
An Englishman in Latvia
I first lived in Latvia as a diplomat from 1996-1999. I returned to live in Latvia in 2022. This story-telling and reportage podcast is my personal observation of aspects of life in Latvia and things to see and experience.
Episodes
38 episodes
On chocolate
Latvia has a rich tradition of chocolate making. A history spanning over 150 years. We will look at and taste the products of two very different chocolatiers - Laima, which was the leading chocolate maker in the Soviet Union and still is hugely...
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Season 2
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Episode 10
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24:32

On a tale of two cities
Two trips to two cities - Vilnius in Lithuania and Tartu in Estonia. In Vilnius, you'll discover a city where ancient history meets bohemian creativity, where mermaids cast spells from riverbanks, and where an entire neighbourhood declared itse...
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Season 2
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Episode 9
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38:49

On Meteņi, Spring
Spring is almost here in Latvia. On the first Sunday of March, I went to the Old Town of Rīga to mark the Latvian celebration of Meteņi. This Spring awakening festival marks the transition from winter to spring, blending timeless traditions wit...
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Season 2
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Episode 8
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24:27

On the Baltic Way
The Baltic Way was the event that helped secure the three Baltic States’ independence from Russia 35 years ago. The idea was simple - a chain of people linking the three capital cities of Vilnius in Lithuania, Riga in Latvia and Tallinn in Esto...
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Season 2
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Episode 7
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37:02

On Russians
In a polarising world, this podcast episode will cover a sensitive and difficult topic: Russians in Latvia. Since February 2022, when Russia again attacked Ukraine, the question of the allegiance of Latvian-resident Russians has been a main pol...
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Season 2
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Episode 6
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30:22

On the Latvian animation, Flow
The Latvian animation Flow is a ground-breaking independent film that has disrupted high-profile, big-budget international productions with its visual storytelling techniques about survival, trust and collaboration. It has already won a Golden ...
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Season 2
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Episode 5
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29:09

On Mežaparks
Mežaparks is a suburb of Rīga, Latvia's capital. It is a beautiful area of villas, a forest park, and a zoo. The Englishman George Armitstead, while Mayor of Rīga, created it in 1901 as the first Garden City in the world. Join me as we explore ...
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Season 2
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Episode 4
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32:33

On Sir Stephen Tallents
Sir Stephen Tallents was a distinguished British civil servant and a trailblazer in public relations. I focus on his work in Latvia between 1919 - 1920. Due to his skill and determination, he assisted Latvia and the other newly independe...
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Season 2
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Episode 3
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26:36

On music
Latvia has a rich music scene, from classical music to the internationally acclaimed Song and Dance Festival, ancient folklore dainas, and a thriving popular music culture. In 2000, Latvia even came third in the Eurovision Song Contest! Not bad...
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Season 2
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Episode 2
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35:58

On public transport
For a visitor to Latvia, there is a massive choice of public transport. From trains, buses, smaller mini-buses, trolleybuses, trams, and coaches. There are also a few taxis. A few of these forms of public transport are brand-new. Many give you ...
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Season 2
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Episode 1
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26:44

On sport
Latvia is a nation that loves sport. it has achieved outstanding sporting success. We will examine that success. We will look at the most popular sports in Latvia, some Latvian sporting heroes, and share some of the proud glory from 2023’s succ...
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Season 1
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Episode 27
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45:08

On the Suiti
The Suiti are a 400-year-old ethnic Latvian group. They are Catholic people in the centre of the Kurzeme region in western Latvia, surrounded by Lutherans. They preserved their culture over the years by never marrying someone from a diffe...
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Season 1
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Episode 26
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32:07

On the Latvian who made pigs fly
Anatole ‘Tony’ Lapine lived a dream to be a great car designer. He was chief designer at Porsche for nearly 20 years, one of only four chief designers at the car maker since it was founded exactly 75 years ago. He had a hand in shaping some of ...
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Season 1
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Episode 25
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36:11

On Kuldīga
On a bright weekend at the end of September, I went to Kuldīga. The town was buzzing with people, strolling the cobbled streets, sitting at cafes, walking down to the waterfall. The small electric tourist buses were full. Why? Kuldīga had been ...
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Season 1
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Episode 24
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34:31

On Ķemeri
Ķemeri is a former resort in Latvia. It has seen many highs, like being regarded as an outstanding spa of the Russian Empire, rebuilt to be one of the finest resorts in the Baltics during Latvia’s first independence, and later developed into a ...
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Season 1
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Episode 23
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33:50

On an artist, Edgars Valdmanis
In the 1990s, while working as a diplomat in Latvia, I bought three paintings by the artist Edgars Valdmanis. I found the first one in a gallery in Rīga’s old town. It is a landscape with trees in the pointillism impressionist style. Soon, I ha...
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Season 1
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Episode 22
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26:56

On film and animation
Latvia has a rich history in film and animation making. It is also re-emerging as a significant industry. Latvia is the choice location for many European and UK films. I will take you on a tour of Latvia’s Cinevilla studio. We will explor...
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Season 1
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Episode 21
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37:20

On Latgale
Latgale is Latvia's easternmost region and the country's poorest. It is a region of contrasts, with some distinct cultural differences from the rest of Latvia. For example, while most of Latvia is Lutheran, Latgale is predominantly Roman Cathol...
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Season 1
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Episode 20
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29:27

On St. Saviour's
St. Saviour’s Church is in the old town of Rīga. It is an Anglican parish church, part of the Church of England. It was founded on British soil, shipped to Latvia in 1857, and built with British red bricks. It has a fascinating history, from be...
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Season 1
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Episode 19
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22:39

On the Livs
The Livonians, or Livs, are an indigenous ethnic group in Latvia. They were one of the first nations to settle in what is now modern-day Latvia. They speak a different language, yet only 30 people can now converse in it fluently. Few people out...
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Season 1
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Episode 18
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38:36

On Song and Dance
The Latvian Song and Dance Festival is probably the most important Latvian cultural event. Held every five years and started 150 years ago, 40,560 singers and dancers and a 500,000 audience joined events in Riga in July 2023. We lo...
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Season 1
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Episode 17
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25:44

On Jāņi, midsummer
Midsummer is the biggest annual celebration in Latvia. Bigger than Christmas or Easter. As with many Latvian traditions, it is pagan in origin. It involves oak leaf or flower garlands, a special cheese, plenty of beer, fire and singing, and wit...
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Season 1
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Episode 16
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20:31

On George Armitstead, Mayor of Riga
George Armitstead was an engineer, entrepreneur and the fourth Mayor of Rīga. He is fondly remembered in Latvia for turning the city into a modern European capital. The city flourished under his management between 1901 -12. He was also Br...
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Season 1
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Episode 15
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35:15
