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Another whole day of travel later, some of it thankfully on a sleeper train, and we arrive at Vilnius, Lithuania. I was curious about Lithuania as it's got a rich history going all the way back to the 11th century. I'd heard a bit about this from a Lithuanian guy that I worked with in London, who also happened to be one of the most badass & stereotypical hacker dudes I've ever met. Inbetween chain smoking and chugging down energy drinks, and stories about his impressive yet questionable cyber exploits, he would also tell me how proud he was to be from Lithuania, once the “most powerful country in Europe”.
It's unfortunate that our time was cut short here by the extensive train travel the previous day, as it looked like an interesting place to explore. First things first though, we started the next day by going to a pancake cafe.
Mmmmmm pancakes, and they cost next to nothing! I love Eastern European pricing. After stuffing ourselves, we waddled off and managed to see some examples of an illustrius past as we checked out the Vilnius Cathedral, Gediminas Tower (for a nice high viewpoint), the old town (again littered with
outside cafes, as well as buildings that have apparently been slowly sinking into the ground), amongst others. Also included on our little tiki tour was the old KGB building, from back when it was a Soviet State. Our first taste of the good old USSR, and I liked it! You may have read and watched all about the USSR, but it's quite different when you experience it for yourself. As always, it just brings the history that much closer to home.
One more thing I must mention about the trip so far: Much to Hannah's distaste, James and I were already starting to get whiplash. Yes, I'm talking about our tendency to rapidly gawk at sights other than places of historical interest – Eastern European women! I can confirm that all the stories are true, and they're all stunning (Or at least you don't notice the ones that aren't, as your attention is constantly occupied elsewhere!).
That evening I said goodbye to Hannah and James, who caught a train to Belarus. I would have gone with them but couldn't secure a visa in time, so my plan was to head to Riga in Latvia instead – the party
town! I wasn't looking forward to the 4 hour bus ride, but at least I'd managed to borrow a book from James to read after losing mine on the plane. Jet Lag: 2, Clay: 0. As it happens, it turned out to be the best luxury bus I've ever been on. The seats were comfy enough, there was unlimited free hot drinks, free wifi,
a lounge in the back for 1st class passengers, and I was fortunate enough to sit next to a gorgeous Lithuanian woman! We chatted for a bit before she went to another pair of free seats behind us. Smooth Clay, real smooth.
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nomeda
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Lithuania is the best!
Lithuania is really nice country. If you'll travel to Lithuania You must to visit Vilnius and other cities. I love nature and cuisine in this country.