Magnetto Hotel aka Viesnīca Magnetto is another conceptual work by anonymous artist.
Also, check Photos of other existing Riga Hotels

Labels: airplanes, art, center, design, devices, future, hotels, lights, night, projects, towers, transport

There are several stones in Riga marking historical borders of town.
One of them located on Jurmalas Gatve few kilometers away from current city border.

Labels: buildings, devices, history, imanta, roads, streets, trees

When I saw a brutal skyscraper in New York with no windows, I told to myself WTF? :)
At that moment I didn't know that in Riga we have something similar. This building technically is only 2 floor high, but it could fit more than 5, and has absolutely no windows.

Labels: buildings, cars, center, devices, maskachka

A new TV Tower in Riga, now in center :)

Labels: art, center, devices, show, towers, tv

Try to guess, which airport this photo was taken in? :)
I would advice to not check comments, otherwise you will spoil this quiz for yourself :)

Labels: airports, devices, outside latvia, writings

Riga is getting prepared to New Year parties around the town. The mass celebration will be held in Old Town.
By the way, Riga Ferris wheel will work tonight all night long!
I wish you all the positive and successful New Year 2011!

Labels: brivibas, children, devices, entertainment, holidays, night, people, windows

Do you remember summer photo titled 152 Days? It was counting days left to the first Advent Sunday.
This counter was also promoting celelbration of the First Christmas Tree. It was believed that Riga had hosted the very first Christmas Tree 500 years ago next to Blackheads house.
In fact recently, some more old sources revealed that the First Christmas tree was erected in Tallinn. Sad.

Labels: christmas, devices, monuments, people, snow, streets, trees, winter

Running blog Riga Photos for almost 3 years I didn't make any money, but I have met a lot of interesting people :)

Labels: bars, blog, devices, media, panoramas, people

I must say thanks to all of you, my visitors. And say special thanks to the following guys:

• Angela from Australia
• Toby from Indiana
• Juan from Spain
• Kim from Scotland
• Martine from France
• A C Johnson from England

• Raffaele from Italy
• Line from Denmark
• Roman from North Carolina
• Andreas from Germany (the largest contribution)
• Petteri from Finland

These fellas helped me to buy Canon PowerShot SD4000 IS aka IXUS 300HS, which is the best pocket camera in the world at the moment. Unfortunately it is the most expensive as well :)
In any case your donations were the best feedback for my 3 years long project Riga Photos!

Psst.. you are always very welcome to drop some coins and your help is very appreciated. Please donate :)

Labels: blog, bridges, devices, panoramas, sunset, wealth

No one sorts waste in Latvia, hence public dumps look terrible and have a dreadful stench kilometers around.

Labels: country, devices, nature, shame, troubles, tukums

Somebody may think that Latvians are obsessed with Christmas, because we are already counting the days left till the New Year.
The big reason to expect Christmas and New Year eve is the celebration of 500 years since First Christmas tree was placed in Riga.
152 days are left till the fifth centenary of Christmas tree, which is already installed in Old Town.
See photo of counter in winter.

Labels: christmas, devices, holidays, summer, traditions, trees, vecriga

Relatively new private transport Segway is also available in Riga, for quick sightseeing for example.
Segway's designer predicts that in future everybody will use it as main transport on daily basis :)

Labels: center, devices, entertainment, parks, people, transport

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

Labels: banks, devices, funny, swedish, writings

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

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

What is Latvian Nokia? This is a new popular expression among people living in Latvia.
Sometimes Latvians compare themselves to Fins, who have much stronger economics despite very similar history, natural resources and more or less the same mentality.
State and private companies are often hope for a miracle, basically that some of their products or services will bring Latvian economics to much higher level as once Nokia did for Finland.
P.S. this is an old Soviet public telephone with dial. Quite rare thing nowadays, though.

Labels: design, devices, finance, finnish, politics, soviet

Gloomy vendor selling old cameras on flea market in Riga.
This counter could be considered as museum of photographic apparatus of all ages.

Labels: devices, jobs, markets, museums, people, shopping

How much of spam do you get daily in your post box?
By the way, flats in Latvia are being numbered, unlike as in many other countries, where the surname of flat tenant is being written on top of postbox.
Surnames in Latvia are being considered as quite private information. No one likes to make it public.

Labels: devices, life, post

Typical post box in Riga belonged to Latvijas Pasts.
Pay a little attention to the writing on the glas :)
It is in 3 languages (from top till down) Latvian, English and Russian.

Labels: brivibas, devices, multilingual, post, projects, writings

Blackheads House is one of best designed sights in Riga.
Even small gate posts have black heads :)
Museum of Occupation can be seen on background.

See also Webcam on square of Blackheads House.

Labels: buildings, devices, medieval, squares, statues, vecriga