The foulest death is preferable to the fairest slavery

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This ancient pearl of wisdom from Seneca echoes down through the ages, as I continue my travels through the beautiful Baltics, and get the chance to delve into the recent history of Latvia. After arriving in the capital Riga one feels like this is the centre of the world, with the beautiful UNESCO world heritage listed old town attracts tourists from western Europe and the United Kingdom. Riga is a short hop from it's Eastern European neighbours to the south, fascinates it's scandanavian neighbours to the north, and of course one cannot afford to ignore the 800 pound bear in the neighbourhood to the east ... er, that would be Russia!

My journal continues from Siauliai, dear reader, from where I boarded a local bus for an easy four hour commute across the border and on to Riga. A booking in the quality Old Town hostel awaited me, and it was great to be in the centre of the old town. Riga is gorgeous and compact with all the sites, pubs and clubs within easy walking distance. A visit to the Museum of the occupation of Latvia was at the top of my agenda. The famous museum has been visited by many world leaders, and provides the visitor with a superb insight into the terrible decades of occupation the Latvian people had to endure, before regaining their independence in 1991. The result of the Molotov-Ribbentrop non aggression pact between the Nazis and the Soviets in 1939 meant the Baltic states and Poland were secretly carved up between the regions two great powers, and the net effect of the pact saw the Baltics signed over to the Soviets. The museum highlights the extreme suffering of the Baltic peoples. It's hard to imagine that in 1940 the Soviets forced a new government on Latvia, and began to incorporate the country into the Soviet Union with all that entails. A year later the Nazis swept through upon launching operation barbarossa against the Soviet Union, and a different era of brutality began. Scarcely three years later the Nazi front line had been pushed back to the Baltics and beyond by the Soviets, and again communism was forced on the Latvian people under the iron fist of Stalin. The museum reminds the visitor that between 1940 and 1949 it's estimated one third of the Latvian people were killed. Four long decades of stagnation and Sovietisation followed under the thumb of the slowly crumbling Soviet empire, where Latvians dared not dream of a better life, as they witnessed uprisings by their Eastern European neighbours ruthlessly suppressed time and again.

However now, barely fifteen years after gaining independence, Riga is a jewel in the crown of the Baltics. There is wealth and investment flowing into the economy on a massive scale, tourists by the planeload courtesy of Ryanair and easyJet, and a sense of freedom and positive energy now that the Latvian people are truly free. There is plenty to do at night and Riga is gaining a reputation as a party town. I was invited to see some heavy metal bands on my first night, featuring a local friend of the hostel staff. What a classic metal night it was, and the rockers on stage and their fans in the mosh pit were probably at the chiro the next day, due to their high voltage head banging! Long hair was flying, let me tell you, and the lead singer from one band just emitted a drawn out and guttural growl as the vocal line. It was a great laugh, they do love their heavy metal in this part of the world!

An English lad with a proper accent said to the lead singer of one band: "I like your t-shirt, but what does it mean though?" You often see outrageous prints written in English sported on the shirts of locals in non-english speaking countries. The messages are way more entertaining than in Australia, but often leave you scratching your head as to the meaning. This rocker had *Girls leave me naked* emblazoned on his shirt. Can you figure out the meaning? I know I was stumped along with the English lad. Riga is known as the home of art nouveau architecture in Europe, and the old town is a spectacular tourist attraction.

I will leave you with a poignant excerpt from a poem in the Occupation museum during the dark days of occupation in Eastern Europe, where the Latvians had seen uprisings from their neighbours brutally suppressed by the Soviets. Although the people of this wonderful country have suffered through a brutal occupation, the Latvians can look forward to a positive future as part of the world community. The capital city Riga is gorgeous and clean, the people are friendly, and there's a cracking nightlife on offer with the Baltic coast just a short bus ride away. There's so much to recommend for the visitor to Latvia it stands to reason, basically all of you should be here now!

The snow falls on Budapest, white and innocent, and it wonders. It falls on disfigured monuments and pockmarked pavement. And puzzles, who spilled such quantities of wine upon the cobblestones..." Ojars Vacietis from The Snow of Budapest

As I continue my travels, until next time it's signing off for now

Tom

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Comments

[Martin - Sydney]

Top journal
Just read through from the start of you latest travels. A good read. Keep on trucking.. Martin

[j]

glmn
girls leave me naked is a latvian band name ;D