Gatis made pics of Latgale suburb and the oldtown, so I`m making some from my home suburb - Purvciems.

At the begining I made some pics from the old VEF factory complex. Which is now partly renovated into something. A parto from it is now known as "Domina Shoping" Latvias biggest shoping center.

Domina Shoping-
View from Ieriku street:
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/29_10_2004_001.jpg
Entrance gate:
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/29_10_2004_003.jpg
Some pics from inside Domina:
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/29_10_2004_004.jpg
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/29_10_2004_011.jpg
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/29_10_2004_014.jpg
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/29_10_2004_015.jpg
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/29_10_2004_027.jpg
My favorite from the inside pictures - Swatch comercial:
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/29_10_2004_020.jpg
View from other end of the center:
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/29_10_2004_029.jpg
View from the VEF teritory:
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/29_10_2004_041.jpg
VEF-
Corpuse 19:
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/29_10_2004_049.jpg
Some corpuse:
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/29_10_2004_044.jpg
The VEF "tower":
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/29_10_2004_057.jpg
Work is going on:
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/29_10_2004_052.jpg

More pics can be seen on The Life In Riga (http://www.life-in-riga.net.tc). Look for pics made on 29th october.

Domina center is pretty nice, perhaps the same kinda center as Akropolis in Vilnius.

I have seen Akropolis in Vilnius, but I didn`t go inside. I was on a exkursion (Kaunas - Trakai) and it started to rain when we entered Vilnius so I stayed in the Bus (the bus parking spaces were a long way away from the entrance I didn`t wanted to run).

But it looked very nice.
Well Dominas building was two VEF factory corpuses (the entrance gate is between them two). The first floor was rebuilded as shoping center the 2nd, 3rd and the roof was rebuilded as Parking spaces.

O wow! Now I understand! :) The Domina shopping center is a rehabilitation/modernization/rehabilitation project, reusing two adjoining old factory buildings? :eek: That's almost incredible. What a change! It does seem like a very pleasant place for shopping and hanging out. :cool:

So I assume that eventually the other old buildings will also undergo a transformation, serve purposes other than the original one?

I think some of the as yet unaltered old buildings are very handsome and interesting looking, even in their decayed state -- I feel they've gone a bit too far with the Domina project. As a preservationist I very much hope that more of their original appearance and fassades will remain after the future makeovers. :angel1:

Thanks for introducing us to this factory conversion project, Hybrid! :okay:

The old factory buildings were seperate. The newly build entrance hall has joined them.

I understand. They were next to each other (adjoining), and then the entrance hall was created to seamlessly connect them. :)

I'm not sure if the VEF factory actually is being tranformed into part of Domina, I think something else is coming there. Wasn't Domina shopping center completely new building complex?

No, Domina is only partly new building. They have rebuilt enormous Soviet time hangars of factory VEF - these for sure looked worse before. I like also that Domina has some Italian influence (It belongs to Italians) - there is marble floor, which is not so common in Riga.
The historical part of VEF includes very ornate Ecclecticism and Art Nouveau parts, as well as valuable Functionalism part photographed by @Hybrid87 here. Those are undergoing renovations. No heritage will be lost there.

VEF was giant factory with many hundred thousands m2 area. It will be enough for many. Its a pitty that the factory went dead...

@Hybrid87 - these were interesting pictures. You joined to make Latvia a bit more visible here ;) (And sometimes I think that I am just lika a nerd coming everywhere and teaching all the others...)

Gatis, Hybrid - thanx for the photos! Very nice redevelopment project - I also like the kind of functionalism / Art Deco of VEF factory - hope they don't demolish it! Besides, VEF was a famous factory in the ex-USSR - my Gradma still has its radio (what an indicator! :D)

Here some ore pictures from Purvciems, but this time not VEF (I`ll go there when the snow has fallen). This time it`s more the central part of Purvciems - Dzelzavas, Stirnu, Gunāra Astras Streets.
Here a map of my route today:
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/maps/30_10_2004_map.jpg

And here the pictures:
Dzelzavas street (view towards city center [Dzelzavas and Ilukstes street crossroad]):
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/00000001_g.jpg
Purvciema market:
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/00000003_g.jpg
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/00000007_g.jpg
Trolleybus stop on Stirnu street:
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/00000022_g.jpg
Finished block (this house standed here more than 10 years unfinished):
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/00000025_g.jpg
"Mēbeļu Nams". The Center of Purvciems (Dzelzavas and G.Astras street crossroads):
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/00000027_g.jpg
Dzelzavas and Ilūkstes street crossroads:
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/00000035_g.jpg

@Gatis well you show the changes in the "old" architecture so I try to show the "new" one - mostly changes in the suburbs.

