Expecting Christmas: Christmas markets, mulled wine and cats

It's been more than 10 months since the last time I've wrote here. There a lot of news and changes and now I'm ready to come back and drag you back into life in Riga.

Time has passed very fast and it's almost Christmas time again. Some of you and some of us entered sacred time of Advent (or Christmas fast for the Orthodox). First Advent in Riga was celebrated by illuminating of a main Christmas tree in the Dome square. Living my whole life in this city, it was the first time when I have witnessed this event. It was beautiful: illumination started with Bengal fire and accompanied by a joyful noise of a crowd. There were surprisingly many people, but my friend and I managed to take good position. But what is weird – the decoration of the X-mas tree. Beside lamps and balls, it's decorated with... white wooden ducks! Why so? Have no idea!

But the illuminating of the Tree isn't the only joyful news. What I liked even more are Christmas markets! So far I've visited two: on the Dome square and the one on Livu square. There also is some Pop-up Christmas store on Kalku street (also in the Old Town). It supposed to have some great stuff from local designers and etc, but I haven't checked it out yet.

So, back to markets. On the market at Livu square you can buy very good waffles with boiled condensed milk (don't make such big eyes, it tastes very good!) and Piparkukas, that is analogue to a ginger cookies, but instead of ginger we add black pepper and for my taste it's much much better.

On the Dome square at First Advent night beside the market, X-mas tree and loads of people there were also official Riga's cats who are living in the Riga council and are personal cats of the current major of Riga. They have really great story: our major adopted them from asylum and moved them to the council. I suppose they bring luck to the city, how'd you think?

Also it's hard to imagine Christmas without mulled wine. Not being big fan of wine, I still decided to try some. We've chosen mulled wine make of local home-made wine: my friend took traditional red grapes' mulled wine and I took apple wine's. Truly said, it's nothing you should try. It tasted... bad. Like hot home-made apple juice that gone bad. And it didn't warm me at all. I've heard that the best mulled wine is in the wine stand closer to the Dome church. But again, it's just a rumor, I haven't checked it yet.

Outside it's about -3 – 0 C, a little snow and very damp. But anyway it's beautiful in here.

(c) LETA