Spring has Sprung

Well now - for the last five consecutive days the temperatures has been above 0 degrees, so it must be Spring. All of the ice and snow has nearly gone, and the ice on the canals and Daugava river is just beginning to thaw.

So in a few days no doubt the temperature will rise above the magic 8 degrees - why magic ? - well if that temperature (or higher) is maintained for four consecutive, then the City's central heating is switched off.

The vast majority of apartments in Riga are supplied from a central station with the hot water used to provide central heating, and having been turned off, no matter what happens it will not be turned on until October, when and if the temperature drops to 8 degrees or lower for four consecutive days.
Thats why 8 is a magic number.

Hopefully in a few weeks the daffodils and Spring flowers will poke there way into the world, and once again transform the parks and open spaces in Riga.

Sad news for Livi square it appears that there will be fewer outdoor cafes and bars this year, as Riga City council, received tenders for their erection, decided on the one tender that was to complicated (??), and cannot be implemented until 2007.

In the news last week, it was announced that the dreaded NATA summit in November will be hosted in the recently built Olympic Hall. An interesting choice I thought, as some two weeks ago it hosted the Latvian Cat & Dog show - not much of a change for November then !

The weekend fairly flew by, only managed to watch Rugby on Sunday, although I did pop in briefly to Paddies on Saturday late afternoon, only to see one one of my beloved cretins filling up the toilet handbasin, with what I can only assume was a mixture of beer, cigarettes and food - charming, but very much in keeping with the average mentality of Ryan Air weekend passengers.

As an aside, during my trip to the UK, and having the opportunity to stay in a variety of hotels, can someone please explain to me, why the designers of the hotel rooms, actually the bathrooms, manage to place the toilet paper holder in such a way that you have to perform serious contortions to unroll of the paper ? - Do they ever try it out ?

This weekend will see us deliver the new cooker to Zvannieki, so volunteers please, as it is seriously heavy and will need at least four people to lift in into and out of the van -give me call if you can make it.

We had to say a fond farewell to one of longer serving village people O..... (Malaysian and burner of books) -he will be missed - so if he reads this, from all of your village friends - it was a pleasure to know you, and we wish you all the best back home.

One small request to all, if anyone happens to see or hear from our little Italian - Massimo - please let me know, as it appears he has dissapeared.