Latvians have long had a tradition of talka – the work that neighbors, relatives, and friends do together. In English we can use the word “cleanup” to describe talka, but still, it doesn't encompass the full meaning of the tradition as it skips some of the vital parts. The request "nāc talkā!" (come help!) remains in everyday language and is used when help, participation, or joint action is needed. Historically talka follows the rhythm of seasons and land. The word itself is phonetically similar to terms in neighboring languages: Lithuanian: talka; Estonian: talgud; Polish: tłoka; Hungarian: kalaka; Ukrainian and Belarusian: toloka. Is there such a tradition in Sakartvelo? As talka is included in the list of non-material cultural heritage of Latvia , we give extra attention to preserving the tradition – in this case a massive, decentralized and official main event once every year. By the inspiration of our neighbours Estonians, and to celebrate the 90 years since creati...

Hitchhiking here might be easier than taking a bus. Unless it's a night. Last month I wrote about discovering Tbilisi and finding My places there. One of the places I specifically mentioned was coffee shops that offer specialty coffee. I found, for now, my top cafe in Tbilisi – a small but open space with large windows, a wide selection of locally roasted coffee as well as baristas that know their beans ;). Of course, it also helps that the place has received the European Coffee Trip prize of 2025. I guess I'm not the only coffee lover that enjoys what the place brews. Now, back to the toppic of this post: In addition to new discoveries in Tbilisi, during February I went to Armenia for the first time.  The way to Yerevan was surprisingly beautiful. Probably I got that feeling because I got to see the sunset over the snowy mountains. During this trip I learned that although it is possible to enter Sakartvelo with an ID, you have to have the same document also when leaving the co...

Second Weekend in Tbilisi: Small Distances, Not-so-small Questions