Lithuania: Reflections and Practicalities
Trip Start
Aug 31, 2007
1
19
90
Trip End
Apr 19, 2008
Nida,
Lithuania
Thursday, September 20, 2007
have spunk, attitude, and love life. I'll always remember the
celebrations after their basketball victories. The country itself is
lovely and I feel offers more to see than Estonia or Latvia. Vilnius'
architecture kept me occupied for several days and the Curonian Spit
was a beautiful break from the city. That said, the women of Vilnius
dress well enough to make any girl feel ugly. More designer stores than
I've seen outside of New York and London. Lithuania also has good food.
I happen to love potatoes and Cili Pica, the local pizza chain,
provided me with several tasty, cheap dinners. What more could you ask
for?
Practicalities: Like the other Baltic countries. Tourist signs are in
English and the locals are more friendly and helpful. The water's
tasty, even in Vilnius, and the buses are good. As in Estonia, trains
are achingly slow. The bus station in Panevezys charges 1 Lt for the
bathroom. The one in Siauliai is free, and there's even toilet paper
(!!). The second language of the spit is German, not English.
Absolutely no issues were had travelling as a solo woman. Accommodation
was $20-30 a night (more during high season on the spit) and hostels in
Vilnius were cheaper, though not as competitive as in Riga. Food is
cheaper than Latvia and if you stick to potatoes, dinner comes to $5.
My last night, I went all out and had beer, an appetizer, entree, and
dessert. The bill came to $13.
