Latvia- 1994, 1998, and 2001

My father’s parents fled Latvia during World War II. They left behind everything: their farms, much of their family and most of their friends. Even as they started new lives and a new family in the USA, they would never forget their homes. Some of my favorite family memories occurred at the dinner table when they reflected back on their pre-war lives and what they referred to as “the old country.” My grandmother told us about the first time she had met my grandfather at a dance in the town hall. He had grabbed her by the waist and set her down under a leaky drain pipe. My grandfather told us about his youthful hyjinx, including the night he and his buddies snuck a horse upstairs in the dormitory at agriculture school. It was these first narratives that piqued my brother’s and my interest about the country and our heritage. While they enjoyed telling their stories, they wanted to show us, as well.

The following is a collection of photographs from trips to Latvia in the summers of 1994, 1998 and early fall of 2001. During the first trip, I went with my grandparents and parents and younger brother, Brett. The second time around, we went for the group discount. Our group included: my grandparents, parents, Brett, cousin Jay, Uncle Janis, Aunt Kathy, and my grandparents from my mother’s side, Nana and Papa, and, of course, me. The third time, just my grandparents and I went, to be joined by my father on September 11th, just before all of the airports closed.

If you have not been to Latvia, I hope that my miniature narratives and photographs caught your interest, as my grandparents’ stories caught mine. If you have been, then you already knew what a fascinating and culture-steeped country it was, is and shall ever remain to be.

Start here for one of my most favorite things to do in Latvia: explore Vecriga.

Vecriga

Various

Family

Birthday

Rigas Central Market

Daugava River

St. John's Cathedral

Jurmala and Tallinn