Give me the facts, please, not the myths

great article, spot on! Thanks!

GK, who cares what the Latvian State Language Inspectorate think about this? They are a waste of money, and they are losing their battle. Relax about your language and then maybe people will like it more. Un…..lūdzu runājiet angliski, Eiropas Savienības valodā. Būtu pieklājīgāki šajā blogā! Ceru ka Valsts valodas inspekcija nelasīs šo komentāru …..oh no….scary:)

Ms Darling like to talk! Bla bla bla... It would be more interesting to change a topic about pissing to something more actual. For example about too expensive hotels and restaurants in Riga. Riga is not only city for tourists but also for people who live here, so prices are too exaggerated.

well, yes, me as a local inhabitant i have noticed that in the most popular places of tourisms there is going a great ripp-off around. It is not normal, that one can not walk through the old city without being given some free-sex cupons etc. Though these are marketing methods and cannot be regulated by opression. The only thing you can do - use cabs that are under some (preferably - well known) firm, take a cheque (calculate the tax - getting in+Ls per Km) and sue them in "patērētāju aizsardzības biedrība" for ripping-off. Good precedents will teach them well as they have started doing this to local inhabitants as well, it is some kind of russian rulet if you will or will not get a normal cab-driver. You must warn him that you`ll need a cheque..

Man, dont' you have any powers of observation at all? The autor has not mentioned the particular activity even once, it is the commentators' focus. And his concern about the tourists from his country, both their behaviour and the treatment they get, is more than appropriate.

have something more interesting to write about than pissing? Your the British ambassador? Get real!

Valsts valodas inspekcija domā to pašu, kad komentāros sarakstīts "Niški, naški, paruski!"

Thanks for the numbers. Clear enough for everyone here :) Honestly, I think that this myth about naughty Brits is just a result of too attentive mass media coverage on that one (or may be two) cases when someone did really pee on the moment. Power of media, nothing else. Those who disagree: how do you explain the confrontation of numbers with your own impressions (that Brits pee everywhere & etc)?

It's an important debate and I appreciate your views. I recognise there are many societal factors at work, not least growing alcohol consumption among young women and the peculiar activity of bingeing (a serious British concern which the government in London is again trying to address given recent depressing statistics). I don't dispute these phenomena nor the disgusting behaviour to which they give rise. The myth to which I refer is that it is largely Brits who get apprehended for behaviour in Riga. According to data from the Latvian police, in the 5 months in 2007 for which statistics exists, the total number of foreigners apprehended (and subject to on-the-spot fines or, in a few cases, detained) for civil offences was 336, out of whom 72 were UK nationals. In 2008 the total number of foreigners was 561, out of whom 54 were Brits.

1) To Serena: The ambassador wasn't talking about the things you listed as a myth, he was saying that it is a myth that all of those who are peeing on the walls are British. 2) It remains true in Old Riga that places for proper urination are very few and very far between if you don't want to go into one of those bars where "champagne" costs Ls 250. 3) The tendency of some of our city's lovely residents to equate "foreigner" and "easy pickings" is disgraceful, and although there is no excuse for peeing on the Freedom Monument, the fact is that our own society has much to answer for in relation to what happens in Old Riga and on the way to and from the airport than the Brits do.

I know...

I continue.... Do you actually know a Latvian/Russian family that has not an alcohol-sick person in it?

But is it just Brits peeing in the streets? No, also Latvians, Russians, Belgians, French! It's not about nationality, but the (beer) pressure!!!! Why the monument? I don't think they realized that they pee on a monument :) And read the numbers! How many Brits pee-ed (?) on it? Three out of 85 000? You noticed that because the press wrote about this! And then, Serena, please.... Brits have their weird stuff, but come on: look at the Latvians, the massive alkoholiku nation! That's something! It's not just drinking to much on Friday night, it's being dependent, sick and ruining lives of everyperson around. Do you actually know a Latvian/Russian family th

Ko par šo visu domā Valsts valodas inspekcija?

hm, people just needing a place to pee and not able to find one probably would use the park just next to the monument, methinks. people peeing on the monument are making a statement. it's not only the brits who do it, though, some latvians have done the same. agreed, there are not enough clean public washrooms for free in riga, just like in very many other european capitals. any truly civilized nation would provide free, clean toilets to its citizens and guests alike, and a very few do. as for classifying people, i've yet to meet a nation that does not do this, on average. i guess, it's not the classifying as such, it's what we do with it that matters.