On weekends, many city dwellers move to the countryside, in nature’s lap. Even if there is no need, at least some beds of strawberries and herb garden are near each rural house, and these need to be raked. During the recent years, it is also popular to grow tomatoes, cucumbers and pumpkins oneself. A Latvian homestead cannot exist without flowers and shrubs, also without neatly cut lawn now. In order to maintain even a small farm, you have to work quite a lot; northern summers are short, but fruitful, everything is growing very quickly. At the same time, there is no much time to relax here. Especially, if you want to go to the sauna in evening – you have to tie birch besoms and to split firewood...
When you reach sauna at the Saturday evening, after taking a steam-bath with fragrant oak or birch besom, after jumping into the cool pond or simply after splashing yourself with cold well water, and after wrapping up in a linen sheet, you can sit in front of the sauna and philosophize about life. You can also to dream about what to do tomorrow: either to go fishing in the early morning, or to go to pick cranberries or mushrooms in the forest, or to ride a bicycle, or just to lounge in the grass watching the sky. And... what to cook for the dinner tomorrow? ...
On Weekends, you also have an opportunity to enjoy longer meals than usually – a leisurely breakfast with thin pancakes and freshly prepared jam, the lunch with new potatoes and dill, the first chanterelle sauce and salad, and pudding with sweet blueberries in desert. It seems to be the most exquisite dishes, especially, while you enjoy it together with cheerful conversations. In the days, when you do not want to talk much, but to enjoy the silence instead, you have a possibility to walk in the woods whether with or without a hamper in hands or to go along the trail and breathe the aroma of the pine needles, smell the aroma of sun-heated moss and russulas, or to sit in the boat in the middle of a lake with a fishing-rod for hours and hours and to have a fun. If you manage to pull out a fish larger than your hands, don’t worry, if you fail to catch up as much. On late Sunday afternoons, all roads lead to the big cities – the city dwellers come back from their pastorals: relaxed, smiling and peaceful.
The most important note for the guests of Latvia, they can enjoy it all as well! Each guest-house offers a leisurely, even idle leisure, or sporting and leisure activities by your choice; you can try your hand at farm works or select from a wide variety of other entertainment, to refresh yourself in sauna or spa, or to enjoy nature with mushrooming, fishing, berry-picking and hunting.
