Latvia – the partner country of “International Green Week Berlin”

We were proud to represent Latvia and particularly rural tourism during this year’s “International Green Week” at Berlin.

 

Related articles:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lettland-Internationale-Gr%C3%BCne-Woche-Za%C4%BC%C4%81-ned%C4%93%C4%BCa-2015/343782465787118?fref=ts

http://www.lsm.lv/en/article/economics/economy/latvia-helps-organize-international-growers-show-in-berlin.a114042/

 

Riga in Latvia among the world’s trendiest districts

 Miera Iela, Riga: The suburb is home to a bohemian community of shopkeepers, publicans, gallery-owners, painters, writers and stylish layabouts

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-2837916/The-hipster-guide-world-poor-inner-city-districts-achingly-cool-beards-optional.html#ixzz3JyOee6Zb

 

What Latvians celebrated on Lačplēša Day, November 11?

 

 

 

 

Download information here

Latvian Contemporary Artists

When the Riga’s time as a Capital of Culture of Europe is coming to an end soon here is a good article about Latvian contemporary art scene.

Latvian Artists and Where to find them.  Read here.

Will former Kemeri Sanatorium ever open its doors to tourists again?

Kemeri is a place where the whole history of  now popular Jurmala resort started. It is  thanks to sulfur springs and curative mud found in the surrounding which is nowdays  Kemeri National Park. At the end of 30-ies Kemeri became an import balneotherapy’s  center in Europe. There were several sanatoriums in operation and the place became even more popular and alive during Soviet times.

The time went on, Latvia gain its independence, many state own establishments went into private hands. But Kemeri history went downhill. Nobody was interested to make massive investments in order to keep up those big sanatorium hotels. There is almost nothing left from the earlier day glory and beauty.  However there is one architectural treasure – Kemeri sanatorium which its struggling for its existence.

Eventually, in 1995, it was bought by Saudi Arabian company “Ominasis Latvia” which did at least some renovation work to prevent the building from further deterioration but nothing much further was done. Everyone was left waiting. Neither local authority nor government could not interfere into process. So, the “big white ship”was standing for years and years fenced and deserted as a sad reminder of former glory.

Last year the Arab investor went bankrupt and the  Kemeri sanatorium hotel was put on auction. For some time there was no interest but now the case moved forward.  Russian investor Aleksander Gusakov has expressed an interest into buying and developing the hotel. He  has already paid some security money. Apparently there has been talks with French company “Vichy” which has agreed to operate the hotel.

Gusakovs is an owner of the hotel chain Heliopark with hotels in Germany, Egypt and 10 ones in Russia. “Vichy” has several medical hotels across Europe which uses curative mineral-waters.

So far so good. However the big question remains – will and when the hotel open its doors to tourists? Apart of selling price (3-5 million euros), Gusakov will need to invest at least 12 million more to develop the hotel. Is he really able to do so since he had some financial problems recently?

Photo: Jurmala.lv

“Go Rural”, Latvian rural tourism product brochure is out

Yesterday,  the Latvian Rural Tourism Association was holding a press event at the “3 Pavaru restorans” in Riga to inform about the results of this season, projects and

Photo: V.Osins, http://www.garsigalatvia.lv. Presenting “Go Rural” brochure. From left: Eva Staltmane, Elina Kaleja, Asnate Ziemele

ongoing work. Asnate Ziemele, the president of the association said that there was  a significant increase of the  tourist numbers this season, in average about 12%. Main foreign source markets has been Russia, Germany and Lithuania. A fear that the number of Russian tourists would drop (which is the main market), has not turned into reality yet. The local tourists has returned as well as corporate events and summer camps.

  In the positive atmospere of this season,  a new rural tourism product brochure “Go Rural” was presented. It contains self-drive   tours, family tours and group tours, farm stays and open farms of the local producers. Some of the tours are totally new product segments for Latvia, like food and drink tours, cooking classes and rural tourism study tours. To stress the culinary angle, the local producers had bought their produce to the event. But “3 Pavaru restorans” chef, Eriks Dreibants,  had prepared examples of the up-market modern Latvian cooking.

