A few words about a country that's now being talked about more often due to the threat from Russia.
Latvia's area is about one-fifth the size of Poland and its population is less than 2 million, 30% of whom are Russians, some of whom hold Latvian passports, and those who fail the language exam are considered "non-citizens" with purple passports. They are also required to declare their anti-war status.
What significance does this have in the face of the war in Ukraine?
As we've already experienced, and I quote: "Generally speaking, it's cheaper in Poland than in Latvia. Poland is one of the cheapest countries in the European Union, which makes everyday grocery shopping more cost-effective here. On the other hand, the costs of services, accommodation, and dining out in Riga are currently similar to those in Warsaw or slightly higher."
What's important: "Wages in Latvia are noticeably lower than in Poland. The average salary in Latvia is approximately €1,800 gross (up to €1,950 in Riga), while in Poland it exceeds the equivalent of €1,800. The minimum wage in Poland is over €1,000, while in Latvia it is €780."
"Riga – the capital and largest city of Latvia (with just under 600,000 inhabitants), is located on the Daugava River near its mouth on the Baltic Sea in the Gulf of Riga. It is the country's main economic, industrial, transport, cultural, and scientific center. The historic Old Town is listed as a World Heritage Site."
One of Riga's most important attractions is the House of the Brotherhood of Blackheads, located in the Old Town's Town Hall Square.
"The name "House of the Blackheads" comes from its historical occupants – a wealthy brotherhood of unmarried German merchants, shipowners, and craftsmen. Their patron saint was St. Maurice (a Christian martyr of African origin), who was depicted in iconography as a dark-skinned figure."
Riga's tragedy is that all its historic buildings were bombed during World War II, and the House of the Blackheads and other monuments were rebuilt and reconstructed only after independence was regained in 1990! This building opened as a museum in 1999.
The Old Town is a charming place that offers endless exploration, thanks to its numerous churches and beautiful Gothic and Art Nouveau buildings, or you can enjoy life in the numerous restaurants and bars, where you'll see tourists from all over the world.
There are many charming monuments here, one of which is "The Bremen Town Musicians," depicting the characters from the Brothers Grimm fairy tale of the same name. The characters are a donkey, a hunting dog, a cat, and a rooster.
Could it be that our sculptor Kazimiera Kozyra drew her inspiration from this?
Her "Pyramid of Animals":
