How Can It Be That Latvia is The 2nd Greenest Country in The World?

This year on January new study of EPI (Environmental Performance Index) placed Latvia as the 2nd greenest country in the world. That was a huge surprise for us and for others as well. Nobody really believes when a Latvian tells about it to foreigner. 

 

How is that possible that Latvia is the 2nd greenest country in the world??? In 2008 Latvia was the 8th on the list, on 2010 Latvia was the 21st and now - the 2nd??? The 1st is Switzerland. So that means Norway, Germany, France and Sweden are behind Latvia??? Yes. Just don’t scream. I’m not going to apologize for it; I’ll just give some explanations for you to understand what is happening here.

Latvia doesn’t look like the cleanest country in the world, we are not very aware of separating garbage etc. although the situation here is not so bad and we are doing a lot to improve it. Collective country cleanup lately has become a new great tradition and people everywhere in Latvia are keen on such activities widely supported by media and local authorities.

After the results of this EPI study appeared the joke that Latvia is clean because there are no people living was spreading around very fast. Well, that’s not really true... Our demographical situation is not very positive, but there are still around 2 million people living in this country. What we do not have here is industrialization and huge manufactures (ehmm... ok, so unemployment is easy understandable factor now). The biggest city in Latvia is Riga with around 1 million inhabitants. So the other half is spread around the rest of the territory of Latvia so, yes, the countryside of Latvia is pretty calm and peaceful. While others can be proud of their modern cities, we can be proud of Riga and our nature. Biological diversity, clean water and air – that’s what we really have here.

What you can easily enjoy in Latvia is our green gold – woods, bird watching and hiking on long lonely beaches where you don’t have to be scared to swim naked. The food we grow here for ourselves is pretty ecological and usage of local natural cosmetics is definitely in the boom phase here now. This country is green – no doubt about it. We just have to learn how to keep it this way.

The snow is melting, the spring is coming and soon it will be green again! :) 

Oh, you can check here some pictures of the countryside of Latvia:  Getting away in Latvia: absolute peace and simplicity. Part I, Getting away in Latvia: absolute peace and simplicity. Part II

 

What's in a jar in Latvia?

That's it: no more food in fields, woods and gardens. Winter is just a step away. Those who worked and picked up different goodies the nature gives us, will get their healthy summer portion in winter too. Those who didn't... ups... those who didn't will have to hope that they will be invited to enjoy goodies in a jar by some nice family in a countryside. If for some people salting, marinating, boiling jam, preparing winter salad etc is just a hobby, for some people it's lifestyle. People at the countryside of Latvia has always kept this great habit, and of course economical crisis have made a lot of people to come back to the wisdom of our ancestries and take again in their hands grandmothers receipt notes. What's in a jar in Latvia?

And not only that. As you know - it depends on family traditions and taste buds. Add to the list of these goodies mentioned before - potatoes, carrots, cabbages, honey and herbs.

Old Latvian wisdom says "Make the sled in the summer and the wheels in winter". Isn't it a nice quote?

More about Latvian food: Taste The Place

The Midsummer's Night - Summer Solstice all over Latvia!

It’s today – Summer Solstice. And, yes, it really is important here: one of the most important holidays for people in Latvia. By the way of the Sun it’s usually on 21st or 22nd of June, when the day is longer than night. By calendar the shortest night over the year is celebrated on 23rd – 24th of June. These ar official holidays. It’s totally pagan tradition and we love it. If you are in Riga you will see different festivites starting from the 21st of June on squares, streets, markets, parks etc.

Summer solstice is the time when all powers of the nature are stronger than any other day, so you have to go to sauna with herbs, take herbs from meadows to dry them for tea, to decorate your home and yourself with flowers. Forget gardens and take all the flowers you can find in meadows. The main things on Midsummers celebration are beer, cheese, fire, flowers, songs and dances. And mistycal blossom of fern...

1)      Everyone has to stay awake all night long near the fire until sunrise;

2)      It’s the night you have to drink beer and jump over the fire;

3)      You have to sing and dance a lot;

4)      There are a lot of activies in cities/towns, but this is the time people really get out of the city to the countryside;

5)      Girls decorate themselves by flower wreaths on their heads, boys named Jānis are decorated by leaves of oak trees.

And these ferns... Actually  - ferns don’t have any  flowers. But this night they have. Not everyone can find them. Usually people go in pairs to look for these blossoms, some people say you can find them also alone – and you get luck for all the rest of life if you find it. But we all know – only going in the wood in a couple can help you to find the blossom of fern. Kids also can be found in ferns...

Swimming naked, dancing, singing about your neighbours and other Līgo songs, putting special branches at home that witches can’t come, eating yellow cheese – the symbol of the sun, cooking meet, looking for wonders, washing your face in mornings dew to be beautiful.. Names like Līga (for girls) and Jānis (for boys) are celebrating their names day on Midsummer. It’s a wonderfull night.

If you are in Riga these days – check the Old Town, The Central Market, actually – flowers, midsummers songs, traditional dances you will find everywhere. But better – get out of the city – closer to ferns.

There is a movie - comedy made about Latvian Midsummers traditions with popular Latvian, French, German and other actors – about foreigners who have arrived in Latvia at midsummer – all these traditions which seems so strange for foreigners, but they enjoy them. It is in English and it’s called „Midsummers Madness” . If you are a little bit scared of these pagan traditions, watch the movie and you will see how much fun (and how magic) this night can be!

Getting away in Latvia: absolute peace and simplicity. Part II

 And here comes some more pictures from the countryside. It's another life there. It's simplicity.

They eat more, but healthier food. They move more - not only to official work and back, but also in their gardens. They have more things to be happy about in a daily life: peacefull evenings when you can guess which is that bird singing there, first mushroom you find on summer growing next to your house, the smell of flowers in fields and the sound of flying bees... They talk to animals and trees (no, they are not crazy).


Actually countryside is all what you sometimes need to rest. Take a deep breath and open your eyes, ears and heart :)

Getting away in Latvia: absolute peace and simplicity. Part I

Last weekend I had a wonderfull trip away from Riga, away from masses, away from hot pavements. Close to the Nature. As I promissed before leaving - you will see some pictures of places where tourists haven't stepped - untouched nature, old countryside houses, green grass and peace, peace, peace... 

Too bad that I can't tell you that feeling, I just can't give you tohusands of birds songs at the midnight when you come out of sauna to jump naked into a small pound. The water is as warm as milk. (I'm just really keen on Latvian sauna - it's the biggest pleasure you can get. Don't  miss it when you are in Latvia! Go to sauna in a countryside, with herbs and flowers, and just relax...) But I can show you some pictures of what I call "Getting away" or actually getting closer to the nature and yourself. Romantics, peace & harmony betwean people and nature in the countryside of Latvia: best enjoyed slowly.