For those who noticed that I took a little break from writing... there are times when you just have to give full attention to the people you are with, seize the moment and enjoy it. So, I had put the computer away. And who wants to be on computer when you are visiting the beautifully…Read more Irish way of turning Darkness into Light
History
Lest we forget…
"Those who don't know history are doomed to repeat it." (Edmund Burke) Beautiful October day and I am enjoying my morning coffee. Checking the news, Facebook, e-mails... thinking about something fun to do later in the day. I was planning to write my weekly blog about something fun, too. I thought to myself - enough…Read more Lest we forget…
By losing our neighbors we lose a part of ourselves
I continue to reflect on my recent trip to Ukraine. Particularly the city of Lutsk, the regional center of Volyn province. It is a very nice, slow paced city in northwestern part of Ukraine with very fascinating story. It has a beautiful old castle and lots of other interesting cultural, historical and architectural sights. But…Read more By losing our neighbors we lose a part of ourselves
“Ich bin ein Berliner…”
There are words and there are famous words. Phrases that people quote. I don't know how long we will remember these words "Ich bin ein Berliner" (I am a citizen of Berlin) by U.S. President John F Kennedy but to lots of people they still mean something. It came to my mind on a recent…Read more “Ich bin ein Berliner…”
These stones make me stumble
I am from a city that still has cobblestone streets. These roads in Riga are not the most comfortable for riding a bicycle or walking with high heel shoes (women in Latvia do it anyway) but they are beautiful. The old stones make you think of previous generations, even centuries and people who walked here.…Read more These stones make me stumble
Shared European identity? Being proud and embarrassed together
Recently in Amsterdam I was invited to join a small group at a local pub. I am not a fan of beer, so my choice was a glass of red wine. But the rest of my new acquaintances knew their local beers - Dutch, Belgian, German... You gather a few Europeans and they can have…Read more Shared European identity? Being proud and embarrassed together
Inspired by the World’s Most Liberal City
Arriving at Schiphol airport in Amsterdam can be exciting and also overwhelming for it is three-in-one. Airport, shopping mall and train station. Leaving the customs area, you enter a very busy arrival hall. Straight from the airplane to the shopping plaza and straight to the trains located underneath. I speak English and have traveled a…Read more Inspired by the World’s Most Liberal City
Still learning to be free and independent
How many 'Independence Days' do you celebrate? Or do you even have one? Latvia has two! The first is November 18 when we celebrate the original proclamation of Independence of 1918. The second is May 4 when we celebrate the proclamation of Restoration of Independence in 1990. Independent from what?! First time from Russian Empire.…Read more Still learning to be free and independent
30 years later I still cringe at the name of Chernobyl
They say it was a beautiful spring day. What did I do on April 26, 1986? Since it was a Saturday, I must have gone to school in the morning (we used to have school on Saturdays) and then had a weekend to enjoy. I was 12 years old and did not worry about too…Read more 30 years later I still cringe at the name of Chernobyl
Growing up in the Kingdom of Crooked Mirrors
Often people ask me what was it like to grow up in Soviet Union? What kind of childhood I had and how did it compare to the way they imagined it. They want to know the story behind the story. Winston Churchill coined the phrase "Iron Wall". Of course, there was a literal wall in…Read more Growing up in the Kingdom of Crooked Mirrors
peaceroads 