“Go Rural” broshure can be downloaded here.

 

AirBaltic helps their passengers to reach their planes

Livivng about 120 km from Riga airport I was very pleased to hear that airBaltic launches its new service – airBaltic Bus to the regional cities of the three Baltic States – Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania. Bus aims at improving the connectivity of regional cities and giving customers better access to the airBaltic flights.

airBaltic Bus is a free bus service offered to airBaltic passengers travelling to and/or from Riga International Airport. The bus service links the airport to the central bus stations in Valmiera, Jekabpils, Jelgava and Daugavpils in Latvia, Tartu in Estonia, Siauliai in Lithuania. Buses run according to a set schedule synchronised with airBaltic flight arrival and departure times, in order to offer convenient connections to airports in Europe, the Middle East and Russia/CIS. After booking their airBaltic flights, customers can then request the free bus service on the airBaltic website.
Deatailed information about the bus services here. https://www.airbaltic.com/en/bus

Regions represented at the prestigious Riga Food Festival

One of the biggest  and most prestigious food festivals in the Baltic states “Riga Food” has just finished. That is a play area of serious food producers  to show their new products, establish contacts and set trends. This is a must-see festival for specialists and gourmets.  Food lines compete for the best product title, restaurants and chefs show their creativeness, know-how and compete in several different categories. Some of the created meals make your mouth water just looking at them. True adventure for anyone who likes good food!

This year there were new elements at the exhibition – exciting regional stands which gave an opportunity for home and small producers to take part as well.  Small producers are more for the interest and entertainment of visitors rather than professional contacts because most of them work up to their maximum capacity anyway.  But people have an interest in them and many of them are open farms/production sites which welcome tourist visits. I have observed this tourism trend for last few years – a definite move towards the local, authentic and personal. From a tourism perspective there is lots to offer. It’s not only tasty food and drinks but also interesting speakers who know how to engage the viewers in their work, which is usually their over-riding passion.

At the Vidzeme regional  stand I was pleasantly surprised to meet my local confectioners “Vinetas un Annas Kārumlāde”, and the quality alcohol producer “Veselibas laboratorija”. There was also my long time favorite “Adzelvieši” – hemp product producers, “Kalna Smīdes” – exclusive honey, along with many others.

Latgale region specifically mentioned their beaver connection. There is a place called Bebrene (Beaver’s place) and they make good usage of the link with a variety of beaver-derived products. 

Zemgales region, sometimes known as “Latvia’s bread basket” was widely represented.

There was Daira Jātniece from “Vaidelotes” who bakes wonderful pastries from their own full grain flour as well as teaches how to use healthy full grain in other products. Among the other products on the stand was a tasty goats’ cheese as well as biological bread chips that particularly got my attention!

Kurzeme region during the last few years has been working on the introduction of their own product brand “Ražots Kurzemē” (Made in Kurzeme) which is applied to both food and drink production. On the stand there were a few wine makers represented since Kurzeme is a place where historical vineyards existed from the 16th century and now wine making traditions are undergoing something of a regeneration.

Also notable were traditional food products from Suiti territory, a distinctive community which now has been listed in the UNESCO heritage list.  Particularly interesting was ice-cream made from goats milk.

During the last few years the number and quality of home and small producers working in parallel with tourists has grown enormously. Also the variety of products as well as a revival of traditional products which used to be hard to find. It is good news for Latvian tourism. It seems that rural tourism is going into the right direction, following the general trends elsewhere. 

Photos used are from our visits to the producers on spots.

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Boosting tourism on Latvia’s West Coast

I’m just back from an inspection trip of cultural heritage sites on the West coast of Latvia, Curland (or Courland, or Kurland, or Kureme!). First surprise came when I tried to make a reservation for our accommodation. Everything was full and we hardly found a place to stay overnight. All our visited hosts were extremely busy, tired but positive. Business was running well.

The hotel Roja was developing a coastal heritage programme: “Feast at the fishermen’s home”.  Tourists can experience the traditional fishermen’s lifestyle by going to sea in the early morning, then making fish soup on a bonfire, repairing nets, tasting freshly smoked fish, and even singing and dancing sea shanties.

