The weekend was livened by Slava's birthday party on Saturday night and an unexpected jaunt to the suburbs for lunch with him and his wife on Sunday. On my own, I visited the National Art Museum on Saturday morning and attended a concert in the cathedral on Sunday night. The art museum consists of two floors in a palatial building. The collection is almost entirely of paintings,
there are a only few pieces of sculpture and a couple of cabinets with pull-out drawers displaying graphic work. Latvian artists followed the
major trends in 19th and 20th-century European art: Impressionism, Fauvism,
Cubism, Art Nouveau, Abstract Expressionism.
Enjoyed chatting with Slava's friends at his party, held in a small restaurant near the cathedral. Lots of toasts, downed with vodka. It was not easy getting myself assembled Sunday morning!
Now it's Monday morning. Time to pack because of early leave-taking tomorrow. Time to send goodbye emails to Prof. Šavriņa and Aiga. Goodbye to
Rimi, the supermarket across the street; goodbye to
“Pelmeni,” the fast-food restaurant where I frequently got my after-class
dinner. Last time with the students tonight-- the exam. Hope I haven't made it too hard; hope I haven't made it too easy.
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