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Take your free copy! w i n t e r / s p r i n g 2 0 1 0

Maris Strombergs: Latvia's golden boyMaris Strombergs: Latvia's golden boy

The mighty lat

An eye on London

Fighting for your rights

The mighty lat

An eye on London

Fighting for your rights

Co

nT

en

Ts

4 TrADITIons The mighty lat

10 TrAvel people Maris strombergs:

latvia's golden boy

16 eConoMY fighting for your rights

18 BUsIness feATUre Innovative latvians

20 fAMoUs ToWn The city that thinks and creates

26 DIsCoverY Maskačka

32 AIrlIne In foCUs follow the leader

34 DesTInATIon An eye on london

40 rIGA InTernATIonAl AIrporT

passenger numbers using

riga International Airport

are now sky high

A W

or

D f

ro

M T

He

CH

AI

rM

An

The ultimate goal for us at

RIGA International Airport

is to continue our growth

and become one of the

leading air traffic hubs in

Northern Europe. For 2010,

however, we will keep our growth steady; we plan to wel-

come more than 4.5 million passengers this year, strengthen-

ing our position in the North European air traffic market.

For almost two years now, the results of European airports

have generally been negative with a total decline of almost

13 percent. Yet RIGA International Airport has managed to

improve its performance, its turnover growing by 10 percent

in 2009. This demonstrates that the crisis brings new oppor-

tunities and we have managed to put these to good use.

Riga is one of very few capital cities in Europe with an

airport that reported growth in 2009. Those in neighbouring

capitals closed the year with falling passenger traffic, 27 per-

cent down in Tallinn and 36 percent down in Vilnius. In

July 2009, for the first time in the history of its operations,

RIGA International Airport exceeded 400,000 passengers in a

single month.

Over the last five years, we have increased passenger traffic

fourfold to over four million. This is partly because we are

one of the lowest-cost airports in the North European region.

RIGA International Airport has also achieved excellent

results in ground handling. One of the most important quali-

ty indicators of an airport’s work anywhere in the world is

punctuality of service. We reached 98 percent in this indica-

tor in 2009, which is close to perfection and demonstrates

the high quality of the airport’s services.

It has certainly been an eventful 12 months. In May 2009,

the airport won the prestigious Routes and OAG (Official

Airline Guide) Airport Marketing Award in Europe as the best

airport in Scandinavia and the Baltic, leaving those in

Copenhagen and Stockholm behind. And, at the 19th ACI

Europe General Assembly in 2009, I had the pleasure of

being elected to the Board of ACI Europe.

Enjoy your time at RIGA International Airport!

Krisjanis Peters

Chairman of the Board

of RIGA International Airport

w i n t e r / s p r i n g 2 0 1 0 G A T E W A Y r I G A 3

4 G A T E W A Y r I G A w i n t e r / s p r i n g 2 0 1 0

The mighty latlatvia's national currency has become big news all over the world

T r A D I T I o n s

Phot

os c

ourt

esy

of th

e Ba

nk o

f Lat

via

Latvia was immediately swallowed up

by the Latvia Republican Office of the

State Bank of the USSR. The exchange

rate of the Latvian lats to the Russian

ruble was set at a rather convenient

1:1 with both currencies operating in

tandem until, without warning, the

lats was withdrawn from circulation

just four months later. As if this

wasn't bad enough for Latvian citi-

zens, German occupation in June

1941 lead to the forced introduction

of more grossly unfair monetary poli-

cy. Reichsmarks came into circulation

with an absurd exchange rate of 10

rubles to just one reichsmarks. The

German government of occupation

effectively bagged most of the money

in Latvia for themselves.

nised as legal tender until, in March

of the following year, the Latvian

ruble was born. Using denominations

of rubles and kopecks, the Latvian

ruble existed alongside Russian and

German currencies as legal tender.

In 1922 the Latvian lats was intro-

duced, although the Latvian ruble

remained in circulation alongside

the new currency. The lats remained

the national currency until 1940

although one interesting fact is that

all Latvian bank notes were actually

printed in the United Kingdom dur-

ing the period 1924 to 1938.

lat-itude east and westWhen Latvia was occupied by the

Red Army in 1940, the Bank of

With ongoing talk of a possible

devaluation of the lats and the con-

sequences this sudden shock might

have on other currencies, many of

the world's top financiers and finan-

cial publications have become rather

obsessive about Latvia's national cur-

rency of late. But how did the lats

get to this point in history?

Historical perspectiveWith the end of the First World

War and the proclamation of the

Republic of Latvia this young fledg-

ling country had to make some very

rapid and big decisions. One of

these was about money. Initially,

three foreign currencies were recog-

All latvian bank notes were actu-ally printed in the United Kingdom during the period 1924 to 1938.

6 G A T E W A Y r I G A w i n t e r / s p r i n g 2 0 1 0

as the State Treasury, thus control-

ling every aspect of the Latvian

monetary system.

For more than forty years things

continued pretty much as they were

until in 1987, with the onset of

glasnost, the Latvia Republican

Office of the State Bank of the

USSR was renamed the Latvia

Republican Bank of the State Bank

of the USSR. This was not as major

a change as it seemed, however,

as the new entity did not become

a 'real' central bank overnight.

Instead, it was in March 1990

that the Bank of Latvia once again

same same but differentWhen the Germans left and the

Soviets returned Latvia was once

again incorporated into the Soviet

financial system. The State Bank of

the USSR, known as the Gosbank,

both issued money and functioned

German occupation in June 1941 lead to the forced intro-duction of more gross-ly unfair monetary policy

Whatever happens, these will cer-

tainly continue to be interesting times

for the Latvian national currency. And

in the context of what went before in

the 1920s, '40s and '80s the Latvian

lats' problems of the current day

remain relatively tame for now.

more and more links with the EU

countries. Limiting the lats exchange

rate volatility against the euro will

reduce currency risks and costs in

business with those countries and

contribute to achieving the goal of

price stability.”

rate since December 30, 2004 has

been: 1 euro = 0.702804 lats

While some currencies such as

the British pound have devalued

overall against a basket of currencies

during the global economic crisis,

the lats has remained strong thanks

to its peg to the euro. Many ana-

lysts argue that this has been cata-

strophic for Latvia, but others warn

than taking away the current

lats:euro peg would cause financial

meltdown in the Baltics. The Bank

of Latvia's position is as follows:

“Pegging the lats to the euro is

also a logical step as the Latvian

trade and economy at large develop

much king in Latvia. Overall though,

we can see that the movement

towards a 'cashless society', and per-

haps a big brother style financial

system, is not as far away as we

might imagine.

According to the Bank of Latvia's

2009 statistics, banknotes constitute

94.3 percent of all cash in circula-

tion in Latvia, while coins total just

58.3 million lats (or 5.7 per cent).

The most popular note is the

20-lats, which accounts for over half

of all notes in circulation, while

1-lats coins make up a similar per-

centage for the number of coins in

circulation.

Opposite is a table provided by

the Bank of Latvia, which shows the

banknotes in circulation as of the

1st of January 2008 and 2009

respectively:

became an independent national

bank for the first time in decades.

Almost 18 months later it became a

central bank with the right to issue

national currency.

A temporary currency – the

Latvian ruble – was initially used in

1992 as the only legal tender. Then,

in March 1993, the Latvian lats

finally came into its own becoming

the recognised national currency of

the Republic of Latvia.

Cashless society?It is estimated that cash accounts

for about 20 per cent of all money

existing in Latvia. This figure per-

haps seems low, but when you com-

pare the total proportion of cash in

circulation to 7 per cent in the USA

and only 5 percent in the UK, one

can appreciate that cash still is very

It is estimated that cash accounts for about 20 per cent of all money existing in latvia

Banknotes in Circulation1 January 2008 1 January 2009 Relative change

in the amount (%)

Amount (in thousands of lats) Percentage Amount

(in thousands of lats) Percentage

Ls 5 73 922.3 7.4% 70 781.2 7.2% -4.2%

Ls 10 79 128.0 8.0% 73 773.3 7.7% -6.8%

Ls 20 458 352.4 46.1% 485 291.7 50.6% 5.9%

Ls 50 68 481.4 6.9% 73 888.9 7.7% 7.9%

Ls 100 170 275.0 17.1% 145 212.0 15.2% -14.7%

Ls 500 143 412.5 14.5% 110 872.0 11.6% -22.7%

Total banknotes 993 571.6 100% 959 819.1 100% -3.4%

The lats and the euroThe relationship between the lats

and the euro has been discussed by

everyone from George Soros to the

senior writers of the Financial Times.

Pegging the lats to the euro has

meant that the lats' value against

the euro has been fixed. The official

8 G A T E W A Y r I G A w i n t e r / s p r i n g 2 0 1 0

Quick cash facts• Each coin, depending on its

denomination, manages "to visit"

the Bank of Latvia 2 to 5 times

on average per year.

