Latvia
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Visas, Embassies & Border Crossings
Do not take Latvian currency out of the country as NO other country to the south will exchange it.
Cherry Hosken & Ryan Gawel, Australia (Jan 02)
Travel Tips
If one ever wanders off to east Latvia by car, one should consider that roads on roadmaps may seem to be important roads while in fact they are big rock dirt roads and very damaging to your car. Especially at the speed at which the Latvians seem to drive over them. I suggest you bring a 4x4.
Paul Logman, Netherlands (Aug 02)
Moving About
I recommend strongly to visit the Concentration Camp Memorial at Salaspils. It's very impressive. The best way to get there is to take a train to Darzini and when you step out the train, in the middle of a huge forest, you have take a road (no signs on it) that starts behind the abandoned station.
Roger Nierga Frisach, Spain (Aug 05)
Public transport in Riga uses a different system to most other European cities. It does not use the ticket punching system - tickets are sold by conductors on board trams and trolleybuses. Bus tickets are also sold by conductors now and it is a norm for drivers refuse to open the front door for passengers boarding.
Shum Keith Kai Hay, UK (May 05)
Gems, Highlights & Attractions
A must in Riga is the National Opera and Ballet House. If you show up any time on the day you can get return tickets; we saw one ballet for 3 Lats and another one for 2, which was standing and gave us back-ache but was worth it both for the amazing interior of the theatre and for the ballet!
Rachel Allen, UK (Sep 05)
Definitely the most Latvian of holidays is Ligo. The celebration of the shortest night of the year is preceded by drinking beer and eating cheese. When not consuming, it is mandatory to sing traditional Ligo songs. During the evening there is more drinking and singing, and at midnight each village has its own bonfire. The honorable women and men named Liga or Janis celebrate their namedays 23 and 24 June, exactly around midsummer night. The Ligas can be recognized by their crowns of flowers, while the Janis' have oaktree crown, symbolizing their power. Single women at a marriagable age should throw their flower crown in an oak tree; if it stays there, their year of marriage has come. Several other supernatural events are connected with the Ligo festivities. For example, you have to stay up the entire night, otherwise you'll be sleepy the entire summer. During this night is the only time the ferns in Latvia are supposedly blossoming. The single men and women are invited to search Latvias forests together for this miraculous event. This traditional activity has kept improving Latvias demographic situation for centuries already.
Ieva Pudane and Laurens Swinkels, Netherlands (Aug 02)
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