The July 4

It was the US Independence Day yesterday. In ten days another country that celebrates its revolutionary anniversary would be France - une journee de Bastille! The July 4 is celebrated all around the world due to the US soft power. However, I have not vitnessed that Bastille Day would have been openly celebrated in Riga before (but I might be wrong as well, because there is centre culturel francais en Riga after all). Celebrations are nice events, especially during the summer time, because in Latvia most of state celebrations happen to be during the cold winter time. So, if there are no Latvian state celebrations during the summer, thus there is a possibility to laud revolutionary powers that brought democracy to the wider world - the USA and France!!

While some folks celebrate American and French independence days there are others in Latvia who fume about the possible resignation of the incoming president Valdis Zatlers. While there is a discussion about the pros & cons of the candidate, freedom of the press still exists. In the meantime, the Latvian PM has made rather cautious statements warning "those institutions that tarnish the fame of the newly elected president with possible and harsh punishments". Bad, very bad, and its seems that the present Latvian leadership preferres to emulate not Scandinavian or West European best practices of governance but the ones of Byzantium instead....sad

In the meantime Alari, Signe & their two boys are visiting me here. We are going to Rundāle palace rose garden to have a pick-nick. There is still sun outside, thus lets get bagette, wine and good mood, thus the Estonians might learn about another Latvian marvel in the thick forest!