• In 2006, 26.8 million worn and

damaged banknotes were with-

drawn from circulation

• 13,600 2-lats coins struck in

1992 and 1993 were withdrawn

from circulation in 2001

• The life of 5-lats banknotes,

which get the greatest use, is

the shortest

• The most commonly counterfeit

note or coin is the 1-lat coin

Battling the counterfeitersThink it is easy to counterfeit

money? Here is a list of the secu-

rity features incorporated in the

latest Latvian notes:

• Metallic clear text window

thread

• Watermark

• Vertical relief band

• See-through register

• Latent image

• Invisible fluorescent fibres

• Micro text

• Intaglio printing on steel plates

• Secret printing ink

• Anti-copier background printing

• Colour-shifting ink

• Embedded mark

• Thermal effect

• Transparent window

Table used courtesy of the Bank of Latvia

G A T E W A Y r I G A 11

Everybody now knows you as the

young, good looking BMX gold

medallist from Latvia who lives in

California. But how did your story

begin?

I was born in 1987 in Valmiera.

My mum is originally from Tukums

and my father is from Cesvaine, but

they moved to Valmiera to start a

new life together.

The thing I remember most of all

about growing up was riding my

bike when I was a kid. When I was

five and a half my dad took me to

the local BMX track. To be honest, I

remember crying because it really

wasn't something I wanted to do,

but here I am still racing BMX

17 years later.

What prompted your father to

take you down to the track in the

first place?

My parents' friend's son rode a BMX.

He was ranked first in Latvia at the

time and the idea just came from there.

Did you feel any better the sec-

ond time you went back to the

track?

Actually, I still didn't like it the sec-

ond time. But after a week or two

away from the track I started to ask

my dad if he would take me back

there. The thing was, he never pushed

me. He gave me the opportunity but

it was ultimately my choice.

When was your first big race?

My first big competitive race was in

1993 when I came fourth in Latvia.

Then, three years later, I won the

world championships aged 9.

How do you go from finishing

fourth in Latvia to world champion

in three years?

It's relatively easy for kids to prog-

ress in sport. The track was a 20

minute ride away from our family

house and I just practised all the

time. I remember that I had my

cycling helmet on before I even left

the house.

Which was the first major compe-

tition you won abroad?

The second time I competed abroad

I won in England at a competition in

10 G A T E W A Y r I G A

T r A v e l p e o p l e

w i n t e r / s p r i n g 2 0 1 0

The thing I remember most of all about growing up was riding my bike when I was a kid

Three of us trav-elled to China to represent latvia but most peo-ple back home thought I wouldn't handle the pressure

Latvia's golden boyMaris strombergs became the pride of latvia in 2008 when he won the coun-try's first olympic gold medal. He now lives in BMX-crazy California where he is considered by many to be the best at his sport in the world. Maris kindly took time in January, before returning to the Us, to talk exclusively to Gateway riga about his life and career.

Brighton. I became the first Latvian

to win the World Championships.

How did your life change with

that first big success?

Everybody started congratulating

me. I was a little kid though, so life

didn't change too much. Over the

next couple of years I had a few

third-placed and second-placed finish-

es. There were a number of quality

Phot

os c

ourt

esy

of M

aris

Str

ombe

rgs

w i n t e r / s p r i n g 2 0 1 0

12 G A T E W A Y r I G A w i n t e r / s p r i n g 2 0 1 0

riders in Latvia and strong competi-

tion, so that kept me on my toes.

Did you get support from spon-

sors at that point?

I started to earn a little bit of

money for the first time at 17. At

that point you are competing in the

Junior Men competition. I finished

third in this when I was 17, and the

following season I became the

European Junior Champion.

I also picked up my main sponsor

at that age as you are classed as a

professional and no longer as an

amateur.

How did you find the transition

from amateur to professional?

I had three years racing in the

elite competition. The first year was

tough and I only finished 11th. But

in the second season I was runner up

and the following season I won the

European Championships, the World

Championships and then the

Olympic Games.

It's something that you have

doubtless been asked many times,

but how would you describe that

feeling as you crossed the finishing

line and knew you were the best at

your sport on the planet?

It is very hard to explain.

Unbelievable. My coach was crying. In

a way nobody expected it from me.

Three of us travelled to China to rep-

resent Latvia but most people back

home thought I wouldn't handle the

pressure. This meant there was very lit-

tle pressure on me. But honestly, it is

almost impossible to properly explain

that feeling you are talking about.

We talked about how things

changed when you won your first

championships. But it must have

been an almighty head spin when

you became Olympic champion?

Yes, definitely. Things changed a

lot. People back home started to take

much more interest in the sport of

BMX. When I came back from Beijing

I was 21, and there were a lot of

interviews. I guess I was often pretty

nervous with all that, but I am used

to it now. I often get recognised

When I am waiting at the gate for the race to begin I am full of nervous excitement

14 G A T E W A Y r I G A w i n t e r / s p r i n g 2 0 1 0 w i n t e r / s p r i n g 2 0 1 0 G A T E W A Y r I G A 15

when I am in Latvia. One restaurant

gave me a free pizza the other day!

As a sportsman, which is more

important to you – the Olympic or

World Championships title?

The Olympics is the biggest stage

in the sport but it is only held once

every four years. We also have the

ABA title in the US, which is the

most lucrative competition. But

in a regular season the World

Championships is the biggest

competition in status terms.

You are around 90 kilos and 1.85

metres tall. Many people who don't

know anything about the sport

might imagine it would be better

to be smaller and more agile...

You need power, speed and the

ability to move quickly. Explosive

power is essential so we do a lot

of red light work in the gym. We

always work on squats and sprints

and reaction times to the red

light.

Actually, there is no real optimum

size and weight. The third placed

guy in Beijing was very short, while

the other medallist is much taller

than me at 1.94 metres. Some

aspects of the sport are easier for

shorter competitors, while jumping is

easier when you are taller.

What is the 'buzz' for you in

BMX?

One lap is approximately 35 sec-

onds. One mistake, even a very small

one, can change everything. I guess it

is very intense. When I compete the

feeling I get is that I want to do it

more and more. When I am waiting

at the gate for the race to begin

I am full of nervous excitement.

I seem to get just the same nervous

excitement before every race.

What do you think you would

have done if you hadn't been so

talented at BMX?

When I was 10 I played basket-

ball. I still really like it. The first

thing I do in California in the

mornings is to have a look on NBA.

com and check the latest results.

I believe I will compete until I am

29, but I don't really know what

I will do after that.

How is life in the US? California

dreaming?

The US is fun. When I moved

there last January (January 2009) my

coach was with me for the first cou-

ple of months. He helped me get

settled with money, paperwork and

all that stuff. It was hard at first.

Then I was alone after four months

and I found that very hard. It is

much better to have your friends

over with you.

I am looking for a house now.

I live in a small city about one and

a half hours from L.A. The best thing

is the climate. In January it is plus 20

Celsius. When I came back to Latvia

this December it was minus 24.

One of my close friends is moving

over to the States shortly. I miss the

jokes that you enjoy with your close

friends and the language barrier

always plays a part, no matter how

good my English gets.

Now that you have spent a year

away from home what things about

Latvia seem different through a new

pair of spectacles, so as to speak,

when you return?

I think the main change is in

relationships. My sister and I have a

good relationship but we have really

bonded more since I moved away.

Maybe it is the quality time we

share together.

What is your nickname in the

States?

They call me 'the machine'. One

of the old school BMX guys said to

me, “You are the machine.” Then

one commentator referred to me as

'the machine', and the nickname has

stuck ever since. Some people call

me Mr Strongman.

You are a young man who has

been both Olympic and World

Champion. What motivates you

when you have already reached

the pinnacle of your sport?

There are two leagues in the

States – the NBA and the ABA.

I won the ABA last season but was

third in the ABA. The motivation is

to prove I deserved my medal in

Beijing and that I can be the best

in both leagues. There is also a

huge motivation until the next

Olympics in two years' time, when

I want to defend my title. Next

time round it will be the opposite

to Beijing with lots of pressure on

me. I'm still young so there

shouldn’t be any motivation prob-

lems. BMX is my life; I wake up

with thoughts about BMX and I go

to sleep with thoughts about BMX.

What have been the single big-

gest positive and negative effects

that have come with your success?

My life is moving in the right

direction. My goal was to move to

the States and to prove I was wor-

thy of being called a champion.

After BMX I still don't know what I

will do. I like coming home to

Latvia, so I might yet end up here.

But right now my life is all about

BMX racing…

one of the old school BMX guys said to me, “You are the machine.”

My goal was to move to the states and to prove I was worthy of being called a champion

w i n t e r / s p r i n g 2 0 1 0 G A T E W A Y r I G A 1716 G A T E W A Y r I G A w i n t e r / s p r i n g 2 0 1 0

e C o n o M Y

Fighting for your rights

Gateway Riga spoke to Sanita

Gertmane, the Head of the

Consumer Information and

Communications Department of the

Consumer Rights Protection Centre

of Latvia to get a clearer picture of

what consumers should do if they

are not satisfied with the goods or

services they purchase.

What are the legal bodies in

Latvia in the area of consumer

rights protection?

The main Consumer Protection

organization in Latvia is the

Consumer Rights Protection Centre.

It is a state authority under the

Ministry of Economics, and deals

with such issues as: individual com-

plaint handling, protection of con-

sumer collective interests, air passen-

ger rights supervision, market surveil-

lance in the non-food Sector etc. As

well as this, the CRPC is a host

organization for the European

Consumer Protection Network (ECC

NET). This means that we can also

assist EU citizens who experience

trouble with some goods and services

here in Latvia.

