VILNIUS

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As soon as we crossed the border (which does not involve stopping) it started to rain. The rain became progressively heavier as we approached the city. CS had booked to alight the bus at a place called 'Panorama'; a big shopping complex on the north side of the river Neris which had seemed the closest spot to our destination hotel. There was no shelter there so the bus driver suggested we stay on board until we reached the Bus Station. Ultimately both stops were about the same distance from our hotel but the driver kindly procured a taxi for us virtually as soon as the bus arrived at its terminus, and we were undercover, which was welcome because by then it was teeming. A smiley driver who spoke virtually no English managed to communicate that he could not take a credit card but he would find us an ATM, which he did. The traffic was very heavy at that time in the late afternoon and the narrow streets and heavy rain made progress difficult. We arrived safely at our hotel glad to be reasonably dry. Unfortunately everything was not going to be beer and skittles. No sooner had we approached the desk than we were told our booking for that hotel could not be met because they were renovating and had fewer rooms than at the time our booking was made. This came as a bit of a shock but it was soon explained that they had booked another comparable hotel for us, possibly in an even better location and they would arrange and pay for the cab to get us there. We feel it is a bit of a pity they did not communicate that information earlier but in any event we arrived at Neringa hotel unscathed and it proved very comfortable. We can't say if we missed out on anything with the change, but we don't think we did.



It was quite late and still very wet outside so we dined in the hotel restaurant. We chose Lithuanian dumplings to share and found them very tasty, but they are about the size of a goose egg and thick with the potato covering around the mince meat filling so we were glad to start with only one each. The dough is quite sticky and reminded CS of Vanuatu's national dish - Lap Lap.



We were fully primed to having to trudge through the rain as we explored this city next day but we were pleasantly surprised. Bright sun and crystal sparkling blue sky greeted up as we ventured out on our first sortie of Vilnius. This is a beautiful town. The Old Town is bordered to the north and the east by the Neris and Vilnia Rivers respectively. Our hotel is located towards the northern part, in Gedimino Street about three blocks south of the Neris. We strode down our street which is clean and beautifully paved and carried surprisingly light traffic, to the Cathedral Basilica and Square. Here, after PP successfully took a photo of CS to show the enormous scale of the Cathedral portico, we walked around to the north-east, past some imposing buildings and monuments, to the Arsenal and ultimately up a steep incline to Gedimino kalnas, otherwise known as the castle tower. Stunning views all around including a view across to the adjoining hill where the sculpture of three crosses, memorial to seven murdered martyred monks, sits high and alone. The tower contains some limited museum pieces which are interesting and informative including 3D mock-ups of how the area looked through the ages. It is clear from those that there is very little of the whole complex left now.



Another moving exhibit is the tribute to 'Baltic Way': that extraordinary event in 1989 when peoples from these three Baltic nations arranged a human chain by linking hands over 200 kilometres long from Tallinn through Riga and to this very spot in Vilnius, to highlight their hunger for and right to freedom after so long under the Soviet yoke. CS need not be ashamed that brought tears to her eyes, both when it happened, and again on this spot.



Down the hill again, via a short by-way for PP to check out the 'getaway tunnel' which turned out to be a nook for a pond. Back into developed areas we strolled past St Anne's Church, numerous other churches and St Casimir Jesuit Church.



Lithuania as we know it has had a long and often sad history. For a period it ceased to exist as a political entity all together. The Baltic states as a whole tend to be at the cross-roads of human movements and those places often experience the most amazing upheavals (who does not think of Afghanistan in that context?). The blurb CS collected at Casimir after looking carefully at the building inside and out, seems to epitomise the past fate of the local people and their faiths in a stark way. The Church was first constructed in 1604 by the Jesuits. It was consecrated in 1635 and burned down twenty years later when the Russian army rode in. It was rebuilt and twice again destroyed by fire in 1709 and 1749. From 1749-1755 it was reconstructed. The Jesuits were suppressed in 1773 and the church given to the Augustinians. In 1812 Napoleon's troops turned it into a granary. In 1839 the Russians made it the Orthodox, St Michael's. Its steeples were lowered and the cupola was covered with onion domes. In 1915 the German army turned it into a Lutheran house of worship for the troops. In 1917 it returned to the Catholics, in 1919 to the Jesuits. In 1942 the crown on the cupola was restored. In 1949 the Soviets closed the Church and its altars, organ and bells were destroyed. In 1963 it was turned into a museum of atheism. It returned to the Catholics in 1988, was reconsecrated in 1991 and is Jesuit again.



After that salutary lesson in human foibles we proceeded south to the Dawn Gate. We passed the Town Hall Square and the now Ukrainian Church, the grounds of which have become a hotel notwithstanding that they still hold services in the church.



There are an extraordinary number of churches in the relatively small enclave of Old Town. We saw many of them and marvelled at their different architectural styles and states of repair.



