Where do they go ?

Its summer in Riga, well it must be finally the Reval hotel is putting up it outside wooden patio ! - better late than never. Just like summer is a little late in arriving (assuming it actually does !) so does the plethora of vintage artists choosing to display their talent in little old Latvia.
Here is list of some of the "star" acts about to appear
Kim Wilde
Right Said Fred (fresh from their triumphs in Bauska last year
Denis Roussos - yes he is still alive !
Gypsy Kings.
and of course that much loved group, well at least in Latvia
Smokie !!


Now it has to be said that Aerosmith were here recently along with a British band that no one seems to have heard of "Muse" - but the latter did apparently pack out the new Riga Arena, and according to our resident music critic, P.....( English - and all things fantastic) they were, well FANTASTIC !

Last week also saw the return of J.....(English - remember Straightenous Dickus ?). Now he was only here for a short period of time to cohort with J.....(Australian/Latvian - long suffering member of the First Wife's club). However it appears that his operation to rectify his bent thingy, has proved to unsuccessful, so it it back to his original non de plume - Bentus Dickus. Life is full of challenges.

Also here is young A...(English - would be karioke singer), and as always he is succeeding in doubling the sales of Guinness in Riga.

Now we all know that life never stand still, and so it seems in Riga. As I have regaled many time in the past over the 10 years I have been here, we have as time moved on, taken ourselves from Paddy Whelans, to Dickens, and most recently to De Lacy's. But now if rumours are to believed they are all in for change.

The reason - well apparently it is that time for rent/lease renewal, and the greedy little persons who own these properties now think they can charge whatever they please. So as a consequence these establishment may either have to move or close.

It is a frightening thought to us in the village, that our hostelries may no longer be available to us. It is one thing to lose them at the weekend, due to the cretin invasion, but to lose them altogether is unthinkable. But I have every confidence in at least one young man, that he will make sure that the name De Lacy's will live on, albeit in a new location. Lets us just hope that is only the location that changes and not the staff within. Because as any student of pubs will tell you, you can have the best pub in the world, but without the right people in front of and behind the bar, it will fail.

Now on a lighter note I am delighted to finally get photographs of the refurbishment at Zvannieki, courtesy of V... ( Australian/Latvian builder of note - high C I think). Now you may notice one thing - nothing seems to be finished, but I assured by V that all is well - hmmmmmmm !

I have been assured that I will get "finished" pictures early next week - we shall but see !

Now as is my wont I am always on the lookout for the strange and unusual in the world, so here is this weeks, published in the Daily Telegraph was the following caption and photograph

An Iranian model displays Islamic clothes during a fashion festival in Teheran


Trendy it not, but I have to confess I fail to see what subtle differences there are from the normal.

To all and sundry have a good week, and to NTL of Andover, Wiltshire keep up the good work of checking out the blog - You are making a remarkable difference to my viewing statistics ! and if you are wondering about the picture at the top of the blog - well read on -

A four-storey public toilet in Chongqing, China, with more than 1,000 toilets. Officials in the city are preparing to submit an application to Guinness World Records to have the facility listed as the world's largest