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Helsinki & the Baltics
  • Tom Fulham
  • Marcia Fulham
  • Tom Fulham
  • Marcia Fulham

Helsinki & the Baltics

A 18-day adventure by Tom & Marcia Read more
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  • Helsinki & the Baltics
    Nation Library of Latvia
    A 12 story atrium lined with booksThe interior glass wall is on a slantMemorial to the 132 Latvian Jews who survived, donated by their descendantsJanis Lipke was a Latvian, non Jew, who smuggled out 55 of the 132 Jews who escaped

    Latvian culture

    July 18 in Latvia ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    This morning, we had a lecture at the National Library on Latvia’s cultural heritage and musical traditions. The professor is an ethnomusicologist at the University of Latvia. Latvia is known as the Land that Sings. Since 1873, they have held a national music festival every 5 or so years, which is focused on folk songs that are a cross between Gregorian chant and medieval music. The song subjects are pantheistic— all nature is holy; Fire keeps out evil spirits. Their favorite national holiday is the summer solstice. Instruments are bagpipes and a type of zither called a Oakley’s.

    The architect of the National Library was Gunar Birkert, a Latvian who emigrated to the US after WWII. He was striving for a mountain of glass and a castle of light. It opened in 2014 and is stunning. Birkirt’s well known projects in the US include the Corning Museum of Glass, law schools at University of Ohio and University of Michigan, and the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art in Kansas City.

    We also toured the former Jewish ghetto, saw a monument to the 132 Latvian Jews who survived, primarily by being smuggled out of the ghetto, and the Latvian Holocaust Museum, a very sobering place, as you might expect. About 70,000 Latvian Jews and 20,000 Jews from other countries were killed here. Very few Jews are in Latvia today.    Read more

  • Helsinki & the Baltics
    1The Natl Lib from the plaza
    Looking up from the foyer. I was inspired.A Latvian ad campaignSpecial Books for Special PeopleDots on the glass to protect birds. Made me dizzy.The people Lipke savedStalin's Birthday Cake (in Warsaw the same bldg was Stalin's PenisThe local digestivi. Left tastes like Amaro, right like cassis.Pork ribs with Honey Glaze. Ate all but the bones (and thought about them)Roosters! Although, I think some are chickens.

    Latvian Culture, Music & Dance

    July 18 in Latvia ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C

    The Latvian Natl Library is a fantastic place. More like the Lib of Congress; you can read but not borrow and they get two copies of books, one of which goes in the archives.
    As M said, Birkerts worked under Eero Saarinen (IAD, Gateway Arch) but was his own man. He was much rooted in Latvian folklore: the Castle of Light was a poem that alluded to the gain, loss and regaining of freedom, wisdom, etc. The Glass Mountain was another folk tale that described achievement thru persistence. Both applied to the 1990s resurrection of Latvia and now embodied in their library.
    This was Bikerts swan song; he died in 2017, not long after the opening. But this was not the 1st national library. Another exisisted about 3 Km away. How to get the books from the old to the new? A "Chain of Book Lovers" 15,000 strong, moved the books hand-over-hand from the old library to the new.
    The wall of books seen from the foyer came from a national appeal: "Special Books for Special People", where folks inscribed a volume with what made it special and sent it to the library.
    As we saw in the afternoon there was not much left of either the Ghetto or the Jewish population. Thanks to the Soviets (removal of leaders) and the Nazis (removal of non-aryans) the number of Jews left in Latvia was close to zero. The museum has a long, long way to go.
    Supper was at a Latvian cuisine risto, Petergailis (Peter the Rooster), and there were gallo's everywhere. We had a delightful server, a Latvian country girl who had studied in Spain and the UK.
    Lastly, when Glasnost came, the saying here was, "Gorbachev made the chain longer and now the dog can bark as much as it wants".
    Tomorrow: On to Vilnius!
    Ps. The zither-like instrument is a "Kokles", pronounced korkles.    Read more

  • Helsinki & the Baltics
    The Palace. Note the two live storks on the chimneys.
    Stork nest with chickLion on the gate1Marcia modeling the booties all are required to wear1The Duke's Dining RoomPartial view of the DR ceilingBefore & After photos of the restoration that started in t he late 20CCatherine the Great1Napkin from the family DR. Can you do this?I thought this was a dinner service. However, it is the Duchess's make up kit1The GardensA tiny portion of the Hill of crossesMonument to JP2

    Riga to Vilnius

    July 19 in Lithuania ⋅ 🌧 24 °C

    Saturday can be characterized as a day-long road trip. Our 1st stop was Rundale Palace which was built by the Duke of Courland in mid-18C. When Russia took over Latvia in 1795, Catherine the Great gave the palace to her lover's younger brother.
    Parts of the palace found other uses over time (hospital, school, grain storehouse) but it is now owned by the nation with most of the art works (and there are a lot) owned by the Latvian National Museum.
    We toured the building and gardens and they are fabulous.
    A later stop was the "Hill of Crosses" in Lithuania. While the exact origin is of the site is shrouded in folklore, it has been a focal point of popular culture for over two centuries.
    Today, there are 200,000 crosses of all kinds. It is less a place to memorialize the dead than plant a token of hope.
    To an outsider, it is a bit bizarre but the locals are quite fond of it and fiercely contested several Soviet attempts to eradicate it.
    We have now arrived in Vilnius and we are looking forward to our touring Sunday.    Read more

  • Helsinki & the Baltics
    Trakai Castle
    1Required 25 steps to reach anothe floorTwo cuties and a castle1Medieval attireLight given to the Catholics in Lithuania by Pope Francis in 2018.