We came to the 'bottom' of old town when we reached the Dawn Gate. This too houses a church and in a small alcove above the street a large gilded icon of the Virgin Mary which attracts many worshippers (and tourists). It is hardly big enough to hold one of these groups of visitors let alone both but most of the latter seemed to respect the rights of the

former, at least while we were there.



We had determined to try one of the five longest existing, authentically Lithuanian restaurants in town for dinner. As we were at the end of town where the one we favoured is located and we were some distance from our hotel we decided on a relatively early repast. We were not disappointed by our choice. Medininkai has a wonderful enclosed courtyard where we enjoyed Lithuanian fare and chatted to the waiter who had an interest in flying (conversation with PP was not therefore, difficult). A relaxing stroll back to the hotel along different streets and lanes ended our first most delightful day in Vilnius.



We continued to be lucky with the weather. Our stay in Vilnius was to be somewhat shorter than in the other three cities we visited after Russia because of our late arrival and very early departure. We wanted to make the most of the opportunity. This time we headed through the middle of old town towards an area on the other side of the Vilnia River, called Uzupis. CS had read that this little area was populated by hippies and those of a bohemian bent who sought at some stage to secede and had drafted their own Constitution. Apparently if one visits on 1st April they will stamp your passport! Quite a giggle, we thought.



Crossing the river into this area we spotted a charming little cafe - restaurant with a deck hanging out over the water - potentially a spot for refreshment later in the day? CS also spotted an odd sculpture (of a mermaid - no less) clinging to the left bank of the river. Once into Uzupis it did not hold too many surprises, it contains virtually only two streets at right angles to each other and major construction was being undertaken to one of them. We did, however, locate the Constitution document which is beautifully mounted on a wall on mirrored glass panels in no less than 18 different languages.



Following 'constitution street' and we were soon at a bridge again. PP had noticed a splendid looking church through the trees high on a hill seemingly not far away and not mentioned in our guides anywhere. We set off across a lovely 'au naturel' park, Kalnu Park, with three big ponds, where a couple of young people were fishing, up another quite steep hill. We located the church and passed a large fort-like edifice on the way. The church declared itself to be Misionieriu Ligonine but while the buildings around it, inside the enclave which had been the monastery, were still in use, the church itself was closed, shuttered, clearly abandoned and in a serious state of disrepair. A pity, we thought as it must have been startling in its prime - it still is.



We turned down the road close to the church and came quite quickly to the entrance to old town at the Dawn Gate. Further exploration of streets we had not yet visited and requisite refreshment and we chose to head back. The street at the western periphery of old town carries a heavy volume of traffic and at one intersection we saw that one of the ubiquitous trolley buses had slipped its lines and was stranded. Several people tried to push this big vehicle on its tracks to get it started again. That looked like an activity tailor made to induce a hernia so we left them to it.



Sustenance should be found close to home we decided, so we did a trip around the block before going into the hotel, but found nothing that looked inviting. On perusing our 'Vilnius in Your Pocket' we discovered there was a well rated restaurant specialising in Lithuanian food in our area after all. It was Gedimino Dvaras and it was directly across the road!! Needless to say a booking was made, not that that proved necessary as it remained virtually empty while we were there, and we enjoyed our last meal in Vilnius very much. We shared two starters, the first a mushroom soup served inside a loaf of rye bread (which was very good) and tried the Latvian dumplings again. These were better than the first, the casing was not so sticky and tasted more of potato. The filling was more generous and the dish came with a white sauce and bacon pieces accompaniment. PP's venison stroganoff was well received, he did not lick the plate, but almost: and CS's pork ribs were as tender as they could be.



What a whirlwind trip around this wonderful part of the world we have had. We started out with the view that it is unlikely we will come back here again, and that may prove correct but we would not need much of an excuse. Spectacular architecture, fascinating and complicated history but mainly joyful and hospitable people could easily present a temptation.



A 4.30am wake-up call being ordered, our bags packed and ready, our last tea-bags secured from our tea caddy for the morning and we pulled the opaque window shades for rest. London and family, here we come.

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Photos

Gedimino Pr.
Our street

Gedimino St.
Cs referred to this as "Geronimo street" - easier to remember

Model of the hilltop buildings
As the town once was

View of the Arsenal
From the top of the castle tower

City & River Neris
From the castle tower

TV Tower
Tallest structure in the city

Baltic Way plaque
Where the human chain ended

Castle tower
Looking up

Orthodox Church of St Paraskeva
The first church in Vilnius to be made of stone

St Casimir Church
As referred to in the text

The Dawn Gate
The icon can be seen in the alcove above the archway

Donclaitu - 1714 to 1740
Obviously associated with the University - we suspect she was a professor

Literatu Gatve
Outdoor Gallery dedicated to writers of the city

Church of the Holy Mother of God
Known as the Russian Orthodox Cathedral