View from a cell phone

I've never been one to take a lot of pictures with my phone, but recently have appreciated its effectiveness and more importantly its availability because it's always with me.  So here's a collection of the phone pics that I've taken over the last few months, quality lacking, but memories are recorded nonetheless.

Enjoy!

 

(Funny that later in the semester I actually had a "Runce" as my prof...)

 (Received in the local community paper... a very familiar face!)

 (11.novembris)

(Dome square getting ready for the Christmas market!)

(Late afternoon walk back to Old Town)

(Learning new songs with Julija ... and having to wear these slippers)

(First snow!)

(Wintertime decorations by the Academy of Art)

(With my buddy Dzintis)

(Favorite folk group around- Kokle)

(Greatest care package!!)

 

(Doing what I do best, at Folkklubs ALA!)

(Checking out the University library and I find this familiar face...)

(Easter, flowers and snow)

(After breaking his ankle, Briedis had his own pair of "briezu ragi")

(Lithuanian independence day, longest Lithuanian flag everrrrr)

(Always good music playing at ALA!)

 (NY Koris came to visit Latvia... Great concert of Christmas tunes!)

 (Ukranian band playing Irish music and a banjo playing drummer = Awesome)

 (Private gig at Artelis with a real dressing room!  Re!Pats! looking good!)

 (With Julija at the Opera to listen to Dievs, Tava Zeme Deg!)

(Impromptu choir concert at ALA)

 (European Union day and a quick CPR lesson)

(Celebrating Cinco de Mayo at Tequila Boom)

(Imanta and Madara)

(Fabulous purchase at Gadatirgus!  Latgalian domino)

(Latvia Beer Fest on a beautiful sunny evening!)

(Homemade croissants and great friends)

 

 (First vainags of the season...)

(As seen on the trolly-bus one morning in Riga, stylin'!)

(View of the sky around midnight June 2012... white nights are here!)

(Cerinu parkaa ar Santu)

 (First gig with Laiksne... in a gypsy camp in Liepaja)

(SAY WHAT.  Rezekne, Latgale)

(First beer of the beer garden season ar Danielu!)

(Forsaakais Lieldienu puzuris pie Kruminiem)

(Is this discrimination? 10% off for clients with beards?)

 (Laura handing out the goods at ALA)

 

 (Bathroom door at ALA)

Uz Latgali!

It is amazing how quickly the spring months fly by and the calendar starts filling up with so many things to do that it's hard to sit down for a second to write a blog about it!  That being said, this will be again more of a photo-diary of some of the brighter moments of the past few weeks to catch you (and myself) up to speed! 

One of my classes took a trip to Latgale, the eastern most region in Latvia.  We really lucked out with fantastic weather, sunny and warm.  I hadn't been to Latgale in a few years and was really looking forward to seeing something new and visiting this beautiful place.  And that we did!  Leaving early Saturday morning, we drove the three and something hours to Daugavpils, the second largest city in Latvia after Riga.  It is also the most Russian-populated city in Latvia.  We were all happily surprised that the city was not some country bumpkin town, with horse-drawn carriages, but a buzzing cosmopolitan center that embraces its multi-cultural atmosphere.

 (The girls at Daugavpils University)

 (Mark Rotko was born in Daugavpils and an exhibition was open in his honor)

The first day continued with a stop at Aglonas Bazilica, Velnezers near by (as Latgale is the region of lakes in Latvia)...

 (Aglonas Bazilica)

 

(The group by Velnezers)

 The next day we spent wandering around Rēzekne, followed by a visit to Sarkaņi church, a quick demonstration/shopping pit stop at a local Latgalian potter (because Latgale is also the land of Latvian pottery), and ending with an exploration of an old manor estate while getting eaten alive by mosquitoes.

 

(Rēzekne river rock stars, Imanta and Laura)

(Climbing old castle ruins and a church in the background in Rēzekne, Imanta and Madara)

 

(The view greeting us at Sarkaņi... everything in bloom!)

 (Jump jump in Varklāņi)

**Pictures courtesy of Madara Matveja, Madara Šulce and Renāte Bula