Metropolis Kaunas

WELL WHAT CAN I SAY THIS OPENS YOUR EYES SLIGHTLY,
THERE I GO , WELL FIRSTLY VERY WARM PEOPLE, FELT LIKE A KING ALL OF ELINAS FAMILY, MADE ME FEEL VERY WELCOME,
KLAIPED'A IS WHERE WE STAYED EVERYBODY LIVES IN APARTMENTS WELL THAT'S THE WAY IT SEEMED, VERY FEW HOUSES. FANTASTIC BEACHES YES THAT'S RIGHT WHITE SANDS , BIT COLD WHEN I ...

So, nachdem wir dann aus Trakai wieder weg fahren sind wir durch die REgenfluten nach Kaunas gefahren. Tomas hat dann abgecheckt wo wer hingeht und dann sind wir durch die Kaunasser Innenstadt spaziert.
Zur Zeit ist Vilnius zusammen mit Wien Kulturhauptstadt Europas. Aus diesem Grund sind Unsummen nach Vilnius geflossen, nicht ganz neidlos an Kaunas vorbei. Daher hat das studentische Kaunas ihr eigenes Kulturfestival organisiert und ...

... him. A small something to cuddle at night, when I'm missing him.

Laura, very kindly, let me spend half of Monday uploading photos - which takes forever. Meanwhile, the kids amused themselves by asking Grandmother for a peach, then cracking up because she gave them a tomato instead.

It was a lovely, much needed, chill day.

... motioned that I could follow her car back to the right road. I was very grateful. We had to go back into Alytus, but then I was on my way again.

The remaining journey was uneventful, and we got to Kaunus airport about 5 minutes after Nick came through what amounts for customs. Incidentally, I haven't had my passport checked since I got off the boat in Holland. The borders are truly porous.

The kids were thrilled to see their Dad after a week of separation.

... but a few chickens, we agreed by walkie talkie that we were pretty lost. Enter Russian speaking Rob Duke who with the help of a stick, a mud drawing of the local area and a cocky swagger (from the cowboy boots) managed to direct us back to a main road. Then after nearly 2.5 hrs of driving in the Polish countryside and some very severe hangovers, we arrived back the same main road we ...

... was fully booked. However, one of the two girls working there told me I could have a private accommodation if I wanted it. As I am not someone who spends much time where I sleep anyway, I deemed it a waste of money to splurge on a luxury I wouldn't use. Private accommodation in Kaunas seemed a good and cheap option for me. "No problem," I said. Thereupon she took to the phone and started dialling some numbers. I think the other one hardly knew English at all. I was sitting ...

... looks like it was fitted out in the 80s by the Soviets. I am guessing that is exactly what happened. All the decorations are so bad and the homeless people are numerous. I had been craving a kebab since I left Berlin and I saw a shop to which I was moth to the flame. I went there while negotiating requests from smelly homeless people in many languages. The bums in Europe are the most multilingual people you will find - they can probably ask for ...

Lithuania 28.6.06 Krysiu Kalnas - Hill of Crosses As we left the caravan park in Latvia, we decided we would spend the last of Lynn's Lat's at the local large shopping center. Unfortunately, spin us around 3 times and we loose our sense of direction, we ended up walking around the whole complex with our heavy bags of groceries. We were sure the boys moved the cars! The stork nests in Lithuania are gargantuan, a huge feat ...

Friday 12th of May 2006 Kaunas. I had a choice of trains but as I was awake early I went for the 07:45 train to Kaunas. I could have gone by bus, which run more frequently and are faster but there is something so much nicer about travelling by train. However I may have seen more by bus as I every time I looked up from my book there were more trees. We seemed to stop at every time place. Just a few houses and there was a platform. At times ...

... We also visited an airplane museum (the history of Lithuanian air travel in 15 minutes...I have never visited a museum in such a short time) and afterwards Regita made us a wonderful meal : cold beetroot soup with potatoes. And then off to bed : why is it that Ingrid can always sleep with our female hosts, but I have to sleep on the floor ? :-(