Karvio Dvaras Vilnius

... a performance of traditional folk singers and dancers. One little girl was adorable - she kept fidgeting with her sash - tying and untying it. I didn't see her sing a note but she was cute.

Then the adults paired up and walked down the stairs to the cobbled square and danced. At one point they were spinning so fast that one woman's shoe flew off. She was a trooper and kept dancing. I'm sure the cobbles weren't very comfortable to dance on.

short and sweet today

jane

... to be more like Russia, and Estonia deals with the Scandinavian countries (Norway, Finland, and Sweden). I love this guy. He just keeps bringing up random stuff about Lithuania and it's so awesome. 10pm We stopped and had to change trains at the border of Poland and Lithuania (Sestokai). The Lithuanian train is so awesomely ghetto. I get on it with my two new friends and we chat it up some more. Then they get off my train to head to Kaunas ...

... was eating or on the computer, and would make choppy English conversation and giggle. Its so funny that the cleaning ladies here speak better English than reception! After a while, some Belarussians invited me in their room to drink some vodka. I didnt realize that they only way they drink it is straight! They were really friendly and the one named Antonio, was the designated translator. It was a good night but I woke up with a headache. I drank some tea with Antonios ...

... Vartų gatvė is still there today, with all those landmarks which make it what it is. First one in a row was the Basilian Gates, a nice looking and obviously refurbished archway leading into a less representative and still rather neglected Holy Trinity monastery complex. Of course, a massive restoration had begun even there and it was only a matter of time when the church too would stand side by side on equal footing with the gates. Certainly, there too Soviets had ...

... I might have expected, one couldn't go in. So for a while I lingered around, trying to shoot a good evening photo or two. When I decided that I'd done my best and whatever the result, I wouldn't do better than that, I swivelled on my heel and headed back to my room. As a matter of fact, I found the prospect of sleeping in a normal bed after three nights that were more along the lines of a boy-scout-camping accommodation than what you would expect from a regular hotel room quite enticing.

... your heart you saw as an enemy, in a war you couldn't care less about and for which you knew it was unjust. After all, whenever was any form of violence just? No wonder that after sixty years of such examples Lithuanians didn't necessarily consider Russians as their "dearest guests". Who would? As for "The Family Stone", it was another romantic comedy, i.e. another variation to the theme. Same as Cameron Diaz the day before, Sarah Jessica Parker today in my ...

... fortress, the intricate Gothic Church of St. Anne's, to name just a few, creates a postcard-perfect town. I found Vilnius Old Town undoubtedly the most charming part of the city. Quaint shops and cosy cafes set amongst a blend of intricate spires, domes and towers are some of the first images that come to my mind. I especially loved exploring the atmospheric lanes of the back streets, where you can absorb the true spirit of medieval Lithuania. I also ...

Having cleared five days in Europe's least-understood country, I'm now in the first of the Baltic nations. After a couple weeks in definitively post-Soviet territory, it's amazing how dramatic the change is too. All the redundant towns of bland concrete, drab low-rise neighborhoods and flat, collective farmland quickly vanished upon hitting the Lithuanian border. In their stead came miles of forest, attractive villages of rustic, wooden houses and reassuredly ...

... thinking about more food. sigh. If i come back fat you know why. Of course we did the usual touristy stuff in Vilnius. Visited the self-proclaimed independent Republic (much like the one in Copenhagen but not...), Applied Arts Museum, Hill of 3 Crosses, Gedimino Castle, Cathedrals ... I was going to do the KGB museum after Erica had left but ended up running out of time by chatting nonstop in the hostel. Finished off my travels ...

... 40 Do not fight back 41 Do not surrender Inspiring and mildly confusing words, I'm sure you'll agree. Other than walking about town, I took a couple of short trips out nearby. The first was to the castle at Trakai. Situated on a lake, it really is quite stunning, though the few hours preceeding my visit were strange (to say the least) and involved rather a lot of alcohol, so my memory of the place is a little cloudy. I do remember trying a traditional Lithuanian dish (which has ...