What is thejurisdiction of the

CRPC?

The CRPC is a state Authority. It

enjoys legal powers that enables it to

Consumers in latvia are now better protected than ever before

also a lot of complaints about pack-

age tour travel companies.

In 2009 the trends regarding the

complaints changed very significantly.

Many consumers are now complain-

ing about everyday goods like shoes,

mobile phones, electric appliances

and computers. And certainly the

number of complaints about credit

and banking policies have increased

3 times in number.

So this means that the complaints

reflect those issues that are actual for

consumers at the present moment.

Could you put some numbers

on that?

Statistics shows that during 2009,

we received almost 3000 complaints

and provided more then 55,000 con-

sultations.

Is the situation improving? Is

customer service improving?

On one hand, the situation is

improving because consumers are

becoming more and more informed.

We see that from our everyday work

and we also try to inform and

increase the consumer information

level. But, on the other hand, we

see that the economic crisis is hit-

ting many industries and that means

that traders are not so friendly and

service oriented to the consumers.

Therefore, sometimes it becomes

enforce binding decisions. This

means that traders are obliged to fol-

low any such decisions or appeal

against them in the courts.

What can a consumer do if they

are not happy about something?

First of all, if a consumer is not

happy regarding some good or ser-

vice purchased, the problem should

be negotiated with the seller. This is

usually the best way to solve the

problem. I have to admit, however,

that we have observed a trend in

very many cases involving consum-

ers and traders where they are just

not able to stick to a consistent dia-

logue, and then the case comes to

our office. In such instances it

sometimes takes up to 4 month to

resolve a dispute.

What has changed in the last

few years in regard to consumer

rights in Latvia?

Yes, we have noticed some trends

and changes during previous years

compared to the present moment.

The number of complaints is grow-

ing every year but types of com-

plaints and cases differ. For example,

a few years ago when there was a

very active building and real estate

market, consumers were complaining

about construction services and real

estate purchase contracts. There were

statistics shows that during 2009, we received almost 3000 complaints and provid-ed more then 55,000 consulta-tions

We are happy that rIX under-stands the meaning of air passen-gers rights and that the airport actively supports the con-sumer infor-mation campaign "speak up!"

The num-ber of com-plaints is growing every year but types of complaints and cases differ

quiet tough for consumers to imple-

ment their rights.

What are standards like in

Latvia compared to other coun-

tries?

There are the same directives and

legislation in power throughout the

EU, but some norms are more speci-

fied. However, some problems are

related to the implementation of the

legislation and, for example, a lack

of budget resources devoted as well

as mutual understanding between

consumers and traders.

Any positive examples?

There are quite a lot of positive

examples. One of those, we think, is

the decision issued by the CRPC

regarding unfair contract terms and

unfair penalties. This can save con-

sumers a lot of money.

What is the situation with

regard to Riga International

Airport?

There are not any big cases

regarding RIX. We are happy that

RIX understands the meaning of air

passengers rights and that the airport

actively supports the consumer infor-

mation campaign "Speak up!". RIX

currently displays the posters to

inform people about their air passen-

ger rights.

Phot

os c

ourt

esy

of th

e C

onsu

mer

Rig

hts

Prot

ectio

n C

entr

e of

Lat

via,

Jus

tin W

alle

y an

d S

anita

Ger

tman

e

Con

sum

er p

rote

ctio

n im

ages

cou

rtes

y of

Jus

tin W

alle

y

B U s I n e s s f e A T U r eTheir newly developed

PrimeComposite concrete offers

increased toughness and durability

in a thinner and more economical

floor. In addition to Latvia,

Primekss has companies in

Sweden, Finland, Norway, Estonia,

and Poland, where Primekss seam-

less floors are being used more

and more for factories, warehouses

and large stores.

For more information:

www.primekss.com

2009 runners upDores fabrika ltd.

Dores fabrika combines old tradi-

tions with new technologies to cus-

tom-build modern log houses with

up-to date designs. Their unique

glued-wood timbers and innovative

joint designs offer unprecedented

eco-friendly structures that are

weather-tight under the harshest

winter or summer conditions.

Dores has the most modern factory

of its kind in Europe and can pro-

duce 350 log houses a year, mostly

for export.

For more information:

www.dores.lv

2009 Third placeMetrum ltd.

Metrum is an international

land surveying and territory plan-

ning company. Using aerial-pho-

togrammetry and laser scanning,

Metrum has become the market

leader, and has completed proj-

ects for the Latvian coast line,

forest territories and the city of

Riga. It is the first company in

Eurasia to develop and offer an

innovative aerial obstacle map-

ping system.

For more information:

www.metrum.lv

to development, top-line growth

and improved profit margins.

Currently the global leaders in

innovation are, in ascending order:

South Korea, the United States,

Japan, Sweden and the Netherlands.

South Korea and Japan are world

renowned for their track records on

innovation particularly in the field

of new technology, while the

United States has, historically, had

the biggest pockets, allowing it to

attract some of the world's finest

young and established talent. The

examples of Sweden and the

Netherlands, however, remind us

that smaller, forward thinking coun-

tries, that thrive on efficient new

ways of thinking, can also lead the

way in the innovation stakes. It is

the Swedish and Dutch success sto-

ries that must spur Latvia on to a

brighter future.

One organisation actively work-

ing to improve business innovation

in this country is the Investment

and Development Agency of Latvia

(LIAA). Founded soon after Latvia's

regained independence in the early

90's the LIAA supports companies

in Latvia trading internationally, as

well as overseas businesses seeking

partners or locations in Latvia.

Together with the Latvian Ministry

of Economics the LIAA has created

an annual award for the compa-

nies recognised as making the

greatest strides in the area of busi-

ness innovation. The “2009 Export

and Innovation Award” has the

goals of 'contributing to the com-

petitive capacity of Latvian partner-

ships in Latvian and in foreign

markets, the promotion of growth

in the quality and quantity of

exports, the generation of products

with high added value, and the

promotion of innovation by evalu-

ating the results of the partner-

ships and identifying successful

partnerships and products.'

Three Latvian companies were

honoured in 2009 for their develop-

ment of innovative products and

practices. Here is a brief look at the

best placed companies in the “2009

Innovative Product” awards:

2009 Winnersprimekss ltd.

Primekss is an industrial flooring

specialist that has utilized research

and development to create the

world’s most innovative, durable,

and cost-effective concrete floors.

Innovative LatviansInnovation by latvian businesses is helping open the door to a brighter future

Phot

os c

ourt

esy

of L

ETA

and

LIA

A

Innov a-tion can be found not just in business but also in the arts, design and even in the fundamen-tal way we think about processes

It is the swedish and Dutch success stories that must spur latvia on to a brighter future

w i n t e r / s p r i n g 2 0 1 0 G A T E W A Y r I G A 1918 G A T E W A Y r I G A w i n t e r / s p r i n g 2 0 1 0

Innovation is the key to future busi-

ness development and prosperity.

But what exactly do we understand

by innovation? Perhaps it is best

easily explained as finding new or

more efficient ways of doing things.

Innovation can be found not just in

business but also in the arts, design

and even in the fundamental way

we think about processes. We might

imagine innovation as the creation

of an idea, the resultant transforma-

tion of that mental object for its

useful purposes and then finally its

implementation into the real world.

Focusing on business we can con-

clude, briefly, that innovation leads

20 G A T E W A Y r I G A

f A M o U s T o W n

vidzeme's largest town is a community on the rise

The city that thinks and creates

w i n t e r / s p r i n g 2 0 1 0

most of Latvia as well as neighbours

Estonia (only 50 kilometres away),

Valmiera has seen the largest manu-

facturing and commercial enterprises

in the region set up home in and

around the town.

Historical perspective Dating back to the thirteenth

century a quick synopsis of its

valmiera has seen the largest manufactur-ing and commercial enterprises in the region set up home in and around the town

Val

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f Lat

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Dev

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long termism prevailsBack in the mid 1990's few towns

or villages in the Baltics had the

foresight to begin planning ahead for

the long term future. Short termism

ruled. But not in the case of

Valmiera.

Vidzeme's largest town began

developing as a business and admin-

istrative centre with significant invest-

ment set aside for culture, arts and

sports projects. In 1996 Vidzeme

University College was founded.

Blessed with good transport links to

w i n t e r / s p r i n g 2 0 1 0 G A T E W A Y r I G A 2322 G A T E W A Y r I G A w i n t e r / s p r i n g 2 0 1 0

absorbing history helps explain

why the town is on the rise

today:

After first being coveted by the

Bishop of Riga in 1214, Valmiera

soon became a key stronghold of

the Livonian Order, with a castle

being built to help ensure that the

local Talavians were kept in check.

In the following century it became

part of the region's most powerful

trading organization – the Hanseatic

League. And despite tragedies and

disasters such as the bubonic plague

killing many in the town in the

1620s and the Russian army sacking

the town less than a century later,

Valmiera always remained one of

Tourism aplentySituated adjacent to the banks of

the Gauja River, Valmiera is more

than a business, administrative and

student town. This is also a town

blessed by exciting night life; a com-

munity with many of its own fascinat-

ing tourism sites, which stands tanta-

lisingly on the door step of the stun-

ningly beautiful Gauja National Park.

