I always feel sorry, when I write about casinos, especially which are built in a very poor areas of the city.
Estonian company Casino Olympic has a low of slot machines around the town, some of them has title Lounge, and some of them has Optibet representative, the only Latvian totalizator company.
Have you ever put a bet on sport?

Labels: agenskalns, casinos, estonian, nightlife, sports

A new apartment building on Kalnciema street in Pardaugava.
One part is a renovated wooden house and another is a building of concrete and glass.

Labels: buildings, houses, red, trees, wooden

Swedbank Cashpoint on Balozu street was built in a wrong place, or there is another invisible one! :)

Labels: banks, devices, funny, swedish, writings

Fashion show was held yesterday evening at Riga Technical University.
More than 20 new and talented Latvian designers have been showcasing their line of clothing.
It is the last event before all of them will get a degree in design.

Labels: design, education, events, fashion, girls, show, universities

Discussion about blogs and blogging was held in one of faculties of Latvian University .
As usually that kind of events contain a lot of demagogy and "trash", but it is always useful to visit them just because you might had miss some blogging basics before.
Since today Riga Photos has twitter account. Please follow :)

Labels: blog, education, people, universities

Lutera evaņģēliski luteriskā baznīca (Evangelic Lutheran Church of Martin Luther) was built in 1891.
It is located on the hill in Tornakalns (literally Tower Hill) area, not very from the station.
The community of Tornakalns Lutheran church is the biggest Lutheran community in Latvia and numbers nearly 4000 members.

Labels: buildings, churches, gothic, hills, lutheran, spring, tornakalns, towers, trees

Lido Restaurant at Krasta is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Riga.
National Latvian cuisine, local own brewing and live music can be found in Lido.
It was opened in 1999 and initially was one of the cheapest food place in Riga. Indeed, you could eat as much as you can for 1-2 Lats (3-4 EUR), then times has been changed and Lido became a place with average prices.
After the crisis came, Lido was one of the first companies who had reduced their prices, almost in twice.

Labels: bars, buildings, cars, food, kengarags, maskachka, music, restaurants, sights, taxi

Laimētava Fenikss (Slot Machines Phoenix) is one of most popular resort of the regular labourers.
In fact it is one of the hundreds Riga casinos. Those regular people are addicted to gambling and can't do anything about it, just spend the whole monthly wage in one night.

Labels: agenskalns, bars, buildings, casinos, night, nightlife

Krasta masīvs (Krasta Area) is a district around Krasta street, in fact part of Maskavas Forstate.
A lot of Soviet apartment buildings, shopping malls are located here.

Labels: bridges, buildings, houses, kengarags, maskachka, neighbourhoods, panoramas, roofs, soviet

Aspazija (Aspasia) is the most famous Latvian female poet. She is also famous as life's companion of Rainis.
Because of their political views they both were expelled to Pskov for 5 years, and then run away to Switzerland.
Upon their return to Independent Latvia in 1920, two of the most beautiful Riga boulevards were named in honor of Aspazija and Rainis.
She died in 1943 at home in Dubulti, Jurmala town. This monument is located few meters from her house.

Labels: dubulti, latvian, monuments, night, persons, statues, trees

Last but one Soviet building in Old town is being demolished these days. Address Audeju iela 12 doesn't exist anymore.
Just few weeks ago it was home for an alternative night club called Space Garage.
The last standing Soviet-type building in Vecriga is Occupation Museum, which is going to have a long life, I suppose.
See also destruction of RTU building.

P.S. Is here any native English speaker? :) Did I use "Last but one" in a right and understandable form? :)

Labels: buildings, industrial, soviet, vecriga

GPS Navigation systems are becoming more and more advanced.
Since recently you can travel through Riga via GPS and see many buildings in photographic 3D quality.
E.g. Academy of Sciences from Elijas iela.

Labels: buildings, center, devices, houses, maps, skyscrapers, streets

Православный кафедральный собор Св. Иоанна Предтечи or Sv. Jāņa Priekšteča pareizticīgo katedrāle (St. John the Baptist Orthodox Cathedral) is located in Maskavas Forstate.
Initial building was the reassembled wooden All Saints church in 1883, which got new name of St. John the Baptist.
There is no clear information when the brick building with onion domes was built, but it was somewhere between 1911 and 1923.

Labels: buildings, churches, maskachka, orthodox, religious, white

The second performance of Metallica in Riga was finished few hours ago, this time in Arena Riga.
I was witness of amazing performance of James Hetfield and his band.

Labels: american, arena, famous, lights, music, people, show

Thousands of flights are cancelled because of Volcanic ash over Nordic countries, including Latvia.
More than 20,000 passengers get stuck in Riga airport, which is closed for all flights since yesterday evening.

