Lately they have been very busy and on top of that, they organized an interesting day trip, which I was allowed to take part in :)
The trip started on Thursday at 8 o'clock in the morning with some snacks.
I must admit I was extremely tired and due to the rainy weather not that excited yet but luckily my flatmate Eka, who can make anyone smile, took part, too.
Our first stop was in Valdemarpils, where we met Igurds BanÄ·is - an very inspiring person!
To be honest, he was my personal highlight of the whole trip.
For twenty years, Igurds had been teaching kids from the streets and youngsters that didn't want to fit in the "system" different crafts, especially carpentry work.
They received a basic internship and learnt many life skills, including his philosophy about helping others and being a good person.
He showed us the school in which the kids learnt and lived and some of the objects he had created himself - they were amazing!!
E.g. this carriage, which he used on special events and a beautiful little train that drives around his garden - but not clockwise - to symbolize that everybody should live their own rhythm.
http://meistarsigurds.lv/igurds/par-sevi/
Afterwards we visited a renovated Ance manor. Now it is being used as an open creative space. People can make their own scarfs, blankets and other pieces of art.
We attended a course in baking SklandrauŔi there.
It was absolutely adorable that we received one of our SklandrauŔi in a pretty box with a certificate proving that now we are masters in making them.
Then we went to Daba laba where I could prove my hunting skills!
http://www.dabalaba.lv
Daba laba provides a hunting area, hunting classes and a fun ride on their "safari car" through Latvia's beautiful jungle š.
We really had a lot of luck because it was raining half of the day but the three hours we spent at daba laba the sky brightened up and the sun came out.
Exhausted, after the adventurous hunting, our bus driver took us to the spa at Usme lake. The owner gave us a tour through his spa and informed us about all of his different offers. While he was continuing his talk, which I couldn't understand because my Latvian still isn't perfect, Eka and I decided to have a photoshooting at the lake.
http://www.usma.lv/sakums/
Truly tired, we relaxed in the warm bus on the way to our final stop - a mini-zoo!
It was cute, but somehow I didn't get quite as excited as the others who were running around in the chicken area trying to get the best picture of their favourite hen. The zoo basically contained a lot of different types of hen, turkeys, some peacocks, a few sheep, one suspicious goat and three very cute ponys, which I liked most.
http://www.latvia.travel/lv/apskates-vieta/usmas-mini-zoo
All in all, it was an amazing daytrip and I'm looking forward to the next time the tourisminformation centre organizes one!
