10 tips for people going to Cyprus

Hey Gentle Reader, I know its been a while since Lena and I came back from honeymoon but here are out tips to make sure your visit to Cyprus is a good one.

1. Hire a car with air conditioning, get out and see the as much of the island as you can. There is lots to see.

2. If you go to the North, there are lots of speed cameras, no ATM's and it will cost 20 euro for three days car insurance. You cannot take a hire car from the North to the South.

3. Dont be vegetarian. Meat is the main part of virtually every dish. The Souvlaki is awesome.

4. Take your own coffee because if you dont like Turkish coffee, the best you can get is cheap instant.

5. Food portions are really big, save money by sharing.

6. Take plenty of water and wear a hat. The heat can really creep up on you.

7. See the historic sites, don’t just sit on the beaches.

8. Go to the mountains and see the views but make sure your GPS is working.

9. GPS in the north may not work as there are many new roads.

10. Be very careful if talking about Northern Cyprus in the south. According to Greek Cypriots, Turkish Cyprus does not exist.

 



#cyprus

The Pink Train Foundation

 

Hey Gentle reader I want to use the blog to let you know about a very important Latvian charity and the work that they do.

Yesterday, Lena and I travelled to Jurmala on the Baltic sea with some friends and colleagues who all support a charity  that has an important place in all our hearts.

Breast cancer can be a devastating disease that has a major impact on the women who suffer and their families. The Pink Train foundation was founded by a group of women who had been affected and its aim is to provide support to breast cancer sufferers by giving them financial support to pay for after care.

Unfortunately, in Latvia the physiotherapy and psychotherapy that breast cancer sufferers need after mastectomy is not easily available because of the cost and the charity raises funds to pay for these treatments.

It raises the funds by arranging day trips by train to places of interest in Latvia. The people who go on the trips pay for their train ticket and donate the same amount to the charity. For example if the train ticket costs 5 Euro per person. You donate 5 euro per person to the charity.

As I said earlier, yesterday we went to Jurmala and visited a few very interesting places. It was our first Pink Train excursion but will not be our last.

Aspazija's house in Dubulti is now a museum to the poet. It is where she spent the last few years  of her life and the house has been preserved to look as closely as possible to how it would have looked in the 1930's and 1940's.
The house is filled with genuine furniture and period decorations that celebrate the life and work of this amazing woman and her husband Rainis.

We also visited Dragon Land Dream house which was very strange and esoteric. It is an art cooperative and part commune type house where people go and create art. It is free to visit and make art but they ask that whatever you create you leave it for others to see and enjoy.

The rooms in the house are themed differently but the main over-riding theme is the dragon. Dragons are very powerful creatures and you will see them carved into trees, painted on walls and sculpted all over the house.

Afterwards, a walk to the beach and some time to relax and then a walk to Majori where we had some lunch and then got the train home. We had a great time and loved the fact that we helped a worthy charity.

To find out more please visit the Pink Train website by clicking here.

also visit and like their Facebook page here.

#pinktrainfoundation

Today in History: August 14th

Hey Gentle Readers, lets strap on out latex undies and Timewarp into history.

 

1040: After the death of King Duncan, Macbeth becomes King of Scotland.

 

1893: France becomes the first country to introduce Motor Vehicle Registration.

 

1945: Steve Martin, Actor, comedian and singer is born in Waco, Texas.

 

1969: The UK government sends troops into Northern Ireland

1975: The movie "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" opens in London.

40 years later it still plays once a day, every day.

Click "Here" to see the trailer and "here" to see "Sweet Transvestite."

1980: Lech Walesa leads a strike by members of the Solidarity trade union at the Gdansk shipyards in Poland.

 

#Macbeth #rockyhorrorpictureshow #northernireland #france #lechwalesa #solidarity #stevemartin #july14

Top 10 fun facts about....Russia

Hello again Gentle Reader.

Welcome back. Today my fun facts about Latvia's big neighbour. Enjoy.

1. Russia (17million sq. km) is bigger than Pluto (16.6million sq. km)

2. Russians drink 18 litres of alcohol every year.

Double what is considered safe.

3. Wealthy Russians hire fake ambulances to beat Moscow's traffic chaos.

4. 20% of the earth's fresh water is in one Russian lake.

Lake Baikal

5. 77% of Russia is Siberia.

6. In Russia it is illegal to tell kids that gay people exist.

7. Russia and Japan are officially still fighting WW2.

They never signed a peace treaty because of the Kuril islands.

8. Ex leader Mikhael Gorbachev recorded an album of romantic ballads in 2009.

9. Beer was not considered as alcoholic in Russia before 2013.

10 25% of Russians die before their 55th birthday. The reason.....VODKA.

 

#Russia #pluto #lakebaikal #Siberia #kurilislands #mikhaelgorbachev #vodka



Riga Neighbourhoods: Old Riga

Hey Gentle readers, lets explore some more of Riga.

 

Vecriga or Old Riga is the historical centre of Riga. It is located on the East Side of the Daugava and is famous for its churches and architecture.

 

 

Vecrīga is the original area of Riga and consists of the historic city limits before the city was greatly expanded in the late 19th century. In the old days, Vecrīga was protected by a surrounding wall except the side adjacent to the Daugava river bank. When the wall was torn down, the waters from Daugava filled the space creating the Riga City Canal.

In the 1980s Vecrīga's streets were closed to traffic and only area residents and local delivery vehicles are allowed within Vecrīga's limits with special permits. Vecrīga is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site listed as "Historic Centre of Riga".

Today in History 9th August

Hey Gentle reader, lets look back on the holidays of the past and reminice.

1483: The Sistine Chapel opens its doors with a celebratory mass.

 

1945: The Japanese city of Nagasaki is devastated by the 2nd atomic bomb.

 

1975: Richard M. Nixon resigns as President of the United States after the Watergate Scandal.

1995: Jerry Garcia, lead singer of the Greatful Dead dies.

2014: Unarmed Michael Brown is shot dead by a police officer in Ferguson Missouri, triggering months of protests.

 

 

#sistinechapel #nagasaki #richardnixon #michaelbrown #jerrygarcia

Neil's posh egg on toast

Hello Gentle Reader, yes I am back full time now in Riga and I have a lot of catching up to do.

Today I offer you my posh breakfast idea. Baked eggs with Chorizo.

Before its cooked.

Serving Suggestion

Ingredients


4 small eggs
40g chorizo
Half an onion
1 green chilli
Sea Salt
Black Pepper
Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Method

 Preheat your oven to 220 degrees.

In the base of a small oven proof dish pour 1 teaspoon of Olive oil and spread it around so that the base is completely covered.

Cut 4 large onion rings and place them in the bottom of the dish.

Break the eggs into the rings so that the yolk is within the onion. Some of the white may pour over the edge but don’t worry.

Chop the Chorizo into small pieces and sprinkle from a height over the eggs.

Chop the rest of the onion and the green chilli (seeds out) and sprinkle this over the eggs.

Season with salt and pepper before placing the dish in the oven for around 10-15 minutes.

Serve on toasted bread immediately.