A-Ž of Latvia - Č

Č is for Čangaļi (Latgallians) and Čaks, Aleksandrs

Eastern Latvia (Latgale) to Latvia is like Tasmania to Australia. The rest of the country thinks it's full of simple, rude, country bumpkins who speak in a strange accent. Admittedly they do speak in a strange tongue (sometimes as hard to understand as Glaswegian is to anglophones), but they're certainly not simple and rude. Latgallians may seem a little backwards at first, but you'll soon discover they are a good people with enormous hearts, a strong sense of tradition, and piles of pride. Oh, and they're experts at having a good time (three day weddings, say no more).

This chrome-dome poet is a bit of a champion. When most Latvian word-smiths were writing their rural idylls, Čaks described urban scenes of trams, noise, pavements, and dripping faucets. Latvia's Baudelaire, sans lesbiennes.