Back in Valmiera itself, the follow-

ing places are worth checking out if

you are planning a trip to Vidzeme's

most happening town:

st. simon's ChurchThe medieval St Simon's church(also

known as Simona Church) dates back

to 1283. It was reconstructed in 1729,

and later served as a concert hall dur-

ing the Soviet era. Many tombstones

date back up to 500 years, while the

church itself is adorned by a number

of 18th century paintings.

There are stunning views of the

town and its environs from the

church's tower.

the region's most important trading

posts thanks to its location on

direct roads pointing to Pskov,

Tallinn and Novgorod. In more

recent times the construction of a

mainline train station and a direct

rail link to Riga ensured that this

trading post of old has very much

become a trading post of new.

valmiera always remained one of the region's most impor-tant trading posts

valmiera is more than a business, administra-tive and stu-dent town

livonian order ruinsValmiera's 13th century Livonian

Order castle was burnt down dur-

ing the Great Northern War of

1702. Its ruins are well worth

a stroll around.

old pharmacyThe grand old Pharmacy, built in

1735, is the oldest wooden building

in Valmiera and the 2nd oldest phar-

macy in Latvia.

soviet memorialThis huge memorial park began

life in 1985. It is one of the largest

of its kind in the Baltics and stands

further information:www.valmiera.lv/Telephone: +371 64207177E-mail: tic@valmiera.lv

Getting there:Valmiera is easily reached by

bus or train from Riga. Direct

trains link the Latvian capital to

Valmiera. If you are coming by

road then take the A2 towards

Sigulda, before turning off onto

the A3 to Valmiera.

A place to rest your head:If you are planning a trip away

to Valmiera then you can't go

wrong with an overnight stay at

the Hotel Wolmar. This comfortable

three star hotel is a member of

The Latvian Association of Hotels

and Restaurants and offers cosy

rooms and excellent centrally locat-

ed facilities.

For more information:

www.wolmar.lv

24 G A T E W A Y r I G A w i n t e r / s p r i n g 2 0 1 0

in remembrance of both the victims

of the Nazi era and the countless

Soviet soldiers who fell during the

Second World War.

other attractions not to be missed...

Valmiera is also home to an

impressive local museum, one of the

best theatres in Latvia, a red brick

Orthodox church, and in the summer

months Lake Dzirnezers is the perfect

spot to relax.

Attractions just outside of the

town include the mystical Blue Hill,

Burtnieki Lake and, of course, the

wonderful Gauja National Park.

If you are visiting Latvia we would

like to invite you to enjoy the

beauty of Latvia's nature as well

as our wonderful capital city, Riga!

Raksi Recreation Centre is situated

in one of the most beautiful and

untouched territories of Latvia – the

Gauja National Park, just 100 km

from Riga. Our complex offers

numerous possibilities for active rec-

reation and to feel energised by

nature and fresh air.

It may sound amazing, but the

first camel born in Latvia resides at

Raksi's open-air zoo together with

llamas, alpacas, guanacos and many

other exotic creatures. Enjoy a walk-

ing tour of our zoo and see what

you can discover! It is undoubtedly

our great pride.

For an adrenaline rush take one

of our quadrocycles and enjoy a real

safari around the surrounding woods

and paths. Alternatively, why not try

our very special engine – the segway.

As well as our unforgettable winter

safari you can enjoy basketball, foot-

ball, volleyball and badminton fields

when the weather gets warmer.

And for those who like real excite-

ment we offer paint-ball – the per-

fect game to play with friends.

Our complex boasts a wonderful

location allowing you to navigate

Latvia’s longest and most beautiful

river, the Gauja, by kayak, canoe

and raft.

After active rafting, fishing,

quadrocycle driving or sports activi-

ties you definitely deserve some

relaxation time in our wet baths or

saunas and an overnight stay in our

gorgeous guesthouse! These facilities

can also be used also to hold semi-

nars – a change from the usual

seminar surroundings is literally a

breath of fresh air! We offer all the

necessary equipment for seminars as

well as exciting adventures that are

guaranteed to leave a smile on

every face.

Close to Raksi is one of Latvia's

most ancient and beautiful towns,

Cesis. This attractive town has a feel

of ancient times inspired by its

Middle Age castle. It is also undeni-

ably modern with fun guaranteed at

the town's popular disco club. Enjoy

a night out before returning to the

comfort and hospitality of Raksi!

Don’t pass on this possibility to

enjoy Latvia's nature. Don't miss out

on the never-ending adventures at

Raksi Recreation Complex.

Recreation complex „Raksi” – active recreation in nature hands!

For more detailed information

visit www.kamieli.lv, or contact

us by e-mail info@hotelraksi.lv

or phone +371 2926 3798.

Address: „Raksi”, Drabesi district,

Cesis region.

Attractions just outside of the town include the mystical Blue Hill

w i n t e r / s p r i n g 2 0 1 0 G A T E W A Y r I G A 2726 G A T E W A Y r I G A w i n t e r / s p r i n g 2 0 1 0

directly through it and its inhabitants

have been predominantly Russian in

ethnicity. But this Russified classifica-

tion is far too simplified and does

Maskavas forštate (Maskavas/Moscow District) is one of the oldest neighbourhoods in riga and certainly its most colourful.

Maskačka

not do justice to the many groups

and religions who have made this

home, beginning in the fourteenth

century. A curious mix of Latvians

from the south-east of the country,

Belarusians, Ukrainians, Roma, Jews

and Old Believers have helped to

give this most colourful district of

the Latvian capital its distinct and

somewhat eccentric feel.

eclectic cocktailA journey through Maskavas

serves up images of the architectural-

ly sublime as well as dilapidated

urban decay. If this district were in

a western European capital city it

would no doubt be heralded as an

architectural masterpiece, most likely

under the protection and recognition

of UNESCO, and visited each year

by millions of tourists. But, alas, it

is not, and instead only a mere

trickle of mostly-wary, inquisitive

tourists make it to Maskavas to sam-

ple its delights.

Said delights include an eclectic

cocktail of world-class Art Nouveau

buildings, cobblestone streets full of

150-year old wooden houses, Soviet

era tower blocks, vast green parks,

deserted squares and open spaces,

stunning churches, poignant cemeter-

ies, a fascinating warehouse district

and, not forgetting, a smattering of

brand new glitzy shopping centres

and car dealerships. Step out of a

200 year-old church and you can

stroll one hundred metres to buy the

latest electronic gadgets; pace past a

dodgy looking dive bar and glance

up to admire the timeless splendour

of a classic five storey Art Nouveau

town house.

A tour of MaskavasSadly much of the district

became a Jewish ghetto during

D I s C o v e r Y

A journey through Maskavas serves up images of the archi-tecturally sublime as well as dilapidated urban decay

and railway stations, close to the

bank of the River Daugava.

It derives its name from the fact

that the road to Moscow passed

road to MoscowYou will find the Maskavas District

beyond the central market and bus

Phot

os c

ourt

esy

of In

spira

tion

Rig

a, th

e La

tvia

n To

uris

m D

evel

opm

ent A

genc

y, A

inar

s M

eier

s, J

ustin

Wal

ley,

Han

za H

otel

and

Dod

o H

otel

.

28 G A T E W A Y r I G A w i n t e r / s p r i n g 2 0 1 0

one of the quirkier aspects of Maskavas is the large old Believers congrega-tion

Nazi occupation and thousands

were murdered here and in the

nearby concentration camps.

Reminders of these atrocities

remain. Visitors wishing to gain a

better understanding of what hap-

pened during World War II should

visit the Old Jewish Cemetery and

what remains of the Great Choral

Synagogue. Specialist Jewish tours

focus on other specific streets and

houses in the Maskavas district.

One of the quirkier aspects of

Maskavas is the large Old Believers

congregation that worships here. The

origins of the Old Believers date to

the eighteenth century when a sect

of Orthodox Christians were forced

out of Russia and set up home in

Riga and other cities. The 200 year

old golden-domed Grebenshchikov

Church is the focal point for today's

faithful – a congregation of Old

Believers that some say is the largest

in the entire world.

The Orthodox Church of the

Annunciation is another religious

structure worthy of a visit. This yel-

low wooden church is almost 200

years old and its atmospheric interi-

or reflects this fact.

If a visit here doesn't satisfy your

ancient-church-visiting-habit then

your next port of call should be

the Riga Church of Jesus. This

octagonal construction is the oldest

wooden church in Latvia with its

current manifestation dating back to

1818. A church has, however, been

located on this site since way back

in the 1620s.

Moving on to structures with a

decidedly non-religious theme, a fas-

cinating area of Maskavas is the up

and coming Warehouse District.

You can find several blocks of ele-

gant brick-built warehouses just

behind the Central Market. After

decades of relative neglect a number

of enlightened locals have finally

recognised the huge potential of this

area and now specialist shops, music

venues, cafés and even a museum

have set up home next to compa-

nies that still use the warehouses for

their originally intended purposes.

The Warehouse District has the

potential to become one of the most

sought after areas of Riga to live and

play in over the coming years.

