Liepāja Residents in Dubai Learn Patience Like Hockey Players in an Ice Rink Without Heating

While explosions can be heard in the Persian Gulf states, the only noise in Liepāja is the squeaking of the tram on Graudu Street. However, some of our brave citizens still chose to test whether Dubai's sunshine is better than Liepāja's wind — and now they regret it.

Entrepreneur Āris Ozoliņš and his wife have been sitting in Dubai since March 11th like hockey players in Liepāja's ice rink, waiting for someone to finally turn on the heating. Their AirBaltic flight was rescheduled to March 18th because, as it turns out, the Middle East region is slightly more restless than Karosta on a Saturday night.

"The situation there is normal," says Ozoliņš, apparently unaware that two drones crashed near the airport that very day. But honestly, after living in Liepāja, where the wind can knock over even a tram, two drones are no surprise to our brave entrepreneur.

Agris Pumpurs, director of Liepāja's tourism agency "AP SAULI," remarks ironically: "It's fun, as always." He explains that in the tourism industry, one crisis follows another — after COVID, the Ukraine war, now there's also the Middle East conflict. "It's logical, especially if the flight is planned with children," he notes, apparently thinking that children in Dubai can be just as restless as in Liepāja's ice rink when a hockey game drags on without a score.

While residents of the Persian Gulf states are counting explosions and fleeing from blasts, locals in Liepāja peacefully drink coffee on Roņu Street and rejoice in their choice of residence. "I only heard one explosion this morning — that was my neighbor trying to start his car in -20 degrees," says local resident Inese.