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A Holiday Where? ........ Why?A Holiday Where? ........ Why?
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A 8-day adventure by Keith & Jayne Read more
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  • A Holiday Where? ........ Why?
    Day 1

    A Friend in Need....

    October 15, 2023 in England ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C

    Background:
    Jayne came home from a catch-up with her friend Pat with a question............. "Pat has asked me to go to Lithuania with her to look after her after she has an an operation, and she can't ask anyone else." "Oh!", I said, "And are you going to go?"I've never been on a plane without you," came Jayne's response, "So you will have to come with me!" "OH!!!!" was my response.
    After clarifying exactly which city in Lithuania Pat was going to, my immediate reaction was to Google - Is Kaunas Lithuania worth visiting?
    Nice old buildings, good restaurants. It's definitely worth visiting and having a nice stroll. Also, it is very nice to go for a walk along the river and visit an Old Castle and St. George church. Doesn't sound too bad for a couple of days away in the summer ........ but we were going for seven days mid-October!

    So after a lazy Sunday morning, our taxi 🚖arrived to take us to the John Lennon Airport in Liverpool, picking up Pat en-route. The drive made a pleasant change from travelling to Manchester Airport, and with far fewer passengers travelling from here, we were quickly checked in through passport control and security.
    Our Ryanair flight took off 🛫 on time with just a handful of Brits on board the full flight landing just over 3 hours later in Lithuania's 🇱🇹 2nd city Kaunas. After clearing Immigration we quickly collected our bags and met the taxi 🚕 provided by the clinic to take us the 20-minute drive from the airport to the Radisson Hotel on the outskirts of Kaunas Old Town.
    After checking in and making our way to our home for the next 7 days, I checked the view from our bedroom window and was pleasantly surprised to see a "Cathedral" type building lit up. At least we had a decent landmark for finding our way back to the hotel if nothing else!!    Read more

  • A Holiday Where? ........ Why?
    Day 2

    Monday Morning Stroll 🚶‍♂️🚶‍♀️🚶‍♀️

    October 16, 2023 in Lithuania ⋅ ☀️ 8 °C

    Kaunas is the second-largest city in Lithuania, located in the central part of the country, where rivers Nemunas and Neris meet. Vilnius, the capital, is some 100 km away. Borders with Poland and Russia (Kaliningrad Region) are not too far away either.
    After a very nice but leisurely breakfast, the three of us set out to find our bearings🚶‍♂️🚶‍♀️🚶‍♀️and see what Kaunas has to offer. It didn't take us long after turning right out of the hotel, right at the next main road, and then right again to walk straight up to the Church of St. Michael the Archangel, which is the building we can see from our hotel room. Keeping watch on the Cathedral is Man; a modern sculpture, symbolizing freedom and liberation. Leading up to the square is the Laisvės Alėja (literally Liberty Boulevard or Liberty Avenue), which is a prominent pedestrian street in the city of Kaunas. It stretches between the St. Michael the Archangel's Byzantine-style church to the Central Post Office and Tadas Ivanauskas Zoological Museum around the Kaunas Old Town, the oldest section of Kaunas. For a long time, it was the main commercial district of Kaunas. Stretching for 1.6 kilometres (1 mile), Laisvės Alėja is the longest pedestrian street in Eastern Europe. Motor vehicles can not travel along Laisvės Alėja, but they can cross it at intersections with other streets where motor traffic is permitted. The boulevard is separated into two walkways by a median strip lined with linden trees. A short walk down is the City Fountain. One of the main highlights of Kaunas was reborn just a few months ago. The water source installed 40 years ago, when the street was converted to a pedestrian boulevard, still fascinates passers-by and, according to the builders, is currently one of the most modern fountains in Lithuania, with a cooling “fog” effect and music system all controlled remotely. Try as I might, every time I tried to film the fountain in all its glory, it stopped. It was almost if someone was watching!!    Read more

