Shine, Riga, Shine, Latvia

Latvia's 94th birthday and the Staro Rīga light festival went hand in hand this year. People who wandered through Riga's streets, squares, and parks on this Sunday, popped into cafés or warmed themselves with a glass of mulled wine among the craftsmen's stalls, were equally participants in both joyful events. The greatest festive uplift we experienced was right by the Freedom Monument and at Bastion Hill, which was surrounded by the light of many torches and outdoor candle flames.