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Vilnius, Lithuania

January 2020 - April 2024
An open-ended adventure by London Leopard Read more
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  • TravelerVilnius, Lithuania

    Day 1 in Vilnius, Lithuania

    January 17, 2020 in Lithuania ⋅ ⛅ 1 °C

    So today I arrived in Vilnius Lithuania. So far I have a good impression of the city and everything seems to be going well. I arrived at 10.30am and took the bus into the city centre. I got kind of lost because the bus route online was completely different. So I opened google maps and tried to track the bus (using my hostel as the destination). I got off a stop late and ended up walking for 20 minutes to the hostel.

    The hostel staff were nice and they let me check in a few hours early. It seems that I have the room to myself, because January is not a favourable time to travel to northern Europe.

    I went out to explore the old town, which has many streets lined with market stalls. Most of them are selling wool socks, scarfs, slippers, and amber. I bought some thick wool slippers from a cute old lady, and an amber bracelet from another woman.

    Then I decided to get some food at a Lithuanian restaurant. I tried cepelinai which are dumplings filled with minced pork. The dumplings feel like stick play dough...it's a very weird texture but they are VERY filling. After washing my meal down with beer, I went to the main square and took some photos with the cathedral. My intention was to climb the hill to Gedeminas castle nearby, but it was so cold and windy so I decided not to.

    Then I did a long walk to the museum of occupation. It was €4 to enter which is very cheap considering that I was there for 2 hours. It wasn't very interactive...just loys of paragraphs of writings. The best bit was the actual prison area in the basement.

    It's very cold in Vilnius but not unbearable. The people are very polite, and even most old people speak English. I was shocked because in Poland generally only the young people speak English.

    I am looking forward to visiting the bohemian republic of Užupis tomorrow.

    Good night.    Read more

  • TravelerVilnius, Lithuania
    Day 1

    Day 2 in Vilnius, Lithuania

    January 18, 2020 in Lithuania ⋅ ☁️ 0 °C

    Today I had a nice lie in and checked out of the hostel at 10.30am. There was nobody on the reception so I just left my key with a note.

    Then I did a hike to the three crosses which is on top of a hill. It was a VERY steep walk up high through a forest. It was freezing cold and the temperatures were definitely below zero. To be honest I was quite scared walking through this deserted hilly forest. I am an ethnic minority in a very "closed" country that is not known to be welcoming to foreigners. But a random Lithuanian guy smiled at me and said hello so I started to feel a bit more relaxed.

    By the time I had climbed down my hands were so red and numb. I couldn't even open my jacket pocket. So I went to get a light breakfast in a cafe, and then headed to Užupis.

    Užupis is actually considered an independent republic...but it is also not recognised as one by many people. It is a very bohemian area with lots of artsy things dotted around. I got my passport stamped with the entry... but forgot to get the exit stamp. Oh dear! Hopefully this will not cause any problems at the airport. The woman warned me that some people have problems with this stamp. But what is the worst they can do? I already have a stamp from Kosovo...and that is WAY more controversial than Užupis.

    I found a local pub/restaurant and had the cold beetroot soup for lunch. This is actually a summer dish but I got a hot drink to warm myself up. The thing I like about Eastern countries is that the waiters leave you in peace. If you have ordered something then the table is yours for however long you want. You could sit there for 3 hours if you wanted to. In England they are in a rush to get you out once you have finished, because the city is so crowded and they want to make money.

    So...I have now visited all the Baltic countries (Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia). They are all very different and some I have enjoyed more than others. My favourite would have to be Latvia. Then I would say Poland. In 3rd place comes Lithuania. In last place comes Estonia.    Read more

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