Milda

The frost will not stop her holding her arms upright.

Sent in by Dace Rotkale

The gathering

Yesterday after the finish of BalticWay relay, all the participients, patriots and spectators visited our Freedom monument, where the president Valdis Zatlers made speech, thanking also our brother countries in their language.

Towards freedom

A view from junction of Brivibas blv. and Kalpaka blv. towards Old Riga. It cannot be seen, but it is right behind the Freedom monument.

How free are we?

Two landmarks and symbols of Riga - Freedom Statue and St Peter's Church. Freedom Statue really translates from Latvian as Freedom Monument, but I refuse to accept that our freedom is gone. Why gone? Because the word "monument" implies that our freedom is commemorated.

Getting off the duty

Two Freedom Statue guards just finished their shift and are getting in the minivan. The third one is always accompanying the two beginners and always escorts other two. Normally they would march at the front and the side and then just finish off the walk naturally.

Parade

They marched down through the Riga Old Town orchestring cheerfully a week ago.

Near Old Riga

I also have captured a monument of freedom from the left side, but more visible are the padlocks on the bridge, the story of which was told in the post on 11th of December 2007. By the way Old Riga is on the right.

Freedom Monument

Although not of very good quality the Freedom Monument I photographed from the BastejHill (Basteklans).

Freedom Monument (Statue)

Even though Karlis posted a close up of it, I am posting it again. This time I would like to comment or just to oppose the idea that the name "Freedom Monument" implies that our freedom is our past and therefore we have the monument for it, so we remember we had freedom once. I think we should rename it, what do you think?

Freedom

Freedom is a good word to end a year and to start another one - only better. I wish to all of you happiness, freedom, health and love. All the other things can be bought.
P.S. Today we got lots of snow and that is the best present for this year :)

Summer&People

As autumn is turning into a winter I already start to think about summer:)
I would call it a "Freedom Square":) - the entrance to the Riga Old Town is behind me and the Freedom Monument is in front.

Park

Sunday night at Basteja hill park. On the right out of the scene is the Freedom monument.

- Stay where you are!

This is Freedom Monument with the Old Riga in the background. The trolleys used to drive aroun it some twenty years ago but not any more - nowadays it is the pedestrian area.