Most of all, I liked to watch through binoculars the neighbours in the house opposite. Kristina
Stairwells have their own rules and life, especially in the evenings. Linda
We often flooded the neighbor. The one with a flowery robe, who usually called her sons to lunch using vulgar language. Santa
Old and stupid neighbours, who were always angry. Stine
I walk barefoot in my home. When I moved from my private country house to a block of flats in Riga, I continued like that. Until my neighbour came upstairs and asked what I’m doing in my flat. He was constantly hearing thuds. I don’t live in that flat anymore, but I still wear slippers. Ieva
I like living in your own society because you lack this sense of community on a daily basis. Raimonds
Sometimes neighbours like to drill one song very loudly all day. And sometimes, they blow their smoke into my open window when smoking. Evija
If you have a good relationship with some of the neighbours, it makes life easier. You can borrow a cup of flour or ask to walk your dog in case of an emergency. Linda
I don't know how charming it is, but in the past, you could go to your neighbour for salt and ask him to walk your dog. Living together in a block of flats didn’t bother anyone before. Man is a creature that loves to cuddle! Ha-ha! Elena
On my 7th birthday, we, together with my guests, stepped over a drunkard in our stairwell. It was a usual thing. Anda
When I was around 7 years old, my neighbour had a fire in his flat. Someone burnt his door, maybe. I remember that evening was very peaceful with my granny. We both were knitting. And then someone rang the bell, and granny opened the door and screamed. There were huge flames—a crazy experience for me as a child. I shivered for a long after that. Mersedese
My neighbour noticed that her husband was coming home drunk. She took away his vodka bottle and smashed it against blocks. Atis
If you make friends with your neighbours, you could make a pretty decent community with a support system. If not in the whole building or yard, but definitely within your stairwell. Dita
I’m always fascinated by the thought that there are buildings, where people live so close to each other, but have no idea about each other. In my childhood, I thought that it was wonderful and scary at the same time because how do you not know a person who lives behind your wall?! Elina
You can catch a glimpse of action movies when being in the micro-districts of Riga at night and meeting the local contingent. Sabine
We used to find medical needles poked into the wallpapers of the staircases. It gave me jitters; Kārlis Seržants* could talk about something like that on TV. Gundega *Spokesperson in Latvian TV broadcast Degpunkts.
I regularly hear how the neighbour’s daughter Laura is doing her homework in primary school. And how their dad is putting her and her little sister to bed. Downstairs a senior couple. The old lady loves her husband very much as she’s pounding pork chops every other day. :) And diagonally, for some time, I thought that the young couple on weekend mornings liked to be especially sweet to each other. As it turns out, I heard how pigeons cooed from the attic through ventilation… Diana
Depressing. Monotonous. Also, the society, neighbors are socially distinct, usually socially foreign. Agita
Spicy feelings when I pass flat number three in the evening – the moonshiner’s door, and someone is going inside or coming outside. Diana
Almost every time you can greet someone. Even if you go on your balcony after 11 p.m. you can nod to somebody. Living alone is quite lonely. Neighbouring is important. Natalia
Grannies, who know where I am and what I do, although I have never talked to them. And my mum taught me to greet them since childhood. Maybe I felt the thrill when I was daydreaming and forgot to greet them. I felt their eyes on my back, so I turned over and compliantly greeted them. Baiba
