Maestro! Music please Postcards from Riga Lights, camera, action! The Latvian Dainas

Transcription

1 Take your FREE copy! s u m m e r / a u t u m n Maestro! Music please Postcards from Riga Lights, camera, action! The Latvian Dainas Bang & Olufsen Riga, Lacplesa str. 52/54, Riga, LV 1011 tel ; fax ; riga@beostores.com

2 Contents TRADITIONS The Latvian Dainas 4 TRAVEL PEOPLE Raimonds Pauls Maestro! Music please 10 ECONOMY Growing pains 14 DISCOVERY Postcards from Riga 16 NATURE Simple pleasures 22 DESTINATION GUIDE Oslo: Living the high life 24 REGIONAL GUIDE In-depth profile of Kurzeme 28 AIRLINE IN FOCUS Czech Airlines: Where east meets west 34 CULTURE Lights, camera action! 36 ARTS Hitting the right notes 40 RIGA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT The latest news from Riga's rapidly expanding international airport 48 A WORD FROM THE CEO Being the CEO of the fastest growing airport of any capital in Europe can be a daunting task. Every quarter the passenger figures keep on rising at breakneck speed. The year-on-year increase for Q was 48%. In April 2006, there were 50% more passengers than the year before. The growth in the number of people flying in and out of Riga in 2005 was 77% more than the previous year. Some estimates say that by 2013 we'll have 10 million people flying in and out of the doors of our airport buildings. That's four times more people than our forecast for 2006 (and four times the population of Latvia). We are delighted that so many passengers like our airport, which we think is one of the most advanced in Northern Europe. But our programme of expansion is unrelenting. By 2010 we aim to open a new, mainly commercial building in front of the existing one, as well as a new pier to the north extending from the new terminal we opened this year. Doubling the number of aircraft bridges at the airport by the end of 2007 will make us extra-prepared for when Latvia enters the Schengen area. If that proves not to be enough, we'll build another pier to the south. We have the land to expand, and we are determined to give our passengers all the room they need to breathe. The awareness of Riga as a great tourist destination is always providing our clients with new opportunities. At least 20 airlines will be flying to and from Riga International Airport in That's four more than last year - we welcome this year Turkish Airlines, Air Malta, Israir and Hemus Air (Bulgaria). To greet and see off all these extra thousands of passengers, we have a new rostrum of shops in the existing airport building selling both local and international products, plus lively cafés and other useful facilities. There are seven more check-in desks this year, making a total of 31, also giving passengers more space. Extending the runway to 3,200 metres by the end of 2007 will ensure that we are an attractive destination for airlines making long-haul flights, for example airlines from Asia. And just as importantly, we will be improving the runway lighting so that we have a central line of lights as well as the two on either side. Riga International Airport has almost three times more passengers than it had two years ago. The European average is about 6% more. It seems that for us the sky's the limit. Dzintars Pomers President & CEO, Riga International Airport summer/autumn 2006 G ATEWAY RIGA 3

3 T RADITIONS Latvian Dainas In 2001 Latvia's collection of folk verses was added to the UNESCO Memory of the World Register. These are said to be more than 1 million of these folk verses, known in latvian as Dainas. The Latvian society of today culture that on September 4th, Caught up in the hustle and bustle originates from a principally agrari they were added to the of modern day life the Europeans an culture stretching back thou- UNESCO Memory of the World of today tend to concentrate on sands of years. Constantly at the Register. the present, and strive toward bet- mercy of the elements, in a region tering themselves in the future without reflecting, as their ancestors once did, on the past and the wisdom it can teach us about our every day lives. Whilst nationalism of one form or another is experiencing a resurgence of popularity throughout the world at a time of increasing homogeneity caused by globalisation, many people have little of the world that has for centuries experienced four very distinct seasons, Latvian farmers have always lived and worked in close association with the cycle of the seasons and the patterns of nature. From generation to generation their experiences were handed down in the form of folk songs so that each respective generation might learn from the wisdom of their The Dainas are fundamental to understanding Latvian history, culture and language In 1878 Latvian scholar Krisjanis Barons and a number of other intellectuals felt that the Latvian folk singing tradition was coming under threat. Since the time of the Crusaders hundreds of years earlier, the country had been subjugated to such a degree that Latvia's folklore was perhaps the only way in which the country's citizens could reassert their sense of national identity. To comprehension or understanding ancestors' mistakes and successes. this end, during a period of of the basis of their hereditary Over the centuries these inherited national reawakening throughout allegiance. songs came to include all the ele- Europe, Barons and his associates When examining what makes ments of life from birth to death. decided to embark on the almost Latvians feel Latvian the Dainas These Latvian folk verses are inconceivable task of assembling, are fundamental to understanding known as Dainas, and are so sig- classifying and preserving Latvia's Latvian history, culture and lan- nificant to the understanding of rich and diverse folk history. guage. the roots of Latvian and European The basic structure of a Daina is 4 G ATEWAY RIGA summer/autumn 2006

4 guage. Moreover, this ancient source of folklore is central to the idea of Latvian cultural identity. Quite simply, the dainu skapis is a unique symbol of the very nature of being Latvian. There are said to be over 1 million dainas - not much less than the total number of Latvians alive today. This incredible collection of folklore is one of the most extensive collections found anywhere in the world. The sheer size and depth of the collection suggests that some of the material has very ancient origins. It is known for example, that Latvian women who sang verses interpreted as magic spells were burnt to death for allegedly being witches in the six- a quatrain with metrically organ The Archives of Latvian teenth century. Some academics ised, but unrhymed text that can Folklore contains a fantastic array believe that the Latvian oral tradition be organised into longer sequences. of items including fairy tales, stretches back several millennia and The collected verses were sent to dances and games, melodies, anec- represents one of the oldest remain- Barons who cut them, for editing dotes and proverbs. Amongst nearly ing human records. There are even purposes, into slips of paper sized three million items there are even linguists and academics that claim 3 x 11cm. The collection and stor- 55,000 magic spells. These archives there are links between the ancient age of this volume of material was have been sourced from the whole Balts and the cave-painting an unenviable task. Krisjans Barons himself designed a huge piece of furniture for the purpose of storing the works. The cabinet of folk songs (dainu skapis), which was manufactured by a Muscovite in 1880, was kept in rural Russia for 13 years while Barons assembled and classified the material. Having dedicated his life's work to this immense project Barons assembled nearly 218,000 song texts, stored in 70 separate drawers, spectrum of Latvian society over the ages including the reflections of soldiers, the wisdom of wise old ladies, and even the song texts from prisoners' notebooks. Most of the material collected in the dainu skapis originated from Latvians living in Latvia. However, this immense volume of work also has influences from Lithuania, Estonia, as well as émigré Latvians and ethnic groups such as the Livs This incredible collection of folklore is one of the most extensive collections found anywhere in the world Magdalenians of ancient France. The Latvju Dainas are arranged in accordance with the original principles of classification used by Krisjanis Barons. The connecting idea is the human life cycle and its unifying cultural code, with three principle divisions: Childbirth Marriage Death Barons is considered a represen- each with 20 sections. and Roma. tative of the ritual school. Leading Latvian linguists of today Consequently, the only songs that The cabinet has been preserved and yesteryear, as well as Krisjanis weren't classified within these by the Archives of Latvian Folklore Barons himself, have always main- groupings were those that couldn't since 1940, with plans to transfer tained that the dainas should be be strictly considered a part of the it to the new Latvian national used as a basis for the study and average life cycle such as the library if and when it is opened in understanding of the Latvian lan- annual festivals. 6 G ATEWAY RIGA summer/autumn 2006

5 The Dainas uncovered Old age Birth Es domåju, es gådåju, Kå man trüka dzîvojot? - Vaicåjiet jüs, måsiñas, Spéka, varas man pietrüka, Ko raud mana lîgaviñ'; Padomiña atlicin'. Es vaicåju gana mî i, Viña manim nesacîja. Go ask your sisters, Old age I thought, I wondered What do I lack in my life? I lack strength and power, Death Why is my bride crying; DiΩ' meω' - plat's lap's, I have even more wisdom than needed! Nevar vairs, nevar vairs, I asked kindly enough Vec' vîr' - gudr' vård'; Kaut nåvîte nokåvusi; She wouldn't tell me. MeΩs ar sov platamiñ, Remarks: Nevar vairs birωu lîst, Vecs ar sov gudramiñ. 1) A contrast to the previous one. Jåkar cirvis vadzîté. Remarks: 2) This is the only printed edi- 1) Bride is also used when Large forests (or big trees) - wide leaves, tion Barons used in such a manner I can't do anymore, I can't do anymore, speaking about the wife. Old men - wise words; - cutting it up to pieces and May death come and kill (me); 2) Childbirth and all matters The forest (or tree) has its wideness, inserting in his cabinet. This is I can't make any clearings more, regarding it are considered as typically female activities, so even the birth-giving woman's husband can- Wedding Married The old ones - their wisdom. Remarks: from Mūsu tautas dziesmas edited by Āronu Matīss (1888). The older editions also used in Latvju Must hang my axe on a hook. Remarks: not be involved in anything con- Måmiñ man mî a balta, Aiz krümiña aizvéjiña 1) Latvian folksongs very fre- Dainas were re-written by Barons 1) This song expresses the feel- nected to it. Kå es tevi aizmirsîßu? Vai aiz liela, vai aiz maza; quently use parallels between nature and his assistants. ings of some elderly man who - Kad actiñas neredzéja, Aiz vîriña laba dzîve and human life, so does this text. cannot run his farm anymore, not Tad sirsniña remdejås. Vai aiz liela, vai aiz maza. 2) The Latvian text is written in being able to perform the work he a quite strong dialect. is expected to perform. Not being Mother, my dear white mother, There is a shelter 3) The manuscript shows editing useful he feels that dying would be How will I be able to forget you? from the wind behind a bush done by Barons (in pencil). better than this embarrassment. - When the eyes won't see, Whether that being large or small; The heart will cease to hurt. The life is good behind the husband's back, Whether he is big or small. Remarks: 1) White is used also with the Remarks: meaning of good, dear etc. The 1) Latvian folksongs very fre- connection with grey hair appears quently use parallels between nature to be just a coincidence. and human life, as does this text. 2) The bride is going to live 2) Unlike the previous one, this with her husband, in his house, speaks of a good life with the hus- where the mother-in-law still wants band. to retain her influence. Thus she 3) Being big or small in regard will quite likely face a very harsh to the husband might refer to his attitude, as opposed to that of her social standing, not his physical mother. height. 8 G ATEWAY RIGA summer/autumn 2006

