Latvia: Nature is the best therapy. A weekend by the lakeside

June 18, 2018

Latvia: Nature is the best therapy. A weekend by the lakeside - Kāla ezers.

Kāla ezers - the lake of music.

The last few summers this lake has claimed a lot of fame. A music event "Ezera skanas" happening ON the lake attracts many nature and music, and alternative tourism lovers. "Ezera skanas" means "The sound of a lake".

Description from their website:

Ezera Skanas is a musical, visual and metaphysical event that starts before the sunrise - 3:00 AM. Events unfolds on the stage in the middle of a distant lake. It is momentary in its nature, it resembles like a dream. Without formal speeches, without any names and rules it remains a personal and unifying experience.

People attend the event in their boats during the middle of the night. There is silence and darkness all around the lake. Then the first objects of light appears. The first sounds begin to play. Performance grows up with the rising light and culminates with the sunrise. Music and visual objects complement the natural landscape and have a stimulating nature, leaving an open space for each ones imagination.

I would love to attend it too, or can they create this event in Sweden? And under this link is a post from Latvia.travel site: "Lake sets you free. Everlasting memories. A music concert created by two brothers who grow up by the lake"...

Photo from www.latvia.travel

Photo from skaties.lv
EZERA SKANAS 2016 from Ezera Skanas on Vimeo.

And my experience by the lakeside...

...swimming in the lake of meadow wildflowers...having no time schedule only follow the sun hours...swim, read, eat, sleep, walk, take photos...music on or just sound of nature...birds...water...forest...wind...and also visiting local town and practising car driving!

Some of my thoughts from Instagram photo comments: Latvians know how to celebrate everyday life.

Maybe southerners in Europe do it more loudly and more expressive that they are world famous of their way living life, and I read many magazine articles "live like Spanish", I think we don't need. Latvians the last decade have shaped their way of being, cleaned off the dust and wall of bricks from past, and you can see how more and more Latvian person is open, creative and enjoying life as it is, more honest and transparent. In tourism Swedes constantly talk about their "fika" which to Latvian is "coffee pause", this is how we "fika" - can't imagine a table without the nicely planned set. It must look aesthetically beautiful. In this country, minimalism is a difficulty when we love to play with table setting and give flowers beautiful vases. Our "fika" isn't just a cake and coffee, it's the whole process.

When I lived on Swedish farms during the first years, my duty was "in-between meals serving fika". I always planned the visual too and my Latvian flower thing was much appreciated, they said they don't really do that, but that was my experience. I'm sure out there are farmers, who'd have done it.

I was sleeping outdoors, even if we were staying in a beautiful house. I was longing for outdoor adventures as this spring/summer I am in Latvia longer than I expected and my camping companion and gear is still in Skåne. So, I was happy that my collaboration with "EasyCamp" worked out that tent and sleeping bags they posted me to Latvia. At least some kind of gear I can use! I will make a separate post about my new camping gear at the end of summer or when I will have used it for at least 5 adventures. So far so good. I agreed to this collaboration only because I share the same philosophy - that don't need ONLY expensive gear, to go enjoy outdoor lifestyle (Scandinavian: friluftsliv)...It's affordable and good quality for weekend escapes and hitchhikers. Light and easy to set up, my 3 season sleeping bags both are good! The weekend later I and my friend from Sweden Malin were "camping" outdoors without the tent and survived well! So... Yes... Affordable good quality! Okay well, not about the gear... This weekend was ALL ABOUT NATURE THERAPY. After intensive driving school lessons and the new changes that I am away from my home, my soul needed alone and silence in nature. That was all I needed.

Anyway, let's the photos speak.....

Partnership with outdoor company brand: EASYCAMP.

Some friends asked about this stay, as usually, yes, I am in airbnb/booking.com homes, but sometimes I have private connections to some beautiful escapes... I looked up to stay around the lake, and there are several options, different budget levels. Here is booking.com search find: Kala ezers stays.

Around this area, can meet local farmers and makers - my mum and her friend have several places where they go to buy locally made/produced food. So, when in the countryside don't be afraid to go and talk to locals or visit the farms. More often they have farm shop (better keep cash with you). Very friendly people around here. And nature... I felt I see "typical Latvian nature" I imagine when talking about countryside or read in school's obligatory literature by classic authors.

And check this search on airbnb.com, in the region of Madona... wow! So many impressive, beautiful countryside escapes... I wish it was my job to visit and stay in them all! :)

The tripadvisor.com recommendations on "what to do" seems a bit poorly made, but maybe you find something for you (here). Maybe this website made by locals has a better list, but still seems it is better to visit local tourist information centre, as I know and I saw around by the roads creative workshop farms and open-visit farms. And the distances to one another place are nothing comparing to when living in Sweden.... :)