RIGA , LATVIA

A 5-hour bus journey over a rolling, sandy plain brought us to Riga and another new world, at different times the biggest city in the Swedish empire and the greatest port in the Russian. It is indeed a big city, making Tallinn look quite provincial. The old centre on the east bank of the Daugava river contains a much modernised fortress and several mediaeval churches. We visited St Peter, but it was closed for a service on Sunday morning; however we went to St John were we heard an organ and flute recital. Going west one enters an area of broad boulevards, parks, a canal with little boats, the opera house and other signs of C19th bourgeois life. We went to a Strauss extravaganza by the national ballet (“An der schoenen blauen Donau”) in the evening. Full house.

On arrival we discovered that we had hit off the national holiday commemorating 150 years since the foundation of the Latvian Society (to promote national sentiment) and 100years since the declaration of independence!Furthermore it was the 817th anniversary of the city's foundation. So the whole city was in party mood - and buses and trams were free! We found folk music and even folk dancing, lots of handicrafts, local foods etc. Tourists were in a minority, in contrast with Tallinn... Due to this festival we did little conventional sight-seeing. We visited two venues where different regions displayed their wares -  Selonia in the south and Latgale in the east. Wool items (and knitting!) were very frequently offered, as well as wood-working, honey, linen and cheese.

Latvians seem very patriotic and independent - more markedly so than in the other two BS; but that impression may be the result of our visit coinciding with the Riga Festival. Russians make up nearly 30% of the population and seem to coexist without too much friction, although the Latvians have plenty of reminders of the Soviet occupation, including a museum devoted specifically to the subject. Our hotel catered almost exclusively to Russian men, and English was of little use. After 1991, ethnic Russians had to pass an exam in Latvian language and history to obtain Latvian citizenship. Some 250,000 have never done so and are non-citizens; however they will die off over time as anyone born in Latvia gets citizenship automatically.

An attractive characteristic of the Latvians is their love of flowers - there were many stalls selling, and plenty of people buying... our (not very smart) hotel was conveniently sited on the edge of the old centre next to the bus station and the market. It was full of Russians, but when you went out of the front door you were in a paradise of flowers with the overpowering scent of lilies.