Labels: airplanes, airports, devices, incidents, interior, international, nature, people

Kurzemes prospekts (Kurzeme avenue) is a huge street around the whole Imanta neighbourhood.
Together with Jurmalas gatve the Kurzemes prospekts forms a regular pentahedron.
Illuminated at night 120-meters tall chimney belongs to Imanta heating plant. Plant was built in 1975.

Labels: chimneys, imanta, industrial, lights, night, streets, towers, traffic

Dubulti Stacija (Dubulti Station) is one of the stops on the Riga - Sloka railway, originally opened in 1877.
The current building was built by Soviet architects in 1977. The station shape reminds a high wave.

Labels: buildings, dubulti, jurmala, lights, railway, soviet, stations, traffic

Enjoy the Symphony of Riga for 87 EUR.
I love airBaltic, because it is nearly the only thing that reminds of Riga outside of Latvia.
I found this ad in Amsterdam Airport Schiphol.

Labels: ads, airplanes, airports, music, outside latvia, people, prices, riga, writings

Embassy of Poland (Ambasada Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej w Rydze)
Last days a lot of people came here to lay down a funeral wreath, lit the candle and pay their respects.
12 April 2010 is announced as a national day of mourning in many countries including Latvia.

Labels: buildings, center, embassies, incidents, polish

Biķernieku evaņģēliski luteriskā baznīca (Bikirnieki Lutheran Church) is also known as Biķeru baznīca.
The church was built in 1766 and Herder was the first teacher here for 33 years.
Like many other Riga churches, Bikeru Church has the golden cockerel on top.

Labels: baroque, buildings, churches, dreilini, lutheran, mezciems, trees

Lido at Krasta is one of the few places in Riga, where live performance is being held everyday.
Live music makes people dance waltz, cha-cha-cha and other ballroom dances every single day.

Labels: bars, culture, interior, music, nightlife, people, restaurants

Finally, Riga has got its own map with photographic street views, like many other cities in the world.
I have to say that it is not fully Google's product, but add-on from Latvian company 1188.
Limited amount of streets (basically only central region for now), low functionality, but it does work! Check it here.
If you have found some interesting pictures of street views, please share link in comments :)
After 2 years Google launched the same service Street View of Riga

Labels: center, maps, markets, people, streets

Just few Rigans know that word Riga stands not only for the capital of Latvia, but it is also name for some cities, towns and other places around the world.
Today it is exactly 201 year since Riga town was formed in the state of New York in United States of America. Nowadays Riga, NY is a small town with population of 6,000 people.
I hope one day I will take a plane to New York and take these pictures by myself, but for now I am sending big thanks for photos to Art and Jim from Riga, NY

Labels: american, birthdays, cities, outside latvia, riga, towns, writings

The tall building at Dzirnavu iela was the house of publishers, before all were moved to House of Press at Kipsala.
It was built in 1939 as the most tallest building in Riga, except churches and VEF Tower.

Labels: buildings, center, lights, media, night, skyscrapers, towers

Scheme of Riga Map, on the wall next to Microbus' terminal, is painted since I remember myself.

Labels: ads, maps, neighbourhoods, riga, roads, traffic, transport

Yesterday Italian pop singer Eros Ramazzotti held finally a single concert in Arena Riga.
It was an unique and a very long-awaited performance, because of postponing since November 2009.
Close-up photo was taken by Irene.

Labels: arena, famous, italian, music, persons, red, show

Dubultu evaņģēliski luteriskā baznīca (Dubulti Evangelic Lutheran Church) was built in 1909 in the place of old wooden prayer house, which was here, at Baznicas iela, since 1851.
26 meters (85 ft) tall tower with clock is one of the most notable sights in Jurmala town.
Happy Easter.

Labels: buildings, churches, clocks, dubulti, holidays, jugendstil, jurmala, lutheran, religious, towers

Salve in Latin means Welcome or simply Hello ;)
The building itself was built in 1910 and located at 27, Ernesta Birznieka-Upisa street.

Labels: buildings, doorways, fashion, girls, jugendstil, latin, people, streets, writings

VEF Bank is one of 21 participants in Latvian banking system.
I have never heard anything about VEF Bank. I don't know anybody who has bank account there, hence I can't say anything about it.

Labels: banks, brivibas, buildings, eclecticism, teika, vef

During the early spring everything in the country looks gray, except Red clothes on the clothesline.
Today's monthly theme is Red, click here to view thumbnails for all participants
Also, check other photos labelled under Red.

Labels: country, houses, red, spring, themes, yards