Vilnius, Lithuania

Off to Vilnius, Lithuania.  As you all know, my research is minimal, if existent at all.  But I did Google 'what to do in Vilnius' while I was planning.  And the Googles said, not too much.  So, I shortened my stay there to add in an extra stop in Lithuania.  Well, Googles lied!  I loved Vilnius!  What a beautiful city, like Krakow, not ravaged by the wars.  So many churches!!

I also managed to figure out a better system of uploading photos so there are going to be a lot of them in this post.  

Walking tour!  10 am start.  My apartment was about a 20 minute walk from the starting point and I left enough time for some wandering/picture taking.

The first cat I've seen on this trip.  He seemed fairly 
nonchalant about his importance.

Teapot holes, not bullet holes!

This symbolizes a 'Hands across the Baltics' situation that
started in Vilnius and stretched all of the way to
Tallinn I think.  I am supposed to find this symbol in 
Riga and Tallinn too.  Maybe?

The tour started at the 'miracle tile'.  Which is a stupid place to choose considering it is right beside this giant, super obvious from miles away tower.  Plus, I had to ask what the 'Miracle Tile' was about.  It was nothing, I don't even remember but it was recent. 

This statue is 'The Lamplighter'

Uzupio is a made up country in the middle of Vilnius.  Quite close to my apartment.  I heard two stories of how Uzupio started.  It is located just across the river from Old Town.  According to the guide, it was a terrible, unsafe part of town so of course, it is where students lived.  They were arty so they started cleaning the place up with art installations and fixing up the buildings and came up with their own democracy.  The other story is that a bunch of drunkards came up with the idea at a tavern while drinking beer.  Those two stories are not mutually exclusive since I believe students can also be drunkards.  So, let's agree that both are perhaps true. 

Border control and gift shop!

The Uzupio constitution.  Worth expanding
(how did this go in upright!?)

The bridge to Utupio

Hello

Jewish Quarter.  Almost nothing remained but it was the Soviets
who took it apart, not the war. Am I remembering correctly, 
that Lithuania was neutral(ish) territory during the war?

Who's this guy?  No idea, I just like this photo.

I learned almost nothing, well, I retained almost nothing that I learned on this tour but the tow was so pretty.  And we walked past so many churches! And it was still early so I just kept walking.

First to the market. Kind of a combo of local market with some tourist coffee shops mixed in.

Postcards and coffee at this hipster coffee shop. 

I had to go in to say hi to this guy!

This is where the shopping floods gave way.  I am now 
carrying two little pots of honey for the next three weeks.

Since the floods were started and I didn't have ark building
capabilities, I then bought a beautiful hand made purse.

Might as well get into some of those churches. 
This is the one the guide said was worth a visit if 
we only had time for one.  

Cool!  Stained glass reflection, church is not on fire.

What do I need less than honey and a purse?  A painting.  

So, honey, a purse, a painting and then some earrings.  Amber, because amber! Money be damned.  

This is a shrine within a bridge over a street connecting?

The walls are covered with hearts 

As I was walking around I was so hungry.  I normally carry some snacks with me but this time I didn't have any.  If I ever develop an eating disorder, we can say this was day one.

I still like to light a candle for the catholic grandmothers 
(and the atheist one too)

This just reminds me of my
 imaginary boyfriend's fictional boyfriend
(Ilya Rosanov -shut up, I don't care!)

Sometimes I just know a calendar shot as I take it.

Bird art is everywhere.  No so much actual birds however.

This guy is everywhere too.  I saw one in Warsaw
with an art sign beside it but I was on a tour
and couldn't get to it to find out what, if anything it is about.

This was where I was staying.  It was much better
looking inside.  But the door lock didn't work so I just 
left it unlocked.  I wasn't robbed while I was out or 
murdered' while I was in so... good call.

Have I mentioned that I keep buying fridge food and then carrying it around between towns.  I am almost certainly going to die of food poisoning on this trip.  I have been eating some very sketchy ham slices for at least three cities now.  I finally threw away the last few pieces yesterday when I could not pretend that they were still okay.  The convenience store egg salad I had in my bag all sunny day in Warsaw was probably the one that should have killed me though. But it didn't, at least not yet!

The next morning, I had to pack. With my new stuff.  I am at Tetris level of packing now.  It is tight.  And trying to protect that painting.  Ugg.  But it will all be worth it when I get home.  I hope you all enjoy your post cards cause that is all you are getting. I cannot fit gifts into my bag, except those for myself I guess.  

See you in Siauliaia next.