t little apt, trying my hand at simplified dinner recipes for the lack of a microwave/oven, trying to communicate well enough in polish so they don't answer back in English (sigh) and the daily jaunts to the market for bread, fish and greens, hasn’t lost its appeal….yet either. With only a month to go, I know I will really miss this pro-active lifestyle.Trip Report. This past weekend I had one of my travel dreams come true - to
visit a former Russian state – Lithuania. The city was Vilnius. It lies 26 km from what has been determined the 'middle of Europe'. Sadly, along with Russia, it has the highest suicide rate in the world – could be that white night effect, as the sunset sets late/rises early.
It was also my first, lengthy road trip. All I can say about the driving here, is that is very manageable, however, I’m glad that its not me behind the wheel, trying to cover great distances, as it would take me a good generation to get from city to city. Until the Hwys are finished, most intercity roads are only two lanes, and require a swift hand and led foot to outwit. After 15-yrs of living here, my brother has definitely acquired the skill of 'outpassin slower cars' - an important talent if you wish to get a
nywhere - fast. Its like a real, life video game at time. Driving, doest, offer a great perspective of how the locals really live, with their small towns, km of farmland and stray cows.
This city of Vilinus doesn't seem to have been ‘discovered’ by the international tourist community yet so there’s a tremendous feeling of ‘discovery’ and with it, affordable prices. I think it will most likely become the new ‘Krakow’…..when the tourists have ravaged that city. Note to single men: there are heaps of gorgeous women here, with an observable lack in male counterparts (though I’m told that the Germans, Brits, + other desperate nations have already picked through the prime women, from looks of it though, they've left a lot behind)
At dinner one evening
, we had an engaging conversation with one of our table neighbors. It was a brit that began the comical exchange and a Lithuanian who ended with a philosophical one. You gotta love those Brtis, they seem to have the nack to livens things up with their humor. The Lithuania philosopher seemed to want to know the 'state of mind of American's where I come from. I tried to describe ‘us’ as best I could, but I think he took away that American’s are ‘overworked, over scheduled and as a result ‘unhappy. Hmm, could be the cause. When comparing small nuances, I find it interesting that the highest compliment a central European can pay another is that they are ‘intelligent’…for us, it's usually ‘nice, kind, funny’,- right?. He
was an obvious cynic toward his own countrymen though, who were experiencing new found sucess. He called Lithuania the ‘most corrupt’ country in the EU. "Just look around", he chided, " how else do you explain all these expensive cars “ -– it was a good thing I didn’t tell him that my brother just drove into his country in a Mercedes E series… Then there was the Australian, who left his country, to live and become a passport holding Lithuanian….. Heretic, I say!
I spent the following day, strolling through the windy, cobblestone streets, unearthing the wealth of baroque architecture, quaint squares and numer
ous churches (17 in all!) (all while listening to my companion, the Ipod). The food here is just as hearty as Poland’s but eating out is much cheaper –but then again, I can’t say it hurt my pocket book. My gracious and generous brother has been footing the bill for all aspects of this weekend – and eating ‘well’ seems to be a non-negotiable with him. This weekend's trip was probably the highligh of my travels so far.,
Back to the motherland. I was recently noticing some items that, as of yet, are not available or desired here, ….but seeing that I’m writing this in a ‘starbuck-esque’s coffee shop’ I imagin
e even the Warsawvites will find themselves Americanizing in its fullness…soon enough. Clothes washers they have, but dryers = NO. Drying takes the form of the old clothes line plus pins – whether over the bathtub, like my situation, or a few wires stretched out over the balcony. This method, however leaves the clothes coarse and rough – and without the shrinking feature of a dryer – there be no ‘skinny’ jeans for me during this trip (you ladies know what I’m talking about) Hand sanitizer, such as Purell ,is also missing. I think I utilize more of this item
then anything else, made on this earth. Period. Fortunately, I brought a barrel with me. Still I’m curious as to why its not even obtainable for the willing, so I asked my doc friend, Tomek why he thought it wasn't available in Poland - his reply ‘well, we don’t have it here because the Poles would drink it’. Ok then….
