As with most of our travel "plans", we're never really sure exactly where we are going to go next. This was the case after Poland. Head west into different parts of Germany perhaps? Head further north into the Baltics? We decided to go with the latter. We didn't get a Russian visa before we left, so that was off the agenda (and I'm not sure I want to support they're doing in the Ukraine anyway! Uh oh! Politics!).
Our first stop would be Vilnius, Lithuania. We rented a room in the residence of the University, a building that was obviously built during the Soviet Union years. The elevator had Russian language buttons and they were the old school style radio buttons you'd find on the radio a 1973 Datsun (... or whatever 60's / 70's era car fits your imagination). Most of the buildings outside the historic old city seem to have this feel. All very "square" and gray and all the same. Something they want to change, but that'll take some time.
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| Floor number 8 please... Clunk! |
Although the weather didn't want to cooperate with us we did our best to explore the old city to see what Vilnius was about. Vilnius has a nice old city that is sort of rough around the edges, which adds some authenticity to it for sure. There's also an old castle on a hill that we had to explore. After all, what's a European city without a castle on a hill!
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| Gates of Dawn, at the entrance to the old city. |
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| Why not have a game of badminton in the middle of the street on a rainy Sunday? The main street was closed for the day and set up with different activities. The rain kept many away, but not us! |
We've discovered that Lithuania definitely tries to embrace its quirky side a bit. Although they are happily independent and were reluctantly part of the Soviet Union, there are many buildings and bars here that make light of the former occupants and display remnants of the past related to Soviet occupation. On that note, since it was Canada Day when we were here I wanted to learn something about Canadian-Lithuanian relations. It turns out we get along quite well. Canada never actually recognized Soviet occupied Lithuania and always considered it to be a soverign state. Yay Canada!
Another great example of this
quirkyness is the statue dedicated to Frank Zappa. "What does Frank Zappa have to do with Lithuania?" You say? Nothing....absolutely nothing!...however, in an attempt to "test" the waters of their newfound democracy after the fall of communism in 1989, the Lithuanian president of the Frank Zappa fan club decided he'd lobby the new government to errect a statute to honor the recently deceased musician. As long as they didn't have to pay for it, the government agreed! And there you have it... Let's take down statues of Lennin and put one up of an eccentric rock star! A story so strange I think Frank Zappa himself could appreciate.
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| Frank Zappa bust. |
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| Former KGB headquarters in Lithuania |
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| Names of victims in the foundation bricks of the former KGB headquarters. Many were tortured and killed in the basement of this building for crimes against the state. |
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| Castle on a hill anyone?! |
I'm glad we decided to head North. We are enjoying the culture here very much, and it's a part of the world I didn't think we'd see.