A visit to Maskavas wouldn't be

complete without a trip out to the

famous LIDO atputas centrs. LIDO

(www.ac.lido.lv) is the kind of res-

taurant and entertainment complex

you might expect to find in the

U.S.A. rather than in little Latvia,

and tourists are continually amazed

by the delights on offer here. Not

only does LIDO offer one of the

most vast buffet dining experiences

you are likely to come across any-

where in the world, but it is also

home to a number of bars, a huge

ice rink and a family entertainment

centre. The main wooden log cabin,

which houses the restaurants and

bars, is said to be the largest of its

kind in Europe. Gateway Riga rec-

ommends that you kick off your

tour of Maskcka with a hearty

breakfast or lunch here before taking

a stroll around the nearby parks,

Soviet estates and cobblestone streets.

Whether or not you class the

Central Market and the Academy

of Sciences skyscraper as being part

of Maskavas, you should also cer-

tainly consider including both of

these fascinating places in your

Maskavas tour. In short, the Central

Market is one of the largest markets

in the world and a visit to its

Zeppelin hangars is a Riga must.

The Academy of Sciences building is

a blatant but fascinating reminder

of the Soviet occupation. It also

boats unmatched stunning views of

the capital.

30 G A T E W A Y r I G A w i n t e r / s p r i n g 2 0 1 0

If you are planning to visit

the LIDO Recreation Centre for

dinner or leisure purposes, then

it is possible to catch a direct

bus back to the Stockmann shop-

ping centre afterwards from out-

side the main entrance of the

complex.

Alternatively, you may choose to

visit Maskavas as part of an organ-

ised tour. Excellent options for this

include the Jewish Riga Tour and

the Alternative Riga Walking Tour.

For more details of these contact

www.rigaoutthere.com

overnight in 'Maskačka'Maskavas is only moments away

from central and Old Riga, but

how about getting the most out

of your visit to the district by

staying overnight there? A number

of good hotels have opened up in

Maskavas in the past couple of

years. Two establishments of par-

ticular merit are the Hanza Hotel

(www.hanzahotel.lv) and the Dodo

Hotel (www.dodohotel.lv). The

excellent Hanza Pub, located with-

in the Hanza Hotel, sources all of

its fresh fruit, vegetables and green

salads from the nearby Central

Market.

visiting MaskavasMaskavas is easy to reach by foot

from the Central Market and the

Railway station. However, for first

time visitors it is probably advisable

to visit the area by tram, taxi or as

part of a specialised organised tour.

The number 5 and 7 trams all pass

through the district, and you can

easily pick one up just outside the

bus station and Central Market or

from the edge of Old Riga. Indeed, if

you do not feel inclined to wander

around Maskavas, visiting the places

mentioned in this feature, then sim-

ply jump on a tram and ride it to

the end of the line. Another tram

will come along within ten minutes

to take you all the way back to Old

Riga, and during the hour-long

return journey you will be treated to

a fascinating insight into life in

Maskavas from the tram window.

The Warehouse District has the poten-tial to become one of the most sought after areas of riga to live and play in

32 G A T E W A Y r I G A w i n t e r / s p r i n g 2 0 1 0 w i n t e r / s p r i n g 2 0 1 0 G A T E W A Y r I G A 33

A I r l I n e I n f o C U s

Follow the leaderWith established airline companies

going bankrupt every month and

talk of high profile mergers to save

other big players, Ryanair continues

to buck the negative trend affect-

ing the industry. Indeed, Ryanair is

now the world's biggest interna-

tional carrier of scheduled passen-

gers. In the current fiscal year it is

expected to carry approximately 66

million passengers, a figure that

dwarfs the totals of some competi-

tors it once trailed.

The Irish carrier already has 39

bases – these being airports where

it often serves dozens of direct

routes. With the introduction of

direct flights between Riga and

Oslo Rygge on March 30, the

Latvian capital alone now has 14

Ryanair routes across Europe. And

this figure is again expected to rise

during the coming few months.

Despite the downturn in the global airline business ryanair continues to go from strength to strength

In total ryanair now operates across a mind bog-gling 1000+ routes

has kept ahead of its rivals by

consistently selling seats that

other airlines simply can't shift.

When it comes to the budget low

cost model Ryanair is certainly

the leader that other airlines

choose to follow. Or at least try

to follow.

So for airline passengers who are

hoping to fly in the next few

months the message is simple: If

you want to fly cheaply, plan

ahead, travel light and take advan-

tage of some of Ryanair's extraordi-

narily good value air fares. Before

somebody else does.

In total Ryanair now operates

across a mind boggling 1000+

routes. This includes 150 individ-

ual destinations in 26 different

countries in Europe and northern

Africa.

Part of the reason for the com-

pany's success has been its fleet

modernisation programme, which

now sees it with an operating fleet

of 210 new fuel efficient Boeing

737-800 aircraft. Additionally, there

are firm orders in place for a fur-

ther 102 new aircraft (before taking

account of planned disposals),

which will be delivered over the

next 2.5 years.

One of the other great reasons

for the airline's continued expan-

sion is, of course, its ongoing

budget airline status. With argu-

ably the most efficient and user-

friendly website in the industry as

well as regular promotional fares

of just five euros and 10 euros

for international flights, Ryanair

ryanair has kept ahead of its rivals by consistently selling seats that other air-lines simply can't shift

Rya

nair

phot

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ourt

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of R

yana

ir

w i n t e r / s p r i n g 2 0 1 0 G A T E W A Y r I G A 3534 G A T E W A Y r I G A w i n t e r / s p r i n g 2 0 1 0

D e s T I n A T I o n G U I D e

An eye on LondonThere are few cities in the world

more exciting and vibrant than

London. There is certainly no other

city that is as cosmopolitan. With

more than 50 non-indigenous com-

munities which have a population

of more than 10,000 and an esti-

mated 300 languages spoken the

English capital is far and away the

world's greatest urban melting pot

The english cap-ital is far and away the world's greatest melting pot of culture, language, colour, reli-gion and ideas

some consider london to be not just england's capital, but also the world's

apartments. A trip out to middle

class towns such as Kingston reveals

a different world from that of east

and south London.

Alternatively, east London is gritty

and edgy. This is the real London

of cockneys, jellied eels, urban decay

and - with West Ham and Millwall

in the neighbourhood - real working

class football teams and pubs. It is

an east London that is set to

change soon with much redevelop-

ment planned ahead of the 2012

London Olympics.

London is a city in a permanent

state of change and reinvention.

Once upon a time visitors mocked

London for its poor dining choices,

yet nowadays it must have the

greatest proliferation of restaurants in

one place on the planet. Only in

London does a Somali dishwasher

live next door to a Polish plumber,

a Kenyan doctor and an Afghani

restaurant owner. Consequently,

London is sometimes the least

English place in England. But is also

the beating heart of England. Once

you understand this seeming contra-

diction you are truly ready to enjoy

the world's most cosmopolitan and

English city.

ities that is Madame Tassauds, and

one of the world's most famous gath-

ering places – Trafalgar Square.

But most of these terrific sights are

found in a confined area of central

London that is more rich man's play-

ground and tourist curiosity than lived-

in city centre. Outside of central

London, the city is like four distinct

cities within a city, each more or less

defined by the points on the compass.

For fashionable, down-to-earth

London visit Camden where you will

find that most English of

Englishmen, the market trader, going

about his business. You thought the

English were reserved? Think again.

North London is the place where

many people who have 'made it' but

are never likely to be rich beyond

their means set up home. It is also

the area of London where you will

find the world' most famous football

stadium, Wembley; now more

resplendent than ever with a magnifi-

cent arch lighting up the sky above

its hallowed turf for miles around.

West London meanwhile is the

'posher' end of town. This is the

glitzy, sometimes pretentious world of

Chelsea footballers, Arab and Russian

billionaires and multi-million pound

only in london does a somali dishwasher live next door to a polish plumber, a Kenyan doctor and an Afghani restaurant owner

Phot

os c

ourt

esy

of V

isit

Lond

on

of culture, language, colour, religion

and ideas.

The London that most first time

visitors seek is one of red telephone

boxes, omnipresent double decker

buses, raucous pubs and the ancient

cultural musts of the Houses of

Parliament, Buckingham Palace and

the Tower of London. This vast pul-

sating metropolis is all of these

things, but it is also so much more.

In terms of obvious attractions the

London Eye is the latest big thing

for those visiting Europe's largest city.

A bird's eye view of the city from

one of its rotating pods seems almost

de rigueur.

Other attractions that keep the

punters coming back 52 weeks per

year include one of the world's great-

est museums, the magnificent Natural

History Museum, the cult of personal-

A place to rest your head:The luxurious Hilton London

Stansted Airport hotel is the ideal

place to spend a night at the begin-

ning or the end of your trip. This

value for money four star offers lux-

ury rooms, fine dining, free leisure

facilities and first class service just

moments away from Stansted

Airport's departure and arrival termi-

nals. This is particularly ideal if you

are flying into London late or you

have an early flight out of London

Stansted the next morning.

