Connecting with nature

Sunday, May 10.

Today we are spending the day with our friends Ingrida and Aigars. We feel conscience struck that they altered their Mother’s day plans. However, as they both work, this was the only plan that would allow some time together.

We make an early start. As we get underway, they tell us that they have bought a block of land and are planning to build in the summer. Can we go and see it? It is not far out of the planned route so we make a short detour. It is in what we would regard as the suburbs. There are detached residential buildings around. However, it is within easy daily reach of the centre of Riga. Many commute. It is intended to be their holiday or retirement place. They also have a flat closer to the city where they all live at present. It will be modest in size as the children will be living elsewhere but big enough to have three bedrooms. They have chosen a modular, factory built house which will be brought to the site in pieces and put up in a couple of weeks. They are visibly excited. We share their delight, having experienced this kind of step in our lives. 

Aigars is marking the boundary corner.

The site is lightly wooded which they have started to clear. It has all services, public transport and it would be even possible to ride a bike the 13km into town.

We join the main road out of town in a NE direction, heading for the Gauja river National Park. Gauja is a substantial and significant river which, among other distinctions, is the only river in Latvia which starts and ends within its territory. They have chosen a particular 2km track which follows the small Amata stream, a tributary of Gauja.

It is a delightful and easy walk. Right now the spring is at its best; the wild flowers are in bloom and the emerging leaves are at their most brilliant emerald. I will let the images speak. On the way back to Riga, we do some short detours but have to be mindful of the time because we have a dinner date.

The happy trekkers.

Tonight we dine with the Gravas. Sarmīte is a friend of mine from the days of Germany. We decide to walk from the hotel but get a bit lost. It seems that I misinterpreted the directions. Sarmīte and I were in the Bevern ‘camp’ together. Her family ended up in the USA. However, through her husband Uldis career, they have moved around the rest of the world and now have settled in Riga. Uldis worked for Radio Free Europe for many years and also held some of the highest offices in the expat Latvian community. It is also interesting that they know Iveta Šulca from the time they were doing their respective jobs in Czechoslovakia years ago. Uldis has also served a term in the Latvian Parliament as well as a city councillor in Liepaja. It is an evening of reminiscing and identifying people in old fuzzy photographs. The following morning I realise I have committed a cardinal sin. Inadvertently, I have deleted the photographs I took on the night. I hope and trust I do not do something like that ever again!

The Gravas live just around the corner of St. Gertrude's church.

We cannot believe how the night has flown. The taxi takes us back and we collapse into bed.