Pitagi guest house and camping while fully occupied were improving infrastructure of their territory – making foot bridges, an information kiosk and building new cabins. They were also using traditional materials in innovative ways, for example, stacking fireplace logs in such a way that they separated the space between cabins, giving a bit of privacy to each. Or using old boats cut in cross-section as decorative elements.

Cape Kolka, the most popular part of the Slitere National Park has an improved visitor center, improved information stands (since the previous one fell on someone’s head!) and offer an interesting product – sleeping in a special barrel on the beach to watch storms. Storms are especially magnificent here since the Gulf of Riga meets the open sea and the waves meet here, often forming strange patterns in the sea.

Spelmanu Tavern (Spelmanu krogs) is located in the special territory inhabited by the Suiti community. Bright, expressive and rich in traditions. The community is on the UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage. Spelmanu krogs offers traditional regional meals, making Suitu bread and a special tourism programme which introduces Suiti culture and distinctive ‘drone’ singing. The tavern has reconstructed their second floor creating four guest rooms and a pleasant terrace with a lake view.

I was driving along those empty, good quality coastal roads with dunes covered by pine forests, very few houses and no industry around thinking – we Latvians are so fortunate to have such space. I hope there never will be big hotels and standardized tourism products with private beaches not accessible to the general public.

Reflections On Midsummer Solstice

The biggest seasonal celebration in Latvia – Jani (Midsummer Solstice) is over. 23-24 June is a holiday here. Jani is celebrated everywhere – there are many public events as well as often wilder celebrations in private in the countryside.

But how exactly Jani is celebrated? A few things are almost always present during Jani: a bonfire, caraway-seed cheese, beer, special ‘Ligo’ songs and a BBQ. If it is a public event – then usually it is some sort of concert with songs on the Ligo/Jani theme.

However much of that is a more modern day invention and to some extent the result of oppression of the ancient pagan tradition by foreign rulers. The meaning of the Midsummer Solstice has been taken out.

Happily, there is a tendency that more and more people are looking for deeper meanings of the traditions and wanting to celebrate in a more authentically traditional way. This year there were many events where people could go and learn about almost forgotten Jani traditions.

Latvians were rediscovering their own traditions. Although Jani is normally celebrated outside the city, many events took place in Riga. There was tradition learning in Bastlejkalns, pre-Jani events almost in every district of Riga, and also at the Open-air Ethnographic Museum. On 22nd June there was the traditonal Grass market in the Old Town then on 23-24 June there was a huge event by the Daugava river.

According to the sun’ s annual circle the true date for celebrating Midsummer Solstice is 21 June and it was interesting to note increased interest in this date with sun and fire rituals, singing and in some ways a more reverential tone than on Jani night itself.

Turaida Museum Reserve is one of the places where Jani is always celebrated on 21st June. Going there it was nice to see the phenomena which you won’t see in any other Western European country – many cars were park by the road side near meadows where grass is up to a man’s waist. Many people were wandering along the meadows collecting wild flowers and making crowns.

We did the same. The celebration in Turaida  is kept in more or less traditional way – during the day folk groups singing and dancing but at night

which is the shortest in the year – marking the sun’s setting and rising with rituals. There is free entrance (or voluntary donations) to the event and that is what attracts more people than it otherwise would.

Turaida’ s event is also the place where many tourists go to see the typically Latvian Midsummer Solstice celebrations.  I managed to get a nice feeling of celebration and learned some ritual songs and the procedures. During Midsummer Solstice the most important thing is to await the sunrise which occurs around 4 o’clock. That is energizing and magical moment.

Next day however I enjoyed a small-scale Grass Day at Araisi Museum Reserve. We were making cheese on the bonfire, collected herbal teas, learned to make flower crowns sitting at the reconstructed 9th century’s settlement listing how ancient people had lived there. In evening were Jani dances and games. A sweet and peaceful day.

By the official dates 23-24 June I had the feeling that Jani has been celebrated and now is a time for modern day tradition – BBQ with big bonfire.