The colors and sounds of the Baltic Countries come together in Dublin

Dubliners who went to Phoenix Park for a walk on Sunday 3rd July had a glimpse of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, thanks to the event organized, at Farmleigh House, by the embassies in Ireland of the three mentioned countries: the ‘Baltic Day’ began with the show of dance groups from Lithuania, ‘Spiečius’, Estonia, ‘Liris’ and Latvia, ‘Karbunkulis’, followed in the afternoon by music by folk bands ‘Meelika Hainsoo & Ülemakstud Rentslihärrad’ (Estonia),’Kreicbergi’ (Lettonia),’Baltos Varnos’ (Lituania). There has been space (in the framework offered by one of the best corners of Phoenix Park, a wide green area in the town of Dublin) for recipes, craftwork and info about the Baltic Countries, with many ideas for travels.

Almost half of Latvian territory is covered by forests (more than forty-four percent), the Gauja national park is a well known tourist destination thanks to its more than five hundred castles, manors, mills. Twenty-five thousand Latvian nationals live in the Republic of Ireland, and many nationals from Lithuania and Estonia; in addition to the promotion of pro European policies (often in cooperation with Northern European countries) the recent history features other similarities between Latvia and Ireland: between 2004 and 2007 the nickname ‘Baltic Tiger’ has often been used (along with ‘Celtic Tiger’ for Ireland). In 2014 the Euro has been introduced, since then investments in Education and Research have kept growing. With its about seven hundred thousand inhabitants (a third of a population of two million) the capital Riga, on the world heritage list for its history, features among its architectural characteristics many examples of art noveau and umpteen wooden palaces. Latvia (in a way similar to that of Lithuania and Estonia) succeeded, by means of its traditions and music, in maintaining alive its culture and language, notwithstanding many centuries of foreign rule.

The three republics are sought after by tourists and Vilnius, capital of Lithuania (a city of more than half a million in a country of about three million people) is well known for its musical festivals and for the old town and the renowned Cathedral Basilica and the Amber Museum, but also other cities are remarkable: Kaunas, hanseatic centre with its historic churches, brown rye bread and the typical trains with their wooden seats, Klaipeda with its regattas and the sea museum, Neringa surrounded by landscapes and beaches, moreover, in Lithuania (for a third covered by woods) one can spot the European bisons.
Estonia reveals the cultural signs carved by Germans, Russians, Danish, Swedish, Polish into the history of the small Baltic country and in the architecture of its capital, Tallin, where more than four hundred thousand people live (a third of the whole population). Tartu and Viljandi are other well known centres in the state, where fairs and folk music events take place all the year round and summer seasons are warmer than one would think looking at the geographical map, more than twenty degree are often reached at this time of the year. About the natural heritage, it is right to mention the Lahemaa Park, on the northern coast and also to remind about the islands (where there are very ancient examples of light houses) that account for about a tenth of Estonia.
@AldoCiummo