Staro Rīga

More than 40 objects are on display at the Light Festival Staro Rīga 2018 this weekend. It's spread out over all of the city so here's just some we were able to get to and enjoy last night. The festival is is a part of Latvia’s Centenary celebration of 100 years since the founding of the Republic of Latvia.

Lāčplēsis Day

November 11 is Veterans Day in the U.S. honoring all military veterans. It's sometimes confused with Memorial Day which is to remember people who died while serving in the armed forces. Veterans Day was originally Armistice Day commemorating the armistice ending WWI and is still observed in many allied countries. November 11 is also Remembrance Day or Poppy Day in British Commonwealth nations to remember armed forces members who died in the line of duty similar to the the U.S. Memorial Day.

November 11 is Lāčplēsis Day in Latvia as a memorial day for soldiers who fought for the independence of Latvia. This day marks the victory over the West Russian Volunteer Army at the Battle of Riga in 1919 during the Latvian War of Independence. A popular Lāčplēsis Day tradition is placing candles on and by the wall of Riga Castle. These are pictures of that event and the gathering at the Freedom Monument.

Riga Apartment

Here's a look at our furnished apartment in Riga. There's 2 bedrooms, an office, and 2 bathrooms. It compares very well with what was provided in Caracas and Stockholm.

It feels a bit roomier than Caracas with the really high ceilings and huge master bedroom suite even though it might be roughly the same size. The dining room is bigger and living room is smaller, so I think the rooms are distributed better in this layout. There's a better overall feel of space and it felt comfortable to me rather quickly.

I hear Stockholm is a furnished post now, so the handful of posts that don't provide furniture is that much rarer. We have to keep all of this furniture other than being allowed to swap out the master queen bed for our own. I already hate this mattress so it'll be good to eventually get our stuff.

Unfortunately the bulk of our household effects (HHE) is still in Miami and won't be available here until the middle of next month.  It'll feel more homey once we get our own decorations on the walls and shelves. Otherwise, we're home now (for the next 3 years)!

Latvian Ethnographic Open-Air Museum

The Latvian Ethnographic Open-Air Museum is one of the oldest outdoor museums in Europe and first opened in 1924. It's a bit like Skansen in Stockholm. It's full of building recreations from the 17th to 20th century. They have live demonstrations by folk artisans during the summer but it's definitely not summer now.

It was quiet and mostly closed this time of year, but the price was really cheap to go and check it out. It's just 4 euros for a family ticket during the off season. I see that's about half price, so it isn't expensive any time of the year. It's still fun to time travel in a place like this and I'm sure it's even more interesting when everything's open.

It's accessible from old town Riga on bus 1. That shouldn't be confused with the tram of the same "name" since tram 1 tracks end one stop short of the museum on the other side of the lake. Who gives the same line number to related types of public transit lines? Well, apparently Riga does.

The place is huge since we only saw a quarter of it. I can see a big part of the charm is the natural environment and walking through the trees by the lake. Nature never closes. It just needs us to pay attention to it as we move about. There's always some beauty to be found any time of the year and any weather.

First Week in Riga

I visited Riga for a weekend before moving here, but now we're newly arrived to live here for 3 years. Our apartment isn't ready yet so we're in a hotel for a few weeks. It happens often enough that someone is moving out just as you're arriving, so there needs to be a little time to fix it up for the next occupants. It looks like it'll be well worth the wait.

These pictures show you around the neighborhood of our hotel which is also where our apartment will be: Old Town! The oldest parts of a city are usually the most amazing parts. They just don't make them like they used to. 😜

Pikes Peak

Pikes Peak Colorado is at 14,115 ft / 4,302 meters. I would say it was a difficult hike full of peril, but in reality there's a paved road to the top. It was a bit of a drive but it wasn't difficult. It's also a beautiful drive so it's definitely a treat to experience it.

It's an easy way to see the world from the top of a mountain which is a special way to look at things. You have to see it in person to really get the feel of it since it really defies these pictures and words to describe it. Pikes Peak is a bit like looking out of the window of a plane... without the plane... and standing close to really long drop offs.

Garden of the Gods Powwow

This is a double treat with the Garden of the Gods in Colorado and the 9th Annual Powwow at the Rock Ledge Ranch next to it. The powwow celebrated Native American culture with dancing, food, and vendors. First, here's pictures of the Garden of the Gods.