The Color of the Day: Gray

 For more pictures of Riga in other seasons and with more colors than just gray posted on this blog previously click here.

Festival of Lights, Riga, 2011

Holiday in Latvia with Independence Day and Festival of Lights "Staro Rīga" (Beaming Riga) is over. Now Latvia too will switch to Christmas mood.  Festival of Lights is growing every year bigger and bigger. This year there were 85 objects around the city. In these 4 days of festival (17. - 20. November) I didn't manage to see all of it.  Lights and sounds these days have been making people dizzy. You know  - it's not possible to put in  a picture live light, video projection and feelings, also - this is just a simple camera which in dark makes wonders :) Beaming Riga/ Staro Rīga  - festival of lights which changes the streets, parks, gardens of Riga in darkness with lights - from small candles till big installations and projections changing the appearance  of buildings.  

This object looked calm and quite in the urban environment. Like other people I was smiling seeing how nice this object looks and attached to discovering how it has been made, but thanks to a small child who was explaining his vision to his parents I also was able to see what it is - these are not lamps, but that's how a city with its blockhouses looks at night!

Riga channel is always surprising with light & water games in the city center, but I have never been able to make a good picture of it, well - I guess you just have to see it with your own eyes.

Public toilet! It was standing there like any other day - quiet and simple. Then it started to whisper: "Please,  look at me!" And then it turned into the Coliseum!

 The Bastion hill was filled with candles and flying ships:

Door to imaginary reality:

And at the end enjoy some fireworks from Independence Day - 18th of November right after singing national anthem  - thousands of people together at the river Daugava.

Here you can find some pictures from Beaming Riga 2010

That Surrealist Place - Beaming Riga

I guess I've told you about this event already twice. "Beaming Riga" (Staro Rīga). This year the event will take place  form 17th to 21st on November. You just need to get to Riga and the lights and sounds will guide you through the city which will surprise you with colors, lights, music, technology and CREATIVITY.

So I found some pictures I took at Beaming Riga last year. Well, these are definitely not the best pictures because of darkness, bad camera, snow etc., but anyway might give you some insight of this event.

If you have attended Beaming Riga and have some great pics, I would be glad if you share them with me! You can post the link on comments, tweet (@friendinriga) on Twitter or send me the mail. While I don't see your beaming pictures, enjoy these ones from 2010!

Two River Banks - The Panorama Of Riga

Other pictures of Riga: Old Town I, Old Town II, Magic Sand festival, Cemetery With the Soul

Today Riga is grey of rain, but yesterday there was sunny afternoon at the Old Town...

 Check also these pictures of The Old Town posted previously:   

The Old Town - Heart Of Riga

Preili Town - Find Your Own Little Wonderland!

Preili is a small town (south-eastern part of Latvia) within 200 km from Riga which slowly becomes more and more popular place for tourists to visit. One of the main reasons to visit this town is miniature castles. There is also neo-gothic manor house that once belonged to the count Borch family of German descent and used to be a wonderful dwelling-place surrounded by a romantic ancient park. 
 

And of course - it's located 25 km from the most famous church in Latvia - Aglona Basilica. 

This town is peacefull, artsy, romantic and small... Sculptures in honor of the cheese, miniature realm, the smallest church in Latvia...

Look at these pictures! Looks cute, no?