Mid-June usually turns the main Latvian resort into a bustling anthill. However, this time Jurmala greeted the summer with an unusual, almost ringing emptiness.
A video posted on social media, filmed on Thursday around nine o'clock in the evening, instantly sparked a wave of debate. The footage shows that the streets of the city are practically deserted. And this is happening in excellent warm weather, when the season is officially open.
The author of the video could not resist sarcasm and suggested raising the fee for a visit to the city to ten euros. Then, according to him, even local businessmen would not break through here.
Most commentators immediately linked such a lull to the sharp rise in the cost of passes. Residents of Riga are increasingly choosing local free alternatives. Why pay more when you can sunbathe in Kipsala, Lucavsala, or go to Vecaki?
"In Lithuania's Klaipeda, Palanga, wherever you look, there are plenty of people, all the restaurants and pubs are packed! Latvia, as usual, stands out for its stupidity and astronomical prices for everything," people wrote.
In addition to the cost of the road, bills in local eateries also hit the wallet. Passersby are deterred by the Jurmala menu. As a result, even on a good weekday evening, once-popular promenades look abandoned compared to previous years.
It's too early to write off this summer. It's important to remember that the majority of guests arrive here on weekends or during major concerts.
