Embark on an enriching journey to the North & Baltic Seas

The Baltic Sea has played a large role in shaping this region’s distinctive cuisine, which is marked by an abundance of seafood. Wild game, juniper berries and caraway seeds are other common ingredients. Sour cream is a popular accompaniment to many dishes. Here are four regional favorites that you might encounter during a journey through this captivating part of the world:

• Pelēkie Zirņi ar Speķi (Gray Peas with Bacon)—Latvia
  This surprisingly simple Latvian dish is a Christmastime staple. Cooked with bacon and onions, the peas achieve a nutty, comforting flavor. They may be served as a hearty side dish or on their own, with an accompanying glass of kefir.
• Cepelinai—Lithuania
  One of the most beloved dishes in Lithuanian cuisine, cepelinai are potato dumplings stuffed with minced meat, dry curd cheese, liver or mushrooms. They are often served with a rich, creamy sauce or sour cream.
• Kiluvõileib—Estonia
  This classic Estonian open-faced sandwich is made with rye bread, butter and pickled sprats, a small oily fish similar to sardines. It is sometimes topped with a poached or hard-boiled egg, green onions or fresh herbs.
• Bigos (Hunter’s Stew)—Poland
  Bigos is a satisfying, sauerkraut-based stew that is ideal on winter nights. Traditionally prepared with venison, boar or other wild game, this Polish favorite now often contains delectable bites of kielbasa sausage or pork.

The Gaelic (pronounced Gallic) language traveled from Ireland to Scotland more than 1,500 years ago. The two lands are separated at their nearest point by just 12 mi (19 km) of sea, so it is hardly surprising that, along with migrants and raiders, the Irish Gaelic language also reached Scotland. Scottish Gaelic is one of six Celtic languages that originated in the British Isles—the others being Irish Gaelic, Welsh, Cornish, Manx (spoken in the UK’s Isle of Man) and Breton (spoken in Brittany, France).

Although Scottish Gaelic, or Gàidhlig, developed from Irish Gaelic, it has a distinct dialect, vocabulary and alphabet. The Scottish Gaelic alphabet has 18 letters, and each is given the name of a tree or plant. For example, A is elm (ailm) and U is heather (ura). Vowels may also be written with a grave accent (or stràc) to denote a more prolonged, drawn-out sound.

During the 11th century, Gaelic was the main language spoken in Scotland, but over time, cultural, religious and population changes began to influence which languages were spoken. By the start of the 19th century, Gaelic was actively repressed. One factor that played an important part in the repression of Scottish Gaelic was the “Highland Clearances” of the 18th and 19th centuries, when many Scots were driven off their land. Poverty forced many to emigrate, taking their Gaelic language and culture with them. Canada, New Zealand and the US were popular destinations. Many places, like Nova Scotia, still have notable Gaelic-speaking populations.

By the end of the 19th century, English had been established as the primary language in Scotland, although citizens of the Highlands and the Outer Hebrides still proudly guarded their language. Today, around 55 percent of Scotland’s Gaelic speakers still live along the west coast in Skye, the Western Isles and Argyll Islands, which are now regarded as the “Gaelic heartland.” However, Gaelic-speaking communities still exist in most Scottish cities.

Scottish Gaelic is now recognized as an Indigenous language of Scotland, and it was made an official language of Scotland under the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act 2005. Many Gaelic words have found their way into English usage, such as loch and glen. Road signs can be seen in Gaelic throughout Scotland, and it is spoken widely on radio and TV channels.

The Hanseatic League (or Hansa, which means “fleet” or “convoy”) was an organization of merchant guilds and market towns in Northwestern and Central Europe that began in the late 1100s and grew to dominate Baltic trade for three centuries. The League was formalized in 1356 in the German city of Lübeck, in partnership with Hamburg, but it established trading centers from the Netherlands to Bergen and beyond.

Hansa members originally joined forces to facilitate trade and protect their mutual interests. In addition to achieving impressive financial success, the League had other far-reaching effects on society. For example, their organization represented one of the first systematic challenges to the absolute power of the nobility. Under the feudal system, the ruling class could impose taxes on other citizens, including merchants and artisans. Guilds became an effective means of resisting oppression and extortion by the upper class.

Some League members raised their own armies to help maintain order. Crime was rampant on the highways and seas, and the League’s forces provided much-needed protection against thieves and pirates.

The Hanseatic League also provided benefits for the community, such as developing infrastructure and establishing almshouses, hospitals, orphanages and old age homes. These charitable activities increased the League’s popularity within the general population. They also inclined the nobility to be more tolerant, since the nobles were then relieved of having to provide these services themselves. Guilds also offered consumer protections, for example, setting standards for quality, production and fair pricing.

By the 15th century, the Hanseatic League was on the wane, due to a “perfect storm” of challenges. The bubonic plague swept across Europe, killing nearly half the population and depleting the workforce. Climate change in the form of a “mini-Ice Age” caused widespread crop failure and depression. The rising Swedish Empire took control of Baltic sea routes, and internal rivalries caused the League to fracture. By 1862, the League was dissolved.

However, a new Hansa initiative began in 1980 and was formalized in 2018. Members include 192 European cities and towns, whose mission is to spread economic, social, cultural and civic unity.