  • A Holiday Where? ........ Why?
    Day 2

    Midday and Still Walking 🚶‍♂🚶‍♀️ 🚶‍♀️

    October 16, 2023 in Lithuania ⋅ ☀️ 9 °C

    Turning Left at the City Fountain, we walked down to a rather impressive looking bridge 🌁 named the Simonas Daukantas Bridge built 1988, and connecting Nemunas island and downtown Kaunas, the length of the bridge is 151 meters. Built in 1988, representing the main tendencies of late modernism - the luxury and monumentalism. The supporting arch with the columns of Gediminas is one of the earliest symbols of Lithuania and its historical coats of arms. This symbol of statehood was incorporated during the building of the bridge and became public while still a couple of years ahead to the Independence of Lithuania in 1990. On the 4th of July in 1996, celebrating the National day, a Lithuanian aerobatic pilot Jurgis Kairys was the first in the world to legally fly under a pedestrian bridge (the gap between the constructions of Simonas Daukantas bridge and the river being only 7 meters). In 2000, Kairys performed an inverted flight under the same bridge, nicknamed the Ultra flight.
    Back on the Laisvės Alėja, and leaving the tree lined boulevard behind, we walked into the much narrower old town and stopped for a delicious cup of coffee. Despite being sat in the midday sunshine, I got bored, leaving the girls chatting, I walked around the corner and into the grounds of an Historical Palace a Neo-baroque building in the Old Town of Kaunas that served as the Presidential Palace between 1919 and 1940, this building is one of the most important locations of Lithuanian history. Once the home of presidents like A. Smetona, K. Grinius and A. Stulginskis
    Further on in the Town Hall, Square is the Church of St. Francis Xavier built by the Jesuits and who opened their first residence in Kaunas in 1642 and established a chapel in the House of Perkūnas in 1643. The construction of the church started in 1666 and was completed in 1720. The church was consecrated in 1722. The Tsarist Russian government gave the church to the Orthodox church for their use in 1824. The church was again assigned to the Jesuits only in 1924. After Lithuania was occupied by Soviet Union the St. Francis Xavier church was turned into a technical school, and the interior of the church was used as a sports hall. The church was returned again to the Jesuits in 1989, and renovation of the church took place in 1992.
    Also adjoining the Square is the Catholic Church of the Holy Trinity, a late Renaissance period (with Gothic features), with a hall style, outbuildings, and a tower on the side. Its high roof and apse have small towers. The interior has three naves separated by pillars. The vaults are stellar and cross-shaped. There are a total of 9 altars.    Read more

  • A Holiday Where? ........ Why?
    Day 2

    Later that Monday .....

    October 16, 2023 in Lithuania ⋅ ☀️ 10 °C

    Very near Town Hall Square is a rather bland looking building which is the Cathedral of St. Peter and Paul, built entirely of red brick with features of both Gothic and Renaissance architectural styles. Built in the 15th century, Vytautas the Great Church has seen a varied history as a Catholic church, storage space for ammunition by Napoleon’s army, and Orthodox church, and again as a Catholic church. Situated right next to the Nemunas River, Vytautas the Great Church has been flooded several times throughout history, thus it has seen numerous reconstructions with the largest renovations occurring in the 1930s and late 1970s. The largest Gothic structure in Lithuania, and the country’s only Gothic church with a basilica floor-plan as opposed to the usual cross-shaped design. Its one-of-a-kind interior, with its nine altars, is also breath-taking quite a contrast from its easily unnoticeable outside appearance.
    From Town Hall Square we walked around the corner to Kaunas Castle standing close to where the Nemunas and Neris rivers, converge this impressive brick castle was built in the 14th century at the beginning of the Teutonic attacks.
    Looking towards the Castle is the Monument to Vytis, a freedom warrior sculpture, with the state symbol in the coat of arms of Lithuania, knight riding a horse with a sword and shield.
    Walking back towards the hotel along the Laisves Aleja (which as you may have now gathered is the main walkway from one end of Kaunas through to the other end) we came across a very nice bar / café / restaurant called Paslėpti receptai where we had an enjoyable couple of hours drinking wine, gin and local beer whilst deciding on what to eat. Lovely food that included drinks and meals all for £53 for the 3 of us. We will definitely return there.    Read more

  • A Holiday Where? ........ Why?
    Day 3

    The Longest Day......