For more information:

www.hilton.co.uk/stansted

Getting there:Ryanair flies from Riga to London

Stansted daily. At the time of going

to press it was offering two daily

flights, seven days per week on this

route. Fares can be as low as ten

pounds for a one way London-Riga

flight.

For more information check out

www.ryanair.com

36 37

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Day SPA Aqua VillaIn the Old City, embraced by beauty and antiquity, which

through the centuries has retained intangible shades of sensations, you can find the boutique Day SPA Aqua Villa. It was founded in 2001. To regain peace, harmony and a feeling of comfort, we offer SPA procedures, classic, exotic, relaxing massages and beauty rituals from all over the world. At Day SPA Aqua Villa you can not only recover physically and spiritually, but also enjoy high quality facial and body care, correction and aesthetic procedures.

Tirgoņu iela 11, 2.th floor, Vecrīga (old Riga),tel +371 67814686, +371 29196349 aquavillaspa@bonitta.lv, www.aquavillaspa.lvWorking hours: Monday - Friday: 8:00 - 21:00 Saturday: 10:00 - 21:00 Sunday: Closed

Amorette SPAAmorette SPA invites you to enjoy a variety of SPA procedures

and rituals, putting yourself in the hands and under the guidance of our experienced specialists; and letting natural and cosmetic agents as well as a carefully chosen bespoke exercise programme work wonders for you.

Amorette SPA beauticians will tailor treatments to your individual needs. If you long for a quiet rest during a facial then your wish will be fulfilled.

If you enjoy head or hands massage while a face mask is being applied, we will do just as you wish. If you wish to spend some more time in the lounge, you can book it in advance and enjoy a good rest.

Kalnciema iela 90, Elefant Hotel, Rīgatel +371 26336362, +371 67225560Brīvības iela 199c, Europa City Riga Hotel, Rīgatel +371 26336362, +371 67166000amorettespa@inbox.lvwww.amorettespa.lv

pArK spAPARK SPA is an exclusive, private SPA salon, located on a

quiet street in the very centre of the city. We offer massages and treatments using centuries old wisdom from different cul-tures combined with today’s advanced methods and high quali-ty cosmetics.

Competent specialists will provide you relaxing and regenerat-ing programs: classic, exotic, relaxing or healing massages, face and body treatments, as well as healing therapy programmes for women, men and couples. Enjoy romantic relaxation in VIP apartments with an aroma and steam bath. We will help you create your own individually tailored program for an unforgetta-ble experience.

We respect the clients’ wishes for privacy and undisturbed recreation. Each client will be treated as a unique and special guest.

PARK SPA for wonderful recreation, health, beauty and renewed spirits.

Kalpaka bulvāris 9, Riga, LV 1010tel +371 29121111www.parkspa.lv

MadhouseClub – Restaurant Madhouse is located at the most sparkling

place in Old Riga – close by Llvu Square, exactly 101 metres from the Laima Clock.

Madhouse is the perfect place to have fun. In the daytime it is a cosy restaurant, which offers excellent Italian cuisine, while in the evening it becomes a party place, where friends gather to chat and drink delicious cocktails. From midnight till sunrise Madhouse brings together everyone who wants to dance, to meet new friends or just have a good time. You will always be welcome by the city's friendliest bartenders and waiters.

Come to Madhouse for positive emotions, because here you will get them for free!

Kaļķu iela 11, Rigatel +371 67220556www.madhouse.lvOpen: Sun – Thur 8:00 – 3:00 Fri – Sat 10:00 – 6:00

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op

pI

nG TIrGonIs I lTD.

Tirgonis I Ltd. shop offering Latvian souvenirs is in Sector C

of Riga Airport Passenger Departure Terminal.

The range of goods includes: alcoholic drinks and sweets

produced in Latvia, bread and honey, amber and leather,

ceramic and wooden items of Latvian origin, the Bank of Latvia

memorable coins, audio and video records of Latvian composers

and performers, graphic arts goods as well as souvenirs on

Latvia and Riga.

Those are works of art of both national decorative art experts

and companies offering various goods representing Latvia and

Riga, beginning from hand-made to well-known Latvian factory-

produced items.

sWIss WATCHes DUTY free sHopSwiss Watches Duty Free Shop “ROYAL Boutique” is conveniently

located in Schengen Terminal at RIX and offers a great variety of

the most recognizable brands and accompanied with International

Warranty Certificate to guarantee worldwide after sale service:

Montblanc, Longines, Rado, Tissot, Jaques Lemans, Swiss Millitary,

Cover of Switzerland.

Royal Boutique provides sport, endless classic design and modern

fashion swiss made watches at a very attractive prices, guarantee

quality and authentic products. Our professional sales staff will be

always happy to help you to choose and wrap purchased items in

original gift box of chosen brand. The purchasing process becomes a

real pleasure process. Any item purchased in ROYAL Boutique, will

be a “royal” gift to your associates, business partners or friends.

Swiss Watches Duty Free Shop "Royal Boutique" Riga Airport

Tel: 00371 67207221

feBrUArYDinamo riga v Dinamo MinskFebruary 1 / Arena Rigawww.dinamoriga.eu

Acoustic Alchemy February 12 / Big Guild www.acoustic-alchemy.net

Alla pugachovaFebruary 13 / Arena Rigawww.bilesuserviss.lv

Cosmos February 17 / Ventspilswww.positivus.com

Werther February 19 / National Opera Housewww.opera.lv

erotic festival 2010 February 20 / Kipsala Hall www.erots.lv

The stories of latviansFebruary 20 / New Riga Theatrewww.jrt.lv

elina Garanca and lnsoFebruary 25 / Great Guildwww.lnso.lv

MArCHothello - concert performanceMarch 5+7 / National Opera Housewww.opera.lv

MaksimMarch 6 / Arena Rigawww.makroconcert.lv

nabuccoMarch 8 / National Opera Housewww.opera.lv

filips Kirkorovs March 18 / Arena Rigawww.makroconcert.lv

AprIl

eros ramazzottiApril 4 / Arena Rigawww.makroconcert.lv

Triobet Baltic league Quarter finals – 1st legFlora Tallinn (EST) v Ekranas Panevezys (LIT)Vėtra Vilnius (LIT) v Ventspils (LV)April 6 / Tallinn / Vilniuswww.balticleague.com

solo concert by Inga slubovskaApril 7 / National Opera Housewww.opera.lv

Triobet Baltic league Quarter finals – 1st legLiepajas Metalurgs (LV) v Skonto Riga (LV)Sūduva Marijampolė (LIT) v Levadia Tallinn (EST)April 7 / Liepaja / Marijampolewww.balticleague.com

stass MihailovsApril 10 / Arena Rigawww.bilesuserviss.lv MAYTriobet Baltic league Quarter finals - 2nd legSūduva Marijampolė (LIT) v Levadia Tallinn (EST)Skonto Riga (LV) v Liepajas Metalurgs (LV) May 4 / Marijampole / Rigawww.balticleague.com

Triobet Baltic league Quarter finals -2nd legEkranas Panevezys (LIT) v Flora Tallinn (EST) Ventspils (LV) v Vėtra (LIT)May 5 / Panevezys / Ventspilswww.balticleague.com

The sleeping BeautyMay 8 / National Opera Housewww.opera.lv

night of the MuseumsMay 17 / Latviawww.li.lv

lady Macbeth of MtsenskMay 28 / National Opera Housewww.opera.lv

All information correct at time of going to print

Gar

anca

– In

spira

tion

riga

Mak

sim

– m

akro

conc

ert

Eros

– m

akro

conc

ert

w i n t e r / s p r i n g 2 0 1 0 G A T E W A Y r I G A36

38 39

Rīgas iela 7/9, Liepāja, LV-3401, Latvija

tel +371 634 80888; +371 634 03434

fax +371 634 80444; liepaja@europacity.lv

www.europacity.lv | www.groupeuropa.com

Elizabetes iela 83/85, Riga LV-1050, Latvia

tel +371 67770900, fax +371 67770940

reservation@hotelbergs.lv | www.hotelbergs.lv

HOTEL BERGS

EUROPA CITY AMRITA HOTEL

Teātra iela 10, Rīga, LV-1050, Latvia

tel +371 67356060; fax +371 67356061

reservations@royaloldcityhotel.lv

www.royaloldcityhotel.lv

ROYAL OLD CITY HOTEL

27 Katrīnas dambis, Riga, LV-1045, Latvia

tel + 371 67323130; fax + 371 67830187

info@karavellahotel.lv | www.karavellahotel.lv

HOTEL KARAVELLA

Jāņa iela 6, Riga, Latvia

tel +371 350560 fax +371 350561

info@redroofs.lv | www.redroofs.lv

RED ROOFS INN

Ho

Te

ls

Restaurant Blue CowDo you think that stories about the blue

cow are a myth? No, it’s all true! We can ensure you there is definitely one – the steak & fish restaurant Blue Cow located in the very heart of Old Riga on Llvu Square. It’s impossible to avoid hearing a loud 'moo' when you pass by; a sound that welcomes and encourages everybody to taste the res-taurant's high quality modern Latvian dish-es prepared using BIOlogic products, fresh fish dishes and a wide range of steaks. The charming interior is simple and excellently designed, and probably, for a moment, it will make you believe that a real blue cow does indeed live here.