Purvciems (together with neighbouring Plavnieki) for me is the most "commieblock" obsessed part of Riga. Over the last 15 years these commieblocks have gone worse and worse, whole district radiates some feel of sadness. Here are numerous commieblocks with 12-floor height in weird colours - dirty red, brown etc., colour is falling apart. Behind Mebelu nams there still is standing enormous concrete structure which is not completed (you see it). Major part of people here have come rather recently from Russia... many try to live their own life without noticing that here is Latvia.
There is some harsh urban feel in it. Last years before the construction fever (which has started in some parts already)...

@Gatis
We could be a perfect team. I bring the photos, you bring the information. :)

Well That`s what I`m trying to show with my website - the simple life in Riga, with all the weird comieblocks, the poorness of some poeple and the "richness" of other (which, I guess, is easy to see - City Center against the comieblock suburbs), etc.
<------------------->
Some more pics:
An older comieblock (maybe Gatis knows the projects name, it`s on Stirnu street):
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/c016.jpg
And some new 9-stried comieblocks near Ilūkstes street:
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/030_g.jpg
Trolleybus Route end Purvciems-3 (most trolleybuses are Škoda 14Tr or 14TrM):
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/035_g.jpg
That`s my house - Lithuanian project, build 1980-1982:
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/036_g.jpg
Inside my house (about a half year ago there was a fire in the flat under me [the front door was burned down] that`s why it looks so bad):
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/037_g.jpg

@hybrid87, I just voted for you in emporis.com. But... you should advertise this "entering" in emporis zone othervise you will not get enough votes.

A typical school building in Riga (and other big cities). On the pics you can see my school - Riga Secondary School Nr.84
The Spart Hall from outside:
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/s014.jpg
The inner "yard":
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/s015.jpg
The front side:
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/s019.jpg
The front side again (in this part the first 4 grades teach, other grades (5-12) are in other 2 "corpuses"):
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/021_g.jpg
The sport ground:
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/s017.jpg
Inside the school (first floor is green, second - yellow, third - red/pink)
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/003_g.jpg

Those are some.. uh.. heavy pictures. So many commies and the other buildings don't seem to be in a perfect shape either!

commie experience! :)

@ch1le

Looking forward to it someday :D

I agree with grendy: these are heavy pictures ... particularly the previous series.

Very nice to look at, though. :) Thanks, Hybrid! :okay:

@Hybrid 87

hey this looks very familiar, as I was in Riga last July I stayed in a very similar building, it was Lielvardes iela 125, maybe it's even the same house? :lol:
well at least it's somewehere nearby :)
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/036_g.jpg


a couple of pictures of the place I took that time :)
http://img43.exs.cx/img43/1628/IMG_5653.jpg

http://img43.exs.cx/img43/6938/IMG_5655.jpg


http://img43.exs.cx/img43/7505/IMG_5720.jpg

Very honest pictures, @hybrid87. I think... I even am not able to take such. My hand just turns camera to something better unintentionally and I can not do anything about it. That's Riga... just as the renovated buildings in centrum.

@John
Not the same house but still very close to me. My house is Zvaigznāja gatve 6. Here is a little map (Lielvārdes 125 is the blue cross, my house is the red cross):
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/maps/untitled.jpg

@Gatis
Well I try to show the simple life in Riga, not the "rich" life in Riga which is very beutiful, but I like to see the thing realistic. When In a bastket there are 10 rotten apples and one good apple you wouldn`t take the whole basket, would you? You show the "one good apple" and I show some "rotten apples". I take peoples behind the scenes.

BTW. Here is a picture I made near the school. The school is the last house on Lielvārdes street and the streets ends there.
This picture I would like to call The End Of Soviet Dreams and Plans
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/018_1.jpg
To understan why the title here are some facts about the future plans of Lielvārdes street:
In the projects till 2015 Soviet union planned to build a lot of highways and main streets in Riga. Lielvārdes street was one of the main streets. Here is a small cutout of the map "Riga 2015":
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/maps/1a.jpg
The School is marked as the red cross. The Black line next to it is Lielvārdes street.
Here is the whole map (picture taken from Latvian Soviet Encyclopedia):
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/maps/00000001_g.jpg
Thiker lines are Highways, thiner lines are main streets.
Some of the Soviet Highway projects are being build now (with slight modifications).

<-------------->
The school sportground hasn`t been always there. When I started fifth grade the old sport gorund tunred into parking spaces. On the place where is the new sport ground there was only the football ground. The Runway was builded with the money the school got from the parking lot.

Well once again some lessons were canceled so I had some time to take pictures of the school. This time the interior.

Wardrobe (Basement):
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/006_g.jpg
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/007_g.jpg
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/022_g.jpg
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/023_g.jpg

1st floor:
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/009_g.jpg
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/010_g.jpg
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/011_g.jpg

2nd floor:
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/014_g.jpg
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/012_g.jpg
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/013_g.jpg

3rd floor:
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/015_g.jpg
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/018_g.jpg

Exit to the roof:
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/017_g.jpg

Our School awards:
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/008_g.jpg

That's one hell of a ugly school! :D:D:D But hey, I've seen worse so don't worry ;-)

Well, the hallway in the 1st floor with all its plants certainly appears to be the most attractive one. :)

But then I wonder why the other walls all seem so drab and bare? Don't you guys have art classes, so that your work could be hung up or at least stuck to the walls to make the place more interesting and pleasant, at least visually? Art work, no matter whether amateur or professional, can do so much to cheer a place up! :okay:

Also, I think they ought to enlarge the school's trophy case. You've gotten so many :eek:, and they seem sort of squished together in their current place.

Thank you for this series! :okay: We rarely get to see schools here ... the insides are even rarer. The last actual *school* pictures I remember here was when sander of Tallinn showed us his new school: a handsome old school building had been beautifully restored, plus a modern wing (or building?) had been added. :cool:


P.S. I also remember the gorgeous interior shots of Vilnius University we got to enjoy recently ... but then it isn't a school. :)

Nice pics....... a big contrast to some of Gatis' pics from the centre.

These are very depressing ! :cry:

Reminds prison - terrible colour schemes and floor covering. I am glad that my school was much better (In Liepaja). The attitude of this country towards education and health care is depressing.

Well, the hallway in the 1st floor with all its plants certainly appears to be the most attractive one. :)

We have plants in all floors but I didn`t get them in a nice pic. My school is the "greenest" in Riga. No other school has so many plants.

But then I wonder why the other walls all seem so drab and bare? Don't you guys have classes, so that your work could be hung up or at least stuck to the walls to make the place more interesting and pleasant, at least visually? work, no matter whether amateur or professional, can do so much to cheer a place up! :okay:

Yes we have art clases, but noone wants to put the pics on the wall, but on 3rd flor we have a few artworks. I just forgot to take pictures of them, but I`ll take some tomorrow.

Also, I think they ought to enlarge the school's trophy case. You've gotten so many :eek:, and they seem sort of squished together in their current place.

Well you can see only the latest (the oldes here is about 1 or 2 years old). Other are put somewhere else but don`t know where.

Reminds prison - terrible colour schemes and floor covering. I am glad that my school was much better (In Liepaja). The attitude of this country towards education and health care is depressing.

And they say that school is your second home.

WH, Btw i go to that same school as Sander. I think your school isnt a good example of schools in baltic states. Ive seen mostly better looking ones!

Schools in Lithuania were in very bad condition a few years ago (some are still so), but government has started a massive renovation program, each year a few dozens of schools are renovated so the situation now seems to be improved.

But latvian goverment doesn`t care about the schools in Latvia. Schools are renovated withe money the school collects from the parents.

And even if my school isn`t the best example it`s stil a typical Latvian school (even with the bad condition).

It was the same in Latvia - there was taken World Bank loan to renovate numerous schools. Many rural schools did the investments in a fine way. But the commieblock districts did not change, may be installed new windows and that's it...
Some of the rural schools which got World Bank loans:
Zante school rebuilt old manor house:
http://img17.exs.cx/img17/2753/Zantespils21aug04.jpg
Zemite school:
http://img42.exs.cx/img42/8270/Zemitespils321aug04.jpg
Jaunpils just changed the roof and windows - but looks way better anyway:
http://img32.exs.cx/img32/4088/Jaunpilsskola21aug04.jpg

So... it is also up to school management to do the things better.

Wow that looks nice :)

Hybrid, please forgive me ... I was in no way trying to put down your school. :) I was merely expressing my amazement that it is so drab and dull looking.

And WHAT????? They expect the parents to come up with the money to repair and renovate the school buildings???? Strange ... here, EVERYBODY pays for the school buildings, whether one has kids in school or not. They simply collect it with the local taxes. ;)

And, chi1le 1, I had no idea you and sander attend the same school! :wave: Probably karackhal, too?

Also thanks to Gatis for showing those handsome school buildings! A very good investment on the part of the World Bank! :okay:

One thing that matters in question why didn`t the comieblock schools change is that they are younger then the schools Gatis showed. My school is only 24 years old. The other schools are about 80 or 90 years old if not more.

Here is another example that Latvia is a unique country:
The internet connections in schools. The country schools had the connection a long time, when the schools Riga just got the deal to connect them. For example my school again - we connected to the internet only last year. But when I was about in the 5 class I wisited an country school (don`t remember which one was it) and they had the internet connection already for a year.

Hybrid, please forgive me ... I was in no way trying to put down your school. :) I was merely expressing my amazement that it is so drab and dull looking.

Well i did just answer some questions that you asked. And as I said earlier I try to show exactly that. Every city and country has it`s bad side and I`m showing Rigas bad side. But I`m planing to do something nice - "comieblocks in Purvciems at night". Today I just went out at night and had this idea.

And WHAT????? They expect the parents to come up with the money to repair and renovate the school buildings???? Strange ... here, EVERYBODY pays for the school buildings, whether one has kids in school or not. They simply collect it with the local taxes. ;)

Well in Latvia some money is given from the taxes, but it`s so small that even new chairs are luxury. Usualy the renovation projects look like this - school cares about the stairs, hall, hallways and the classes care about the classrooms (parents pay for it - every year for repainting the chairs, tables, floors (thats usualy) and for any other extras.

As I said:
Latvia is a unique country!

Check out the school I used to go (for real, no joke):
http://www.rdks.lv


:fiddle: :fiddle: :fiddle: :fiddle: :fiddle:

You went to a music school, Latvian GG? :)

Sorry, I cant manage to coax any pictures from that site. :(

Yeah i was hoping that there where some pics, but obviously not :-( Anyway the building itself is not really special from architectoral view, in fact it's a complex of 3 schools, main music school, ballet school and mine - choir school. Website of the choir (in english): http://www.rdks.lv/rdzk

I used to be embarrased to tell someone i went to a music school and was singing in a boys choir, but now I'm even proud, a lot of new famous Latvian musicians used to learn there.

@LatvianGG - that's a very fine school, there should be good company.

My school has a website too:
http://www.lanet.lv/~r84vsk
But all the data there is some years old (there were no updates made).

Nice, a lot of commieblocks though! But the stone buildings was very nice...:)

Here is something "shoking" again from my school (school is fun):
Basement (The celing here is extremly low. About 185cm from ground):
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/b011.jpg
Basement hallway:
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/b012.jpg
A basement class (yes, thats a drain):
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/b019.jpg
No, I`m standing straight :) :
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/b024.jpg

I used to be embarrased to tell someone i went to a music school and was singing in a boys choir, but now I'm even proud, a lot of new famous Latvian musicians used to learn there.

But no, Latvian GG! :) No reason to be embarrassed. I think your having attended a music school is incredibly cool! :cool: Listening to music is very enjoyable, I agree, but making music is thrilling! :banana:

If we have started speaking about music school.
Well i have nothing against music schools and other specific schools, but i think that these school should be from an older age `cause young children can`t make the decide about it (they are too young). And the parents hav pushed them to the school.

You may have a point there, Hybrid, and I'm sorry I went off topic, but I'll make it up to you. :)

What struck me in your last photo series (the school basement ones) are particularly the first three. They are quite artistic and could be movie sets! :cool:

What struck me in your last photo series (the school basement ones) are particularly the first three. They are quite artistic and could be movie sets! :cool:

What movie? "Escape from Elm Street" or "Alien: The Return" :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

Haha, Hybrid! I haven't seen either of those movies, nor do I plan to. :runaway:

I just made a joke. None of the two movies have been made. :) So don`t :runaway:

Before The Rain
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/pirms_lietus.jpg
I made this picture some minutes before the rain started.

I just made a joke. None of the two movies have been made. :) So don`t :runaway:

Lol, Hybrid 87! :laugh: That shows you how up to date I am with the current movie scene! :D

Nice "before the rain" photo btw! :okay: Somehow those moments make everything, shapes and colors, appear so much more intense!

Here again some wheather changes. This time - fog.
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/migla1.jpg
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/migla2.jpg
In the second picture you can "see" the same house as in the "before the rain" picture (if you can see it through the fog :) ). Pictures taken at 7:50 AM (local time).

Yeah, today it is sad time... but with its own beauty. True Time of Deceased (Latvian ancient version of Halloween).
Will go out a little later, may be will get some pictures too :)

I was in Riga last weekend and must say was very very very impressed. That was my first trip to Riga since 1998 and boy what a change... I even was in Purviciems (does it mean "dirt yard"?) and in reality it looks less depressing than on Hybrids photos. The center and the old town are magnificent- I've recognized lots of places and buildings thanks to Gatis.
Roads in Latvia got much better- that was a nice surprise. Prices in Riga are higher than in Vilnius.
Must say that outskirts of Riga look pretty neglected, but I think that's just a question of time.
And the most interesting thing: commieblocks in Riga are somewhy much uglyer than ones in Vilnius. Strange.
I was very happy about the trip. My wife and me decided to come back to Riga in late spring or in summer to spend there at least couple of days. And it's only 4 hours from Vilnius...!!!

@Vytauc - Purvciems means "village of swamp". Fine place, huh? Historically there was swamp... so if you believe in energetics of places then it could not be good place.

Commieblocks in Riga uglier... as far as I remember Vilnius you are completely right. The explanation may sound somewhat nationalistic... but the commieblocks in Riga were built by Russians, quality since the beginning was worse. As time goes, this difference shows more and more. This was recognised already in late Soviet times - " wow, you should see what quality of apartment districts is in Vilnius".

Come in spring here. When weather is not grey, anything looks much better.
Investment in roads in Latvia is only starting (just as in other Baltics). There is ambitious program which plans to have top quality main roads until 2008.

I made this picture about 6:00 or 7:00PM yesterday (fog at night):
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/1_001.jpg
Nature between comieblock:
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/1_002.jpg
My school from the other side:
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/1_003.jpg
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/1_004.jpg

@Gatis,

"Ciems" in Lithuanian would be "Kiemas" and it means "a yard" and "purvas" means "dirt". That's how I made that "translation" :)

Well Purvciems is the most famous suburb of Riga. I guess there is noone in Latvia that doesn`t know it or hasn`t at least heard of it. BTW the youth doesn`t say Purvciems but Purvchiks.

And something more:
Here is something to prove that looks doesn`t matter - the comieblocks look very bad, but their tenants look beutifull. Here some girls from my school:
http://foto.inbox.lv/h87/ladies
(link to a picture album, with 15 pictures so far)

Hybrid, your pictures are very interesting, it's nice to see some parts of Riga other than the center with nice old buildings. I'll consider the idea to make a photo tour of Vilnius commieblock suburbs some day :)

Thats a good Idea. I`m interested in that cuz the only times I was in Vilnius was on a excursion through the center and that`s not my style.

As I said I will start a series of comieblock pictures at night, but I`m too lazy to go out specially to take pictures that late. I`ll wait for a day on what I need to go out that late.

This topic reminded me one very heartful song by Ewan McColl, best known performance by The Pogues which is about the gripe fate of irish proletariate youth at the times when Ireland was one of the poorest (and not the richest) countries of Europe.

Dirty Old Town :speech: :fiddle: :cheers:

I met my love by the gas works wall
Dreamed a dream by the old canal
Kissed a girl by the factory wall
Dirty old town
Dirty old town
Dirty old town
Dirty old town

/.../ some true romantics inside ;)

Regarding Purvciems or Purchiks suburb of Riga personally I have quite opposite feelings than Hybrid87 has. :whisper: I was born and spent my childhood inbetween the local centres of Purvciems and Teika suburbs. Teika on contrary is one of the most elegant suburbs of Riga, mainly created by private functionalistic mansions built in the time of the first independance in 1920-30ies And since I went to 36th School (currently Teika School) I feel much more Teika's child than Purvciems'. I still suprise why Purvciems is so popular and why rental costs are relatively among the highest in Riga. The Purvciems has good infrastructure but the feeling of suburb is that personally I am not a fan to live there.

Neverthless I completely agree with Whose Homepage, that your pics are kindda touching and artistic! Well-done! :weirdo:

Well Purvciems is popular under the youngest poeple.

Thanx! I will try to make more artistic pictures.