    October 17, 2023 in Lithuania ⋅ ☁️ 6 °C

    Tuesday was the longest day of our trip to Lithuania.
    To be more precise, Tuesday was actually 13 days long as I went to visit and walk across the longest bridge in the world.
    In order to cross the Vytautas* The Great Bridge (to give it its formal name) from one bank of the Nemunas to the other took 13 days, because Kaunas belonged to the Russian Empire and Aleksotas to the Prussian kingdom up to 1807. The different sides of the river had different calendars, which included a 13-day difference. During World War II, the bridge was blown up twice, only to be reborn in 1948 (architect Levas Kazarinskis); the bridge retraction mechanism is still of use today. Having crossed the Nemunas, you can try the funicular and climb to the Aleksotas area where you will see a breathtaking panorama of Kaunas.
    Once across the river, you can embark on a funicular journey, which is a unique experience in Kaunas, as this is the only city in the Baltic states where this means of transport is available. The Aleksotas Funicular; built in 1934, is much sought for the view you'll get (of the Old Town) once you reach the hill of the same name and stand on the observation platform.
    After walking down the steps back to the bridge, I made my way across the bridge back into Kaunas and walked towards the castle 🏰

    Vytautas*, also known as Vytautas the Great from the late 14th century onwards, was a ruler of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. He was also the prince of Grodno, prince of Lutsk, and the postulated king of the Hussites.    Read more

  • A Holiday Where? ........ Why?
    Day 3

    Old Buildings of Kaunas

    October 17, 2023 in Lithuania ⋅ 🌬 12 °C

    Kaunas Castle is one of the oldest Stone Castles in Lithuania. Unique for its double walls and the surrounding tunnel, many events and legends of Lithuanian history are attributed to it. Today, the castle is home to various temporary and permanent programmes all year round.
    Just opposite the castle, St. George the Martyr Church is also worth a visit, for it is an important landmark of Roman Catholicism and has had many uses and owners during its 550-year history.
    The church was heavily damaged by fire in 1603, as well as by the Moscow army during the war with Moscow in 1656 and 1659.
    In 1812, the French army led by Napoleon converted the church into a flour warehouse. Last major repairs were carried out here in 1936. The church was used as a warehouse once again after World War II. P. Mažylis Medical School was established here during the Soviet period.
    In 2005, the church which was already in very poor condition was given back to the monks. The brick monastery building built in the 16th century next to the church preserved many of its Gothic elements.
    Reconstruction works of both the church and the monastery began in July of 2009.
    Walking back along the Laisvės Alėja to meet the girls for an early evening meal at Nefiskalinis Kvitas; yes, the place we ate at last night and yes, the place I did say we would definitely return to, I stopped to look at the exterior of what to me is a typical “cold war” Soviet building which was in fact the Central Post Office and built in the 1930’s, and still being used for that same purpose today. One interesting observation and one I have no answer to is, why there are chairs on the steps???    Read more

  • A Holiday Where? ........ Why?
    Day 4

    A Grand Day Out....

    October 18, 2023 in Lithuania ⋅ ☁️ 9 °C

    Today is the day of Pat’s Operation, so there is nothing Jayne can do for her, so we are off to Vilnius the Capital of Lithuania. We caught the trolley bus 🚎 from outside the hotel to take us directly to the Kaunas Train Station or Stotis as station is in Lithuanian. For £22.77 we rode on the upper deck of the carriage in First Class for the 80-minute journey 🚅 to Vilnius. Enjoying the views as well as our free bottle of water, we arrived in Vilnius. Following the street signs, we made our way to the old town to see the cathedral and stand-alone tower after I had googled what to see in Vilnius.Read more

  • A Holiday Where? ........ Why?
    Day 4

    It's Raining 🌧☔️☔️....

