Historical archives reveal: In 1995, Liepāja had one parapsychologist but 50 fare dodgers

Opening archival pages from 1995, we had to admit — back then Liepāja had just as strange things happening as today, just with fewer internet comments. While people in Riga were learning to use their first mobile phones, in our city rabbits were already mastering the basics of economics, and a parapsychologist from Novosibirsk was teaching people to walk on glowing coals.

Tram director Konstantīnovs announced at the time that fare dodging fines would increase to 50 santīms for students and one and a half lats for adults. Today, when a tram ticket costs twice as much but wages have only increased by a third, those times seem like a golden age. One of the fare dodgers fined back then, now entrepreneur Gunārs, recalls: "One and a half lats was serious money! You could buy half a kilogram of candy or two ice cream portions at Pludmale by the sea. Now you get nothing else for a tram ticket."

At the Metallurgists' Cultural Palace, a trio of night owls had set up their base with a TV and alcoholic beverages. When they were caught, one tried to escape through a window but fell right into police hands. This episode proves that even in 1995, Liepāja's criminals were just as professional as today — that is, not very.

Most attention-grabbing is the story of parapsychologist Sosedkov, who claimed his abilities developed thanks to poisonous mushrooms he was fed by some sorcerer in childhood. Today such a story would be considered problematic content on social media, but back then it seemed like an attractive business plan. Local café owner Ingrīda comments: "Well, we do have the Baltic Sea — full of wind and cold even in summer. If a person can learn to walk on coals, then they can definitely withstand the beach during an October storm."