Inese Dūka

Līgo extravaganza in (almost) Brussels

We indeed did go to the Midsummer's eve festivities, before having made 4 flower wreaths from the roses my mom sent accompanied with other flowers we picked on our way home from work. We did get to eat some Latvian cheese and sausages (unfortunately - cold) and there was Latvian beer (though we chose to stick with Belgian water). And there of course was Skroderdienas Silmačos. I must say it was highly interesting seeing colleagues in a slightly different situation than usually at work. I had forgotten that the play was full of singing, So hats off to the actors - they managed both the acting AND the singing quite convincingly! Of course where there are Latvians there was also singing. I guess for me that was the best part of the event - standing around a (improvised) bonfire and singing with others for hours. Though I must say that after an hour or so my voice gave out and I could only sing and almost not talk - my voice has become rusty from lack of singing… :-((

All in all it was a good event - so a big thanks to the organizers. A lot better than sitting in a pub with Belgian beer. But… I guess it was as good as you can do thousands of kilometres (2222 to be exact) away from home. But it is nothing like celebrating at home with your family…

P.S. What I actually wanted to say was… New pictures!!! We were so delighted by the lovely flower wreaths [that - may I humbly point out - I made… ;-)))] that we took lots of pictures!

June 23rd - working day

That's what you get when you live somewhere else - you live by someone else's rules. And here in Brussels no-one really cares that in Latvian calendars today is marked red - a holiday. But there is one place in the virtual world where it is very visible - www.draugiem.lv. It is awfully quiet there today. No friends online. No new galleries. I guess people in Latvia are off in the fields picking flowers and looking for oak branches to make wreaths for tonight. Baking speķarauši (for the lack of a better word - bacon pie). Swarming the shops to find their favourite beer to put into a bucket of cold water. Or sampling the numerous variations of cheese with caraway-seeds. Perhaps someone is refreshing some folk songs to sing at the fire tonight. Or still another decorating the house (perhaps also the car) with birches and oak-tree and rowan-tree branches...

But I am sitting in front of my pc and trying to concentrate on research, technological development and demonstration activities… Oh well… But at least I know what awaits me tonight - proper Midsummer's eve celebration with Skroderdienas Silmačos, Latvian beer and cheese and zaļumballe (open-air dance). Somewhere bewteen work and the celebrations we also have to make 4 flower wreaths - for Arta, Egita, Ilva and myself. Ilva came this morning and brought jāņuzāles (all kinds of wild flowers plucked on Midsummer's eve) and the roses my mother sent. It looks like this might be a fun evening… And I am sure there will be plenty of pictures!;-)))

Some dreams DO come true - Part II or Have a nice day

Seems like I have caught a little window between document to be able to tell you about the best 2 hours and 45 minutes of my life.

If you have taken a peak at my wishlist in Amazon.co.uk, then you might have noticed that I am not only (slightly) nuts about films but also about music. I have been that way for as long as I can remember myself. But I already wrote about that… So then after the hardest week we've had here it was time to get some rewards and head to London to see Bon Jovi. I had bought almost all of their cd's (the ones I still didn't have or had on tape), found the set list for the Have a nice day tour and was trying to be properly prepared for singing along. The more I listened the more excited I got (even though I knew they would not play any songs from my 2 favourite albums - These days and (Jon's solo album) Destination anywhere). At times I just felt like jumping up and down screaming. Because for the longest time I couldn't have imagined that I will ever see them live. And it's been a long time - I first remember them from Keep the faith album in 1991... After my preparatory work I was ready more than ever!

In all the excitement about the concert London also seemed very inviting and Arta and I decided to return once again in mid August and stay with Ilona for almost a week. Also the strangest thing happened - I had HUGE problems speaking… English!! It was so odd - I stood in front of the shop assistant and just couldn't figure anything to say. And when I bumped into people I said Pardon instead of Sorry. Almost feels like I already have lived in Brussels for too long. It made me want to find a job in an English speaking country to perform a rescue mission for my English…

I was hoping to get 2 flies with one shot - Bon Jovi in Wembley stadium but instead I got Bon Jovi in National Bowl Milton Keynes. But you'll hear no complaints about that. As long as it's Bon Jovi I don't care where they're playing... ;-))) This of course was the biggest concert I have ever been to - 70 000 spectators. The first lovely surprise was that Nickelback was one of the warm-up bands. Though I must admit I only know This is how you remind me. But they were actually very good. And their frontman sure knows how to handle his crowd. It was great watching some people be sooo happy about seeing Nickelback. There was a guy standing behind me who actually checked to see his goose bumps! (He later turned out to be a huge Bon Jovi fan too and I heard him singing along for the most part of the concert) I just could hope that Bon Jovi would be at least just as good - but I was assured that they will be even better. And there was no doubt about that!! It was the beast concert I've ever seen!! Staring from the band itself and their singing to the sound quality and light show. Perhaps I have been to some shabby concerts but I don't take for granted the possibility to understand the actual words that are sung...

In the beginning I had to try to cry with open eyes not to miss anything. By the end of the concert my cheeks were hurting from the constant smiling. I knew it would feel good but I had no idea just how good. A big part of these feeling came with the memories connected to certain songs. After all it was my brother who introduced me to them. So for most of the concert I wished he was there with me. I am quite sure he would've enjoyed himself. A sigh… It is so hard to put all of these emotions in words. But I think you just might have gotten my point… ;-))

P.S. Besides not getting the tickets for the golden circle there is one more thing that makes me a bit sad. I am not used to being able to take cameras with you to a concert. But obviously many people knew it was allowed as there were plenty of picture taking. Next time I will try to bring my camera too. Though I really don't want it to be confiscated at the entrance in case it is not allowed in after all...