    Trakai Castle

    July 20 in Lithuania ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    We had a 90 minute lecture on Geopolitical Risks this morning by a very bright young 35 year old professor from University of Lithuania, Linas Kojala. He gave a very informative comparison of the economic and political progress made by each of the 3 Baltic States and a bit about support from the neighboring countries. He also runs his own think tank, serves as an advisor to the Lithuanian PM, had just come from a meeting at the Aspen Institute.

    Bottom line on current situation with Russia is that he think the Putin regime is hollow, that Ukraine, won’t surrender, and that the war in Ukraine will continue unless/until something changes in Russia. He said the war has served to cement EU and NATO membership for the Baltics and neighboring countries.

    We then drove about 45 minutes outside Vilnius to the small village of Trakai, which was the capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in the Middle Ages. The Castle was constructed in 1409, badly damaged fitter’s with Russia in 17th c., and reconstructed 1951-1961. The Lithuanians are very proud of their heritage and make every effort to preserve it.

    The town has a special food called kibinine, something like an empanada only bigger, and available with pork, chicken, lamb, or spinach and cheese. We had a pork one and it was delicious.

    We ended the day at the Museum of Occupation. I really admire the Lithuanians for the determination and perseverance through almost 50 years of Soviet occupation.    Read more

  • Helsinki & the Baltics
    The adornment over the entry to the Vilnius Drams Center
    Gediminas and the Wolf found VilniusTypical 1400s Soldier in Lithuania1400s "coins". 4 of these buys you a horse; I guess 3 get you a 3-legged one2Ancient Crimean Empanadas?Nice lake, nice castlePrototypical Karaim House (always 3 windows)2Prepaid wine dispenser in our hotel. Really cool.

    Gediminas, Vytautas, Et Al

    July 20 in Lithuania ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    In the mid-1300s Grand Duke Gediminas comes out of much folklore and founds Vilnius, a nice castle downtown, and a dynasty (we hope to see his castle before we go).
    What we did see was descendant Vytautus's nice stone & brick castle in Trakai which was built by some of his vassals from Crimea (at that time, Lithuania extended from the Baltic to the Black Sea. Huge.) the Tatars (of the Golden Horde fame) and the Karaims (a Jewish sect).
    While this was going on, Vytautas gets with the Poles and whips the Teutonic Knights at Grunwald on 15 July 1410. This was a military big deal and is a national holiday in Lithuania still. Not sure what became of the Tatars, but the Karaims stuck around and Grand Duke V. gave them land and houses which still stand around the lake. There are fewer than 250 left due to pogroms, persecutions, etc.
    We did enjoy V's castle and the displays. Of interest, for 600 years the castle has been heated by hot air from wood fires in the basements. Neato.
    The Occupation Museum was simultaneously disheartening and uplifting. It was a grisly reminder of the inhumanity of the Russkies but also reinforcement of the hope that subjugated peoples will persist. Freedom will return; if not in your lifetime then in your children's.
    Our morning speaker did say that the war in Ukraine could drag on because neither side was keen to have a bad peace agreement; keeping fighting was a better alternative.
    Lastly, he mentioned that the Suwalki Gap (the shortcut across Lithuania/Poland from Belarus to Kaliningrad was an issue on everyone's mind.
    Amusingly, besides borders the Baltics have two things in common: a deep fear & loathing of the Russians, and an inability to understand each others language.    Read more

  • Helsinki & the Baltics
    1Mr Christopher and joyous baptistry angels
    Peter meets Paul to say goodbye (Not)Death comes to all including popes, bishops and kingsVilnius CathedralThe start of the 1989 Baltic WayPresidential PalaceJesuit College now Vilnius Univ2The Lithuanian National Dish. Not too bad.Everyone in Vilnius has a Wolf in ArmorThis used to be a street arch. But no longerSt Anne's & St Francis'sThe Gate of Dawn with devotional Poles.The cheese spreadOne of everything including SamagonDalia and Babushka1Marcia and kidPart of the herd plus storks