6 T RAVEL PEOPLE might make you wonder how life might have worked out very differently for the legendary composer had his precocious talent not been discovered and developed from an early age. After all, young boys usually dream of being an astronaut, (cosmonaut perhaps in Raimonds case) a fireman or something equally manly. Maestro! Did he have similar pre-pubescent aspirations? Raimonds laughs. Believe it or not, when I was young I dreamt of being a radio technician. It was a fantasy in those Music please... days. But my father was adamant that I should go to musical school. And all these years later, with a truly amazing career stretching back When Raimonds Pauls recently celebrated his 70th birthday with a special anniversary concert, the event was a 24,000-seat sell out. five-decades under his belt, what does he consider to be his finest moment? A few weeks ago when I had 24,000 people singing together with me that was very, very special. The TV-audience for that concert was Raimonds continued his education was German schlager music. Even Mežrozīte and people stood up and higher than for the Olympic games. The Maestro, as he is more often at Latvia s State Conservatoire and today it is extremely popular. Radio applauded. They were pleading with The music is natural that s why it than not referred to as, is regarded graduated in 1958 with the highest 2 plays it and its audience is mas- me to play the song again. works for the Latvian people, who by many as Latvia s premier musi- degree as a classical music pianist. sive. Their audience is three-times After this I felt the desire to make understand from the heart. This is a cian. His music, it might be However, he spent much of his time bigger than the other channels. It is my own album with my own big reason for my success. argued, is as significant to the playing contemporary music. At that the Latvian mentality. songs. I have performed over 90 Latvian people as say the work of the Beatles is to British musical history. Incredibly, the television audience for that fantastic anniversary concert was higher than for the Olympic Games. Raimonds Pauls was born in Riga time jazz was all the rage, with Ella Fitzgerald, Oskars Petersons and Glenn Miller s Jazz Band all proving an inspiration to him. Due to his lack of involvement in classical music he began to write what he refers to as Latvian music, which for all intents and Although he had something of a following in the 1960s, it wasn t until the 70s that he finally broke through and started to enjoy widespread popular appeal. His 1970 album For you, my goodie featured a collection of his work writ- Raimonds Pauls is a quintessentially Latvian artist concerts in Riga since that time. If you are fortunate enough to see Raimonds Pauls perform on stage then you are sure to conclude that there must have always been a piano knocking about somewhere near his potty when he was a baby. Is such a Raimonds Pauls is a quintessentially Latvian artist who constantly refers to himself as an ordinary Latvian man at heart. During the Soviet occupation he stresses that it was always important that his songs were all sung in Latvian. That way, he explains you kept the patriotism in in After the Second World purposes could have been classified ten between 1965 and When talent the result of nature or nurture? those songs. War, his parents decided that he as pop music. and what does he consider was that Nobody knows. There s no Yet, putting aside the very specific should join musical school. His Everything I did was geared defining moment when his life answer. If somebody has this talent, Latvian nature of many of his father wanted him to play the viola, towards Latvian music. I started with changed from that of a relative- anyway he needs help to develop it. songs, if it gets the necessary expo- Photos: provided by MicRec but his fingers were allegedly too big and cumbersome. Thankfully, his teacher soon noted his natural talent for the piano and he embarked upon his journey to becoming a truly great pianist. nothing. Then I came to the Latvian Radio House and started working. There were different people playing jazz etc. in the Radio House. At that time nobody was really interested in any of us. The most popular music unknown to somebody who couldn t walk down the street without being noticed? People started listening to me. I can t say I know the exact moment, but there was a concert in Cesis. I performed And as much as anything a composer needs a good singer to perform his songs. It is the singer that delivers the song to the public at large. The fact that it was his father that pressured him into studying music sure, good music will always be recognised as just that, and eventually Pauls began to appeal to an international audience. Alla Pugachova started to sing Million roses. It first became popular 10 G ATEWAY RIGA summer/autumn 2006 summer/autumn 2006 G ATEWAY RIGA 11

7 Come on! It s nice to know that to New Zealand, which he considers Mr. Pauls is a mere mortal like the the most beautiful place he has seen rest of us, but what does he do in the world. when he s not fighting a battle with So, with no intention of travelling the sewage system? abroad unless he really has to, what I just like being at home, spend- are his plans? ing time in the countryside in my Now I am happy I have finished house near Baltazars. I enjoy mowing my 70th celebration. It involved the grass with my tractor. three months of preparation... What about concerts? Does he enjoy being on the opposite side of (At this stage, we break off the the stage? I don t like concerts. interview, because his wife, Lana, After one hour I feel bored. phones him to check on his progress Indeed, there is always a sense regarding the much-needed repairs to with Pauls when you are talking to the canalisation system.) him that he is restless and dearly wants to bolt from his seat and start Saturday is an important day as I playing the piano (as he does on have a concert at the university with in Finland and then in Japan. I think the song is actually very simple... I m still popular in Tokyo. Indeed, it must be pointed out Together with Laima Vaikule performing at the Jaunais vilnis (New Wave) one occasion during the interview to make a musical point to me) I believe the Wagner concert, which will soon be performed at the opera house, will last four hours. It s Latvia s top choir. Then there s Jani. (The Midsummer festival) We have a very special concert planned in Ērgļi with the National Choir and everybody dressed in national costume Russian names. It is no surprise that now it is English that is in fashion. You ve even got Russians changing their names into English and pation helping to keep the fire of patriotism burning in their hearts. How far does he think Latvia has now travelled since independence? that Pugachova is regarded by terrible. I can't imagine sitting there Otherwise I m going to stay in Latvia singing in English. I think that the time of emotion- many, as Russia s most successful for four hours! and just do Latvian things. I like to al freedom is over. That sense of pop artist. No coincidence, it seems, spend time with my Granddaughters Pausing for thought, playing the escape in the early 90s has all but that Pauls has penned many of her At 70, you get the definite feeling who are studying at an American whole time with his fingers, he tells gone. Freedom is not perceived in most popular hits. Raimonds Pauls is a man tiring of school in Moscow. They speak me he would most like to work with the right way any more. the limelight. In a way I feel I English half the time. They tell me Ray Charles and Ella Fitzgerald if In which sense are things not as People are usually fascinated to have been in all of this too long the Gorrilaz are the best group in they were alive. From contemporary they should be? know what top celebrities do in their now, he tells me on two occasions. the world now, whatever and whoev- music he names Pontypridd's most One of the biggest problems is spare time. There is a whole industry With this in mind, will he start er that is! famous son Tom Jones. I tell him conflict. People are looking at history devoted to publicising information spending more of his time holiday- that if the Welsh crooner was aware too much...russians-latvians... and photos about the rich and famous, and their mysterious, (no doubt) exciting private lives. Journalists often comment that Raimonds Pauls is notoriously abstract about his life away from music. What, I ask him rather predictably, does he like to do in his spare time? "In a way I feel I have been in all of this too long now" ing abroad? I m absolutely not interested in travel any more. I don t like it because I consider myself a simple Latvian man. I do a lot of work, festivals. Nowadays I m not interested in travel. However when he is pressed on the subject he names Papua New The bad news, however, for his thousands of fans is that he has no new albums planned at the moment. What does he think about the current state of music? And who would he like to collaborate with if he could choose any artist in the world? I have problems with people that Pauls was a fan, he might be up for a musical collaboration. There are perhaps twenty or thirty names. We would have to work together and feel it and then it works. Alla Pugachova said that Million Roses was too simple. She didn t like it at all. But after half a year it We only have to look to the future now, not to the past. We have to work together. There are really a lot of problems in all areas of life. There are sadly very few politicians who want to, or who can do much to improve matters As we depart the Radio Latvia Last night I was fixing the Guinea as the most amazing place because all their names are now in became her most popular song. It building one of Raimonds Pauls' col- canalisation system in my summer- he has ever visited and goes on to English. They are changing their just shows you never really know leagues remarks, house after the winter. I understood wax lyrical about the relatively- first names and surnames to English. what is going to work. See you at 2 o clock maestro. I now have five holes to fix. unknown country. I ve never seen Mind you, it is nothing new. In the No, I will be back here at 3. My I m going to the shop after this anything else like it in my life. olden days everybody used to Raimonds Pauls songs inspired the wife wants me to fix the sewage sys- interview so I can fix it. He also fondly remembers his trip change their names to German and Latvian people during times of occu- tem first. 12 G ATEWAY RIGA summer/autumn 2006 summer/autumn 2006 G ATEWAY RIGA 13

8 E CONOMY complies with all the Maastricht money is filtering its way into the convergence criteria, adopt the single poorer regions of Latvia where The narrowing of per capita income differences between Latvia and the other members of the EU-25 has helped stimulate per capita consumption and the country's domestic demand European currency as early as January 1st Although virtually all of Latvia's economic parameters currently satisfy the benchmarks set by the Maastricht protocol, the country's inflationary problem will - barring a miracle- prevent full monetary union for several more years. Most analysts point to 2010 as a more realistic date for Latvia's adoption of the Euro. On the positive side, the unem- unemployment rates are significantly higher than in the rest of the country, and continue to skewer the overall national average unemployment rate. Regional development must remain high on the government's economic agenda if the country is to develop and, perhaps one day, be no longer labelled as one of Europe's poorest countries. Examples of the regional disparities in the likes of Germany and Italy forewarn Growing pains ployment rate dropped to 7.5 per cent earlier in the year. In January 2005, the figure stood at 8.6 per the consequences of poorer regions being left behind, and the negative impact on a nation's overall eco- cent. The spectacular growth in the nomic growth. Already there is evi- Two years on from joining NATO and the European Union, Latvia is acknowledged as having the fastest-growing economy in the European Union. But with many goods and services getting more and more expensive each month, is it all good news for the Latvian financial outlook? fledged member of the European Economic and Monetary Union. Latvia has been a member of ERM II since May 2005, and could, if it construction industry is creating thousands of new jobs throughout the country, particularly in Riga and forward-looking cities such as Liepaja. Meanwhile, European Social Fund dence of significant labour movement from Latvia's eastern region, which is dogged by high unemployment and widespread social problems, to jobs in Western Europe. export growth the Central Bank's domestic demand figures. As would The Latvian economy is booming. decision to re-peg the Lat to the be expected this has had the nega- The economic growth rate for 2005 Euro has proven to be a shrewd tive knock-on effect of raising the reached a post-independence high of move. The repegging to the Euro, inflation rate. Higher inflation 10.2 per cent, with a fourth quarter year-on-year rise of 10.5 per cent in Gross Domestic Product. The Bank of Latvia expects this growth to remain robust with current GDP growth forecasts for 2006 in excess of 8 per cent. Having joined the European Union in May, 2004 subsequent economic indicators strongly support the notion that Latvia's succession to the 25- member economic bloc has on the which ushered in the new-year on January 1st 2005, has helped to greatly diminish the previous exchange rate risk that existed. Indeed, the latest export figures show a 24 per cent rise in volume to countries in the EU, year-on-year, with this figure approaching 50 per cent to the CIS countries, for the same period. On the other hand however, this new fixed exchange rate regime has Most analysts point to 2010 as a more realistic date for Latvia's adoption of the Euro caused by GDP growth and EU-price convergence is, it might be argued, a necessary evil, but February's 6.9 per cent annual rate of consumer price inflation was an unacceptably high figure. Latvia's economy is still relatively underdeveloped in many sectors, and the subsequent lack of competition continues to compound the inflationary problem. Tough competition and subsequent price decreases in the telecommunications whole been a positive move -one significantly reduced the Latvian services market and, at long last, in which has given the Latvian econo- Central Bank's ability to directly the clothing market do show that my a noticeable shot in the arm. influence the economic environment. the country's spiralling inflation can There are a number of obvious The narrowing of per capita be countered to some degree by a explanations for this current buoy- income differences between Latvia more competitive environment. ant growth, not least of all strength- and the other members of the EU- Latvia's undesirably high inflation ening domestic demand and impres- 25 has helped stimulate per capita rate remains the greatest barrier to sive export growth. In the case of consumption and the country's the Baltic nation becoming a fully- 14 G ATEWAY RIGA summer/autumn 2006 summer/autumn 2006 G ATEWAY RIGA 15

9 D ISCOVERY Soviet rule came another change of name, this time to Padomju iela. Finally, the street reverted to its original name in 1991 after Latvia regained its independence. (3) 13. Janvāra iela - The 13th January Street was first located within Riga's city walls dur- 2 ing the 17th century. It was originally called Karl Street, because it Postcards from Riga 1 3 One of the most famous foreigners to have resided in Riga was Richard Wagner was close to the Karl Gates. Then on the 13th January, 1905 there was a large-scale demonstration at the far end of Karl Street. 25 years later the street was renamed 13th January Street in commemoration of the uprising. In 1970 during an archaeological dig, fortifications, which once lined the Riga River, were uncovered. These are thought to date back as far as the 13th Century. Street names like Smilšu iela and Aldaru iela will usually mean nothing to the foreign tourist and serve as little more than a point of reference, a means of navigating one's self around the city from one point to another. However, the literal meanings of these street names help tell a detailed history of the Riga of old. Postcards: (1) One of the most famous foreigners to have resided in Riga was Richard Wagner. Riharda Vāgnera iela is named after the eccentric German composer who was the unaware of it. social personality. conductor of Riga's German Theatre History is all around you in Vecriga Ten years ago if most tourists Riga has much to offer the visi- from 1837 to 1839, before whispering secrets of the past, catch- were asked to name their favourite tor, but without its truly magnifi- absconding from Latvia due to the ing the imagination as you try to cities in Europe the list wouldn't cent architecture, the city's populari- fact that there were a number of picture how life was in those same stretch much past Paris, London ty would prove nothing more than creditors on his back. streets decades or even centuries ago. Knowing that St. Peter's Church was originally built in 1209, or that the Swedes occupied the city between 1621 and 1710 only tells part of the story. What was life actually like in those streets? Who lived in those beautiful, sometimes ramshackle houses, and what did they do? The answers to these questions are staring the casual visitor to the city back in the eyes, though they are understandably so often and Rome. Increasingly though, as leisure travel becomes more popular and the fascination for the relatively unknown grips the imagination of the traveller, a new breed of city is now commonplace on many people's Favourite City list. In 2006 the hot cities are the likes of Vilnius, Llubljana and Riga - cities that perfectly combine stunning ages old architecture with an eclectic mix of cultural events and a constantly reinvented urban and a fad, causing it to disappear from the premiere tourist trail and soon be forgotten in years to come. Recognised by UNESCO as a site of outstanding-world heritage, Riga's old town -Vecriga- is unquestionably one of the finest old towns in the whole of Europe. Every magnificent façade and gabled roof, each church spire and narrow cobbled street reminds the visitor of a city that founded over 800 years ago. Riga's old town - Vecrigais unquestionably one of the finest old towns in the whole of Europe (2) Aspāzijas bulvāris - Aspazijas Boulevard first appeared in 1858 during the demolition of Riga's city walls. The street has had at least four different names since that time. Teatra (Theatre) Boulevard was named after the City Theatre. The current name - Aspāzijas, was given in honour of the Latvian Poetess of the same name. During the first Latvian Republic it was named after the Latvian statesman Meyerovitz. With 16 G ATEWAY RIGA summer/autumn 2006 summer/autumn 2006 G ATEWAY RIGA 17

10 ed on the corner of the street. Once upon a time, the brew- (4) Krišjāņa Barona iela - separated Bastion Hill from the old ery's beer and hot meal shop When the city walls were town, and still marks the boundary was one of Riga's premier eat- destroyed, Suvorova iela was laid in between Vecriga and the newer part ing and dining spots. These were called Roundhouse Street, 8 order to connect the old town with the new part of the city. Alexander of the city centre. (8) Kaļķu iela - (11) Klostera iela was built close to the territory of Maria Magdalene Artillery Barracks, Small Barracks and Big Sand Barracks. Like so many old Suvorow was the Governor General of This started off as part of Škūņu Cloister. The street dates to the town streets, Kazarmu iela saw big the Baltics. iela. In the 15th century there was a 16th century. At that time many changes when the city walls were In 1923, the street was renamed limestone furnace on the opposite of Riga's greatest craftsmen lived excavated in It was re-named in honour of the iconic Krišjānis side of the river. Two hundred years and worked in Klostera iela. During Vaļņu iela (Ramparts Street). Barons. later Kaļķu iela was extended as far the 20th century the street had (15) Pils iela means Castle or 7 (5) Nowadays, Audēju iela is one of the main arteries of old Riga. The street was first mentioned in By the 15th century it was called Beavers Street (Bebru iela) due to its proximity to Beaver's Gate. Later as a result of mispronunciation the name of the street was changed to Vēveru iela. Linguistic necessity saw Vēveru iela changed to its present name, which means Weavers' Street. (6) Skārņu iela - as the City Canal. In the early years of the twentieth century the street became renowned for its colourfully decorated shop windows. (9) Smilšu iela - Great Sand Street was once the only main road by which it was possible to enter Riga. In the 13th century the sand gates marked the entrance to the city. The Powder Tower was actually known as the Sand Tower until For more than four centuries Smilšu iela was the most important street in the whole of Latvia four changes of name. In the 30s it was renamed Saiemas iela (Parliament street), then Muzeja iela (Museum street). In 1950 it became Vēstures iela (History Street) and maintained this name until it reverted to its original name, Monastery Street, after Latvia regained its independence. (12) Torņa iela got its name from the Powder Tower, which is located on the street's corner. The street's Palace Street. This street leads from Riga Castle to Dome Square. Records of the street's name stretch back to Its former name was Rēderu iela due to its original proximity to the Reder Family estate. (16) Grēcinieku iela - Dating back to the 14th century it got its current name about 100 years later when it was named after the merchant Hermann Von Sundern. The nearest English translation is Sinners Street. The street is first mentioned in the 17th century. For more than name dates to some time in the Numerous shops and cafes lined the early years of the 15th century four centuries Smilšu iela was 17th century. Grēcinieku iela at that time. when it was home to the city's first the most important street in (13) One of the main German res- (17) Pēterbaznīcas iela is named ever-street market. For nearly 500 the whole of Latvia. idential areas was located on Škūņu after St.Peter's Church. During the years the street was lined with (10) Jēkaba iela - gets its name iela. This dates to the 13th century. early part of the 20th century butchers shops. In the 1930s the because of the adjacent St. Jacob's The literal meaning of the street's much of the street was bordered butchers' shops began to disappear Church. It dates to the 13th centu- name is Shed Street, which came by a graveyard. from Skarnu Street. ry. During Soviet rule it was into use due to a mix up over pro- (18) Tirgoņu iela has kept its (7) Basteja bulvāris - renamed Komjaunatnes iela, before nunciation. name for more than 700 years. For 4 The Basteja Boulevard was built during the second half of the 19th regaining its original name with the fall of the Soviet Union. The (14) Until as late as the 1860s, Kazarmu iela (Barracks' Street) was decades Tirgonu was Riga's premier shopping street, hence the translated century. It gets its name because it Waldschlosschen Brewery was locat- dissected by four smaller streets. name, Traders' Street. 18 G ATEWAY RIGA summer/autumn 2006

11 Teatra Street, because of its proximity to the Latvian National Opera, which was constructed in (22) The name of Vecpilsētas (Old Town) Street comes from the Old 23 Town area where a small marketplace was located in the 16th centu- 27 ry. When Latvia became an important trading point between east and street consequently lost its defensive west dozens of large warehouses significance. At that time many of were built in this area of the city to the residences were rented to foreign store transited goods. Stone emblems tradesmen. This small, narrow cob- still top the warehouses and acted ble-stoned street was for centuries (19) Mazā as a rather unusual form of postal the noisiest in all of Riga and was Smilšu iela address with names such as deservedly accorded its present name (Small Sand Camel's Storehouse. Noisy Street. Street) dates (23) Alksnāja iela was once called (26) Riga's Russian community set- back around 600 Alder Forest, referred to by many as tled in Krievu iela (Russian Street). years. In its the road to Alder Forest. The During the 17th century beer was 26 early days it street dates to 1401, and for a time brewed and sold along this attractive marked the edge during the mid-nineteenth century thoroughfare, which led to it being of Riga River. went by the name Reformātu iela. renamed Brauserstrasse. Around 1920 (20) Meistaru iela - Blacksmiths (24) Some houses adjoined to the this name was altered to its Latvian took up residency here and it was Dome Cloister were built on the old language version - Aldaru iela, which One of the main German residential areas was located on Sķūņu iela called Mazā Kalēju (Small Blacksmith's). In 1938 it was renamed Meistaru Street, which means the street of masters. (21) Teātra iela was developed in the 17-18th centuries. It was called Jāņa Tilta because at the end of Jana Street there was a bridge over the Riga River (nowadays Kaleju graveyard. The street was called Jaunā (New) and in 1923 it was renamed Jauniela Street (New Street). (25) Trokšņu Street - was a part of Alarm Street, an undeveloped strip within the fortification wall. The city's soldiers gathered here to defend the city when it came under attack. In the 16th century the area literally means Beer Brewers' Street. (27) Anglikāņu iela is just 80 metres long. After the present-day Anglican Church was built in the 1850s, this adjacent street was to bare the same name. During atheist Soviet times the name was predictably changed and became known instead as Bibliotēkas iela (Library Street). The street was renamed became more developed, and the Street) from 1950 onwards. 20 G ATEWAY RIGA summer/autumn 2006

12 N ATURE Photo: Janis Skulme Simple pleasures Recent research has shown that "man's best friend" is more deserving of that title than most of us could possibly have imagined. Photo: ing time walking in the woods or dled. There should always be an Being around animals is healthy. countryside. Walking a dog fulfils adult who is responsible for the dog. Animal owners are more active and feel happier than other social groups. Children also benefit physically, psychologically and socially. Many international studies have shown that people who have pets around them often enjoy a better quality of life than those who do not own pets. Elderly people, who have an animal, tend to have a bigger social network, enjoy better health and a an important social function through creating contact with other people. Every dog owner has a story about the mischievous antics of man's best friend. In principle, all animals are good for your health. Even those who do not get out and about exercising their pet, find that having a creature to care for, talk to and share their thoughts with, makes them feel less alone. Walking a dog fulfils an important social function Photo: Choosing a dog When deciding what kind of dog will suit your family there are a lot of things that need to be considered. What do you want from the dog? After all, it is about to become a family member. Write down all the things that you might want from a dog: Should it be male or female? Would you prefer it to have long more positive state of mind. They Elderly people who look after hair or short hair? also suffer less depression than caged birds suffer less from depres- pets. A recent report showed that Talk to friends or experts. The their peers do. This is even the sion. children who grow up with animals Internet is also a great resource for case in Welfare Institutions where elderly patients are able to spend time with animals. Animals and children Children deal better with their find it easier to communicate with other children, are more independent and mature more quickly. Many peo- learning more about dog breeds. Owning a dog is a big decision. A dog can live for fifteen years parents' divorce if they have a pet to ple believe that certain breeds of dog and requires a big financial com- More often than not, pet owners turn to and care for. Many children are better for children than others, mitment. It is also likely to regularly exercise their animals and from broken homes find solace in but this is not necessarily true. The become a close family member in reap the obvious benefits of spend- the relationship they have with their key factor is how the dog is han- years to come. 22 G ATEWAY RIGA summer/autumn 2006 summer/autumn 2006 G ATEWAY RIGA 23

13 D ESTINATION GUIDE Photographer:Nancy Bundt Photographer:Gunnar Strom party crowd, with ABBA tunes mixed in with the raucous vocals of James Brown. Living Stay Rica Victoria Hotel: The hotel is excellently located in the centre of Oslo close to several dozen bars, restaurants and museums. The the high life Victoria has 199 high-quality rooms, all equipped with en-suite facilities, satellite TV and mini-bars. The Grand Hotel is considered Year after year, Norway consistently comes out on top as the country with the highest standard of living in the world. Not only is life good in Norway, but the scenery on offer in this sparsely populated country also places the Scandinavian nation as one of the most spectacular and beautiful countries in the world. classical 19th century architecture, all within the city's boundaries, Scandinavia's oldest capital city offers tourists the perfect weekend-getaway. The Nobel Peace Centre The Nobel Peace Centre is a must on any Oslo-itinerary. The high-tech centre, housed in the former main train station, presents the Nobel Peace Prize Laureates and their work. Changing and exciting displays, in June 2005, the exhibits highlight the real problems related to war, peace and conflict resolution. Open Monday-Sunday 10am-7pm The Munch Museum Before Edvard Munch died in 1944, he bequeathed his entire collection of work to the city of Oslo. Munch was a prolific artist, considered by many as the leading light in the expressionist movement. These days he is, of course, best remembered for his iconic painting 'The Scream', the meaning of which is still so often misinterpreted by the masses. The Munch Museum displays thousands of the artist's paintings, engravings and even photos. There Akker Brygge is the place to eat, drink, shop and people watch Vigeland Sculpture Park A short tram journey from the city centre is the inspiring and fascinating Vigeland Sculpture Park. Gustav Vigeland began work on the park in There are a total of 200 sculptures. Pride of place is the dizzying 25- metre-high obelisk depicting the cycle of life, with its visions of man's struggle and journey through the world. The park is always open and is a perfect place for a contemplative Sunday morning stroll. Akker Brygge The former shipyard is the place to eat, drink, shop and people watch. This water front devel- Eat and drink Start of your evening at '34' located on the top floor of the Radisson Hotel. The classy bar offers 360- degree panoramic views of Oslo and the surrounding fjords as it towers down on the city from 107 metres. There are numerous top-class dining opportunities in Oslo, but we recommend ORO Restaurant, as it offers five-star dining at its finest. Master Chef Harald Berger conjures up a scintillating 5-course menu that will leave you feeling that you have dined like a king when you finally leave ORO after several hours of culinary pampering. Night out Living Room is regarded by those one of Norway's top hotels. It was founded in 1874, and it's fair to say that anyone who is anyone has stayed here including Norway's most famous son Henrik Ibsen, who had his lunch here every day. The Grand has 289 rooms. Getting Around The most convenient way to travel from Oslo Gardermoen Airport to central Oslo is by using the NSB train, which runs every ten minutes. A return ticket to Oslo's Central Station costs 164 NOK. The 45-kilometre journey takes about 20 minutes. Getting There Norwegian Airlines operates a daily service from Riga to Oslo. The low-cost airline operates a fleet of unique digital presentations such as are 18,000 prints. Open daily. opment is a uniquely Norwegian in the know as Oslo s coolest club. 148-seat Boeing planes. The Nobel Peace Centre It is no surprise therefore, to discover 'the Nobel Field', as well as films and lectures, all help create this dynamic and magical venue. Opened The summer exhibition runs until September concoction of restaurants, shopping centres, lifts and walkways, thought of by many as a city Under astute management, the club, which opened in 2004, is constantly reinventing itself and boasts a mem- Prices for a one-way ticket from Riga-Oslo begin at just EUR 25 including all airport and security that its capital, Oslo, encapsulates within a city. You can dine in bership base of over 2,000 people. taxes. If you wish to travel further much of this. Oslo is cosmopolitan, laid-back, and boasts top of the range hotels, The Munch Museum one of the many boats moored by the harbour with good views of Akershus Castle, or sip a glass There are regular foreign DJ sets with artists including the Fugees. Hip hop and house tunes set the afield in Norway, Norwegian Airlines offers daily departures to eight other destinations within the country. a vibrant nightlife scene, 5-star inter- of Chardonnay whilst watching tone for an excellent night out. Destinations include Bodo, in the national dining and some of Europe's the numerous weird and wonder- Alternatively, Kokkos, located on Arctic Circle, which is just a 3-hour finest museums. Not only is Oslo ful street performers who descend the corner of the Grand Hotel is a ferry journey from the spectacular cool, classy and happening but with upon the streets, alleyways and vibrant little club, which might just Lofoten Islands - arguably the most the nearby beaches and forests on court yards each day. have the most efficient bar staff on beautiful and dramatic islands in the Oslo Fjord, several attractive parks and the planet, busily serving an excited whole of Europe. 24 G ATEWAY RIGA summer/autumn 2006 summer/autumn 2006 G ATEWAY RIGA 25

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15 R EGIONAL GUIDE Kurzeme The majority of Kurzeme is rural, with hundreds of kilometres of deserted sandy beaches, hidden forests and rolling meadowland. It is also home to many of Latvia's most vibrant and romantic towns. Photographer: Peo Jonson Liepaja from storms and sand drifts. Nearby, the Northern Forts are a vast fortification system built under instructions from the Russian Tsar. Most of the fortifications were destroyed during World War I but the underground labyrinths can now be explored. Rose Square is the beating heart of the city. Pride of place is Latvia's first Rock Café offering facilities for concerts, exhibitions and conferences. The city's promenade was out of bounds in Soviet times, but today that couldn't be further from the case. It is a great place to stroll, people watch and take in views of the port and yacht harbour. Liepaja Museum houses more than 100,000 exhibits telling the history of the city and region from the Stone Age right up to the present day. Latvia is divided into four historic, cultural and geographical regions: Kurzeme (western region) Zemgale (southern region) Vidzeme (middle and northern region) Latgale (eastern region) Kurzeme is the name of the region that encompasses the entire western part of Latvia. Over the centuries Kurzeme was often independent of the other integral parts that we recognise as the Latvia of today. During its heyday, the Duchy of Kurzeme boasted some of the finest sailing vessels in northern Liepaja might well justify its tag as Latvia's alternative capital fourth largest settlement by size, it is seen by many as Latvia's second city. The city is very proud of its European Blue Flag beach, which is a mecca for surfing enthusiasts and beach bums alike. Old fishing boats, tools and houses are on display at the nearby Open Air Ethnographic Museum where tourists can also Liepaja Liepaja might well justify its tag as Latvia's alternative capital with a bustling cultural and musical scene that sometimes puts its big city rival to shame in the summer months. Just like Ventspils, it boasts a European Blue Flag beach, which is crowded by partying youngsters during its international Baltic Beach Party every summer. Take a tram ride through this attractive city and marvel at centuries of contrasting architectural styles ranging from original wooden buildings to an abandoned Soviet army barracks. The 1800 metre-long Northern Breakwater protects the port of Rose Square in Liepaja Photo: Liepaja TIC In the second part of our series Europe. Trading posts were established spend lazy summer days enjoying we look at the fascinating and as far away as the island of Tobago. the narrow-gauge steam railway. diverse region of Kurzeme. Towns and cities The rejuvenated port towns of Ventspils is regarded as the most child-friendly city in the country, and kids' entertainment includes the Ventspils and Liepaja dominate aquapark and children's town. Kurzeme. Beyond these, towns such as The annual Ventspils festival Kuldiga and Talsi reflect the Latvia of always pulls in thousands of visitors, yesteryear, and are for now relatively with the promenades adjacent to Photographer: Mara Gudike unspoilt by modern redevelopment. Ventspils Modern, well maintained and often immaculate, Ventspils has prospered from the oil business. Latvia's the 13th century Livonian Order Castle thronging with holidaymakers in the summer months. Direct ferry routes connect Ventspils to Sweden, Estonia, Germany and Denmark. 28 G ATEWAY RIGA summer/autumn 2006

16 prison. Your overnight stay comes Kemeri complete with prison uniforms and A 3 km-long specially constructed the company of rude, obnoxious pathway allows visitors to explore prison guards. the most interesting parts of the Saldus - Arguably Latvia's most national park's bogs and moorland. famous painter, Janis Rozentals was born in Saldus. The house that Rozentals lived and worked in has been maintained as a museum for the last 60 years and showcases some of his lesser-known works. Talsi - The tiny Liv settlements close to Cape Kolka. The Livs are recognised as Europe's smallest ethnic community. Tukums - Jaunpils Lutheran church is home to a rather bizarre The cycle-path is a great way to navigate your way around Lake Valgums. Coastline If mile after mile of deserted beaches is your thing then look no further than Latvia's Kurzeme region. With the exception of the port towns of Liepaja and Ventspils, most of the 300 kilometre-coastline is almost totally undeveloped. Of par- If mile after mile of deserted beaches is your thing then look no further than Latvia's Kurzeme region bell that is decorated with naked women leaning against a human skull. Ventspils - The Irbene Astronomical telescopes. The two functional parabolic antennae were ticular interest is Pavilosta, a quaint fishing village on Kurzeme's western coast, where the streets lead directly to the sea and fishermen's boats. Further north are the romantic cliffs and beaches of Jurkalne. Photographer: Varis Sants Kuldiga Tourists so often overlook this architectural gem, but the secret is now out. Charming Kuldiga is one lakes. The tiny settlement is packed with cobbled streets, dozens of protected buildings, burial mounds and parks. Talsi has the strange intangi- Venta s Rumba in Kuldiga used to spy on the west during the cold war. National Parks Pape of the best-preserved towns in the ble energy of a settlement that has Wild horses and bison roam Baltic region. Renaissance and Gothic- seen constant armies of invaders amongst the dunes, meadows and style buildings hug the old town's coming and going, each leaving lagoons of the Pape Nature Park. The narrow cobbled streets, the smoke their own unique mark on the char- WWF has been strongly involved in from firewood mingling with the acter of the ancient town. the protection and development of fresh country air. Its Rumba waterfall has the curious distinction of being Quirky tourist sites the national park. There are nature trails, an ornithological station and a the widest waterfall in Europe. A Here are some of the quirky sites bird watching tower. The Pape Lake 19th century red brick bridge spans worth visiting amongst Kurzeme's six trail stretches for 26 kilometres. the waterfall and the River Venta. This, along with the town's magnifi- districts: Kuldiga - It doesn't quite put Slitere cent 17th century old town, is cur- the Niagra Falls to shame, but with This sparsely populated area con- rently in the process of joining a width of 249 metres, the Ventas tains 16,000 hectares of protected UNESCO's world heritage list. Rumba is the widest waterfall in land and a 10,000-hectare aquatori- Talsi Europe. Liepaja - Fancy spending the um. The Slitere National Park is home to the only remaining Liv set- This delightful town was once the night in a Soviet prison? Karosta tlements, Cape Kolka, miles of centre of the state in the 10th cen- Prison in Liepaja offers visitors the deserted shoreline, and the Blue tury. Talsi is located on half a not-so-pleasurable experience of an Hills, which were formed by an dozen hills, which surround two overnight stay in a former KGB ancient ice lake. 30 G ATEWAY RIGA summer/autumn 2006

17 and commitment to sport in the region. A wide range of recreational activities is on offer throughout the region. In Liepaja this extends to yachting, bowling, skating, tennis, as well as paintballing in Karosta, and gliding above the city. Travel By train: All train connections to Kurzeme run via Jelgava and Photo: Ventspils TIC Jurmala. There are two main lines, the northern-line running through Tukums before terminating in Ventspils (3-4 hours). The second rail link passes through Saldus and At Cape Kolka the Baltic Sea meets the Gulf of Riga to create a Ventspils waterfront is popular with 700th anniversary. Edole Castle is associated with terminates at Liepaja (4-5 hours). By car: The two main roads that connect Kurzeme to Riga run almost spectacular, if not slightly surreal tourists and locals many legends, most of them telling parallel to the two corresponding looking seascape. of love and betrayal, curses and train lines in the region. All the towns on the West Coast ghostly apparitions. Originally con- Route 1 - Riga (via Jurmala) - of Kurzeme can be reached from structed in the 1267, it has been Tukums - Talsi - Ventspils the capital in less than two hours. rebuilt several times. Visitors can Route 2 - Riga - Saldus - Skrunda - Mersrags and Roja have good ameni- now stay overnight if they dare! Liepaja ties for tourists. The latter offers boat-tours and its own maritime and Sports and recreation By bus: Liepaja and Ventspils are very well serviced destinations fishery museum. If water sports are your thing with more than ten daily services. Castles and palaces then choose from hundreds of lakes and dozens of rivers, where you can Most of Kurzeme is connected by bus links. Jaunpils is one of the best-preserved castles in Latvia. It was built by the Knights of the Livonian Order in 1301 and is fortified by towers, a moat and inner courtyards. It is possible to stay overnight at the castle. The newly restored Ventspils castle, close to the mouth of the Venta River, originally dates to the thirteenth century. The castle contains a museum, with an adjacent promenade running along the riverbank. Jaunmoku manor house marks the gateway to the town of Tukums. Edole castle is associated with many legends, most of them telling of love and betrayal, curses and ghostly apparitions kayak, canoe or river raft. The River Abava, for example, is navigable all season from Kandava through to Venta, with plenty of campsites along the route. Kurzeme's West Coast has several windsurfing beaches. The cities of Ventspils and Liepaja are particularly well geared up for windsurfing enthusiasts. Some of Latvia's best sports teams come from Kurzeme. Liepajas Metalurgs are the current national football champions, while Ventspils are the best basketball team in the country. A plethora of new sports halls, Tourist information Latvian Tourism Development Agency - Kurzeme Regional Office 5 Baznicas iela, Kuldiga kurzeme@latviatourism.lv Latvian Tourism Development Agency - Riga Office 4 Smilsu iela, Riga Famous Scotsman, George Armisted swimming pools and winter sports info@latviatourism.lv built it in 1901, to celebrate Riga's facilities reflect a renewed interest 32 G ATEWAY RIGA summer/autumn 2006

18 A IRLINE IN FOCUS Where east meets west Czech Airlines (ČSA) has the proud distinction of being largest air carrier among the new EU-member countries according to the number of transported passengers. flights. And it also indicates our as well as tourists to maximise ment prices on some of their ages on its flights in both business traveller. Add to this prices as low In 2005 it carried a record-breaking 5.2 million passengers, a growth of 20 per cent on its previous record. The airline has also been flooded with awards from the airline industry in recent years. In January 2006 the airline won the Best Airline in Eastern Europe award from the leading American magazine Global Traveller. The American travel community was particularly impressed by the high level of passenger service on Czech Airlines' flights - something that ČSA's director of sales and success in pursuing our strategy of becoming the bridge between the East and the West, And as an integral and important part of the Skyteam Alliance since 2001, the airline has also received rave reviews under the 2005 Best Airline Alliance. ČSA now offers 12 weekly flights from Riga to Prague with excellent connections to most of its 119 destinations, which are located in 52 countries on 4 continents. On all flights to Riga, ČSA uses modern Boeing 737 aircraft, with a their time in their destination and possibly cut costs for accommodation. This is especially valid for trips to Prague - where a stay of two full days only necessitates one overnight stay. In November, Czech Airlines added flights to destinations in Eastern Europe. These new destinations include Sarajevo, Minsk, Skopje, Bucharest, Moscow, Yerevan and Kiev. With countries like Ukraine and Belarus opening up to foreign business and leisure travellers, Czech Airlines seems to have It is clear that Czech Airlines is one of Europe's leading airlines for service quality, destination coverage and value for money flights passengers often fail to take into account the extra unforessen costs that hit them in the pocket later on after they've paid for their flight ticket. For example, ČSA is one of an increasingly small number of airlines that serves complimentary meals and alcoholic bever- and economy classes. And while some of the low cost operators have baggage allowances of as little as 15 kilograms per passenger, ČSA permits its passengers to carry 23 kg in economy and 30 kg in business, which is a far more realistic figure for the business and leisure as 100 Lats for a return flight from Riga to Prague inclusive of all taxes, and the multi-beneficial ČSA Frequent Flyer Programme, and it is clear that Czech Airlines is one of Europe's leading airlines for service quality, destination coverage and value for money. marketing, Jaroslav Stepanek, is seating capacity of 108 seats. This made a very shrewd move by very proud of. The fact that type of aircraft flies faster than focusing so much attention on Czech Airlines has won this pres- turbo-propeller planes and therefore these new routes. Traffic is also set tigious award for the second year ČSA's flying time between Riga and to grow on Czech Airlines' route to in a row is an important message Prague is just 1 hour 50 minutes. the stunningly beautiful, yet still to our current and future cus- The early morning departure from relatively undiscovered Serbia and tomers. It proves that we always Riga in combination with the late Montenegro. pay attention to the quality of evening arrival back gives an excel- While the so called low cost our service and the safety of our lent chance for business travellers operators are offering bargain base- 34 G ATEWAY RIGA summer/autumn 2006

19 C ULTURE The critically acclaimed Is it Lights, easy to be young? camera action! Latvian film legend, Juris Podnieks From Sergey Eizenstein to Juris Podnieks, Latvian producers, directors and cameramen were at the forefront of cutting edge Soviet cinema. Seemingly unafraid to challenge the status quo of the day much of their work dealt with the dark days of Soviet rule through to social meltdown and the eventual collapse of the totalitarian regime. In the years following restored independence Latvian cinema has adapted to the upheaval of the 90s and emerged from more than a decade of transition to once gain take its place on the world stage. The 1960s marked a renaissance in Latvian film making with the emergence of the Riga School of Poetic Documentary. Many directors had learnt their trade in the 1950s at the Moscow Film Institute and returned to Latvia with a fresh way of thinking. In the 1961 film The The silent movie Lāčplēsis authorities satisfied that their work was not of a subversive nature. Somehow they pulled off this unenviable balancing act and in 1967 Uldis Brauns got to work on the immense The film involved directors and camera teams from all over the USSR. final years of the Soviet regime. The 1986 film, Is it easy to be young? found popularity all over the Soviet Union and beyond. While Homeland (1990) and the 1991 production, End of the Empire encapsulated the Soviet Union's endgame. January 20, 1991 marked the The Hostage filmed at Riga International Airport White Bells, gone were the often- At the end of the decade the darkest day in Latvian film making Cinema comes to Latvia In 1895, citizens of Latvia had their first ever opportunity to see moving pictures on a screen. The event took place at Solomonsk Circus, the oldest operating circus building in the world. Three years later, one of Latvia's most famous sons, Sergey Eizenstein was born. The director and scriptwriter is still considered one of the greats of world cinema for his ground-breaking work in The Battleship Potemkin. The first ever-documentary shots of Riga were recorded in 1910 during Latvia puts itself on the map The first ever feature film to be produced in Latvia was directed by Vilis Seglins in The aptly named Splendid Palace Movie Theatre opened its doors to the public in This grand, ornate cinema is now an excellent place to catch a plethora of world cinema, independent and Hollywood films and can be described as one of the most luxurious cinema buildings in northern Europe. Cinema really began to capture the public's imagination in Latvia during the 1920s with new theatres springing up all over the capital. In 1926 the State Of The Art Palladium of 1140 seats. Latvian cinema really established itself with the silent movie Lāčplēsis. The film brilliantly combined Latvian mythology with social drama. Just four years later, Aleksandrs Rusteikis' Daugava became the first Latvian film to include an audio broadcast. Riga Film Studios was established just as World War II broke out. The resulting chaos that ensued meant that the studios were closed until the end of the war. Soviet Years Dzidra Ritenberga helped raise the profile of Latvia when she won the prize for the best female actress at Cinema really began to capture the public's imagination in Latvia during the 1920s with new theatres springing up all over the capital soulless messages that characterised the Soviet era to be replaced by poetic metaphors. Latvian documentary films became more personal with much more emphasis being placed upon the artistic qualities of film-making. Increasingly the trend was towards thinking outside of the box. Riga Film Studio was buzzing with talent, although ironically many of the innovative producers had started their careers away from film-making in fields as diverse as journalism and veterinary studies. It must be remembered that the producers of the time were not awarded the creative carte blanche of their western counterparts as they emphasis shifted away from the Poetic School's approach and focused increasingly on films that tackled problems of a social nature. During the 70s Ansis Epners became renowned for his gritty and energetic style of film making with a tendency to reflect on the rarely debated social issues of the day. Herz Frank also followed this trend, although his work symbolised a more restless dissatisfaction with the problems of the day. Indeed, it was one of Frank's prodigies, Juris Podnieks, who became the shining light in Latvian film making during the 1980s. Seemingly unafraid to challenge the status quo much of Podnieks' work came to history. Two members of Podnieks' team - Andris Slapins and Gvido Zvaigzne- were filming the OMON attack on the Interior Ministry. In the resulting gun battle both men were shot and killed. Cinema takes a back seat Latvia's regained independence brought with it a period of chaos and upheaval in society. In the ensuing vacuum, film making was forced to take a back seat, not least of all because the necessary funding simply wasn't available at that time. It wasn't until the mid-90s that Latvian cinema re-emerged with director Laila Pakalnina at the helm. Pakalnina's films The Post and The Ferry the visit of Tsar Nikolay II. was built with an impressive capacity the 1957 Venice Film Festival. also needed to keep the Soviet reflect the changing times and the both won awards at the G ATEWAY RIGA summer/autumn 2006 summer/autumn 2006 G ATEWAY RIGA 37

20 2006 marks an exciting year for Latvian cinema independent Latvia. He wants only to get back to a normal life and to Elza, the girl he left behind. On the day of their wedding, a rogue German general orders an attack on Riga and martins and Elza are forced to flee. Martins has to make the difficult decision to join the fight to defend his city and to leave Elza behind once again. The fledgling Latvian army battling alongside thousands of volunteers manages to beat back the aggressors. This miraculous victory ensures the survival of the republic of Latvia as an independent state, and martins and Elza are finally able to return home and to their future together. As the story in the film takes place between 1919 and 1920, the film makers understood that it would be impossible to shoot the film on location in present day Riga. Reproducing the desired battle scenes was an obstacle, because the trenches that served as the defence were dug throughout the cobbled streets along the banks of the Daugava River. Cinevilla s purpose - built open air film sets quickly solved Aigars Grauba s dilemna. Cannes Festival, and eleven years on with nearly twenty films to her This 2 million-euro epic is the biggest budget film made in Latvian ented film makers working for studios such as the world-renowned Juris Defenders of Riga filmed on location with permanent film sets. Located just 40 minutes away from the stu- name, the talented director remains Latvia's most celebrated film maker. The future looks bright 2006 marks an exciting year for Latvian cinema. State funding is on the increase, more foreign companies are looking to Latvia as a place to work and there is currently an increase in the number of productions. This year's Latvian film premieres include the critically acclaimed director Laila Pakalnina's The Hostage film making history, and should help bring Latvian film-making to the forefront of international attention. One current trend in world cinema is greater co-operation between international studios and directors. The blossoming partnership between Latvia and its Baltic neighbours has led to the Baltic co-production fund. It's a natural progression that allows the three Baltic countries to promote their films to an international audience. After all, similar projects in Scandinavia have only helped pro- Increasin gly foreign producers are coming to Latvia because the country offers a whole host of film locations all found in one place Podnieks Studios in Riga. Archangel starring the new James Bond actor Daniel Craig was filmed in Latvia, although most of the story takes place in Russia. While conversely, Russian producers use Riga because it is a western European City. Riga has the best collection of Art Nouveau buildings anywhere in the world, magnificent wooden architecture from the 19th and 20th centuries. It has the timeless medieval ambience of vecriga, juxtaposed by bleak Soviet apartment blocks and at Cinevilla s 150-hectare open air film set dio, the 150-hectare site has room for enormous development. 15 hectares currently house historical buildings including a fire-station, a railway station, residential houses and a factory, which create a sense of historical reality, rarely matched in other parts of Europe. The village also has a swing-bridge, 220 metres of railway and a functioning tramline. The site is already a major tourist attraction with visitors transported back in time as they stroll around the cobbled streets and cross Berga Bazars, Marijas 13, LV-1050 Tel./Fax: ; fellini@fellini.lv (Filmed at Riga Airport), while there mote the Nordic film industry. grand, but intimidating Stalinist the replica bridges that so accurately is much expectancy surrounding Viesturs Kairiss' The Dark Deer. Animation films the Three Musketeers and Lotte from Gadgetville are attracting international A film producers heaven Increasingly foreign producers are coming to Latvia because the country offers a whole host of film locations buildings. Cinevilla Studio Cinevilla studio is located in a peaceful pine forest and sand dune capture the Latvia of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. COMING SOON Defenders of Riga attention. This year's big picture is all found in one place. That's not to setting, close to the Baltic Sea. The It's 1919, and a war-weary soldier, Aigars Grauba's Defenders of Riga. mention a whole host of bright, tal- studio boasts an open-air backlot Martins, returns home to the newly 38 G ATEWAY RIGA summer/autumn 2006 summer/autumn 2006 G ATEWAY RIGA 39

21 A RT years while it was painstakingly reconstructed. It reopened in September 1995, with its new interior resembling its original classy 19th Century blueprint. The New Stage of the LNO was opened in In addition to chamber works, it was created to be Hitting a space for contemporary and experimental art. As well as musical productions, drama, film and multimedia are showcased. Its current capacity is 300 seats. the right notes The Latvian National Opera today Currently, the Latvian National While Riga is gaining itself quite a reputation abroad for its stunning architecture and exciting nightlife, many visitors continue to overlook its world-class opera. Opera has 614 staff. A highly-skilled professional team of administrative and technical personnel supports the orchestra, soloists and the artistic staff of the Latvian National Ballet. Performances run from October and in 1863 proudly opened its formed Latvian National Opera gave the day were Emil Kuper, known for establish a new company with a until June each year. During this Opera still remains the domain of doors to the public. Twenty years its inaugural performance, Der his superb interpretation of Wagner handful of soloists and restore the nine-month period opera and ballet the rich and elite in many countries, later, the first opera in the Latvian fliegende Holländer by Richard and Russian classics ( ), repertory. Such stars as Milda are performed several times a week, but in Latvia it is an inclusive art language was presented in the mag- Wagner, on the 23rd of January Georg Schnefoght, known for his Brehmane-Stengele and Aleksandrs with a total of about 180 perform- form available to all social classes. nificent building. And a further This date is marked as the symphonic conducting at the turn of Daskovs went about their artistic ances over the season. Humble beginnings The Latvian National Opera celebrated its 80th anniversary in However, opera traditions date back much further to the 18th century when travelling companies performed in Riga. The first resident theatre was established in 1772, performing drama, opera and ballet. These performing arts were show- decade later saw the premiere of the very first opera by a Latvian composer - Jekabs Ozols' "The Ghostly Hour" (Spoku stunda). During the First World War, the company evacuated to Russia, but returned to Riga in 1918, led by founder and rector of the Latvian Academy of Music, Jazeps Vitols. The many soloists included Malvine-Vignere-Grinberga, Ada The Latvian National Opera celebrated its 80th anniversary in 1999 official founding day of the Latvian National Opera. From 1920 to 1940 the Latvian National Opera experienced a golden era, with more than half a dozen new opera productions each year performed in front of packed audiences. In the 1920s and the 1930s, the company consisted primarily of singers who began their careers before World War I. These highly- the century ( ) and Leo Blech, who, after fleeing the Nazis, considerably enhanced the Latvian company's artistic merits. ( ) Difficult times Soviet and German occupations during the war lead to the opera morphing into the Latvian SSR State Opera, and then the Riga Opera Theatre, under the directives of the duties under extremely trying circumstances. In spite of ideological manipulation, the opera-company managed to attain artistic excellence and a loving audience by the middle of the 1950s. Audience numbers reached pre-war levels with wellknown classics as the foundation of its success. Indeed, the National Opera was the first opera-company in the entire Soviet Union to revive On average it has 5 new productions per year - 3 operas and 2 ballets; one of them being a revival. Encouragingly, on average 85 per cent of the places in the 946-seat main hall are sold, with an annual attendance of 145,000 opera and ballet fans. The repertoire ranges from baroque operas to opera and ballet classics by the likes of Verdi, cased on a regular basis with the Benefelde, Milda Brehmane-Stengele, respected artists were a part of the Vermacht. Many company members Wagner's operas. During the 60s Mozart and Tchaikovsky. Works by founding of the German Theatre. Herta Luse, Amanda Liberte-Rebane, original German Theatre and Pavuls were arrested and deported, while an and 70s the opera went from 20th century foreign and Latvian Indeed the world-renowned compos- Helena Cinka-Berzinska, Alida Vane, Jurjans' Latvian Opera troupe. even larger number became refugees. strength to strength. composers include Britten's The er Richard Wagner was the theatre's musical director from 1837 to The Latvian National Opera (LNO) was originally constructed on the Janis Niedra and Rudolfs Berzins. Opera's golden era After the Latvian State declared its Annual attendances topped over 220,000 people. No 19th German, Italian, French or Russian opera was left unperformed. After the war, the Latvian SSR State Opera and Ballet Theatre was forced to make a brand new start. Conductor Leonids Vigners' (1944- Operatic independence After the Republic of Latvia regained its independence in 1991, Turn of the Screw, and Janis Lusens's Birds Opera. With its reputation growing abroad, the Latvian National Opera site of the Riga German Theatre, independence in 1918, the newly The most renowned conductors of 1949) task was extremely difficult - the opera house was closed for four and Ballet companies have per- 40 G ATEWAY RIGA summer/autumn 2006 summer/autumn 2006 G ATEWAY RIGA 41

