I came to Latvia in the beginning of February and 5 months already passed, it’s incredible how the time is going so fast! It seems I just have more 4 months here. Let’s try to enjoy them in the best possible way!I When back on I came ItogoLatvia in time, the beginning of February and 5 months already passed, it’s remember my first days in Aluksne, when I barely knew anything, incredible howand thewhen time Iis going so fast! It seems I just have more 4 months here. could loose my way easily, as it happened in fact once twice. Let’ors try to enjoy them in the best possible way! When I go back on time, I remember my first days in Aluksne, when I barely knew anything, and when I could loose my In this text I’ll point what cannot be found in another way town,easily, also some differ- in fact once or twice. as it happened ences between Latvia and Portugal, and some things I did here for the first time in my whole life. In this text I’ll point what cannot be found in another town, also some differences between Latvia and Portugal, and some things I did here for the first time in my 1. What cannot be found in another town whole life. Let’s get started then! The first the monuments of course: Temple thein another town 1. Whatthecannot beHill, found Ruins of the Livonian Order Castle, the Aiolos Temple, the Granite Obelisk, the Mausoleum of the Vietinghoff Family, the Aluksne Lutheran theThe first the monuments of course: the Temple Hill, the Ruins Let’s getchurch startedand then! four islands (Little Hat Island, Long Island, Net Island,ofCastle Island).Order MoreCastle, the Aiolos Temple, the Granite Obelisk, the Mausoleum the Livonian information about them can be found Tourism of Aluksne of thewebsite. Vietinghoff Family, the Aluksne Lutheran church and the four islands (Little Hat Island, Long Island, Net Island, Castle Island). More information about them can Well in Aluksne each bus stop has a little roof, a mapbeoffound the town and a bench. in the website of Aluksne Tourism. I didn’t see any other town with similar buses stops (of course it doesn’t mean they don’t exist, as I had no chance to visit all the country) far. In myeach mindbus stop has a little roof, a map of the town and a bench. I Well insoAluksne the roof besides being beautiful, it’s also useful. I mean when s raining, didn’t seeit’any other iftown with similar buses stops (of course it doesn’t mean they someone doesn’t have an umbrella, that person can use littleasroof to not don’tthe exist, I had no chance to visit all the country) so far. In my mind the roof get so wet (Figure 1). besides being beautiful, it’s also useful. I mean when it’s raining, if someone doesn’t have an umbrella, that person can use the little roof to not get so wet (Figure 1).
Figure 1 | A bus stop in Aluksne.
Here it exists the little train ‘Banītis’, the train line itself was unveiled in 1903, nowadays just 33km of the original 212km-track remain connecting the towns of Gulbene
and Aluksne. The Gulbene-Aluksne railway is the only operational narrow gauge railway in the Baltic countries with 2 departures per day from both towns. The train is small and its velocity is not that high. However the train stops and the landscape that is possible to discover during the trip are absolutely outstanding (Figure 2)! Almost as if they were never touched by humans, or by the contemporary civilization with a lot of buildings that usually make the places grey. The abundance of nature in its original state transforms the less in more, where it’s possible to see green all over the place, to smell and to touch the trees or to hear the birds.
Figure 2 | View from inside of the train.
Peace is what I feel the most here, I’d say Aluksne is quiet and full of secrets, in each corner one can find something brand new that was unseen in the last time someone went by that place. So even when I have a not-so-good day, I just breath and look around, then I realise I’m lucky for being here. Sometimes it feels like I am exactly where I should be in this moment of my life, maybe it’s the feeling of belonging that I felt already in other occasions. 2. Differences (some of them are cultural) between Latvia and Portugal The first one is that women kiss each other in the mouth when it’s the birthday of someone whether it’s a woman or a man. I know it’s just a quick kiss but anyway the Portuguese don’t do that. The kisses on the mouth are just for couples.
Figure 3 | A living package of milk.