    Vilnius and Goats

    July 21 in Lithuania ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    One thing about the Baltics is that the usual wx is changing. The predicted precipitation every day is usually close to zero. Yet just about every day we get some rain; sometimes sprinkles, sometimes a cloudburst, and occasionally much more. The locals say that it is not supposed to rain much, if at all. Hmm.
    We spent the morning walking the Old Town with a local guide (she used to lead tours for Elder Hostel but stays close to home). We were able to tick off the likely top 10, at least from the outside: Sts Peter & Paul Church, the Cathedral & Bell Tower, the Presidential Palace, Vilnius Univ, Site of the Ghetto (long since gone), the corner of St Anne's/St Francis/St Michael's (former), the Republic of Uzupis, and lastly, the Gate of Dawn.
    On the street that led to St Anne's, the paving was brick and there were almost no windows on the street. Turns out that the mayor instituted a "window tax" to pay for some municipal improvement and the smart folks bricked in the external windows and opened windows on the interior courtyard.
    We did see the interior of Peter & Paul ("One of the top ten most beautiful interiorson the world") which like most baroque churches is chock-a-block with stuff. The churches only saving grace is that it is not gilded or even painted. Kind of Puritan Baroque.
    According to our guide, the ship carrying the reredos for the main altar sank in a storm, so the builder hired an artist to quickly paint a huge canvas to hang in its stead. The subject was the apocryphal meeting of reconciliation in Rome before they headed off to their separate executions in Rome ca. 64 C.E.
    Yesterday, I alluded to Gediminas and the Wolf. According to tradition, ca. 1320, Grand Duke Gediminas (a Pagan) was traveling and stopped for the night. He had a dream that a Wolf appeared on a nearby hill in armor and howled like 100 wolves. In the morning he asked Seer what the dream meant. The answer was that Thor wished him to build a castle on the hill big enough so that anyone within the sound of 100 wolves could see it. G did, and it still stands today as the impetus for the city of Vilnius. Unlike most capitals, it is neither a seaport nor on a navigable river, but who's going to say no to Thor?
    In the afternoon, we went out to a goat farm to meet the owner, Dalia Emuzyte, sample some of her organic cheese from her 500 goats and meet the girls.
    Dalia has an interesting story. After the Russkies left in 1993, anyone who could demonstrate land ownership pre-1940 could either get it back or receive like compensation from the State. She couldn't get the original land but she & her two siblings received a land grant on which she started a goat farm (no prior goat experience). She has been tremendously successful over 30 years, even received a medal from the Lithuanian Government.
    We tried 15 cheeses in various presentations and some homemade Vodka (called "Samagon"). All delicious. Regrettably, we met only one of the girls due to organic farming restrictions.    Read more

  • Helsinki & the Baltics
    A fancy confessional, if a bit public.
    2Wood water pipes in the 1400s. I was impressed with the ingenuity.A happy and very satisfied man at supper1A starter of beet skewers with sour cream and a separate dish of chanterelle musrooms2Lamb superbly cooked with chorizoHeavy use of food delivery services in the Baltics, including these golf cart vehiclesI wasn't the only criminal!

    A few more Vilnius photos and a lovely f

    July 22 in Lithuania ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    When we end a trip with a leisurely day of sightseeing and a truly great meal (this one at a Michelin Guide) we go away really happy.

  • Helsinki & the Baltics
    The Cathedral Tympanum featuring Noah, et al
    Ceiling of the Grand Duke's waiting room1Alice throne for the Grand Duke3Gediminas Tower from the Duke's 6th floor observation deck1Palace courtyard getting ready for a summer concert2Office bldg in downtown Vilnius with sign1A 2-inch cell phone very popular with the prison residents. Up to 7 could be smuggled inA likely offenderTuna Steak at Momo. The best I ever hadOrgan Practice at the Cathedral1Impromptu harpsichord demo at the Grand DukesHow a harpsichord works

    Viso Gero, Vilnius

    July 22 in Lithuania ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    We bid farewell to most of our Road Scholar companions last night as some were departing as early as 0300. Ugh.
    We had a much more civilized start and went down the street to the cathedral. The interior was an understated baroque with the minimum of decoration. When we arrived, the organist was practicing for a concert Thursday and we were happy to listen.
    Next up was the Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania which started with the various foundation ruins from the 1300s and led up, floor by floor, to recent times. The Medicis and Borgias have nothing on the founders of Lithuania when it comes to intrigue and family alliances to get the job done. Poland, Livonia, Muscovy, Sweden, Teutons, Crimean Khanate, et al, all had a seat at the table. Even a few Hapsburgs and Popes were in the mix. After 2.5 hours and five centuries we threw in the towel. Marcia & I agreed that in our youth, there was no mention of Lithuania as being a mover and shaker. Was it because it was behind the Iron Curtain?
    In the p.m. we scooted over to the Lukiskes Prison, the tour of which had been highly touted by the likes of National Geographic. It was interesting but a disappointment.
    Supper was at MOMO Grill and it was ab fab.
    The Baltics were well worth a visit; I only wish we had more time.
    Tomorrow: our 24-hour trek home.    Read more

    Trip end
    July 23, 2025
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