22 formed throughout Europe. There have also been tours to Hong Kong, Taiwan, Israel and Russia. European festival participation has included the open-air opera festival at Dalhalla, and the renowned Savonlinna and Wiesbaden festivals. Riga Opera Festival 2006 The annual event continues to attract a great deal of attention from abroad, with an array of young talent and established worldfamous artists. During the festival the performances of the previous season are showcased featuring outstanding conductors and guest singers to a local and international audience. This year's festival runs from 7th- 18th June and features work by Mozart, Tchaikovsky, Wagner and Schostakovich. The National Opera was the first operacompany in the entire Soviet Union to revive Wagner's operas UPCOMING EVENTS JUNE RIGA CYCLING MARATHON Riga Tel Sun. 4 - Thousands of Latvians of all ages and sizes take to Riga's streets for this annual marathon. CRAFTS FAIR Latvian Ethnographic Museum Riga Tel Sat 3 - Sun 4 - A great opportunity to pick up Latvian handcraft goods that you won't find on sale in Riga's shops. RIGA OPERA FESTIVAL Latvian National Opera House Tel Wed 7 - Sun 18 - The annual event continues to attract a great deal of attention from abroad, with an array of young talent and established world-famous artists. This year's festival runs from 7th-18th June and features JULY FESTIVAL OF RHYTHMICAL MUSIC Riga Tel Mon 3 - Sun 9 - Dozens of musical events run for one week in Riga. Posters and boards all around the centre of the city update visitors on who is playing where and when. BALTICA INTERNATIONAL FOLKLORE FESTIVAL Riga Tel Wed 12 - Sun 16 - With a deep-rooted Pagan culture, it is only natural that Latvia should host this fascinating festival. The festival is a folklore enthusiast's heaven. XII INTERNATIONAL ANCIENT MUSIC FESTIVAL Riga Tel Dates to be confirmed. SEPTEMBER EUROPEAN FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS 2008 QUALIFIER Skonto Stadium Tel Sat 2 - Latvia kicks-off its qualifying campaign for the 2008 European Football Championships with the visit of Sweden. HARVEST FESTIVAL Latvian Ethnographic Museum Tel Sun 17 - Take the opportunity to celebrate the Autumn Solstice in style in the traditional backdrop of the Ethnographic Museum. ARSENALS XVII INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL Riga Tel Sat 16 - Sun 24 - Riga International Film Forum Arsenals is held biannually in September. Latvia's shining operatic star Inese Galante began her singing career at Riga Opera House in 1982, while she was still a student at the Latvian Academy of Music. She soon joined the Kirov Opera in St. Petersburg and became popular with opera audiences all over Russia. After independence she moved to Germany where she became a soloist at the Mannheim Opera, and after 1996 was a permanent fixture in Opera am Rhein, which performed in Dusseldorf. Today, Inese Galante is a frequent guest-performer in the opera houses of Germany, France, the USA and Israel, and regularly visits the Latvian National Opera. To emphasise her international appeal, sales of her CD Debut exceeded 25,000 in Holland alone. She performed a gala concert together with opera legend Jose Carreras in Rotterdam, and sang for the Queen of England at a Royal recital in Kensington Palace, London in work by Mozart, Tchaikovsky, Wagner and Schostakovich. MIDSUMMER FESTIVAL CELEBRATIONS Latvian Ethnographic Museum Riga Tel Sun 18 - With all of Latvia close to finishing its final preparations for Ligo, the Latvian Ethnographic Museum gives visitors the chance to find out what it is all about a few days in advance of the real thing. TRADITIONAL GRASS MARKET Dome Square Riga Tel Thu 22 - Midsummer is almost underway in the heart of Riga. LIGO MIDSUMMER FESTIVAL Events throughout Latvia Contact: Tourist Information Centres Fri 23 - Latvia literally goes wild during this the most Latvian of festivals. Summer solstice celebrations take place in every town and village throughout the country. INTERNATIONAL ORGAN MUSIC FESTIVAL Riga Tel Dates to be confirmed. AUGUST IX INTERNATIONAL SACRAL MUSIC FESTIVAL Riga Tel Sat 15 - Tue 5 (September) - RIGA CITY FESTIVAL Riga Tel Mon 17 - Fri 21 - Riga's streets will be full with locals and foreigners alike enjoying the capital's annual festival. SMITHS DAYS Latvian Ethnographic Museum Tel Wed 19 - Thu 20 - The IFF program consists of the Forum International Competition Screening, the Baltic Film Competition (films from Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia), Retrospective Screenings, the World cinema Panorama, and special thematic programs. MIKELDIENAS HARVEST FESTIVAL Ratslaukums, Riga. Tel Sat 30 - Join the crowds in Ratslaukums for this festival, which marks the beginning of the autumn. 42 G ATEWAY RIGA summer/autumn

23 Dickens Restaurant complement our excellent cuisine and Dickens is an excellent restaurant, genuine English atmosphere making situated in Riga's Old Town right near Dickens the perfect place to enjoy a St. Peter's Cathedral. Decorated in delicious lunch or dinner. Reval Hotel Latvija warm shades with an operational fireplace in the cold seasons, Dickens At Dickens Restaurant we offer genuine grain-fed beef steaks, various fare Lobby Bar is an ideal location with a warm, bustling atmosphere that has gained a reputation as restaurant ensures a memorable and if you want, romantic visit. Our friendly and attentive staff seasoned with curry sauces as well as several fish dishes. And of course, after your meal, if Čarlestons one of Riga's favourite meeting places for locals and visitors alike. de Lacy`s you wish to spend more time with us why not come right through to There are only a few restaurants in Fresh, richly brewed coffee or tea, Located in the centre of the Old Dickens Pub and enjoy our friendly Riga worth going to and Charlestons is and a wide array of drinks and Town, de Lacy`s Irish bar is proba- atmosphere and great selection of beers. HOT SPOTS definitely one of them! Great food and atmosphere, but what keeps us coming back is your friendly and attentive staff. Cheers, John Hughes London, England snacks make this a perfect place to conduct an informal business meeting or just spend a good time with friends. Lobby Beer Terrace welcomes you to join the urban crowd in bly one of the best bars in Riga. It is Irish-owned and managed and its proof is by the pour of a pint and its large selection on the menu from traditional Irish meals to tex-mex - something One thing about coming to join us at Dickens is guaranteed. You'll come back! Pēterbaznīcas iela 17, Riga, tel HOTELS When I find a note like this on the heart of the city and taste some good Latvian beer with a for everyone's taste. All major sporting events shown on plasma Express Restaurant my desk on Monday morning, I put delicious snacks. A truly fresh screens including Premiership Use this opportunity to enjoy on a smile and thank my staff for the place where the city meets! football, Heineken cup and many a wide range of cold delicatessen, hard work. more. Recommended strongly exquisite hot dishes, LIDO cakes and Maybe this is the best way. Open daily: as being the place to kick off desserts in the romantic atmosphere GOOD WORK, GUYS!!! Elmars Tannis - owner Blaumaņa 38/40, Riga, LV-1011 Tel , charlestons@charlestons.lv, Mon-Sat 9 a.m. till 2 a.m. Sun 10 a.m. till 2 a.m. Reval Hotel Latvija, Elizabetes iela 55, Riga tel your stay in Riga and finish it, as you will find the staff at de Lacy`s more than willing to help you enjoy your time at de Lacy`s and Riga. offered by the Express Restaurant at the LIDO Recreation Centre, which is one of the largest and most beautiful log buildings in Europe. The Express Restaurant offers: Gastronome seafood restaurant The uniqueness of our restaurant offer consists of an opportunity to choose Sarkans They say that Šķūņu iela 4, Riga, tel different cold dishes as buffet; holiday meals and banquets; music every night; singly fresh fish or seafood from Gastronome s seafood department even if it is not on the menu. There are also this is the place to banquets at your place. meat dishes prepared according to fall in love and I Love You loves its customers and its You are welcome for: recipes that have stood the test of time, to fall in love customers love I Love You. Whether lunch 1 pm to 5 pm side dishes of vegetables 'just like mother with! You can t miss this popular bar, restaurant and place to hang out, because it s sarkans (Latvian for "red") from top to bottom. It s red-hot addictive, from the long bar downstairs to the chill-out it s breakfast, an evening beer with your friends or Sunday brunch with your sweetheart, you ll feel right at home. Order a cocktail, sink into one of the sofas downstairs and forget dinner 6 pm to 12 pm Krasta iela 76, Riga tel for info , tel for booking , used to make', and appetising desserts. To aid guests in choosing their wine, the recommendations of our sommelier are included in the menu for the majority of dishes including the desserts. lounges upstairs. There s room here to meet everyone who s anyone. Oh, and don t forget to try the Sarkans I Love You your worries. And if you care about music, then I Love You is spot on If you are in good company, you should definitely try the Royal Seafood Dish for sandwich and its delicious fillings Book ahead to Discover this little gem tucked no pop here, just quality, intelligent four people, for which our sommelier reserve a table for dinner. away in one of the cobbled streets so alternative sounds! recommends you order Deutz Blanc de Stabu iela 10, Riga, tel sarkans@sarkans.lv admired on a recent visit by Prince Charles. Strange name for a café, you may say not really. Step inside and pretty soon you realise that Aldaru iela 9, Riga, tel i_love_you@apollo.lv Blancs Champagne, Krasta iela 68, mc2, Riga, tel , gastronome@mc2 44 G ATEWAY RIGA summer/autumn

24 Rozengrāls Valeros Restaurant Start your journey back to International cuisine combined medieval times in the heart of Old with a classic atmosphere. Whether Riga in Latvia. Relax in the glimmering lights of candles. Try the favourite Paddy Whelan's Irish Pub & Sports Bar you want to impress a client or enjoy a romantic evening with your partner our excellent musicians and dishes and drinks of King Philip I, Duke Charles of Burgundy and Established in 1994! - The first and still the number one Irish pub singers can play to your mood. The sound of classical, jazz, and Margaret of York. Listen to the Ancient Wall and the Old Well whispering the secrets of the Optibet Sports Bar The most up-to-date sports bar Raibais Balodis (Colourful Dove) in Riga. Located in the very heart of the Old Town it features very friendly staff and offers delicious popular music fill the air each evening, and rest assured, our friendly staff will always make Order of the Knights Templars. in Latvia, which, on top of its Located in the quaint surround- food and real old-fashioned BBQ you welcome. Our business-lunch Find your medieval treasure. sporty spirit and contemporary ings of the Konventa Seta in Riga's served all day long till after mid- starts at only Ls 4 and our HOT SPOTS Find your philosopher s stone. Find your Grail. Rozēna iela 1, Riga, tel/fax info@rozengrals.lv design, features an amazing blackand-white gallery of Latvia`s most famous sports people. Popular sports events on big TV screens. Delicious food and a wide selection of beverages. old town, this stylish restaurant offers a wide variety of international dishes. The décor has just been restyled to complement its romantic interior. It is also an ideal place to enjoy a relaxed, vast and unlimited night. Great prices, 18 different kinds of local and imported Beer & Cider on tap, and a wide choice of wines and spirits. From time to time it is possible to enjoy live music in a relaxed, kicked back extensive menu, which changes every six weeks, delivers superb food and outstanding value. Basteja bulvāris 16, Riga tel HOTELS Business lunch buffet breakfast. atmosphere. All major SKY Sports from 12:00 to 16:00. Open daily for breakfast and other satellite sporting events The best prices in town! from 6:30 till 10:30 am. shown live on a large screen, Wireless Internet free of charge! Business lunch every working day numerous flat screens and TV. OPTIBET Sports Bar - the spot from 12:00 till 4:00 pm. Excellent courtyard and street side for the hottest metropolitan parties Lunch and dinner summer terraces. in Riga! Smilšu iela 7 (opposite Pulvertornis), Old Riga tel from 12:00 till 11:00 pm. Live music on Fridays. Kalēju iela 9/11 (Hotel Konventa Seta), Riga tel Grēcinieku iela 4, Riga, tel office , 1st floor , 2nd floor paddy@hostit.lv, Stella Pub Bon Vivant Piramida Reval Hotel Ridzene Restaurant with a choice of warm dishes. Fresh spring flavours and a modern You can't always be on the side- A genuine Belgian beer café Piramida is for those who are seeking country atmosphere await you at the lines at the Cup Final or your interior and responsive staff makes excellent international cuisine in an inti- Piramida Summer Terrace, due to open favourite Premiership game, so the for a pleasant mood in Belgian mate and elegant ambiance in the heart in late May. The Summer Terrace offers next best thing is to get pole posi- beer cafe Braserie Bon Vivant. of Riga`s business and financial district. a wide selection of delicious food, out- tion at a sports bar. And whether you're a long-term resident or just You can get a taste of 24 sorts of famous beer. The beer is served in The executive Chef's creative and fresh approach to cooking is reflected standing service and of course the great feeling of having your breakfast, lunch enjoying a visit of a few days, there's no friendlier or cozi- exclusive toby jugs. in our international cuisine menu con- or dinner in a beautiful, green oasis in er venue for the armchair fanatic in Riga than Stella Pub. The dishes food in Belgian beer centrating on the key elements of each the heart of dynamic urban atmosphere. For a world class brew and a meal for champions with café approximates companies of dish and enhancing their unique Restaurant is open daily entertainment by top international athletes, Stella Pub will friends. You can have the 1.5 flavours and textures. Situated under from 7 a.m. till p.m. leave you feeling like a winner. Šķūņu iela 19, Old Riga and Lāčplēša iela 35, Riga. Open 09:00-03:00 (Old Town) and Mon-Thu 10:00-24:00, Fri-Sat 10:00-01:00, Sun 14:00-22:00 (Riga Centre). For more info ph: / , website: metre long sausage Bon - Vivant served on a special oak-tree board for 4 persons. Brasserie Bon - Vivant amazes with French quality and German quantity! Live band on every Friday night! Open daily: Sun - Thu: 11am-01am Fri - Sat: 11am- Mārstaļu iela 8, Old Riga tel the glass pyramid this culinary treasure offers fine dining and an extensive menu. The breakfast buffet and the lunch A la Carte are complemented Reval Hotel Ridzene, Reimersa iela 1, Riga tel ridzene.restaurant@revalhotels.com 46 G ATEWAY RIGA summer/autumn

