Souvenirs you may bring from Latvia

Some ask what souvenirs you may buy in Latvia. The usual answer is amber. However, it's not the only choice you have.

I've bought certain things in Latvia, which I consider to be perfect presents or souvenirs you may keep yourself or give to your friends.


 

A cycling trip to Engure.

Engure, a lake in Latvia,  is a part of an ancient sea separated from the Baltic Sea long ago by a strip of land. It is also famous for its abundant fauna including birds, cows, wild horses.


View Engure, Latvia in a larger map The trip to Engure (a town near the lake) took us about 8 hours including breaks for tea and refreshments, and swimming. The road is partially a highway, relatively busy, quiet at times. Partially it is a quiet road covered with asphalt all way long and is macadam on the sides. There is NO special lane for riding bikes. Just when you enter the towns on your way you'll have these bike lanes.

 After you pass Ragaciems, you'll see lots of nice beaches. The sea is deeper there and the beaches are not so crowded as in Jurmala.

Today' shopping in Kauguri

The market in Kauguri is not so large but it has everything: from different kinds of meat (Latvian produce) to vegetables and berries. Diary products are mostly home produce (some are from Litva and Estonia) and are very good. All - fresh and reasonably priced.

Today I've bought some berries.  Strawberries are at 2.50 lats per kilo. Sweet cherries - don't remember. Altogether all the berries cost me 4.87 lats. That's about 10 dollars.

Sweet cherries are good for your blood, have cancer-preventive components, good for digestion.

 

The Kauguri cat posing on the balcony.

Latvian Beach near Jurmala

Shopping in Riga and Shopping Centre "Spiice".

You may give me unapproving looks and talk behind my back that I'm excessively fond of shopping, even have a disorder of some kind. I will speak my mind anyway, and stand my ground relating healing power of shopping.

Nothing can distract/prevent me from going shopping anywhere in the world. Germany, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Latvia - the rich culture and history of the countries all fade away compared to bright boutiques of a shopping centre or hustle and bustle of a street market.

The Festival of Song and Dance in Latvia

The celebration takes place every 5 years and is a complex week-long series of concerts of Latvian folk music. The history of it started 140 years ago whcn the Latvians gathered to show their independence from the Germans by performing their folk dances and songs. Mostly folk music is on the programme of which I have always been a fan.

UNESCO has recognized this unique event as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. A choir of 13 000 singers participate in the final concert.

The Latvians prepare for the festival beforehand when  choirs, ochestras are shortlisted. Only the best singers, dancers, musicians of the country participate.

Now, my personal experience: