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Every day - one my picture from Latvia

100K views 338 replies 62 participants last post by  cracow_24 
#1 · (Edited)
Nature and cultural monuments of Latvia - 1 picture with short explanation every day. All pictures - my own.
It starts today - and I got enough own pictures to continue for some 5 years without repeating the subjects :D
- - -
1. Gauja River valley in Sigulda town, 50 km north-east from Riga. At the northern rim of the cosy, silent Sigulda town there starts wilderness - Gauja River valley with lots of ravines, waterfalls, cliffs. Silent, slow several day rafting down the river through primeval forests, among cliffs - there can't be any better relaxation.
 
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#164 ·
Sweet pics mate!

Okay this may sound strange but are there any dangerous animals ( or people ) in the forests?

Me and a mate had a great tradition of going on long nature hikes - unfortunatly the Danish forrests are kinda tame, so we found us looking for alternatives ( went to Norway once ) - now he's about to serve abroad so it won't be anytime soon, but the Latvian nature looks so lovely I'm thinking about forcing him to go when he comes back :)

It would be nice to know what animals might be present and potentially dangerous to two Danish fools :)
 
#166 ·
It would be nice to know what animals might be present and potentially dangerous to two Danish fools
Ticks for sure. Those small, nasty parasites - lots of them here. Over the last years, as the climate changes, there have been reported dangerous attacks by other insects as well, f.e. few years ago an large fly - Oestrus ovis - almost killed one forest worker - this fly in one second time managed to lay eggs in his eye and few hours later there were already larvae starting to eat his eye out. He was saved because he quickly went to hospital. But this is exotic and very rare attack. There have not been reported attacks of volves or bears over the last decades. Wild boars and semi-wild packs of dogs (near to cities) can be dangerous - but not too often. Wild boars really should be taken seriously - but this animal in general warns you several times before he attacks. Elks in springtime also aren't a nice companions in forest.
Foxes and other animals sometimes manage to get rabies here - but again this is rare and one should be especially unlucky to meet one.

Humans? In deep forest it is little likely to meet nasty people - it's a lot easier to find them on Friday evenings near clubhouses in small villages. Latvians unfortunately aren't especially hospitable and open people - but not too bad either. If you would see some in forest, most likely you and they in silence will go past each other.

But today - some exotic ghost story for you :)
86. Abavmuiza cross stone - Central Kurzeme (Western Latvia), remote area. Stone has got 13 crosses. Story is the following - some centuries ago there was born a child in nearby village - not a boy and not a girl - something in between. Soon he died (or may be was killed?) and buried in village graveyard. But his spirit was very agressive, he was haunting the village. Villagers called a local priest - and he ordered a stone to be placed on the grave of child, with a cross hacked in it. This did not help - even more - priest died soon. Haunting continued. There was called another priest - and he added one more cross. Haunting continued but happily priest did not die. He added more and more crosses, and after the 13th was added - haunting stopped.
So the stone stands there also today. Btw. village does not exist anymore.
 
#167 ·
^^Keep the photos coming. Love Ormankalns. Great view of glacial moraines in S. Zemgale!
BTW - a very similar story about a 13th child is associated with the famed Jersey Devil (of New Jersey, of course) (namesake of the NHL team), which lives in the Pine Barrens of Southern part of the state. Actually the family name is Leeds - hence also known as Leeds devil. O the accursed 13th child - what a fate!
 
#169 ·
Lots and lots of ticks, of course. Once, three years ago - frightening meeting with wild boar - he warned me three times - but the forest was thick and in fact I felt surrounded by him - wherever I went, he was in front, angry and ready to kill. Many times - loose dogs - but in general they are nearer to countryside homes.

Most often - aggressive people, who always are afraid of somebody taking pictures. Yesterday one countryside ******* almost attacked me because I took a picture of a sulphuric spring near road. He said that this spring is private property (not his) etc. etc. Once I was threatened with court process because I published this picture:
http://mapx.map.vgd.gov.lv/geo3/Ukr/_Izmantotie Atteli/_Ukr bildes slices/Tukuma_r/Vasl.htm

This cliff is also located in private property - but no one has harmed this property :D I answered that I will manage to get this cliff listed as state protected geological monument, and the conflict ended by itself. Very often people have been suprised that I take pictures of their private houses - but when i explain, in most cases they even tell more interesting things about their homes.

Today:
87. Maskavas street - long street near Centre of Riga, located in so called "Maskacka" - poorest looking district of Riga with very long history.
 
#175 ·
Thanks!!! I have been in southern Siberia - and there the nature is more like in Southern Europe! Siberia is very diverse.
In Latvia the most simiplar place to Siberia could be Daugavas loki - unfortunately I don't have good pictures, this is one of the most beautiful places in Latvia.

But today:
90. Vecpilsetas Street, Old Riga - this could be the most white street in whole Riga!
 
#177 ·
Houch, many thanks!!! With pleasure!
91. Spigi cave, Valka district in north-east of Latvia. Remote area where until recent time no one suspected to find a cave. Powerful spring has created this cave with small underground lake in it. Area is very remote (by Latvian standards), there are multuple interesting stories about ghosts, current paganic rituals etc.
 
#178 ·
92. Bridge across Gauja river, Sigulda town. Constructed in 1936, recently renovated. On this bridge started bungee-jumping in Latvia some 15 years ago - now they are jumping a lot higher above this bridge - from sky-train, which goes here some 60 m higher than bridge. You don't see it on this picture, of course.

Forgot to add - people, who stand on the bridge, are looking at salmon, which is spawning here. Population of indigenous salmon slowly is rehabilitating, although close watch for poachers is needed. May be due to this salmon also prefers to spawn closer to bridge, where people are watching it???

 
#180 ·
Thanks!
Yeah, noticed :) In fact, very interesting threads and Garda lake thread is not the worst one :)
But they for most part use not their own pictures for these threads. It's not a big deal to find such pictures as...

...this (Rundale palace)


...or this (Old Riga)


made by others.
 
#183 ·
wow..how strange, i jumped to this last page cause i wanted to leave a comment, and the comment i wanted to leave was connected to the last picture you posted!

i was going to say "how sad is it that there are so many beautiful places on earth you can never visit before you die"

and then BANG, i see a cemetery on the last picture

I love the pictures, especially the neighborhoods with the cobblestone roads and those cool little houses close to one another.
 
#184 ·
He he, thanks! This is absolutely true - about that enormous wealth of things worth to see in the world!!! I am sure that one even can't see the beautiful places of the world on photographs in his lifetime - even if he spends some seconds for each picture!

Specially for you!
94. Palasta Street, Old Riga. Repair shop of horse carts - I don't know what it is used for nowadays but looks well kept.
 
#186 ·
:)

95. Zusi sulphuric springs, Riga district. Where peat meets layers of natural gypsum, cold sulphuric genesis is happening. This is very rare in the world - but in Latvia there are some 5 places where it happens. In such places come out smelly, weird springs, where specific bacteria and algae create colourful spots - pink, orange. Here you see cold-dark-green algae in one of Zusi springs.
The water and mud of these springs has very strong curing capabilities.
 
#187 ·
96. Dauderi - posh private villa in northern part of Riga. Built in late 19th century by owner of nearby beer factory. Nowadays the same beer factory has been renamed and is called "Aldaris" - it is the largest producer of beer in Latvia. Unfortunately now this is industrial beer - it's quality has been downgraded to "general European" level. But that's another story.

 
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