An Englishman in Latvia

Alan Anstead
  • 5.0 (5)
  • PLACES & TRAVEL
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY
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.

  1. On Mežaparks

    APR 14

    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 this delightful neighbourhood of Rīga and learn of its fascinating history. Walk with me through the park, as people have done for over 100 years. Join me on a visit to the zoo. Let’s also dig deep into what the great man George Armitstead accomplished ...

    33 min
  2. On Sir Stephen Tallents

    MAR 31

    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 independent Baltic States to achieve peace and prosperity for 20 years. His story is fascinating. Join me as we learn more about the man and how he operated, like how he created the Tallents Line border between Latvia and Estonia. We will even visit the tow...

    27 min
  3. On music

    MAR 17

    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 for a country of 1.8 million people.In this episode, we will explore the folklore, classical and popular music of Latvia. I will tell a few stories from the 1990s and the present day. Join me on a musical journey! Thanks for listening!

    36 min
  4. On public transport

    FEB 26

    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 a feel for life during the Soviet occupation. There was even a song written about my favourite tram line! Let’s take a deep dive into public transport in Latvia. With a story or two to bring the topic to life. Thanks for listening!

    27 min
  5. On sport

    12/03/2023

    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 success in ice hockey and basketball. Above all, I wanted to discover why this small country was so good at certain sports. Thanks for listening!

    45 min
  6. On the Suiti

    11/22/2023

    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 different ethnic group or religion. This has resulted in the Suiti developing distinct traditions. The Suiti are creative people with fantastic fabric designs. Their culture has been recognised internationally by UNESCO.We explore Alsunga and find out more a...

    32 min
  7. On the Latvian who made pigs fly

    10/28/2023

    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 the most impressive and iconic sports cars ever. Despite being a refugee from war-torn Latvia, his story is a remarkable one of ambition backed up by hard work, a bit of luck and a sense of humour.Let’s explore his story, look at the cars he designed fo...

    36 min
  8. On Kuldīga

    10/17/2023

    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 added to the UNESCO World Heritage list a few weeks beforehand. In tourism terms, that is a huge thing.We will look at Kuldīga's journey to gain this designation. We will explore what you can see and do in Kuldīga. Come with me to Kuldīga, the small, un...

    35 min
See All (32)

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
5 Ratings

About

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.

Information

  • Creator
    Alan Anstead
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2024
  • Episodes
    32
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2024 An Englishman in Latvia
  • Show Website
    An Englishman in Latvia

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