El Diario

Říká vám něco jméno Dorota Nvotová? Slovenská zpěvačka a herečka, o které delší dobu nebylo moc slyšet. Číst dále »

Airport

International airport code: RIX
Major operating flight companies: airBaltic, EasyJet, Ryanair, Czech Airlines/click4sky
Webpage: www.riga-airport.com

There is a direct bus No. 22 between the airport and city center, you should get off at the bus stop “Stockmann centrs”. The ticket costs 0,40 LVL and you can buy it directly on the bus from the conductor, which may also ask you for additional charge for your luggage, 0,80 LVL.

If you take bus 22a, it has different final stop – Esplanade. Prices are the same.

City transportation system

Riga is operated by buses, trams and trolleybuses. The tickets can be used only once, in news stands you may only buy tickets for trams and trolleybuses and then validate them in the vehicle. In buses there are conductors. A new system of electronic tickets/cards is being introduced, it will be used from March 1, 2009.

More information can be found at the Riga Transport (Rigas Satiksme) webpage: www.rigassatiksme.lv

Trains and inter-city buses

They both leave from terminal stations in the centre of the city, not far from each other and the “Stockmann centrs”. Trains are fairly cheap, 1-hour passenger train ride costs slightly above 1 LVL. Long-distance buses are more comfortable, but also more expensive. For example Ventspils – Riga is 4 hours by bus and costs 5,5 LVL.

Timetables and prices can be found at 1188.lv webpage: trains or buses

Car rentals

Renting a car is at reasonable prices compared to other countries. You can have your passenger car from 20 LVL/day. Just look at several companies and make a short search, majority of them speak English well.

Google query here.

Re: Na zdraví

photo credit: Daquella manera

Pokud přemýšlíte o tom, jak ozvláštnit své bydlení, naskýtá se několik možností. Od svěření svého problému do péče profesinálního architekta, přes koupi předpřipravených součástí bytu až po vlastní kreativní činnost s pilou a hoblíkem.

Podobná dilemata řeší lidé po celém světě a několik z nich o tom dokonce píše. Vřele doporučuju podívat se na tyto blogy:

• http://ikeahacker.blogspot.com/
• http://www.instructables.com/group/ikeahacks/
• http://ikeainstructables.blogspot.com/ – nápady z prvního blogu, bod po bodu

Některé nápady mi přišly velmi zajímavé a originální. A to věci z IKEA opravdu moc nemusím..

photo credit: Mr. Siegal

Původně jsme měli v době zahájení olympijských her sedět v letadle směr Hongkong a vyrazit na čtýřtýdenní cestu po Asii a východní Evropě. Krach dálkových low-costových aerolinek Oasis HongKong nám tyto plány překazil, a tak jsme alespoň využili již předem zakoupených letenek do Londýna a rozhodli se navštívit tuto metropoli.

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Taken from the Russia Today webpage (original source):

Since the 18th century all of what is now Latvia, Estonia and most of Lithuania were part of the Russian Empire. Before the end of the First World War, the Empire had collapsed and in 1918 Riga, Vilnius and Tallinn proclaimed their independence, but this independence was short-lived.

In 1940, after a pact between Stalin and Hitler, the Baltic States entered the Soviet Union. Nazi forces pushed the Soviets back in 1941 but the Red Army returned in 1944 to make the countries part of the USSR once again. Its independence was reestablished only with the collapse of the Soviet Union.

So, despite the fact that in relation to Russia, Latvia calls itself a republic with a 90 year history, there are essentially no documented facts to prove this.

As historian Vladimir Simindey points out, “Russia recognized Latvia’s independence after the collapse of the USSR just like it did with all the other former Soviet republics“.

Even whilst taking into account current affirmations that Latvia retained its independence throughout the years of Moscow rule, on paper it officially held the status of a Soviet republic.

Since the collapse of the USSR Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania went from Communism to NATO and EU membership. Now, they are keen to break away from their Soviet past. The Museum of Occupation in Riga makes little difference between Nazi occupation during WW2 and Latvia’s years within the USSR and grudges over history continue to poison Latvia’s relations with Moscow.