June 23rd, 2026: Midsummer Greetings

But, um, one thing that's very, very important is that, uh, when driving out into the countryside, um, on this day, uh, everyone knows that it can be quite dangerous, unfortunately, because, um, not, not so much on the 23rd when you're driving out to the countryside, but especially when you're driving back.

Um, unfortunately, one of the major traditions which, um, you know, the cul- cultures try to change around a bit, but, um, th- there is, there is massive amount of, uh, drinking that does happen on, um, Līgo and Jāņi, and that can result in obviously some very bad traffic, um, accidents.

And so please, please, please, please, if you are here in Latvia and you're driving out listening to this right now, um, you know, there, there's been all these public, uh, service campaigns trying to get people to, you know, stay the night, sleep through it.

Don't, don't drive, um, when you are intoxicated because that is obviously something that has very tragic consequences.

And, um- Yeah, so that's obviously something that's really important.

And also, if you are driving safely and carefully, you do have to watch out for other people.

So I'm always a little bit nervous when driving on the road out into the countryside.

We're going to a very beautiful place out kind of in the border of Ventspils and Tulsi regions.

And we're going to spend the night with some friends of ours there and their family.

But yeah, and that road is unfortunately, the Ventspils Highway, quite notorious for being pretty narrow in certain places and encouraging some fairly crazy driving.

So definitely, please everyone out there, drive as safely as possible.

But another thing, another story, which unfortunately is something we hear every year, and this year it's back in full force, is to be very, very, very careful in Latvia's beautiful lakes and rivers when you are swimming.

Unfortunately, in the last four days, there have been four drownings.

And that's something that obviously is made even worse when people drink as well.

That's something that the State Fire Rescue Service has put out a warning for.

So please everyone, again, I don't want to sound like your dad, but please be careful when you are out.

And we don't want to lose any listeners that way, certainly, let's just say.

So be careful, please.