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

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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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.

Traditional Latvian Sauna Experience

Zaķīšu pirtiņa. One of saunas at Lielzemenes. Photo from http://www.lielzemenes.lv archive.

There is a saying in Latvia that one is newly born after attending a sauna ritual. So, I decided that a few days before my birthday was about the time to be reborn and headed to Lielzemenes pirts (sauna or bathhouse) where pirtnieki (sauna professionals) Juris and Aelita live and work. They have studied ancient sauna rituals and are now trying to regenerate almost forgotten traditions at their established Pirts skola (sauna school).

In Latvian mythology the sauna has dual meaning. It is a place to get clean (physically and spiritually) but it is also a sacral space  where life’s main events take place, like giving birth and sending-off the deceased on their last journey.  The bath spirit lives there and the main Latvian goddesses go to wash there too.  This is certainly not the Finnish-type of sauna known across the world.

Going to Lielzemenes I did not know what to expect. If anything, I was a little wary that the sauna would be too hot, that it might be physically uncomfortable and my heart might not be able to bear it ( I’m usually about the first to leave a Finnish sauna when it hits 90C). I need not have worried, it was nothing like that.

The whole ritual takes 3-4 hours and is carefully conducted by the pirtnieks. The pirtnieks works with besoms made of different plants. There are oak tree besoms under your feet, linden tree besoms on your head and body massage (kind of switching) is done with birch tree besoms. Different plants are used in different seasons and for different reasons. The process is not only physical massage and sweating but also the inhalation of all the goodness in the plants.

It starts with sipping herbal tea. Then we go into a sauna room for the warm-up where the pirtnieks does a little switch with besoms and regulates the steam. After that there is more tea outside and cooling down. Then back again in sauna for special body scrub which supposed to clean your aura.

Afterwards I had a chance to experience different saunas – a tepee shape hut where hot stones are brought in and all the walls are covered with different plants. More switching and heating up, a quick swim in a cold pond and back in hut to relax and soak up all that lovely aroma.

Then comes the main part – when the pirtnieks does the proper switching, chanting special sauna words. When you’re absolutely hot, you’re taken to a freezing cold pool. That’s the point where I lost my senses, probably stopped breathing, saw my body lifelessly floating and the thought crossed my mind “That’s it. I’m dead.”  But , of course, the pirtnieks gets you back all alive again and your senses return. You feel the freezing water and want to be quickly back into the warm sauna. Your head spins around and your body feels all kind of internal shakes. Then it’s relaxing and warming up process which is followed by little snooze in the swings outside. Total sense of happiness and cleanness. Thank you Pirts gariņ (Sauna Spirit)!

Photo from http://www.lielzemenes.lv archive

By Eva Staltmane

Dreams become reality in Zemgale

Yesterday I participated in a familiarisation or ‘fam’ trip for Latvian travel agents and operators to rural Latvia, Zemgale region.

The trip involved a few farmsteads, taverns, lots of tasty home-made meals, visits to ancient castle mounds and mills.  Many of those places would not have existed without their owners’ enthusiasm, vision and strong will to make things happen, particularly when not that much spare money is available for funding.

Two objects in particular fascinated me.

Ausekļu dzirnavas – open-air ethnographic museum in Bārbele. Mārtiņš Mednis has turned his hobby and interest in local heritage, his collection of old tools, machinery and artifacts into an excellent, well-run tourism product. Why? “Because my wife was fed up of all that stuff lying everywhere around our house”. Now he is in the process of putting into action two mills – a reconstructed watermill and renovated windmill.

We are making pīrāgi

The museum is interactive, which makes it fascinating. All the machinery there is in working condition and is used in different group events. Twice a year there are two big public events – Spring works at the ancient farmstead and Autumn harvest works. Events involve crop cutting, threshing, ploughing the field, grinding grains, sawing, various crafts and many other smaller jobs.

In the mill house there is a kitchen with a bread oven. Here our activity took place. We were making traditional Latvian pastries with bacon filling (pīrāgi). They are so popular in Latvia but only a few people had ever made them before. Of course, our pīrāgi tasted fantastic!

Eastern part of the Semigalian castle is finnished

Another fascinating object is the Semigalian Wooden Castle in Tērvete – a reconstruction of one of the 12th century’s grandest castles of the region. Normunds Jērums – who works in the  police force – has studied Semigalian history for his whole life and has acquired a significant collection of ancient artifacts – mainly jewelry and armour.  At first the collection was open to the public in a little hut at the Tērvete Nature Park but it was not a very appropriate location and soon became too small. Then he decided to build full size ancient Semigalian castle. At the moment the Eastern part of the castle has been finished and Semigalian artifacts are exhibited there.