visit a former Russian state – Lithuania. The city was Vilnius. It lies 26 km from what has been determined the 'middle of Europe'. Sadly, along with Russia, it has the highest suicide rate in the world – could be that white night effect, as the sunset sets late/rises early.It was also my first, lengthy road trip. All I can say about the driving here, is that is very manageable, however, I’m glad that its not me behind the wheel, trying to cover great distances, as it would take me a good generation to get from city to city. Until the Hwys are finished, most intercity roads are only two lanes, and require a swift hand and led foot to outwit. After 15-yrs of living here, my brother has definitely acquired the skill of 'outpassin slower cars' - an important talent if you wish to get a
nywhere - fast. Its like a real, life video game at time. Driving, doest, offer a great perspective of how the locals really live, with their small towns, km of farmland and stray cows.This city of Vilinus doesn't seem to have been ‘discovered’ by the international tourist community yet so there’s a tremendous feeling of ‘discovery’ and with it, affordable prices. I think it will most likely become the new ‘Krakow’…..when the tourists have ravaged that city. Note to single men: there are heaps of gorgeous women here, with an observable lack in male counterparts (though I’m told that the Germans, Brits, + other desperate nations have already picked through the prime women, from looks of it though, they've left a lot behind)
At dinner one evening
, we had an engaging conversation with one of our table neighbors. It was a brit that began the comical exchange and a Lithuanian who ended with a philosophical one. You gotta love those Brtis, they seem to have the nack to livens things up with their humor. The Lithuania philosopher seemed to want to know the 'state of mind of American's where I come from. I tried to describe ‘us’ as best I could, but I think he took away that American’s are ‘overworked, over scheduled and as a result ‘unhappy. Hmm, could be the cause. When comparing small nuances, I find it interesting that the highest compliment a central European can pay another is that they are ‘intelligent’…for us, it's usually ‘nice, kind, funny’,- right?. He
was an obvious cynic toward his own countrymen though, who were experiencing new found sucess. He called Lithuania the ‘most corrupt’ country in the EU. "Just look around", he chided, " how else do you explain all these expensive cars “ -– it was a good thing I didn’t tell him that my brother just drove into his country in a Mercedes E series… Then there was the Australian, who left his country, to live and become a passport holding Lithuanian….. Heretic, I say!I spent the following day, strolling through the windy, cobblestone streets, unearthing the wealth of baroque architecture, quaint squares and numer
ous churches (17 in all!) (all while listening to my companion, the Ipod). The food here is just as hearty as Poland’s but eating out is much cheaper –but then again, I can’t say it hurt my pocket book. My gracious and generous brother has been footing the bill for all aspects of this weekend – and eating ‘well’ seems to be a non-negotiable with him. This weekend's trip was probably the highligh of my travels so far.,Back to the motherland. I was recently noticing some items that, as of yet, are not available or desired here, ….but seeing that I’m writing this in a ‘starbuck-esque’s coffee shop’ I imagin
e even the Warsawvites will find themselves Americanizing in its fullness…soon enough. Clothes washers they have, but dryers = NO. Drying takes the form of the old clothes line plus pins – whether over the bathtub, like my situation, or a few wires stretched out over the balcony. This method, however leaves the clothes coarse and rough – and without the shrinking feature of a dryer – there be no ‘skinny’ jeans for me during this trip (you ladies know what I’m talking about) Hand sanitizer, such as Purell ,is also missing. I think I utilize more of this item
then anything else, made on this earth. Period. Fortunately, I brought a barrel with me. Still I’m curious as to why its not even obtainable for the willing, so I asked my doc friend, Tomek why he thought it wasn't available in Poland - his reply ‘well, we don’t have it here because the Poles would drink it’. Ok then….
