One of the bittersweet parts of every trip is when Peters and his mom, or either alone, visits Peters' mom's cousin Arturs and his wife Lena in Alsviki. They met and married in Siberia and raised a family. Arturs got by (and actually survived where others did not) being a handyman --I think it's in the Latvian blood that nothing is junk, anything can be repaired and used again! When they were able to move back to Latvia, it was actually Lena who picked out and bought the house. All Arturs wanted was a stream within walking distance where he could go fishing -- which he got.

It's been difficult for them. Their health has been in decline; Arturs has almost completely lost feeling and dexterity in his hands. The neighbor's girls come over and help, but it's not the same. Arturs' and Lena's son is married and lives in Riga, with children. But their daughter-in-law is not interested in country life or what it has to offer. Arturs had thought some years ago to set up a repair shop with his son, but that fell through when it was nixed.

Needless to say, the family property Arturs has reclaimed -- ironically, not that far away -- lies fallow. Perhaps even crueler, it would appear that the local powers in Alsviki have absconded and clear-cut nearby property -- the person who came to reclaim it was simply told they couldn't have it -- putting and emphatic exclamation mark on the demise of morality and decency in modern day Latvia. The barren desolated land is a fitting metaphor for the desolation of the Latvian soul. It pains Peters to leaf through Arturs' and Lena's pictures of better days in Siberia, and to have to agree that it would have been easier for them if they had never returned to Arturs' homeland.

Peters' observation from family and relatives has been that for a family to make progress in Latvia, it's the wife who makes a difference. If she doesn't mind hard work, maybe being out in the country, and keeping the family going while her husband is out working on projects, then things can progress. But if she wants the luxury of city life, then all is lost.

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It may not look like much, but this is one solid house! Peters, Gaida, and her granddaughter Mara headed out to Alsviki—and it was hot! How hot? The blacktop melted and was so wet it sloshed like water! But, inside Artur's and Lena's house, it was cool refuge from the steaming outdoors. A cold glass of country fresh milk, and the heat was all but forgotten!

It may not look like much, but this is one solid house! Peters, Gaida, and her granddaughter Mara headed out to Alsviki—and it was hot! How hot? The blacktop melted and was so wet it sloshed like water! But, inside Artur's and Lena's house, it was cool refuge from the steaming outdoors. A cold glass of country fresh milk, and the heat was all but forgotten!

It may not look like much, but this is one solid house! Peters, Gaida, and her granddaughter Mara headed out to Alsviki—and it was hot! How hot? The blacktop melted and was so wet it sloshed like water! But, inside Artur's and Lena's house, it was cool refuge from the steaming outdoors. A cold glass of country fresh milk, and the heat was all but forgotten!

Without a car, it's difficult for Arturs to make it to Aluksne. In fact, cars come by their house so rarely, the road is almost completely overgrown—to the casual onlooker (even in the car!) it looks like you just took a right off the road and tore off across the fields! Artur's mom, Minna, escaped to America with Artur's sister Edite. They had lived in Hudson, New York when Peters was a child. That's where Peters acquired his taste for barley porridge with a dollop of cubed bacon (!) in the center. Not having a grandmother, and Minna being of that generation, she became the only "vecmāmiņa" Peters knew.

Without a car, it's difficult for Arturs to make it to Aluksne. In fact, cars come by their house so rarely, the road is almost completely overgrown—to the casual onlooker (even in the car!) it looks like you just took a right off the road and tore off across the fields! Artur's mom, Minna, escaped to America with Artur's sister Edite. They had lived in Hudson, New York when Peters was a child. That's where Peters acquired his taste for barley porridge with a dollop of cubed bacon (!) in the center. Not having a grandmother, and Minna being of that generation, she became the only "vecmāmiņa" Peters knew.

Without a car, it's difficult for Arturs to make it to Aluksne. In fact, cars come by their house so rarely, the road is almost completely overgrown—to the casual onlooker (even in the car!) it looks like you just took a right off the road and tore off across the fields! Artur's mom, Minna, escaped to America with Artur's sister Edite. They had lived in Hudson, New York when Peters was a child. That's where Peters acquired his taste for barley porridge with a dollop of cubed bacon (!) in the center. Not having a grandmother, and Minna being of that generation, she became the only "vecmāmiņa" Peters knew.

Of equal necessity (as in, absolutely required) is stopping in on Peters' aunt Laura. On a happier note, she and the doggies are doing well in Bolderaja, on the outskirts of Riga. Peters' cousin once-removed (?), that's mom's cousin's Anina's daughter, Brigita stopped in as a surprise—we had already apologized that it didn't look like we were going to be able to visit her!

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Laura has her quirks for sure, but not welcoming guests whoever and whenever they arrive is not one of them! Peters, Silvija, and Gaida went out to Bolderaja to visit. And what surprise awaited them? Brigita had shown up knowing we were going to try and make it out to Laura's our last evening in Latvia. And so, with that stroke of foresight on Brigita's part, we actually managed to get to all the relatives! ... on both sides! Whew!

Laura has her quirks for sure, but not welcoming guests whoever and whenever they arrive is not one of them! Peters, Silvija, and Gaida went out to Bolderaja to visit. And what surprise awaited them? Brigita had shown up knowing we were going to try and make it out to Laura's our last evening in Latvia. And so, with that stroke of foresight on Brigita's part, we actually managed to get to all the relatives! ... on both sides! Whew!

Laura has her quirks for sure, but not welcoming guests whoever and whenever they arrive is not one of them! Peters, Silvija, and Gaida went out to Bolderaja to visit. And what surprise awaited them? Brigita had shown up knowing we were going to try and make it out to Laura's our last evening in Latvia. And so, with that stroke of foresight on Brigita's part, we actually managed to get to all the relatives! ... on both sides! Whew!