Another one is the shape of some milk and yogurt packages. They are sold in plastic bags (Figure 3). Now I’m used to them, but in the beginning I was trying to figure out why Latvians use them. As far as I know there is no particular reason, I suppose it’s just a cultural matter. Now I find them practical. In Portugal the packages are usually
made from card, some brands use plastic bottles instead. In relation to food, the potatoes (the ones I tasted) are sweeter than the portuguese ones, not really sure why though. Here most of the people grow vegetables in their lands, I’m sure Latvia also imports some products, but I think most of the vegetables and fruits are grown here for the Latvians to consume, so the country itself don’t import those ones. That is, in my opinion, good in the sense that when they go shopping, they don’t need to buy all of the products. In my country, or at least in the sea line some people grow some products but not as much as they do here. Besides that in Portugal it’s not so often to see youngsters helping the grandparents and/or the parents in what they call ‘countryside’ (lauki). Portuguese youngsters (not all of them) are just not used to do so. Another curious thing I found out is the definition of meal, in the portuguese one whether it’s lunch or dinner, it’ll include always fish or meat. Here well, not always. For example I already saw people eating potatoes just with salad as a lunch. I wonder if the lack of fish or meat as usual I eat it’s good for Latvians’ health. I hope so!
Figure 4 | Clothes in a second-hand shop.
The concept of second-hand shops is deeply present in Latvia, in all the towns I suppose. Aluksne for example is not big but has more than 5. Not in all of them, but it’s possible to find clothes with good quality in these shops, and the best thing is that they’re not expensive (well there is one more expensive, but it also depends on what the person is looking for). When dealing with the sellers, all were always nice and helpful, even with people with so-basic knowledge of Latvian as I have. Entering in one of these shops it’s like going inside a treasure full of unexpected pieces (Figure 4). In Portugal there is some second-hand shops but just in big cities like Lisbon or Oporto. Those shops are not cheap and the quality of the clothes is not so good. For
me it’s great to go to one of these shops and try on some clothes, even when nothing fits me and I cannot find what I was looking for, because there are no 2 pieces alike. They’re all unique!
Figure 5 | Some men and women in Līgo (Sigulda).
In the night of 23rd June to 24th Latvians celebrate the Midsummer (23th June Līgo, 24th June – Jāņi, those are 2 days, each is called differently, just because of practical reasons, people call them one or another way), this pagan-like holiday is almost more popular in Latvia than New Year's Eve and Christmas! It’s called Līgo and Jāņi and people usually go with their family or friends to the countryside to celebrate it. Women use crowns of flowers and men crowns of leaves, people cannot sleep at night, and they dance in front of a bonfire (Figure 5). They also eat cheese with seeds, that I don’t like so much. São João (Saint John) is the name of this celebration in Portugal and it’s not celebrated in every town. During this night people go to the street to eat sardines and to hit each other with a plastic hammer (Figure 6). This hammer is a toy widely used by children, but it was adopted as one of the symbols of this celebration in the 70’s. Also there are a lot of vessels of basil with quatrains spread in the city. At midnight the traditional firework can be seen. The first time Latvians go to someone’s home they bring something! What a lovely custom! Personally I’ll try to import this to my own life from now on. Also at home they took the shoes off and they walk just on socks or without them. In my home we use the normal shoes at home or slippers. Most of the Portuguese do the same, but I already found some exceptions.
Figure 6 | People in the streets in São João (Oporto). Source of the image: http://gomadnomad.com/
Regarding the animals outside, usually we have a lot of dogs in the streets. I think nowadays there aren’t so many as they were some years ago. Latvians have the
equivalent of our dogs but in cats, a lot of them, wild and fat. I’m quite sure people feed them a lot, that’s why they are so fat, but maybe some of them besides being wild, they belong to someone (Figure 7). Actually one day I was going to the organisation and I saw a big fight. It was funny and scary at the same time :) 3. Things I did here for the first time ever
Figure 7 | A wild cat resting.
Figure 8 | Me and the horse.
Besides touching the snow, I went to the top of a roof, I saw a real fox and I rode a horse. The first one was one of the most scariest experiences ever! I was thinking I’d fall at any time. The second was unexpected, I mean foxes are animals in faraway landscapes I see in the movies, not in real life. I was inside of a bus once, looking through the window and seizing the moment when it appeared in the side of the street just like that. To ride a horse was also scary but there was a really patient woman helping me in all ways she could. It was romantic to walk on a horse, the horse itself was really quiet, almost like if it knew it was my first time doing so (Figure 8).