Travel Notes from Musician Ingūna Grīnberga: Her Trip to 122 Countries and Meeting Music Legends

According to the magazine “Kas Jans”, musician Ingūna Grīnberga, the ex-wife of former Prime Minister Einar Repše, has traveled to 122 countries of the world and gained extremely rich experience. Ingūna has been a member of the World Latvian Vagrant Brotherhood from the very beginning.

Ingūna recently returned to Latvia from Arab countries – the United Arab Emirates and Oman, where she spent two weeks. The golden brown tan she got in Dubai and Abu Dhabi reminds of the trip. “In Dubai, I felt as if I had traveled 500 years into the distant future. With different eyes, I saw the embodiment of the laws of the Arab land in life, that everything is in order for them, there is harmony and purity. I was dazzled by that gold and glitter, its wealth. And I was interested.”

Traditions must be respected

“I have a lot of respect for their traditions. That’s why I wore the long black hijab typical of Muslim women during the trip. Oman is very close to me, because seven years ago I lived in this Arab country for one month, where I also bought a burqa and a hijab. It should also be said that Dubai is not so strict because there are a lot of tourists here. However, Oman has much stricter rules and it’s nice to respect them. But a woman in a burqa also becomes mysterious…” Ingūna Grīnberga shares her travel notes in a conversation with “Kas Jauns”, advising other ladies to think about it and not to expose their body too much when going to Arab countries.

Ingûn in Arab countries choose to cover herself with hijab and burqa. (Photo: from private archive)

During this trip, Ingūna also ended up in the Indian Ocean. “The water was so clean and clear that you could swim with the fishes. The sunlit mountains created a divine feeling – it seemed that there is still something pure in the world and we are not going to the end yet.”

Ingūna says that she would not be able to lie idle on the beach or by the pool all the time during the trip, she likes to walk and get to know the place she has arrived at. “Wherever I can, I go on foot, climb mountains or enter the desert. I talked to the locals. I go alone on these trips. If I get lost, I don’t use any navigation or map, I ask local people how to get back to the hotel,” she adds.

Meets Clapton and Wonder in Los Angeles

And in September, the musician was in Los Angeles for two weeks. “I had the opportunity to participate in the guitar festival organized by Eric Clapton, where the world’s most famous bands and various styles of guitar playing were represented. It so happened that I got to the ranks of the concert organizers, I was able to shake Eric Clapton’s hand, talk a little and tell him that I am from Latvia. I also met Stevie Wonder and the group “Santana” here. This was definitely my most valuable and important trip this year,” says Ingūna Grīnberga.

At the event organized by Ingoon musician Eric Clapton. (Photo: from private archive)

Madara Repše’s photo exhibition “Colorful World”