Maistaru iela 21 (Līvu square) Rigatel +371 67223307, +371 29522323www.zila-govs.lv info@zila-govs.lv

MÇrti¿a Be˙ereja Martina Bekereja (Martin’s Bakery) cosy cafés indulge everyone

with their oven-cooked rolls and cakes, prepared according to ancient recipes, and from natural sources. The wide range of bak-ery products satisfies the standards of even the most fastidious gourmands – from pies and buns filled with various fruits, berries and creams, to sweet and salty pastries and delightful cakes.

Martin's bakeries offer a peaceful and bright atmosphere and you can expect to be greeted by their smiling and always friendly staff. You are always welcome in one of the Martina Bekereja cafés in Riga!

Marijas iela 19, tel +371 67287161Brīvības iela 80, tel +371 67316535Ģertrūdes iela 44, tel +371 67310881Lokomotīves iela 76a, tel +371 67149084A.Čaka iela 54, tel +371 67293589Vaļņu iela 28 (Old Riga)martina@bekereja.lv, www.bekereja.lv

39w i n t e r / s p r i n g 2 0 1 0

Musical restaurant - club FEELING Restaurant “Filings” is situated in

the heart of the old city with unri-valled views of Dome cathedral.

Enjoy lunch here, with live piano music every day, or take a break from your Old Riga sightseeing tour to enjoy its fabulous home-made cakes and coffee.

Every evening from 21:00 Latvia's finest blues,jazz, soul and rock’n’roll musicians hit the stage - that’s what the real feeling is about!

Fridays and Saturday nights are all about good music and good food. Enjoy the basement dance club. It opens at 21:00 and is crowded by midnight.

For a romantic getaway, business lunch or dinner with friends, “Feelings” is the place to be.

Smilšu iela 1/3, Doma laukums, Rigatel +371 67225190 or +371 28370747www.fiilings.lv

Restaurant “Provansa”Restaurant "Provence" invites You to

spend time in its cosy, romantic and comfortable premises in the heart of Riga, at Lacpleša Street 12. Your visit will be unforgettable for many reasons. Enjoy the melodic, unobtrusive background music, the delightful interior and, of course, a wide choice of sophisticated and delicious dishes, which combine traditional French kitchen artwork with Latvian rustic cuisine thanks to the chef's creative interpretation.

Lāčplēša iela 12, Rigatel +371 67240412tel banquet reservations +371 26660057provansa@restoransprovansa.lvwww.restoransprovansa.lvOpen 12:00-24:00

Lido Recreation CentreThe LIDO Centre is characterized by an

unmistakeably Latvian environment, count-less tasty dishes, LIDO beer, live music every evening, and a year-round celebration of national festivities with gorgeous decorations!

Use this opportunity to enjoy national dishes cooked according to ancient Latvian recipes, as well as an excellent selection of international dishes. Your chosen dish is cooked right in front of you by skilful LIDO cooks. The main building of the LIDO Recreation Centre is one of the big-gest and most beautiful log buildings in Europe, and can host more than 1000 guests. Anybody can enjoy the cosy atmo-sphere and hospitality of the Centre, and instantly feel at home here.

Krasta iela 76, Riga tel for info +371 67504420, tel for booking +371 67700000,www.ac.lido.lvH

oT

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s

38 G A T E W A Y r I G A

Apsara Tea HouseThis is the perfect place to relax dur-

ing the cold winter days. Enjoy a cup of tea (and they have any tea you can think of), tuck into a slice of delicious cake and watch the world pass by.

So why not just dive into their pil-lowed second floor and forget everything?

Tea terrace ApsaraKr. Barona iela 2atel +371 67227710daily 10:00 – 22:00

Tea house Apsara (in Vērmanes Garden)Tērbatas iela 2tel +371 67212436daily 10:00 – 22:00

Tea house Apsara (in Old Riga)Skārņu iela 22tel +371 67223160daily 11:00 – 22:00

Andalzijas SunsThis is a democratic pub suiting every-

one’s taste. Customers enjoy the free-form industrial style, and, of course, the wide variety of dishes including hamburgers and carbonade, prepared in the Latvian style.The restaurant's speciality is TEX-MEX dish-es. Prices are low and serving sizes huge, meaning this restaurant offers excellent value for money. If you don’t want to eat to excess the restaurant has daily special offers for breakfasts or for dinners (from 12.00 till 17.00).

Elizabetes iela 83/85, Rigatel +371 67288418, +371 29988881info@andaluzijassuns.lv www.andaluzijassuns.lvOpen: Mon-Thu: 10.00 – 01.00 Fri: 10.0 – 03.00 Sat: 11.00 – 03.00 Sun: 11.00 – 01.00

Bergs Restaurant Located in the award winning luxury

boutique Hotel Bergs, Restaurant Bergs is one of the premier dining destinations in Riga, offering haute cuisine inspired by local Latvian fare, with an emphasis on seasonal ingredients. Experience the bi-weekly 3-course lunch menu (15Ls) or monthly seasonal 4-course gourmet din-ner (25Ls) while enjoying the elegant interior design with large windows over-looking the bustling Bergs Bazaar (Don't miss the Slow Food bazaar, which is held from 09:00-15:00 on every second and fourth Saturday of the month).

Elizabetes iela 83/85, Rigatel +371 67770957, fax +371 67770940restaurant@hotelbergs.lv, www.hotelbergs.lv

Working hours:Mon-Sun 07.30 – 11.00 Breakfast;Mon – Sat 12.00 - 23.00 Lunch & Dinner;Sun 12.00-24.00 Bar & Snacks

Murales pizzeria Murales in-house Sardinian chef, a man

who knows many gastronomical secrets, presents a newly opened pizzeria in the Bergs Bazaar. The ingredients for the res-taurant's pizzas, pastas, and delicious breads come directly from the exotic Mediterranean island. While sipping mirto and enjoying tiramisu, you will be amazed by the colourful wall paintings, known in Sardinia as murales. Besides the authentic food and art, use free Wi-Fi to tweet. Or ask for take-outs and treat your friends. All this and more starting from just 7 Ls. Benvenuti to Murales!

Bergs Bazaars, Dzirnavu iela 84, Rigatel +371 67282055, +371 29988881info@murales.lv, www.murales.lvOpen: Mon – Fri 09.00 – 24.00 Sat – Sun 10.00 – 24.00

Bar I Love YouBar I Love You, in the heart of the

Old Town, has been around for five years, quietly turning into a major meet-ing place for the young and creative crowd. Up until the 17th century the building housed the Orthodox Church of St. Nicholas of Myra. Weekdays here pass in tranquil serenity, but come the week-end and we’re throwing wild parties with some of the best local DJ’s spinning their favourite records.

Refreshing drinks, charming people – Bar I Love You is especially favoured by musicians, its celebrity guests including Kings Of Convenience, Mum and Sigur Ros among others. If you are looking for an alternative to the routine pop noise of the Old Town, this is your obvious choice – Bar I Love You on Aldaru street!

Aldaru iela 9, Rigatel +371 67225304info@iloveyou.lv, www.iloveyou.lv

MAGIC 4 MIllIon

rIGA International Airport keeps

on growing with new routes and

‘passenger 4 Million’.

For the first time in its history,

RIGA International Airport welcomed

the 4,000,000th passenger within a sin-

gle year on 21 December 2009. The

lucky traveller was a surprised and

delighted Linda Kimeiša from Riga.

She was warmly welcomed as she

entered the terminal building from

her flight and congratulated by

Krišjanis Peters, chairman of the

board of RIGA International Airport,

Arturs Stikuts, sales and marketing

director of the Reval Hotel Group in

Latvia, Janis Vanags, vice-president of

the national carrier airBaltic, and

Kaspars Muižnieks, technical director

of the taxi company Rlgas taksometru

parks, as well as the melodic tones

of the saxophone quartet n[ex]t.

“The development trend of RIGA

International Airport over the last

five years has always reached the

threshold of the desired million

around Christmas time,” said Krišjanis

Peters. “Today, as for the first time

in the history of RIGA International

Airport we receive this year's 4 mil-

lionth passenger, the gratification is

great indeed.”

‘Passenger 4 Million’ was showered

with gifts, including a RIX Club card

providing the opportunity to enjoy

all the privileges of the airport’s best

clients and two business-class tickets

for any of airBaltic’s 60 direct flights

from Riga, including its new destina-

tions for 2010, namely Madrid,

Belgrade and Vaasa.

Reval Hotel Group invited the

4 millionth passenger to spend

a weekend at one of the chain’s

nine hotels in Riga, Tallinn, Vilnius,

Kaunas, Klaipeda or St Petersburg and

Rlgas taksometru parks presented her

with a 50-lat (70-euro) gift card for

use on the company’s taxis.

“This year has seen us welcome

more than 4 million passengers, a

significant step in the development

of RIGA International Airport, particu-

larly at this time of economic stand-

still and downturn in the global avia-

tion industry,” Mr Peters continued.

“Contrary to the declining trends

at most of Europe’s airports, RIGA

International Airport has managed to

adjust successfully and use this time

for development following a trend of

continuous growth started five years

ago, achieving a fourfold growth in

passenger traffic during this time. We

now have much work to do in order

to reach another threshold – five

million passengers. I am confident

that we will achieve this within a

year and a half.”

