Museum Night

Last night was museum night in Riga. Thousands turned out to go round the museums free and see new exhibitions, shows and music. Town was full, although perhaps not as much as last year. It was ironic in these times of rapidly growing unemployment that when I came in to town on the tram, the Work Museum had a 75m long queue and when I left at midnight the queue was still at least 50m of dads, mums and kids.

But leaving was interesting. the trams ran as normal. Again this shows the total lack of linkage between government and people. There were hundreds of people waiting for trams and buses and then showing their disbelief and anger that the service was finished. My last tram only went to the depot at Brivibas Iela and then I had to walk the last 5km home. On the tram a Russian speaker went up to the driver and tried to highjack the tram and get the lady driver to take it right to the end of the line at Jugla. His initial verbal force got him a slammed cabin door for his efforts and a sharp ''get away'' in Latvian. Then he changed to soft pleas and offerings with full actions and facial movements. The passengers were in fits of laughter and really egging him on. It was wonderful comedy theatre. When I got off he was walking unsteadily up the road arm in arm with a lady, the two of them laughing fit to burst in drunken happiness.

I saw my pickpocket again on Friday on the number 6 tram. He got on totally stoned and when I looked round he had slumped sitting to the floor at the back and looked completely dead to the world. Next time I looked he had gone. At least in this state he is not going to be effective.

Saw some Chinese visitors this week in the Old Town. Most of them were walking around with face masks. It really did look daft. Were they after protection from us from Swine Flu or were they protecting us? Sadly my Chinese was not up to asking.

I went Orienteering Saturday to Riga's Championships. Not a bad result for me - about half way up my age group. Got lost a bit too many times though. Interestingly the biggest groups were the 10 years old boys on the mens side and the 16 year old girls on the womens. So no complaints about lazy youth and the computer era in this sport. There were also 6 ladies over 80 running too. On that wonderful note I shall end.