Happy Winter Solstice!

(Getting rid of the bad, bringing in the good!)

Happy Winter Solstice!

The Holiday season is upon us.  It's officially the shortest day, longest night of the year... that means it's only going to get brighter from here on, folks!  I'm ready for the sun to make it's way back (although I know it won't be for a while...), it was completely dark by 4pm today... that's a bit early for me!  Rīga has been rainy... very, very rainy this year and we're experiencing a unusually warm winter.  Today, thankfully, it was not raining and a wonderful winter chill was in the air- it wasn't even as windy as it has been.

School is over... for now... I have one exam to complete in January, but have completed/handed in/presented everything else for my remaining classes.  Feels good!  1/4 Grad school semesters under my belt... I'd love to take some time and tell you about all of my complaints and head aches concerning classes and day to day etiquette at the University, but that would surely ruin the holiday spirit in this post, so I'll leave that for another time...

Tonight we celebrated Winter Solstice in Rīga.  Folk groups and folk-enthusiasts came together to drag the log around Old Town.  This tradition helps us get rid of the junk we've piled onto our souls the past year, the bad things that may have happened to us, the bad things we may have done ourselves... by burning the log after reflecting on the past year and saying out loud your hopes for the coming year, we bring in the good, fresh, clean slate that a new year symbolizes.  Singing and dancing are a big part of the entertainment on such a dark night as this, but I must say, with all of the lanterns and Christmas decorations in Old Town, Rīga is glowing!  Here are some pictures of the Log celebration, followed by some Rīga sights as they were on this evening, December 21, 2011.

(Such a rush of people!)

 (En route!)

(There's one of the few logs!)

(Young and old joined in, at Doma Laukums)

(The tree in Doma Laukums)

(Bundled up in the cold)

(Budēļi arī bija klāt!)

(Burning the past year's wreathes)

(Musicians and dancers)

*****

(Is this Disney Land?)

(The market in Līvu Laukums)

 (The tree by the Opera and Milda)

(The market in Doma Laukums)

 (Remember to clean up after yourself!)

(Holidays in Rāts Laukums)

(My favorite subject... Milda 21/12/2011)