To encourage this process along,

airBaltic is launching more new

routes from Riga this year. These

include the Serbian capital Belgrade

from 5 May, the Spanish capital

Madrid from 2 June and the cities of

Vaasa in Finland and Umea in

Sweden from 29 March. All four des-

tinations will initially be offered four

times a week, on Mondays,

Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.

airBaltic has also begun flights

between Riga and Lappeenranta,

Finland, four times a week. The air-

line is also casting an eye at the

Middle East. In addition to its exist-

40 G A T E W A Y r I G A w i n t e r / s p r i n g 2 0 1 0

eAsY nAvIGATIon To THe AIrporT

It’s now super-easy to get to rIX, by

bus, taxi and e-ticket.

A whole host of new opportuni-

ties is making trips between the

RIGA International Airport terminal

building and the city centre easy

and hassle-free. A brand new e-ticket

machine has been installed in the

facade annexe of the terminal, next

to the Linda florist’s shop, providing

the possibility to buy public trans-

port e-tickets or top them up.

Tickets for public transport can

also be bought at the Plus Punkts

and Narvesen shops in the airport

terminal.

To make the short trip between

airport and city centre more conve-

nient, the additional charge for lug-

gage in bus number 22 has been

cancelled. Now suitcases and bags

that do not exceed the dimensions

specified by the regulations of Riga

City Council Public Transport can be

hauled on board without having to

buy an extra ticket.

For a completely stress-free trip to

and from the centre of Riga, the

Latvian national airline has helped

to set up a new taxi company,

BalticTAXI, which started operations

at the airport last year. It joins Riga

Taxi and Rigas Taksometru Parks in

offering taxi services from RIX.

Right now there are 50 brand

new Toyota Corolla Verso cars in

BalticTAXI’s fleet, a number that will

steadily increase to 250 cars. The

entrance tariff is 1 lat and the tariff

per kilometre is a very reasonable

0.5 lat. BalticTAXI offers a flat tariff

of 9 lat per trip between airport and

city centre. Improving peace-of-mind,

passengers can pay this fare either at

the airport or on buying an airBaltic

flight ticket.

Meanwhile, RIGA International

Airport has made several improve-

ments in the service quality for

passengers with reduced mobility.

It has purchased a specialised

Ambulift vehicle, equipped with a

ramp, a cabin for wheelchairs and

various sensors and electronic appli-

ances to ensure safety for the pur-

pose of lifting disabled passengers

on and off aircraft of any type.

Employees have received training

to operate the vehicle.

All possible facilities are available

at the airport for passengers with

reduced mobility, including two free-

of-charge parking slots placed at the

entrance of the departures hall and

call points installed at the P3 and

P1 car parks to help them inform

airport staff of their arrival.

w i n t e r / s p r i n g 2 0 1 0 41G A T E W A Y r I G A

r I G A I n T e r n A T I o n A l A I r p o r T

We now have much work to do in order to reach anoth-er threshold – five million passengers.”

ing routes to Israel and Dubai, it

will launch Riga-Amman on 1 June

and Riga-Beirut on 2 June, both

twice a week.

The Latvian airline was announced

the Airline of the Year 2009/2010

Gold Award winner last October by

the European Regions Airline

Association at the body’s General

Assembly in Switzerland. The associa-

tion’s panel of experts were

impressed that airBaltic had devel-

oped from point-to-point low-cost

operator into network carrier, build-

ing an important international hub

in Riga in a period of economic cri-

sis in the Baltic markets.

Meanwhile, Wizz Air, Central and

Eastern Europe’s biggest low-cost air-

line, will enter the Latvian market on

28 March by opening three new

routes from Riga, to London Luton,

Oslo Torp and Turku.

And another new airline to RIX is

the Belarusian airline Belavia, which

has launched its route Riga-Minsk

with flights three times a week: on

Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays. airBal-

tic already performs flights on the

route and thanks to a code share

agreement between it and Belavia,

passengers can choose from 10 direct

flights a week to Minsk.

ProductionCheck-In Baltic

Nometnu iela 44, Riga, LV 1002

Tel: +371 29208200

Magazine reg. nr.000703023

Editor-in-Chief Justin WalleyContributing writer Howard JarvisArt director Guntis GvozdevsProject Manager Madara Liniņa

Advertising and Sales Enquiries: madara@gateway-riga.comTel:+371 29135431Editorial: justin@gateway-riga.comComments and opinions: opinion@gateway-riga.comGeneral information: info@gateway-riga.com

Website: www.riga-airport.com

Special thanks for help in producing this magazine and/or providing photos: Hilton London Stansted Airport Hotel, Elizabeth Major, Tom McDermott, Ryanair, Tamas Laszlo, Erik Elmsater, Visit London, Maris Strombergs, Enars Plinta, Latvian Tourism Development Agency, Makroconcert, Inese Rutkovska, Bank of Latvia, Gatis Zommerovskis, Sanita Gertmane, Christian Happel, Triobet Baltic League, Hanza Hotel, Dodo Hotel, Hotel Wolmar, LIAA, Inspiration Riga, Vita Turne, Laura Audarina, Janis Meldrajs, Liana Wolmar, Ilze Zunde, Elina Kalnina, Aija Briede, the Consumer Rights Protection Centre of Latvia.

Gateway Riga is the official airport magazine for RIGA International Airport. It is distributed three times in 2010. Start circulation 15000. Opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors or persons interviewed and do not neces-sarily reflect the views of the editor, Check-In Baltic or RIGA International Airport. All rights reserved. Material in this publication may not be reproduced in any form without written permission. Unsolicited manuscripts, photographs and illustrations are not accepted. Gateway Riga accepts no responsibility for such mate-rials sent to its office, nor is it liable for loss of, or damage to, such material. All prices are subject to change without notice. Gateway Riga accepts no responsibility for printing errors. Printed by Talsu Tipogrāfija, Latvia.

vIps reCeIve THe BesT possIBle servICe

enjoy the airport’s vIp Centre and then

cruise up to your aircraft in a cool

lexus.

As the sharp-suited chauffeur drives

you towards your awaiting aircraft, it’s

clear that there’s no better way to

travel than this. It’s also the fastest

possible way onto the plane. This

Lexus flagship is certainly exceedingly

comfortable and luxuriously spacious

as the fusion of highly finished interi-

or materials provides the ideal setting

in which to relax and enjoy the ride.

Lexus is the official car of RIGA

International Airport. The LS600h is

the world’s most powerful luxury

hybrid sedan, while the state-of-the-art

Lexus Hybrid Drive technology deliv-

ers rapid linear acceleration, quiet run-

ning, impressive fuel economy and

lower emissions.

At lower speeds, progression is

often completely emission-free as the

car runs on electric power alone, so

you don’t have to worry about any

extra expense to the environment.

Besides the Lexus escort, the VIP

Centre at RIGA International Airport

offers a range of options for visiting

VIPs. A professionally executed Express

Service processes all travel documents

and includes an individual send-off or

welcome, minimal waiting time and

free access to the VIP terminal.

The Express Service is provided as

long as there has been previous regis-

tration by phone, email or fax and it

is available only with hand luggage.

If you do have luggage, the centre

also has a Classic Service to opt for,

which, like the Express Service, pro-

vides a comfort and individual atti-

tude, the execution of travel docu-

ments and an individual send-off or

welcome, as well as the registration

and receipt of luggage, wireless

Internet access, cable TV and interna-

tional daily newspapers, minibar ser-

vices, a refined selection of alcoholic

drinks and the possibility to order

hot meals and snacks.

As well as previous registration by

phone, email or fax, the VIP Centre

also requests arrival at the VIP termi-

nal at latest one hour before depar-

ture. The cost of this and other ser-

vices, which can be viewed online at

www.riga-airport.com by clicking on

“VIP”, refers to the stay of the client

in the VIP Centre two hours before

the planned departure and two hours

after the actual arrival.

Along with its classic and express

services, the VIP Centre also offers

client cards, the rental of plush

meeting and waiting rooms and

additional services that help to

ensure a perfect welcome or send-off

of VIP clients.

VIP Gold is a corporate client card. It

provides for all of the Classical Service

offers, gives special care for you and

your guests and comfortable conditions

for business conversations and free

access to the VIP terminal on 10 sepa-

rate occasions. The VIP Centre requests

registration by phone, email or fax.

VIP Platinum, meanwhile, provides

exclusive service all year with an

unlimited number of VIP services. All

of the Classical Service offers are pro-

vided, together with individual atten-

dance, a personal attitude, escort of

the client’s vehicle to the private air-

craft and reservations at other coun-

tries’ VIP centres.

The VIP Centre also has conference

and event locations onsite – a number

of tastefully decorated rooms for con-

ferences, events and private business

conversations.

Services here include ensuring that

conferences, business meetings and pre-

sentations go smoothly, the rental of

technical equipment and the purchase

of cold snacks and hot dishes. Photos

and further details of the rooms – as

well as images of the centre’s very

own Lexus vehicle – can be viewed at

the above VIP Centre website.

It’s a super Ultra-low emission vehicle, so you don’t have to worry about extra expense to the envi-ronment.