Europa City Vilnius

... dass ist wie eine gnadenlose Strafe für mich... Ich muss immer schwarzen Kaffee trinken, die verstehen nicht, wenn ich mit Milch sage. Ich mache alles richtig, wie es in der Karte steht. Aber anscheindend gibts für Kaffee mit Milch und Zucker einen Geheimcode oder das ist eine Form von Rassismus. Außländer müssen schwarz trinken. Lieber also keinen Toast bestellen.... ;) Tja, aber oh Wunder die verwöhnte Deutsche stellt fest: Auch mit Blasen an ...

... Tower - The Castle was mentioned for the first time in 1323. Reconstructed in the 19th century. - Monument to Mindaugas - The first Grand Duke of Lithuania was the first and only King. - Presidential Palace - Town Hall Square - Churches and more churches In the evening i went up with some other ppl and went to a few different resturants and bars here in Old Town. I think i got back at 2:30am that night...

... of yet another thing which only confirmed my answer given in the street earlier on what I thought about Lithuanians. But once we had a seat and started talking, Mr Vilimas was much friendlier. He even told me he had friends in Croatia and thereby steered our conversation into less formal waters. It turned out the footage had not been edited yet. "I was on a vacation," he explained. "I've just started working on some things which have been waiting for me." I was hoping to get hold of the ...

... or buffet table from four or five star hotels in a budget accommodation. That much for the realistic part. And positive one was the fact that I didn't need to climb several storeys down in order to haul myself to some restaurant for breakfast. After exhausting days so far, this morning I felt like a diesel lorry. All stiff and rather drowsy, I knew I'd have to take time to warm up and for the cog-wheels of my engine to start spinning smoothly. So it suited me very fine to have ...

... here? Lukiskių aikstė too saw its share of history, executions and destruction. According to good old Soviet custom, it too once bore the name of Lenin square with a huge Vladimir Ilyich monument. However, that statue got the boot in 1991 and would've certainly been consigned to a dump-site somewhere, or molten into a liquid metal, had someone not come up with an idea to open up a quirky theme park with relics from the communist past on a locality in southern Lithuania. So ...

... jester, too. As well as tourists who had photos taken with knights, ladies and fools. Each one according to their own choice. Grand Duke's palace is entered by way of a drawbridge over a deep moat from the bailey. There one could see Grand Ducal quarters, some private chambers, a ground floor exhibition of coins from the 16th to the 17th century found in Trakai and a copy of the "The Battle of Þalgiris" painting. Among other things, of course. This Battle of Þalgiris, i.e. Battle of ...

... if only briefly) into other countries' cultures and way of life. So, I'm back on trains again, but have to make a stop at the border to switch to a train that will tke me to Warsaw, where I will stay overnight as it arrives late and there is no connection to Krakow until morning. I had a friend in primary and secondary school called George Pegasus, who came from Estonia or Latvia (I can't remember which), so I've known about these places since I was 5 years old, and finally I've been there.

... empty, and it being a Monday find few takers for a night out to sample any bars beyond 50 yards from the hostel. So although I can give you a run down of where to go during the day apart from the hostel kitchen I am at a lost for recommendations at night. Had thoroughly enjoyed this laid back little city and feel like I am starting to get the hang of this backpacking lark, my plans are to strike out for the coast with Aussie Mark and take it from there.

... going to host me. We go at her place, I drop my stuff, have a shower, grab my camera and set off back to the center. Alone this time as Marija goes out to meet up with some mates of hers. I don't know if it's because that's kind of the first city of the trip I really get to know but Vilnius gives me a great impression. It's gorgeous! Moreover, everything is net, it looks quite rich, has impressive cars. I was not expecting this ...

I am sitting in a 4-story attached house in the suburbs of Lithuania. Its a huge house, compared with the large Soviet-style apartment blocks that surround these suburbs. Think the suburbs are the same as the US? Think again. Imagine large, unpaved lots for parking, towering 10-story block apartment buildings, electricity pylons and absolutely no trees or other landscaping. These burbs are purely functional, with buildings being built ...