Referendum

Referendum on 18 February in Riga.
Photos by (c) Arnis Balcus

Second language

On 18 February citizens of Latvia will vote in a referendum whether the Russian language should have an official status in Latvia. In reality Russian is already a second language in Latvia as it is commonly used all around.
Photos by (c) Arnis Balcus

Inflation 2

 

In the photo above you see prices for cigarettes today. Below - what the smokes used to cost two years ago. As you see, prices have gone up, for instance, a pack of Winston was 1,52 LVL, now - 1,80 LVL. Some cigarettes have also been discontinued in Latvia, such as Elita and Prince.

Photos by (c) Arnis Balcus

Cheap perfume

Sakta, Sasha, Russian wood, Red Moscow - these are brands of perfumes at a market in Riga. Price starts at 1 EUR. I believe most of it is consumed internally by homeless alcoholics to whom this liquid is cheaper (but stronger) than, for instance, vodka. Thanks to alcoholics the cheap perfume industry has survived the Soviet Union, European Union and economical crisis, and might live forever.
Photo by (c) Arnis Balcus

Swedish embassy

Swedish embassy in Riga, Latvia
Photo by (c) Arnis Balcus

Pawnshops

One of the most visible aftereffects of the economical crisis in Latvia is the raise of pawshops (called "lombards" in Latvian). Six years ago you could find just a few of them, today - almost on every street. Since most of the people live from salary to salary it is common to run out of money; people hand in mobile phones, gold and other valuables as pawns to get small high interest loans. If they are unable to pay it back, the pawnshop sells their pawns.
Photos by (c) Arnis Balcus

Special project

Well, for me these outworn apartment blocks remind Sarajevo, but actually it's just "a special housing project" made in Riga in the last years of Soviet Union. It seems that the Soviet workers haven't done the job properly and after 20 years it looks like the building has been wounded by bombs and bullets.
Photo by (c) Arnis Balcus

Latvian fruits

The sign in the window says "goods from Latvian countryside". You see pomegranates, clementines, pineapples,  melons, grapes etc. but actually none of these fruits in this shop window grow in Latvia.
Photo by (c) Arnis Balcus

Inflation

This is the price in Latvian lats for gasoline on 11 January 2011...

...and this is what it costs today on 11 January 2012.
Photos by (c) Arnis Balcus

Meat for Christmas

Traditional food for Christmas? For instance, in England it's a turkey. In Latvia - a pig's nose (or full head). But of course, nowadays it's a rarity on Christmas table.
Photo by (c) Arnis Balcus

Little snow

Snowing in Ziepniekkalns district of Riga. This winter the snow hasn't stayed for more than a few hours and perhaps it's gonna be a rare grey Christmas. It should have been some -15 C outside, instead it's +5 C. Consequences of global warming?
Photo by (c) Arnis Balcus

Plastic bird cages

  

Someone in Riga has used plastic bottles to create bird cages for titmouses.

Photo by (c) Arnis Balcus