Tag Archives: Food

The Russian does Riga

Posted on September 6, 2014 by BerLinda

Wednesday saw the arrival of my new best friend, Anna. Long-time readers will know that Anna and I have been following each other’s blogs for a while now and have become friends through lengthy comment and email chains – mainly bonding over … Continue reading →

Posted in Food, Humor, Humour, Latvia, Riga, Travel | Tagged beer, Berga Bazars, Black Balzams, Black Magic Cafe, Cadets de Gascogne, Cathedrals, Cocktails, Flowers, Flying Frog Cafe, Food, LIDO, Mushrooms, Parks, Photos, Russia, Short break in Riga, Skyline Bar, Sunshine, Walking tour | 152 Comments

A few days in Daugavpils (Part three)

Posted on May 9, 2014 by BerLinda

Yet again, I woke up at the crack of dawn, thanks to the paper thin blinds and the creaking of old trams (and old bones) outside my window. After trying to convince myself that I was asleep for another couple of … Continue reading →

Posted in Humor, Humour, Language, Latvia, Social Issues, Travel | Tagged Ants, Artilerijas Pagrabs, beer, Church Hill, Customer Service, Daugavpils, Emigration, Food, Fortress, Homeless people, Hotel Latgola, Hotel Paradize, Infrastructure, Investment, Laimas Muzykanti, Lidadis, Mark Rothko Centre, Music, Trams | 85 Comments

A few days in Daugavpils (Part two)

Posted on May 6, 2014 by BerLinda

Of Daugavpils, my (admittedly out of date) Lonely Planet had this to say: It’s hard to smile when the grey sky matches the grey of crumbling Soviet block housing… a city with as many prisons as churches… Rigans will snicker when the … Continue reading →

Posted in Expat, Fashion, Food, Humor, Humour, Latvia, Travel | Tagged cake, Churches, Crisps, Customer Service, Daugavpils, Food, Markets, Museum, Park, Sightseeing, Trams, Wine | 113 Comments

A few days in Daugavpils (Part one)

Posted on May 2, 2014 by BerLinda

“It’s a total shithole.” “It’s a dangerous shithole.” “It’s a shithole full of crazy people.” My friends’ reactions when I voiced my travel plans only made me more curious to check out Latvia’s second largest city. Daugavpils, with a population of … Continue reading →

Posted in Expat, Humor, Humour, Latvia, Travel | Tagged Customer Service, Daugava, Daugavpils, Food, forests, Hotel Paradize, Latgale, Roadworks, Travel in Latvia, trees | 93 Comments

Are you being served?

Posted on April 24, 2014 by BerLinda

Just for a change, I think I’ll start this post on a positive note. I have had some great service in Latvia. However, (yep, here it comes), the problem is that service levels here are so woefully inconsistent. When out … Continue reading →

Posted in Beer, Expat, Food, Humor, Humour, Latvian people, Rudeness | Tagged Bars, beer, Customer Service, Food, manners, Muffins & More, Politeness, restaurants, Riga, Smiling, Stockpot, Wine | 138 Comments

Linda in Wonderland?

Posted on February 12, 2014 by BerLinda

Question: What’s more entertaining than a bunch of drunk, toothless, cross-eyed Russians playing football with an empty bottle? Answer: The 16th Annual Ice Sculpture Festival in Jelgava, that’s what! Or at least that’s what I hoped on Saturday afternoon as … Continue reading →

Posted in Festivals, Food, Humor, Humour, Latvia, Travel | Tagged expat, Festivals in Latvia, Food, humor, Humour, Ice sculpting, Ice slide, International Ice Sculpture Festival, Jelgava, Latvia, Latvian men, The Baltic Times, Vodka, Winter in Latvia, Yummy Janis | 68 Comments

Jānis gets Yummier

Posted on February 2, 2014 by BerLinda

Since our first meeting, Yummy Jānis and I have been restricted to getting to know each other better via Facebook as he lives in Jelgava (of all places). It’s been an eye-opening experience. For example, I recently discovered that Yummy is quite … Continue reading →

Posted in Food, Humor, Humour, Latvian men, Love and Relationships | Tagged Beyoncé, Blogging, Dating, expat, Finding a man in Latvia, Food, Gangsta rap, humor, Humour, Irish food, Jelgava, Latvia, Latvian men, meat, Men cooking, Relationships, The Onyx, Wine | 127 Comments

A few days in Dublin

Posted on December 31, 2013 by BerLinda

I spent Christmas in Dublin and what a wonderful few days it was. In case you’re wondering, yes, Latvia let me back in. Passport control Jānis: What happened to your passport? Me: (Shrug) It got wet and sticky. (I didn’t … Continue reading →

Posted in Expat, Humor, Humour, Latvia, Travel | Tagged Boots, Bulmers, Christmas, Drogas, Dublin, expat, Family, Food, Friends, Ireland, Latvia, Leopard print, New Year, Pork | 88 Comments

An O’Goddess in the kitchen

Posted on October 25, 2013 by BerLinda

The Latvian men in my life see me as many different things – unintentionally hilarious Irish person, friend, drinking buddy, teacher, last-minute proofreader, shoulder to cry on when their mad Latvian girlfriend does something mad, Plan B girlfriend… However, the one … Continue reading →

Posted in Expat, Food, Humor, Humour, Latvia, Latvian men, Love and Relationships | Tagged Baking, cake, expat, Food, humor, Humour, Latvia, Latvian cake, Latvian men, Latvian women, Making sense of a recipe book, Recipes, Traditional gender roles, Wine | 88 Comments

Does this blog make my butt look big?

Posted on October 16, 2013 by BerLinda

God, I hope not. I live in Latvia and they just don’t tolerate that sort of thing here. Other women stomp on you with their gold-studded, leopard-print stilettos for letting the side down. They let their rat-dogs out of their … Continue reading →