25 R IGA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT STAYING ON COURSE agement course in Riga as a course at one of the association's longstanding More IATA courses are being planned at Riga International Airport GROWING FAST Nobody wants a crisis on their hands, least of all a busy airport. But training centres in Montreal, Miami, Geneva or Singapore will often be in the coming years. The IATA Training and Development Institute in case an emergency situation ever cheaper and, for attendees in Europe, delivers more than 250 courses Big development plans are afoot as presents itself, being able to handle it save travel time. every year to around 26,000 stu- Riga International Airport extends its terminals to cope with thousands more passengers every year. More than 2.5 million people are expecting to fly to and from Riga in 2006, up from 1.9 million in Some estimates put the number as high as 10 million by Extensions and expansions have been clearly mapped out in several stages of development, the first of cial enterprises - travel agencies, airline offices, shops and cafés. No fewer than 11 car rental companies, including a limousine service, will compete for customers from here. The face of the existing airport building is already changing as enterprises compete for tenders for com- expansion of the runway, from 2,550 metres to 3,200 metres. With this extra length, which is partly being funded by EU money, Riga will be able to accept Boeing 747 aircraft with a full load. In fact, more airlines than ever before are showing interest in launch- calmly and efficiently must be taught regularly to airport staff at every level. That's why Riga International Airport employees are involved in a constant cycle of training, conferences, seminars and drills - much of it made in collaboration with the International Air Transport Association, the global air transport sector's forward-looking professional trade association. In fact, IATA diploma courses have Two separate five-day IATA diploma courses are being held in Riga this coming September, each of them dealing with how to plan, manage and coordinate airport emergencies and how to implement airport security operations. And they are being taught by exactly the same IATA Training and Development Institute instructors as you would get in the four longerestablished centres, with the same Top-level security courses are being taught at Riga airport, all of them backed by IATA dents around the world in the fields of airlines, cargo, airports, civil aviation and air navigation services. The courses boost expertise in areas like law, finance, accounting, sales, ticketing, professional training - and safety and security. Highly commended IATA courses already held in Riga include customer service, airport safety management systems and instructional techniques, which was the new terminal exten- mercial space. The popular chain ing flights to Riga. Two new low-cost been taught regularly at Riga course materials and certificates. attracting attendees from Sweden, sion to the north opened earlier in Coffee Nation has just taken up resi- airlines began operations to Riga in International Airport's Training Centre Riga airport officials help take Croatia, Italy, Hungary, Slovakia and This is intended for arrivals dence, while a new Latvian souvenir Norwegian and Aer Lingus - since Now the standard is so care of hotel bookings and transport other European countries. A full list from non-schengen countries, ready shop with a backdrop made to resem- and both have done extremely well good that participants from all over to and from the training centre, so of courses and prices at the Riga for when Latvia enters the Schengen ble the Old Town of Riga has started and are delighted with the market. the world are being invited to attend. all you have to worry about is the International Airport Training Centre area probably at the beginning of selling its wares including souvenir Ryanair recently launched new Taking the same IATA airport man- course. is readily available RIX is the first airport in the nibbles like cheeses and breads. routes from Riga, to Stockholm / Baltic states to be fully prepared for this transition. The new terminal expansion can already handle arrivals and is now accepting up to 10 arrivals a day - mostly passengers from non-eu countries. Also by the start of 2008 the terminal will have a brand new pier, used by commercial aircraft as boarding area for passengers. Non- Schengen departures (possibly includ- Euroshop has a new design and the Narvesen newsstand has been enlarged to house more of the world's press. Not far away, an exclusive gift shop has also been opened selling crystal figures, watches, jewellery and international fashion brands. A Lulu Pizza outlet is set to open in the departures area by midsummer. The small bar and the airport's only smoking area will remain in departures. To cope with everincreasing numbers of passengers and planes, Riga airport is constantly expanding Skavsta, Dublin and Liverpool, adding to its rostrum of destinations to London, Frankfurt and Tampere. Latvian airline airbaltic launched five new destinations in 2005, to Istanbul, Barcelona, Odessa, Paris and Dnepropetrovsk (Ukraine). Odessa was closed in 2006 along with its route to Cologne, but new destinations offered by airbaltic this year are Baku, Tbilisi, Simferopol, Bergen, Dusseldorf and Warsaw, making a ing the UK and Ireland) will also be Some more tenders for commercial total of 30 international routes avail- made from this hall. space at the airport are due to end able from the airline from Riga, The next big stage of development in the first part of the summer. while the domestic route to Liepaja comes when the facade of the air- Future tenants are also needed for has been relaunched for the summer. port building shifts 200 metres for- a flashy new business park being Turkish Airlines launched its own ward to occupy the territory current- planned near the airport, due to be direct route to Istabul in April with ly taken up by the short-term park- open and functioning by A three flights a week. Air Malta, Israir ing area, which will in turn shift a hotel is planned for opening in the and Hemus Air (Bulgaria) also begin few hundred metres to the north. next year or two. flights to and from Riga Interna- Passenger handling will not take More passengers means more tional Airport in 2006, bringing the up much space in this new building, planes, and another vital improve- total number of airlines flying to leaving most of it open to commer- ment that has to be made is the RIX to G ATEWAY RIGA summer/autumn 2006

26 MEETINGS ON THE HORIZON artist Ilmars Naglis called Horizonts. This is where the The meeting room can of course be booked in advance, but it can name of the conference room orig- often be used at very short notice, Think of a typical meeting room inally came from. It's an exhilarat- as Aija Veisa, deputy director of and you'll probably imagine a ing image of a rugged cliff and a the airport's protocol department bright, caffeine-fuelled area spectacular orange-and-blue horizon. recounts. equipped with audio-visual technology and lots of people paying close attention to the speaker. But just imagine the meeting taking place at an airport, with the inspiring sound of aircraft engines and the absorbing sight of passengers constantly arriving and departing. This is the extra pizazz you get at Horizonts ( horizon ), the modernlooking conference room on offer at Riga International Airport. It's a novel and memorable location for Why not choose the inspiring meeting room at Riga Internationl Airport for your next business meeting? The equipment on stand by for use in the meeting room is hightech and versatile, including an interactive electronic touch-screen whiteboard, laptop, printer, overhead projector, TV and video recorder, copy machine, podium and LAN. The interactive whiteboard is especially useful when working through the laptop as changes can be made on the board, saved and printed. The room is also part of a large A small group of Scandinavians were flustered when they arrived in Riga later than they expected, she recalls. They asked if there was a meeting room available at the airport at short notice. They were in a hurry and had no time before departing for their next destination, so they were delighted when they discovered that they could meet their Latvian partners here at the airport. An exclusive VIP Centre is also available, set away from the rest of your next business meeting, an oasis WiFi area, which also includes the the airport in a separate building. of calm within a hive of activity. airport's business lounge, restaurant Especially convenient for press con- The 20-seat room, a cheerful, and departure lounge. ferences and used regularly by airy space 70 metres squared, is Teleconferencing is possible to returning officials on state visits, immediately attractive to the eye arrange and coffee breaks, catering business leaders, EC commissioners with its unusual, aerodynamic-style and polite service are easily provided and rock stars, this well-equipped, central table and arousing colour since the airport's excellent cafés plushly furnished, 60-metre-square code of oranges and greens. and restaurants are never far away. room is suitable for up to 30 peo- What also catches the attention The table can be adjusted or moved ple. There's also a bar, and coffee, is a beautiful painting by Latvian for any seating arrangement. tea and snacks can be served. Production Check-In Media SIA Vaļņu iela 5/1, Riga, LV 1050, Latvia Tel: Editor-in-Chief Justin Walley Contributing writer Anatol Stephens Art director Inese Laizāne Managing Director Māris Jēkabsons Advertising and Sales Enquiries: maris@gateway-riga.com Tel: Editorial: justin@gateway-riga.com Gateway Riga is the official airport magazine for Riga International Airport. It is distributed three times in Opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors or persons interviewed and do not necessarily reflect the views of the editor, Check-In Media or Riga International Airport. All rights reserved. Material in this publication may not be reproduced in any form without written permission. Unsolicited manuscripts, photographs and illustrations are not accepted. Gateway Riga accepts no responsibility for such materials sent to its office, nor is it liable for loss of, or damage to, such material. All prices are subject to change without notice. Gateway Riga accepts no responsibility for printing errors. Printed by Kroonpress, Estonia. Magazine reg. nr Special thanks for help and/or providing photos: Norwegian Airlines, Rica Victoria Hotel Oslo, Alona Chushenko, Jonathan Ivarsson, Aldis Putelis, Kristine Jansone, Martin Hallberg, Raimonds Pauls, MicRec Records, Artis Gustovskis, Kurzeme Tourism Association, Riga History Museum, Mairita Brice, Latvian National Opera, Latvian National Film Centre, Juris Podnieks Studios, Nobel Peace Centre (Oslo), Roberts Zabello, Ilze Barlo

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