held another name - Sarkanarmijas iela (Red Army Street)
It has many wooden buildings, Riga First Hospital is also located on Bruninieku iela.

Labels: cars, lights, night, snow, streets, winter

A huge traffic jams this morning made thousands of people delay their work.
Snowstorm last night brought additional 20 centimeters of snow. Some snowdrifts are higher than 1,5 meters (5 feet)

Labels: brivibas, incidents, snow, streets, teika, traffic, tramways, transport, vef, weather, winter

This fairy tale picture was taken today in Šmerļa forest, which is between Teika and Jugla neighborhoods.
Recent and frequent snow storms brought to Riga unseen amount of snow for many years.
This photo is made for City Daily Monthly Theme, which is Wood. Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

Labels: forest, jugla, roads, snow, teika, themes, trees, weather, winter, wooden