Ligo in Riga

Citizens of our country have one day in a year when all big malls are closed all day long. It's a day of a summer solstice that is celebrated by latvians nationwide in the midnight between 23d and 24th of June and is called "Ligo".

Despite the fact, that we all love the idea of a big summer holiday here, it is the meanest holiday of Latvia. It rains here every Ligo day!

Our holidays were also saddened by Veronika's illness. She got sick right before four vacation days. Actually, I don't remember her being ill so hard and for so long anytime before -- high temperature, ache in the ear, throat and stomach for at least 4 days and 5 nights.

During daughter's illness we watched all our home collection of movies for kids. I think they won't ask me for more for it for weeks. Personally I had discovered Pocahontas movie to be a very beautiful, wise and filled with positive messages and positive role models tale (yes, I had never seen it before).

Me with my husband and Marge visited downtown thanks to my mom, who came to babysit Veronika a few hours. The Centre of Riga was almost deserted, because most of the citizens prefer to celebrate this holiday in a countryside.

Not long after our arrival it started raining.

We hoped to find some of a festive action at the Dome Square, but sadly there was nothing to see too.

Just puddles after rains and some passersby with umbrellas...

The square near the Liberty monument didn't look festive either.

Pour tourists under umbrellas -- I wonder how did they like cold, rainy and nearly empty Riga with all malls closed celebrating Ligo.

Though our Riga looks beautiful even covered with water.

And of course, the sun went out of clouds right when we arrived to a bus station and were ready to leave the downtown.