Living in a damn comfortable area in Riga, the central and old-city parts are all a maximum of 20 minutes walk away. (Actually, it's more like 30 minutes, this is one of the reasons why I'm always late.) And that's what I see and know and am used to on a daily basis. For a nice change, I went on an expedition today, during which I even had to pay attention to the names of tram stops, to know where to get off. Ah, turns out, there's a whole world out there! With people, housing estates, the river bank and a small, cosy and shabby library, the target of the ride. Off the beaten track and among people unlike the center-snobbish ones, the city looks way different. It's just like going abroad. I love these moments when the voice inside is swearing for not having the camera with me. A nice surprise was the discovery of a pedestrian/bicycle road along the river and the madam, who helped me finding the library, answering in Latvian. I do think it's a sign of respect and good will to speak the language of the country you live in.
So, yea.. nothing much to say but to remind myself of the realities which are around us or at least next to us.
Especially those we see as not-ours and often deny.
[What!? Of course Latvia is European and all, look, our living standards are almost the same as in the "West"!] Yea, right... :pI still hope that when I'll have become wiser, more skilled, and more of a pro... that I will do something heartily good for this country, its people, identity and representation.
* That's a part of Riga, called something like "little Moscow". Considered as the most criminal and socially underprivileged part of the city. also holds a big percentage of Russian-speaking people. Latvian Academy of Culture, that I have had some regular business with for the last 4 years, is located right at the beginning of this district.
Riga Bus station, random web-found photo
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