An Englishman in Latvia

Episodet

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  On Latvian perfume and cosmetics 29.09.2026 34min

  A tiny bottle of perfume opens a story of Rīga industry, Soviet scarcity and changing ideas of femininity. This episode follows Dzintars from its nineteenth-century roots through its Soviet heyday, explores the cult fragrance Koķete, and asks what MÁDARA's rise reveals about Latvia’s modern cosmetics industry. Thanks for listening!
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  On the Riga moped 15.09.2026 24min

  There's a sound that, if you grew up in Soviet Latvia, you'd recognise instantly: a buzzy little two-stroke engine. That sound belonged to the Riga moped. We tell the history of this moped and how it gave millions across the Soviet Union affordable mobility; we hear Jana's experience riding one; and we visit a wonderful place where you can find a collection of Riga mopeds. Thanks for listening!
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  On amber 01.09.2026 23min

  The story of amber, the fossil that isn't quite a rock, isn't quite a jewel, yet has shaped trade routes, folklore, craft guilds, and Latvian identity for thousands of years. We'll explore how it was formed, how it travelled from these shores to the tombs of Egyptian pharaohs, how it ended up pinned to the shoulder of traditional Latvian costumes, and how to buy the real thing without getting stung. Thanks for listening!
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  On Rīga at 825 18.08.2026 24min

  Rīga is 825 years old. Join me as we join the big party! We also tell the history of Rīga, not as a chronological listing, but through legends, stories and tales. Thanks for listening!
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  On Iebiezinātais Piens 25.06.2026 29min

  There is an object in Latvian cuisine that has outlasted empires and is still in supermarket aisles today. It is small. It is round. And it is very, very sweet. It is a tin of condensed milk. Iebiezinātais piens is nostalgia in a can. We will trace the history of this product, explore its use in Latvian cuisine and make one of Latvia's most celebrated cakes. Thanks for listening!
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  On lighthouses 09.06.2026 39min

  Latvia's maritime history told through stories about its lighthouses. From Hanseatic merchants, through Courland's golden age, to the dark years when the Soviet Union turned the coastline into a military fortress and to today. Three lighthouses highlighted and a road trip! Thanks for listening!
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  On the deportations 26.05.2026 31min

  This is one of the most difficult and important episodes I have recorded: the deportation of over 57,000 Latvians by the Soviet Russian regime in 1941 and 1949. Regarded as genocide and a crime against humanity by the European Court of Human Rights. I tell the story of what happened and how it happened. Thanks for listening!
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  On Valdemārpils 12.05.2026 31min

  The story of a small town in Latvia with a big name. It was renamed after a legendary Latvian ideologue who used to teach there, Krišjānis Valdemārs. It has an award-winning 500-year-old linden tree, a crumbling Baltic German manor house, and a lovely lake. Join me as we visit Valdemārpils. Thanks for listening!
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  On Riga Black Balsam 28.04.2026 26min

  A 270-year-old balm that is regarded as the national drink of Latvia. Sold in dark clay bottles. Some people love it, some don't. We explore the story and legends surrounding Riga Black Balsam, and hold a tasting with friends. Thanks for listening!
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  On Ludza - Latvia's oldest town 14.04.2026 36min

  Ludza is the oldest town in Latvia - a country that has known occupation and catastrophe many times over. It is a town that was once more than half Jewish, whose synagogue survived a fire and a genocide yet is still standing. It is a town whose medieval castle tells a story of crusading ambition and ultimate ruin, and whose lakes still carry the legend of the bewitched princess waiting somewhere beneath the hill. Join me on a trip to Ludza. Thanks for listening!
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  On Rīga's metro 31.03.2026 34min

  This is the story of a metro system for Rīga that was planned for decades, almost built in Soviet times, but was stopped by an environmental protest movement in 1988 that changed the course of an entire nation, leading to Latvia regaining its independence. The metro that never was. Thanks for listening!
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  On skeleton 17.03.2026 22min

  From Victorian Brits plunging down icy chutes in St Moritz, and a Latvian family transforming a Soviet-era track into an Olympic medal factory, to a British gold medallist embracing his Latvian coach at the bottom of the Milan-Cortina Olympic run, skeleton tells a story of speed, risk, and unlikely bonds. This is that British-Latvian story. Thanks for listening!
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  On the media 04.03.2026 32min

  The history of the media in Latvia is a fascinating story. From the simple beginnings of a Latvian-language newspaper in 1822, to strict censorship during the Soviet Russian occupation, to the media's role in the independence movement. And now today, with a fragmented on and offline Latvian media scene and Russian media in exile. Join me as we explore this. Thanks for listening!
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  On Jelgava 19.02.2026 28min

  This is the fascinating story of Jelgava, a city in Latvia that was once the capital of the Duchy of Courland for centuries, was destroyed during the Second World War, rebuilt as an industrial powerhouse under Soviet occupation, and is now transformed into a vibrant university city. Thanks for listening!
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  On gherkins 04.02.2026 19min

  If there is one vegetable I associate with Latvia, it is the gherkin. This is the story of what gherkins truly are, why Latvians pickle anything that remains still long enough, a landfill that has become a greenhouse for cucumbers, and where you can savour the finest gherkins in Rīga for yourself. Thanks for listening!
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  On the barricades 22.01.2026 30min

  This is the story of how Latvians stopped Soviet Russian special forces in January 1991 by building barricades from concrete blocks, trucks, and tractors to protect the institutions of its democracy in Rīga. It is a story of heroism by ordinary Latvians and journalists, with lessons for the world today. Thanks for listening!
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  On Latvian symbols 07.01.2026 23min

  We explore the ancient symbols that have guided Latvia for a thousand years. These aren't just decorative motifs: they're a living alphabet of belief, carved into Late Stone Age bone tools, woven into the fabric of daily life, and now finding new voice in contemporary Latvian identity. Thanks for listening!
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  On Tobago 18.12.2025 16min

  The story of how Latvia, then the Duchy of Courland, had a colony in the Caribbean. The island of Tobago. We travel back to the 17th century and explore how Latvia (Courland) became the world's smallest nation to have a colony. We look for remnants of that empire in present-day Tobago and Latvia. Thanks for listening!
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  On Mark Rothko 03.12.2025 32min

  A journey to Daugavpils, Latvia, to learn about the birthplace of the Abstract Expressionist artist Mark Rothko and to find out whether the city and his childhood in its then bustling but fearful Jewish streets influenced his art. Join me as we visit the Rothko Museum and explore Daugavpils. Thanks for listening!
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  On Independence Day 17.11.2025 35min

  The 18th of November is celebrated in Latvia as Independence Day. I'll guide you through the four parts of this gripping story. First, the dramatic declaration of independence on 18 November 1918. Second, the war that ensued. Third, the Soviet Russian occupation of Latvia from 1940 until independence was regained in 1991. And finally, how Latvians celebrate Independence Day today, with my memories of participating in the commemoration as deputy British Ambassador in the late 1990s. Thanks ...