The first recorded use
of the word Baltic was by 11th century German chronicler Adamus
Bremen, who, writing in Latin, referred to
Mare Balticum, the Baltic Sea. One version is that he got the
term from the Danish word for belt, bælte—as in the
belt-like shape of the sea itself.
The countries of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, bordering on
the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea, was formed in 1918, they
remained
independent republics until their involuntary incorporation in
1940 into the USSR. They regained their independence in Sept. 1991.
Estonians
have been living in this tiny portion of the Baltic lands since
approximately 2,500 B.C., making them the longest settled
of the European peoples. Due to Estonia’s strategic location
as a link between East and West, it has been highly coveted through
the ages by rapacious kings and conquerors.
Latvia is one of Europe's
great "get-away-from-it-all" discoveries.
In whichever direction you strike out from Riga, the capital, you
will rapidly discover new facets of the country. Head north east
and within an hour you're at the medieval town of Sigulda, a base
for exploring the Gauja National Park, with a castle, hotels, restaurants
and a host of sporting activities.
Traditional Lithuanian folk architecture constitutes a unique
part of north-eastern European folk architecture. Not only did
it influence
architecture in other territories populated by Lithuanians such
as Lithuania Minor, West Belarus and north-eastern Poland, but
it also shares many common features with Latvian, Western Belorussian
and Polish (Mazovian) folk architecture.
