Comments on: A Tale of Two Cities http://allaboutlatvia.com/article/565/a-tale-of-two-cities/ Serpentine Percipience Fri, 19 Mar 2010 08:32:54 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Aleks http://allaboutlatvia.com/article/565/a-tale-of-two-cities/comment-page-1/#comment-2037 Aleks Wed, 13 Aug 2008 09:46:39 +0000 http://allaboutlatvia.com/?p=565#comment-2037 Latvia and Estonia have to thank British Colonel S. G. Tallents, whom I mention in the article, for establishing the Latvian-Estonian border in 1920. Apparently, the two countries couldn't agree who should have Valka and two islands. Tallents was so frustrated that he just drew a line through the town, which is how the Valka-Vlaga border came about. The border commission itself was dissolved only in 1927. Latvia and Estonia have to thank British Colonel S. G. Tallents, whom I mention in the article, for establishing the Latvian-Estonian border in 1920. Apparently, the two countries couldn’t agree who should have Valka and two islands. Tallents was so frustrated that he just drew a line through the town, which is how the Valka-Vlaga border came about. The border commission itself was dissolved only in 1927.

]]> By: Mark http://allaboutlatvia.com/article/565/a-tale-of-two-cities/comment-page-1/#comment-2036 Mark Wed, 13 Aug 2008 08:59:12 +0000 http://allaboutlatvia.com/?p=565#comment-2036 Interesting. Anybody knows how the border between Latvia and Estonia was established? Solely based upon ethnicity/language? 'Cause as far as I know, the border never existed before 1918. Interesting.
Anybody knows how the border between Latvia and Estonia was established?
Solely based upon ethnicity/language?
‘Cause as far as I know, the border never existed before 1918.

]]> By: Irena http://allaboutlatvia.com/article/565/a-tale-of-two-cities/comment-page-1/#comment-1112 Irena Sun, 16 Dec 2007 07:18:57 +0000 http://allaboutlatvia.com/?p=565#comment-1112 <p>I enjoyed reading this about ‘no Rigas iet vilciens uz Valku’...that’s a Latvian song, <span class="caps">BTW</span>. It’s where my cousin and his wife reside. I was there very briefly, probably in ‘90’ visiting for a mere few hours. So, I didn’t get to see much of the city, other than all the apple orchards growing in their backyard. We were going to chance it and cross the border into Estonia, but decided against it—probably a wise decision. Maybe some day in the future again.</p> <p>In the meantime, thanks for the virtual tour!</p> <p>Irena</p> I enjoyed reading this about ‘no Rigas iet vilciens uz Valku’…that’s a Latvian song, BTW. It’s where my cousin and his wife reside. I was there very briefly, probably in ‘90’ visiting for a mere few hours. So, I didn’t get to see much of the city, other than all the apple orchards growing in their backyard. We were going to chance it and cross the border into Estonia, but decided against it—probably a wise decision. Maybe some day in the future again.

In the meantime, thanks for the virtual tour!

Irena

]]> By: Jens-Olaf http://allaboutlatvia.com/article/565/a-tale-of-two-cities/comment-page-1/#comment-1111 Jens-Olaf Mon, 10 Dec 2007 07:02:06 +0000 http://allaboutlatvia.com/?p=565#comment-1111 <p>It depends on the people you meet in Valka. For me it is a very special place, visiting in 1991 already. Criss crossed the border between the two cities then. They know each other in Valka so it seems, and people stayed. Recently I’ve got to know the family which is running a saw mill there. Raised as childrens by their poor mother. Now they are sharing the managment of a successfull plant. They dont’t earn regular income. They just take the money they need for living. And it works. One of the most strange stories about running a company. And the friend who inroducied me to them has a relative who came from Serbia to Latvia due the <span class="caps">WWII</span>. But this is another story. And one of the last Latvians I have seen there recently was Lesalnieks, one of the best young off road drivers in Latvia. Another story would be about Elk hunting… .</p> It depends on the people you meet in Valka. For me it is a very special place, visiting in 1991 already. Criss crossed the border between the two cities then. They know each other in Valka so it seems, and people stayed. Recently I’ve got to know the family which is running a saw mill there. Raised as childrens by their poor mother. Now they are sharing the managment of a successfull plant. They dont’t earn regular income. They just take the money they need for living. And it works. One of the most strange stories about running a company. And the friend who inroducied me to them has a relative who came from Serbia to Latvia due the WWII. But this is another story. And one of the last Latvians I have seen there recently was Lesalnieks, one of the best young off road drivers in Latvia. Another story would be about Elk hunting… .

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