Hows this one:
November Morning in Purvciems
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/00000019_g.jpg

^^^
this one could be nice but I can't see anything but bushes and some poor trees, it lacks something urban ;)

Well it`s hard to see but there is one comieblock on it:
Look at the lower left corner, between the lowest branches you can see a darker line - thats one of the unfinished Dreiliņu comieblocks.

My school is the last building to the east that`s in Purvciems.

In this case I don't care about a lack of buildings or the absence of a "city" feeling. It's a gorgeous picture! :okay:

I gues I forgot to show this morning (of 3rd november):
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/riits.jpg

Well today I made the first pictures of my "Comieblocks at night" series. But some pics aren`t from Purvciems.

At the begining some pictures of Riga center:
Watchtower Society building in Riga (Jehovas Witnesses)
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/00000026_g.jpg
Miera and Tallinas street
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/00000027_g.jpg
Tram on Miera street
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/00000028_g.jpg
Tallinas street
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/00000029_g.jpg
My favorite graffitty in Riga - "Buy 2, pay for 5"
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/00000030_g.jpg
Tallinas adn Brivibas street
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/00000031_g.jpg
Brivibas street
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/00000032_g.jpg

And now Purvciems:
Dzelzavas street
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/00000021_g.jpg
Trolleybus route end
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/00000022_g.jpg
Purvciems at night
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/00000023_g.jpg
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/00000024_g.jpg
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/00000034_g.jpg
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/35_g.jpg
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/00000036_g.jpg
Trolleybus stop sign
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/00000033_g.jpg

My first tries of taking pictures at night.

Tripod or just pressing the camera against the wall or pole badly needed

As I said this was my first try to take pictures in the "night photo" mode. So sorry this quality, i`ll try to make better ones next time. :)

Strange looking weather in Purvciems:
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/laicinjsh.jpg
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/laicinjsh2.jpg

Morning in Purvciems:
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/purvciems_riits.jpg
School at morning:
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/skola_1511.jpg
Beutifull sky today:
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/debesis_1511.jpg
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/skola_un_saule.jpg
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/debesis2_1511.jpg
The night is comming over Purvciems:
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/nakts_naak_par_purvciemu.jpg
Last seconds of sunlight:
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/peedeejie_saules_stari.jpg

And now - Purvciems in winter :)

School stadium:
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/29_11_2004_003.jpg
School:
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/29_11_2004_004.jpg
The "Dump" hill near school:
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/29_11_2004_008.jpg
Near Zvaigznaja gatve:
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/29_11_2004_022.jpg

This is the old waste dump of Riga, used until early 1980ies, I think:
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/29_11_2004_008.jpg
Some 8 months ago regarding this pleace appeared phantastic project - somebody wanted to build 90 m high skiing trampoline and other winter "joys". Beautiful idea... but when the city named the investments to make environmentally safe entertainment complex in this place... investor since then is silent.

Yes that`s the waste dump or as we at school call it - Svalka (russian for Dump).

Here some more pics taken from my Geography class. BTW the car park you see in the "Dump" pictures used to be our old school sport ground. The car park was build about 4 or 5 years ago.
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/30_11_2004_001.jpg
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/h87/Riga/30_11_2004_002.jpg

And some pictures from Riga (not olny from Purvciems) again.

Surroundings of Riga Secondary School Nr. 84:
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/life-in-riga/riga/00000007_g.jpg
Riga Sport Castle:
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/life-in-riga/riga/00000036_g.jpg
Parking lof "Arēna":
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/life-in-riga/riga/00000038_g.jpg
Abandoned building on Krišjāņa Barona Street:
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/life-in-riga/riga/00000039_g.jpg
Opposite the abandoned building - a not finished building:
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/life-in-riga/riga/00000040_g.jpg
Shoping center "Bērnu Pasaule" (view from Krišjāņa Barona Street):
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/life-in-riga/riga/00000041_g.jpg
A historical building on Matīsa street:
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/life-in-riga/riga/00000042_g.jpg
A house on the Matīsa street (view from the yard behind it):
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/life-in-riga/riga/00000044_g.jpg
The same yard:
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/life-in-riga/riga/00000046_g.jpg
Shoping center "Bērnu Pasaule" (view from Matīsa street):
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/life-in-riga/riga/00000048_g.jpg
Shoping center "Matīsa centrs":
http://foto.inbox.lv/albums/life-in-riga/riga/00000049_g.jpg