Searching for The Piper

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Hi all

The three Baltic countries - Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia - are tied together by shared history, especially in the last century or so with various occupations, most recently by the Soviets. This week's tour transports us between the three capital cities in turn - Vilnius, Riga and Tallinn.

Starting in Vilnius, reminded us of a smaller and less busy version of Prague. A great coffee and eating out culture.

As usual on an Explore trip we are getting a good balance between being guided around by a knowledgeable tour guide, and having ample spare time to just wander and soak up the atmosphere.

Our guided tour took us into the city by The Gates Of Dawn - but we saw neither a piper nor any members of Pink Floyd, regrettably!

Many churches and religious sites including a pilgrimage site where are entombed the mummified bodies of three local saints. The bodies are cloth covered, and the glass lid of the casement is pushed ajar at regular intervals during the day so that the visiting faithful can kiss the toes/feet of each of the saints in turn.

One street is devoted to literary figures, each recognised by small works of outside art, around 250 at current count.

The 'biggy' of the day was a visit to the former local KGB headquarters and prison, now a museum, colloquially known as The KGB Museum, but actually signed, when we got there, as Museum Of Genocide Victims. The cellar levels are kept pretty much as they were during the occupation with varous small, bare cells, padded cells, punishment rooms where prisoners were expected to stand on a small pedestal for days on end surrounded by freezing water. And the execution cell. Harrowing.

For our general guide, a 45 year old Lithuanian called Simonas, this is a tough visit. He spent the first 17 years of his life, until the liberation in 1991, under Soviet rule - the Soviets annexed the country in 1940, lost control to the Nazis in 1941, but regained and occupied them from 1945. Simonas only narrowly avoided the Russian Draft in the latter months of the occupation. Draft Officers came to his home at dinner time. His mother answered the door and the Draft Officers were only put off from entering by the sound of the family's barking dog. After that Simonas ensured he had a rear exit point for any future visits, and also lived with his aunt for several months so as to not be at home. His grandmother, much earlier of course, served 7 years in a Siberian labour camp.

Simonas proudly shows us photos and marker points for the Baltic Way, a human chain of 2 million or more people, including himself, who, on 23 August 1989, joined hands in an unbroken chain stretching from Vilnius, via Riga to Tallinn, to protest against the occupation. Freedom came 2 years later in 1991.

That evening we sampled Lithuanian cuisine. Paul had beaver casserole, said it tasted just like beef. Well it makes a change from chicken!

On departing Vilnius we left via the 18th C church of St Peter and St Paul. Built by a nobleman who was at least as rich as the king, it is pretty plain on the outside but within is a case of 'if you've got it, flaunt it'. The walls are COVERED in hundreds of white stucco friezes, statues, deities, .....

On to the picture postcard water-surrounded castle of Trakei . A wonderful sight but sadly mostly modernly rebuilt.

This day finished with a delightful stay at an old manor house complex, complete with beer tasting.

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