iki is another cheap Lithuanian retail shop, like Maxima. The legend says that iki in Lithuanian means bye :) This shop is located next to tramway 4 terminal station, a very strategic point of Imanta neighbourhood, hence it has changed many owners and names during past 20 years. For example the area around shop is still nicknamed after former shop name Nelda.
Another monument devoted to the revolution of 1905 is located in one of Riga suburbs, Ulbroka town. It is the main sight of the small town, which is located on the fork of two roads Riga-Ogre and Riga-Ergli.
Ozolciema iela (literally Eichendorfstrasse or Oakville street) during freezing but sunny winter morning. Last days the temperature in Riga is around -15 °C (5 °F) Ozolciema iela is the border of Zepniekkalns area and Riga city at the same time.
A great photograph exhibition is being held now in Rigas Makslas Telpa (Riga Art Space) The exposition is related to criticism of Soviet architecture. Lots of interesting materials, photos and quotes in one place. I couldn't imagine that more than 2/3 of Riga population are living in standardized apartment buildings, which are almost the same. And only 3,6% of Rigans are living in center. I highly recommend this art exhibition to all native people to visit it. The entry fee is 1-3 EUR only.
Soviet apartment buildings painted in green in Bolderaja neighborhood. Basically this is the first view you see when enter Bolderaja area, which is one of the most closest to the Sea.
Šķirotava (Classification yard) is a freight train station found at Kengarags, used to separate railroad cars on to one of several tracks. An areal photo of huge industrial facility was found at Central Station photo exhibition. Latvian Railway celebrates 90 years anniversary this year. See such views on your own during Riga aircraft tours
Beginning of one of the most prestigious neighborhoods within Riga borders - Teika. Podium - is one of the most expensive shopping malls in Riga, selling exclusive products only. VEF Culture Center and LMT Central office could be found on background. Also Jauna Teika building is on background left corner. Far chimneys are TEC I.
Picture of last week Flood in Riga and followed up transport problems in Plavnieki neighbourhood. Thankfully floods and other nature disasters are not common in Riga, so this photo could be considered as really rare shot.
Quite rare natural optical effect - double rainbow, which I cought in Salaspils suburb. Between the two bows lies an area of unlit sky referred to as Alexander's band.
Riga has just few commuter towns aka suburbs, one of them is Ķekava which basically is small village in the south of Riga. Kekava is famous for its nature and the biggest in Latvia raising broilers farm. Here is road from Riga directly to Kekava, and further to Lithuania which border is 86 km from Riga.
Last week new stadium was opened in Riga District, more precise in Salaspils town. During 4-year building many artifacts were found, for example weapons of Polish–Swedish Wars.
Garciems (Long Village) is a small village in the North-East of Riga. Generally built up with small private houses and steadings. Garciems is famous for its immediate proximity to the Sea and for its wide marshlands which attracts mushroomers of different ages :)
A cloverleaf interchange at the intersection of Jūrkalnes iela and Kārļa Ulmaņa gatve Jurkalnes iela is the road which connects Zolitude area to Riga Airport. Karla Ulmana gatve is the main highway which connects Riga City and Jurmala Resort Town.
One of the oldest living areas situated on Riga West Side is Iļģuciems Iļģuciems takes its name from the Old German Hilgen geest have (Farmstead of the Holy Spirit) That was the name of the local village and surroundings since 15 century. Iļģuciems was joined to Riga in 1785, after big Riga expanding towards the West. The major street is Daugavgrivas street and Dzirciema street, which run parallel across the whole Iļģuciems. This photo was taken from small airplane over Lilijas iela (Lily street)
Jaunie Saurieši (New Saurieshi) is a new (just 3 years old) district in Salaspils. Nowadays it is a common sight of Salaspils town. Easy loans suddenly allowed people to buy new housing, so new houses started filling up unused fields. Private House price is more than 100 000 EUR, despite it is located more than 40km from Riga Center.
Jūrmalas gatve (Jurmala highway) is the road which together with Riga - Jurmala Railway makes the border between Zolitude and Imanta suburbs. Basically, this old road connecting Riga to Jurmala resort town. Nowadays, Kārļa Ulmaņa gatve (Karlis Ulmanis highway) is more used for that purpose.
Many neighborhoods in Riga are divided in even smaller parts. They are named with ordinal numbers. Imanta 5 is the fifth and the last section of big Imanta area, located on West Bank. The main sight of Imanta 5 is the former big store Jūra (means Sea) depicted on photo. Close to Jura store is Imanta Station.
New and shiny skyscraper Astra Lux grew up in Purvciems suburb, and became the second tallest building in Riga's right side. The price of flats and offices varies from 2000 Eur per square meter. Penthouse is much more expensive of course :)
Riga Reservoir built on Daugava river in 1974 close to Salaspils town.
This is the main source of tap water and electricity for adjacent cities, like Riga.
Electricity made by Rigas HES (Riga Hydroelectric Power Plant) and distributed through Electrical wiring.
This photo is for Monthly Theme Day, which is "Water"
All other blogs participating in this theme day:
Imanta Stacija (Imanta Station) is a station on the railway between Riga and Jurmala. The Station located between two suburbs Imanta and Zolitude. The station building built in the end of 19 century, when the railway to Jurmala was just finished.
Zolitūde (from French Solitude) aka Zolik is Soviet type neighbourhood on the Riga West Side. Formerly was planned as an extension of adjacent Imanta suburb, with the code name Imanta 6, after Imanta 5. As many other Soviet style areas, Zolik was specially designed to resist a nuclear blast during threatening atomic warfare. This is why all buildings placed in special order to protect themselves. Try yourself Riga sightseeing trip by plane
Ziepniekkalns (Soap Maker's Hill) or simply Zepchik how it is called among Russian-speaking Rigans, is one of the latest neighborhoods in Riga built up in early 1990s. Like Purvciems on the east, Zepchik is forming Riga border, but southwest. And both of them look like typical Soviet suburbs. Typical streets with typical houses where are identical quite cheap flats. But soon prices here will go up a bit, due the building of South Bridge, which will connect Ziepniekkalns to East Bank.
Would you like to see whole Zepniekkalns with your own eyes? Apply for Riga Sky tour.
Salaspils is a small town located in suburban area of Riga. Its population is 20 thousands of people. Actually it is a city since 1993, but mostly of Salaspils residents work and study in Riga. So it is just a matter of time, when whole Salaspils will be inside of Riga borders.
Riga suburbs don't have any significant sights and all of them look pretty similar. On this picture you can see the heart of Purvciems neighbourhood in Riga - Mēbeļu Nams (Furniture House) It is a biggest Furniture store in Riga, built in the middle of 80's.
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...
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