Page 339 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Estonia Latvia & Lithuania

SHOPPING IN LA T VIA 337

Handcrafted items displayed at the Ludza Handicrafts Centre, Eastern Latvia
Handicrafts
Kalniņš making replicas of lost during war and occupation.
Traditional Latvian handicrafts ancient designs. Another place In spite of this, antique shops
include handmade linen, amber to find handicraft items is the are well worth exploring,
jewellery, woodwork and branch of Tornis in the tower of especially because they often
knitwear embroidered with Turaida Castle near Sigulda. stock interesting items.
popular Latvian folk symbols. The best place to buy art is
Motifs from the natural world, in com mercial art galleries.
such as the sun, stars or trees, Food and Drink A licence, which is available at
are commonly used as part of Available in many varieties, most shops, is usually required
the repertoire of geometric Laima (see p339) chocolate has before genuine antiques can be
designs found on many been made in Latvia for decades exported. The shops are helpful
handcrafted goods. A parti- and is among the coun try’s most with the paperwork.
cularly attractive popu lar buys.
example is the Another common
Lielvārdes josta, a gift is Rīga’s Black Amber
long red-and- Balsam, a herbal Amber jewellery is a popular
white woven belt liqueur that is Latvian souvenir, despite the
which features A bar of Laima, Latvia’s supposed to have fact that resin is less commonly
symbolic patterns, favourite chocolate medicinal properties, discovered in Latvia than
and is a part of which comes in an Lithuania. It is readily available
Latvian wedding costumes. attractive ceramic bottle. Visitors in tourist areas, such as Jūrmala,
These belts are available in usually prefer it in cocktails or and in some museum shops.
souvenir shops in Rīga, and can with blackcurrant juice rather Buyers should be aware that
be seen on display at the than neat. not all amber is genuine, as
Pumpurs Museum in Lielvārde, Beer also makes a good gift. various plastics are used to
or even made to order. Latvians are enthusiastic beer- emulate it. Visitors spending a
Visitors can watch artisans at drinkers so there are several large sum of money on amber
work in several places, such as brands to choose from. The objects should ask for a
the House of Craftsmen in most popular ones are inter- certificate of authenticity, and
Liepāja. The Handicrafts Centre nationally owned, but more it is generally safer to buy from
in Ludza has work shops where unusual brews include the an established shop rather
visitors can try their hand at craft- yeasty Užavas, which is made than a street-seller.
ing items themselves. Musical near Ventspils, and Valmiera’s
instru ments can be purchased Valmiermuiža.
from the Musical Instruments Roadside Stalls
Workshop in Gaigalava. In the countryside, especially in
The Smithy of Ancient Art and Antiques rural Latgale, it is common to
Jewellery in the New Castle in Genuinely valuable Latvian see stalls at the side of the road
Cēsis calls itself a workshop of antiques are not easy to find, selling fresh produce. Latvian
experimental archaeology, with partly because the 20th century honey is particularly delicious
master craftsman Daumants saw many of them destroyed or and also makes a good gift.