On 14th June, 13:00 there is an official opening of the castle. 

The amount of love and sheer hard work that have gone into both these projects to make them realities inevitably make you ask yourself: What I going to leave behind?

Vision of the ancient Semigalian castle

The first brand new acoustic concert hall is opened in Latvia.

Opening concert of GORS

It seems that there now will be another reason for culture tourists to go to Latgale region.

Just recently the Mark Rothko Center was opened in Daugavpils but on 29 May a new modern acoustic multi-functional concert hall GORS (translation: spirit) was opened in Rezekne.

GORS is the first such brand new building built in the Latvian region. In the words of internationally renowned Latvian pianist Viestards Simkus : “This is the first time in Latvia when classical music can be listened to as it should be listened to and sound as it should sound.”

The sound quality has been appreciated by many musicians in interviews as well as other technical solutions, stage as well as changing rooms. Also the building’s architecture, visual form and ambiance has been admired by many and it has brought Rezekne a totally different image as modern and forward looking.

The center has two concert halls – the Large Hall can take 1,000 seated audience and 2,500 standing. The Small Hall is designed for an audience of up to 250 and it can also be transformed into a 3D cinema.

Latgale has positively surprised all Latvia and even overtaken Riga, which will be a European capital of culture next year.

Latgalian fairy-tale concert performance at the opening concert

GORS sees its mission being not only the regional cultural center but also as a Latgalian embassy, a place where ancient traditions come alive and new ones are generated.  Several  internationally known  Latvian classical musicians took part in the opening concert but the first part was a moving concert performance of ancient Latgalian fairy-tales in Latgalian language (dialect which is significantly different from Latvian language and has become the basis of Latgalian identity) performed by the school children of Rezekne.

It’s all over good news and hopefully such culturally important events for the whole of Latvia will make Latgale region more accessible. Latgale has a rich and distinctive cultural heritage (still existing old pottery traditions, specific cuisine, unique mixture of catholic and pagan traditions). It is also known as Latvia’s lake district.

Latgalians like to differentiate themselves from the rest of Latvia, stressing their identity which was oppressed for many years.  Grand culturally important events which have happened in Latgale recently should mark a significant turning point in the region’s development.

Latvian Heritage Lives!

Latvian Heritage mark
http://www.kultura.celotajs.lv

If you come to Latvia and want to experience something truly Latvian then your guide should now be marked with the ‘Latvian Heritage’ symbol.

Latvia’s complex and often turbulent history means it has a sometimes confusing mix of cultural heritage so when people enquire about ‘typical’ Latvian things then it has always been difficult to show them.

Why? Because Latvian culture, like many others, is essentially a folk culture and for centuries the Latvian people were forced to be ashamed of that identity. Luckily there have always been people who made the traditions continue and kept the culture alive. It possesses true value and if presented in a simple, sincere way is something that the world is hungry for nowadays.

The first Latvian Heritage marks were issued to the first 12 people at a reception on May 1o. The mark was created by the Latvian Countryside Association “Lauku celotajs” working together with authorities in the cultural field – architects, folklorists, cultural workers, ethnographers and others. It is also supported by the Latvian Ministry of Culture and the minister Zanete Jaunzeme-Grende presented the first marks herself.

Latvian Heritage mark launch event

When we talk about heritage  there often are associations with museum shelves where everything is static and untouchable. On the contrary, the Latvian Heritage idea is to highlight  those people who keep the traditional  values alive and share them with other people (including tourists amongst others).

The mark is issued in several fields – for traditional architecture, food, seasonal celebrations and events, crafts, promotion of traditional lifestyle and preserving the landscape. There is no specifically ethnographic requirement, meaning things can move with the times while keeping the traditional elements in place.

Importantlyly. the mark of Latvian Heritage is given to the person, not to the place because most of the time it  has only been people’s enthusiasm which preserved and continued traditions.  Generally, the Latvian Heritage mark will be found at small, family-run rural businesses. However among the first receivers of the mark were bigger players too, such as the Valmiermuizas brewery.

The Latvian Heritage mark will be displayed in the premises’ public space – so that visitors can immediately see it. It will also appear in different promotional tourism materials.

Together with Lauku Celotajs we have already gone one step ahead, promoting local heritage by creating a tourism product manual for tour operators (Go Local ) as well as a cultural heritage map of Latvia and Estonia which is well Worth Seeing.

Click the links to find out more!