Rainbow

Today, immediately after a heavy rainfall, the sun showed up and surprised with a full rainbow across the dark skies. It was a great moment to take a break from work.

Relaxing

Calm evening by the lake Kisezers between Bergi and Jaunciems - remote suburb area.

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.

Diversity in Riga

It is so cool to have trees with red leafs decorating urban landscape - unfortunately not too many in Riga.

Abandoned

The cobblestone street named Kungu enters the Old Riga to the right. The street is wide enough, but it is closed for driving mainly because of the tram line.

Brewery

Aldaris is a brewery in Sarkandaugava, definitely one of the biggest and the most popular in Latvia. The taste of the beers differs, and I choose other brands, if you ask.

I will fly some day

Even though he looks amusing, he is Baltic and Russian champion. He is in search for a girlfriend currently, seriously...well, even if he does not appear to you as such:)

The Shortest

It will be upside down from tomorrow:) - the culmination of eternal cycle of nights fighting against days, the darkness against light and the evil against good will be lost...for a moment... till winter solstice.

Urban solutions

As you all know and likely experience to drive a car is getting more and more expensive and not particularly quick in the urban environment:)

It looks like some Polish tourists are visiting Riga - look at the number plate of that couch.

Working at school

Few days before summer school holidays I took this photo at my former high school. The policy of the school was and obviously still is to exploit as much schoolchildren manpower as possible. We were cleaning the surrounding area, indoors and working in kitchen.
What was your experience?

Ice Cube

Its kind of cool to have an Ice Cube in the middle of a central City park (Kronvalda parks), isn't it? I guess you do not know what I am talking about, well have a closer look at a writing on the right rooftop:)

The Corner

The corner of Kr. Barona and Dzirnavu streets is honoured by a presence of a gorgeous building with statues and columns.

Vecmilgravis

Stormy skies were hiding a sector of a rainbow, I was starting to think, where to hide from a rain.

Rooftop

Brivibas (Freedom) street towards centre and the lightened building - Dailes theatre. To get on this rooftop I had to guess the door code.

Skroderdienas Silmacos

Performance is over, and few spectators gather in front of the National theatre either to wait for taxi or chit-chat about "Taylors days in Silmachi" (this could be nearly close translation from latvian), one of the most popular comedy and love story. As well as the story itself, the show goes on right before summer solstice.

Vanilla sky

Todays changing weather prepared skies above Riga for a dramatic sunset. The lampposts are ready to take over the lightening of Riga passenger port.

Fishing in Riga Canal

I am always amazed to see people instead of fishing somewhere out of Riga staying at the banks of Riga Canal - must be plenty of fish there:)...well, I doubt it.

Don't walk!

Five fancy bicycles that make people's heads turn.

Radio bar

It's a lighter in her hands, so she can set the B52's on fire. To drink this without burning your nose, you will need one of those red straws. But be quick, the straw will melt in no time.
P.S. That remote on her waist is a panic button for alerting security.

George Armitstead and his Mrs

The most significant Riga City Mayor looked after us from 1901 till 1912 when he died. At that time he converted Riga into modern European city. He introduced tram, built National Theatre, built Riga Hospital No1, Market places, Jaunmoku Castle and many important engineering projects. Now famous Art Nouveau (Jūgendstils) buildings were built at his time.

Follow the golden rooster

A scene from Old Riga near Dome square. The golden rooster on top of the Dome church tower may lead your way through the old town, if you know which particular golden rooster you are following. This is not the only one :)

Dream factory

In this photo you can see "Sapnu Fabrika" - a place where different streams of art and culture meet the public. The modern culture centre is ready to stage almost any kind of performance.

Daugavgrivas Fort

I am sure not many Rigans now about Daugavgrivas Fort. The plan (as it was in 1788 - more than 200 years ago) is at the top right and if you look closely at the bottom left corner you'll recognise the shape.

P.S. My sincere apologies this was the best pic of the area in my collection

Stockmann

This is the only place in Riga where there is a pedestrian walkway installed in tunnel built on Riga Canal. By the way it is underneath the building I posted yesterday.

Baltic Cinema

Managed by Finns, controversial architecture wise and not friendly in providing pedestrian access - the biggest glass wall..., sorry, cinema in Baltic states ... in reflecting back towards the edge of Old Riga.

Parade

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

Getting high

If you want to see Riga from up above without your feet touching the ground, the only two cheapest possibilities are human levitation and paragliding. The last one can be done from any plain terrain, where car with a motorwinch on the roof can tow the paraplan. So when the paragliders get airbourne till 2 kilometres, they release the cable and enjoy descending. The car driver stops unwinding and switches to rewinding the rope on the spool. Now check out once more previous post with that LADA Niva.

Ghost busters

Tomorrow I will tell you who they really are and what they actually do with this, but for now, while looking closely at this photo, you might want to take a chance and guess, what this old LADA Niva is equiped for.

Bungee jumpin'

If there is no park or playground, kids will think of something. Watch these brave ones swinging beneath the branches of an oak tree. Do you know, how they get themselves in motion? They climb the tree holding the rope end, then bungee jumps from some 4 or 5 metres reaching some serious swinging amplitude. It's fun and it's for free!

Subliminal message

This photo is displayed in a primary school in public area. It clearly conveys a message a child can not consciously analyse. You might read it differently, but for me the photo says - you will fail to free yourself and will stay behind the bars. "Behind the bars" interpretation is particularly interesting to me and could go further - it could be a system, a school itself, a freedom of choice and so on.