    October 18, 2023 in Lithuania ⋅ 🌧 8 °C

    As we made our way 🚶‍♂️🚶‍♀️ to the Old Town of Vilnius, we could see the sky getting blacker and darker. As the skies opened, we were lucky enough to be across the road from a lovely Italian restaurant that didn’t bat an eye lid when asked if we could come in and just have a drink. The best thing about this restaurant was that they sold lovely wine 🍷🍷. So while the heavens opened and people sheltered 🌦🌧☔️ in doorways, we sat nice and warm just getting wet 🍷🍷on the inside. Once the rain stopped, we paid our bill and ventured out carrying on further down the street finding ourselves in Cathedral Square which is dominated by the Neoclassical cathedral, dating from the thirteenth century when a wooden church was built here on the site of a temple dedicated to Perkųnas, the god of thunder. The highlight of the airy, vaulted interior is the opulent Chapel of St Casimir, the patron saint of Lithuania. Next to the cathedral on the square is the white belfry, once part of the fortifications of the vanished Lower Castle. Between the cathedral and the belfry lies a small coloured tile with stebuklas (miracle) written on it, marking the spot from where, in 1989, two million people formed a human chain that stretched all the way to Tallinn, Estonia, to protest against Soviet occupation.
    Around the corner from Cathedral Square is Gediminas’ Castle Tower, which is the remaining fortification tower of the Upper Castle. Legend has it that the Grand Duke Gediminas dreamt of an Iron Wolf howling at the top of this hill, which he took as a prophecy of the great city that would one day stand in this place. The hill is where he eventually built a wooden castle.
    Grand Duke Vytautas completed the city’s first brick castle in 1409. Gediminas’ Tower has changed purposes since then, including being used as the city’s first telegraph building in 1838. The Lithuanian flag was first flown at the top of the tower a century ago. The Vilnius Castle Museum was opened in 1960, and in 1968, it became a subdivision of the Lithuanian National Museum.    Read more

  • A Holiday Where? ........ Why?
    Day 4

    A Taste of Lithuanian 🇱🇹 Fayre

    October 18, 2023 in Lithuania ⋅ ⛅ 8 °C

    Heading 🚶‍♀️🚶‍♂️ back to the train 🚉 station or, as I have already said, the Stotis we decided to eat before we left and diverted into a traditional Lithuanian restaurant called Restoranas Etas Dvaras and ordered typical Lithuanian cuisine. For starters, we ordered Grated Potato Pancakes and Potato Dumplings filled with meat to share. For mains, Jayne ordered the Roast Chicken Breast and Salad whilst I went for the good old Chicken Kiev. With a couple of drinks, our bill came to £33.81 and to be honest, apart from the potato pancakes, it wasn’t very enjoyable!!
    We then caught the train 🚅 (2nd Class for £13 .91 just £8.86 or £4.43 each cheaper than 1st class and headed off into the sunset 🌇 towards Kaunas.    Read more

  • A Holiday Where? ........ Why?
    Day 5

    A Different Part of Town..

    October 19, 2023 in Lithuania ⋅ ☁️ 5 °C

    Thursday, I decided to go to the other part of town and check out the big white church we could see at the top of the hill from our hotel the Basilica of the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.
    Setting off down the Laisvės Alėja I then turned right at the fountain and headed to the Vytautas Magnus War Museum. Just to the left of the Museum is a garden that contains the Monument to the Fallen for Lithuania’s Freedom (Žuvusiems už Lietuvos laisvę, 1921), in its immediate surroundings, there is the Altar with the Eternal Flame in front of the Monument, the Grave of the Unknown Soldier in between them (Nežinomo Kareivio Kapas), and the busts of Povilas Lukšys and Antanas Juozapavičius – respectively, the first soldier and the first officer killed in the Wars of Independence in February 1919 – on the both sides of the Monument to the Fallen. Additionally, behind the monument are we wooden crosses and praying poles. In 1921-1922, four crosses, two poles with rooftops (“stogastulpis” in Lithuanian) and one praying pole (“koplystulpis” in Lithuanian) were placed on both sides of the Monument. The decorative crosses are part of Lithuanian tradition and today they are recognized by UNESCO and put on their Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists. Crosses are made of oak wood and richly decorated, also with pagan symbols.
    Continuing on and following the signs for the Basilica I arrived at and took the; Žaliakalnis Funicular, built in 1931, and one of the oldest funiculars still in operation in the world, up the hill.    Read more

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