Liepāja Residents' Guide to Friday Evenings: How to Stay Busy Between Work and Wallowing

Ah, so now we're writing instructions on how to spend Friday evenings? Well fine, if 67,000 Liepāja residents haven't managed to figure out what to do in their hometown, then let's help them out.

First, about this "quiet game night without excessive fuss" — does anyone really think Liepāja folks sit at home playing online casino? "Oh, Gundega, come play roulette so the evening won't be wasted!" Instead, local residents, as Pēteris from Vecliepāja tells us: "We just go to the neighbors for potatoes and talk about how badly people live in Riga."

Seaside Park and the beach are classic options, of course. But why write about how "the wind gives your thoughts a break"? Our wind doesn't give breaks — it puts on a full show! While Riga residents pay money for SPA treatments, we get free facial massages every day. And that bit about the North Pier — "dress warmer" — well yes, because Liepāja only has two seasons: windy and very windy.

Cafés for conversations? Please! But why look for places "where the music doesn't force you to talk louder" when you can simply go to any café downtown and enjoy the fact that nobody's rushing anywhere here? As Inese from Karosta says: "In Riga cafés, people sit for 15 minutes and already check their watches. Here you can sit for three hours and nobody will even notice."

And that about "thermal mugs and thin scarves" — colleague, this is Liepāja! We're born with built-in wind resistance. But sure, tourists might find these tips useful. Just don't forget the main thing — a peaceful Friday evening in Liepāja is any evening when you don't drive to Riga.