The temperatures finally rose to sunny 70s, and it’s beautiful outside. Over the weekend, we celebrated a holiday dedicated to the memory of the deceased relatives. It takes place in different cemeteries on various weekends during summer months. Relatives gather round the gravesides of their family members who passed away, bring fresh flowers, remember their loved ones with stories and have a glass or two of vodka. Generational ties are very strong in Latvia, something that I haven’t experienced in the US. It is a big holiday and a great time to socialize for relatives who live far apart and don’t see each other often. Here is a shot of an Old Russian Orthodox cemetery where my grandparents are buried.
On a less somber note, we walked to the town park where I’ve spent many summer days during my childhood.
There is an old pond with a bridge with lots of locks attached to it. It has been a long standing tradition for newly weds to attach a lock to the bridge and then throw the key in the water. I suppose this symbolizes them locking in their happiness that will never come undone.
Not far from the park is an art gallery, “Mans’s”, the oldest and the best known in southeast Latvia. I had my very first art exhibit there quite a few years ago. The gallery owner, Ulids Camanis, greeted us at the door.
He is a prolific artist, and right now he is showing a huge exhibit of his works that fills several rooms in his spacious gallery.
The townspeople may like or dislike his abstract work, but everyone surely admires his knack for business, which allowed his gallery to thrive for many years. The gallery is busy with tourists and guests every day and, in addition to Uldis’ works, shows the paintings of most prominent Latvian artists. I pride myself of still having some of my works there. Check out their web site to see what classical and modern Latvian painting looks like. My own work is rooted in this art tradition.
http://www.manss.lv
