Riga, Latvia
Riga has one of the largest concentrations of art nouveau architecture, with over eight hundred buildings in this style. Most of these are concentrated in and around Alberta iela in the Central district.
Some of the balconies are purely decorative and cannot be accessed.
Folk music is a big part of Latvian culture, with most taking part in singing, dancing or music at some point in their school lives. They act as both entertainment and as a living museum, preserving ancient melodies and dances through generations.
May 4th is the anniversary of the The Day of Restoration of Latvian Independence, which marks the second time they gained independence from the Soviets, in 1990. Folk traditions and craftsmanship represents the identity that persevered through hundreds of years of various rules and occuptations.
