update from riga

November 10th is Mārtiņi or Mārtiņdiena (Martin's Day) which marks the transition from autumn to winter, and, appropriately, on this morning I woke to the first frost of the year. The next day the frost was so thick I first thought that perhaps it might have snowed lightly, but by mid-day only the dampness that remained on the ground and dripped from the eaves of the buildings was left of Jack Frost.

Last weekend must have been the city-wide annual 'Rake up the leaves' festival. Everywhere I looked there people were picking up the end of season foliage and stuffing it into bags and onto tractors. The very last leaves were falling like confetti from the hardiest trees, encouraged by the frozen nights.

November 11th is Lāčplēsis Day, a Latvian Remembrance Day which commemorates a victory over the West Russian Volunteer Army or Bermontians (not the end of WWI as in other countries). Thousands of candles are placed in the nooks and crannies and along the walls of Riga Castle on the edge of the old city.