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Riga, Latvia shaking off effects of half-century of Soviet bear hug
From The Reading Eagle/Times: January 2007
Fifty years of Soviet rule is not an easy legacy to shake off.
On a recent visit to Riga in Latvia I found that it was not just ugly badly built buildings that the Soviets left behind. The fear and repression that was a hallmark of the Soviet occupation has also left its mark on the psyche of Latvians. Even today few people make eye contact or smile at strangers and most shopkeepers still greet customers with a deadpan stare.
I was told that this is a legacy from the Soviet era. The KGB, or their informers, could think that smiling was suspicious behaviour - you must have been up to something! Also neighbours might think you were acting in a superior manner if you had something to smile about. Never trust strangers and don't draw attention to yourself was always the safest strategy.
But this is not the true nature of Latvians and when you are no longer a stranger their fun loving friendly side becomes more evident. Riga has become renown as a party town in the twenty-first century attracting young people from all over Europe. The Skyline cocktail bar on 26th floor the Reval Hotel is a top venue with stunning city views........