Sea

Wednesday 8 April 2009

I was pondering about the first things I usually say or write when I’m telling about Latvia and realized that the Baltic Sea comes up in a first or second sentence. It’s not just a location, but something that has formed who we are. There’s a long history of seafaring. And fishery has been an important economical factor. But there’s a poetic side too. The sea is often called the Amber Sea. Amber is widely used in local craft and this fossil tree resin can be gathered on the shores especially after storm. Just imagine the woods it has come from! There are no amber mines in Latvia, so the local amber is truly brought by the sea, which makes it even more precious. And not to forget the lovely sandy beaches and the wild stony beaches, so several weekends by the sea every summer is an absolute must. This photo is from summer 2006:

3 comments:

  1. Water certainly has a way of defining a place; I live on an island in the Great Lakes amd i understand exactly what you mean forming a place and people.

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  2. Oh, thank you so much for sharing this! Can't wait to hear more about Latvia!

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