Recently I got yelled at by a stranger (middle-aged man) when I was eating pizza, which I purchased at a cheap restaurant (and chose take-away), sitting on a bench in Riga. He just said something to me while he was passing in front of me, which I ignored since I didn't understand Latvian or Russian, but then in a few seconds he looked back and said something to me again.
It was clear that he was telling me something about my pizza, given his gesture (he used a hand gesture of eating pizza). He didn't stop walking and simply said something to me while walking. I feel he was not in a positive tone.
So I wonder if it is considered bad manners to eat in public places in Latvia, such as on a bench or in a park.
I found one interesting answer on Quora, to a question titled "What are some cultural taboos in Latvia?":
- Another cultural taboo is being disrespectful to food. If you throw around pieces of bread and stuff while eating, expect to be scolded by a concerned Latvian.
Is it socially acceptable or considered inappropriate to eat pizza in public places in Latvia?
