We woke up in the morning a bit later than usual but with no sign of hangover – and we were ready to head downstairs and eat breakfast by 7:30 am. This time there were fewer people at the breakfast buffet and we could take our time and enjoy the meal. After breakfast we went back up to the room to get ready to ship out for Lithuania.
We arranged a taxi with the hotel, and then took the long drive to Riga airport. It was pretty far outside of town, but not as far as Kansai Airport is from Kobe. We had a smooth check-in and then plenty of time to wait for our flight at the gate. We were really impressed with Riga airport – it had many stylish bars and restaurants, good shopping and plenty of seats – very comfortable. We took a couple of seats and laid out a little mini-picnic with a local sheep’s milk cheese and an apple (leftovers from the hotel picnic yesterday) and also some fruit juices that we bought from a vendor at the airport.
Eventually it was time to board the plane. We were flying with AirBaltic, on a small propeller-driven airplane carrying only about 50 people. The plane left a little late, but once we took off they were able to save some time. It was just a 50 minute flight to Vilnius, Lithuania, and despite some turbulence as we landed it was a relatively uneventful flight. Propeller flights really make you remember what flying is all about!
Vilnius airport was very small built in an art deco style. Our suitcase was sitting on the carousel waiting for us when we deplaned, and it was a short walk outside the airport and along the sidewalk to an elevator, which took us down to a train station. The train into town was pretty cool, actually. The train ran every 30-40 minutes, and it cost less than a euro per person which was much less than a taxi would cost. The train ride was only 10 minutes, and it dropped us off at the central train station. From there Kuniko guided us along the outskirts of the central city, passing a couple of (gypsy?) women having a shouting match, and through the Gates of Dawn – a religious landmark containing a lot of gold-inlaid holy relics. Once you pass through the gate into the city you can turn back and see that above the gate is a beautiful gold and blue icon of the Lady of the Dawn overlooking the street.
Now we were inside the walls and within the Old Town of Vilnius. If you’ve been keeping track you know that this was the third Old Town we’ve visited, all UNESCO World Heritage sites. So we were getting to be kind of connoisseurs in a way. This Old Town had a different feel to it – kind of like an ancient version of Beverly Hills. The shops here were more upscale, the fountains and buildings a little more dramatic, and it felt like everything was going to be more expensive. As it turned out this city was actually the least expensive of all the cities on this trip.
We didn’t spend much time gawking since we were trying to get to our hotel, and after another ten minutes or so of walking we found it. It was called the Artagonist Hotel, and it was very artistic and offbeat. The check-in lobby is in an open air room with a ceiling three stories up. On the wall behind check-in is a giant mural of the hotel mascot, The Artagonist himself, in a cheeky pose and looking cool. Our room was really nice – Kuniko said she splurged a little here – with two sinks in the bathroom, a king sized bed, a cupola with views of the main street below, a strangely prescient mural on the wall over the bed, and some candies waiting for us on the bed cover.
Since the weather was nice we decided to hike to the northeast part of the city to see the Three Crosses, which is a viewpoint and landmark in the forest above the city. The walk was past the historic cathedral square and clock tower, and then up a pathway through the forest. It was easy to follow the path using my GPS and soon we had a great view of the city. The Three Crosses were very dramatic on their own and it was nice to stand up there for a while and enjoy the view. Some schoolkids were also hanging around the area along with the tourists, and just as we were leaving a tour bus full of Japanese people pulled up and so we left right on time.
With such beautiful weather we did a little more sightseeing – the three creepy muses at the National Theater, the slightly leaning clock tower and the adjacent cathedral undergoing renovation. We took a break for a round of prosecco and a round of beer sitting outside under the trees at a small restaurant. It was a quiet moment to relax and watch the city move around us. Once again we had a very attractive waitress who spoke excellent English. We asked when they learn English in Lithuania, and she replied that it starts from the fourth year of elementary school. When not serving us the waitress spent time talking with two older women who seemed to be regular customers.
We made a reservation at our first choice restaurant for the next day, and then continued wandering the streets of the city. The weather was perfect for walking and taking pictures. One highlight was the beautiful red brick St. Anne’s cathedral – it had an interesting feel to it both inside and out.
For dinner we had an early meal at a traditional place called Loky’s. We sat outside on a patio with trees overhead and a historic house behind us. I started with a glass of mead, and then Kuniko and I both had Lithuanian bottled beers, and they were damn good. The waiter (also very good looking) gave us a running commentary on the food and beer and did everything he could to make us comfortable – great service! We had a lentil salad to start with, and then I had a nice big venison roast while Kuniko ordered beaver stew in a mashed potato bowl. Very rustic, very unusual, and very delicious. Sitting out on the patio, enjoying a quiet meal in beautiful weather with the woman I love – I was having one of those moments you always remember. You never know when the moment will strike and everything comes together – and you have the sense to realize it – but for me it was happening right then and I didn’t want it to end.
As we were leaving we asked the waiter to recommend a restaurant that made good potato dumplings, which are the area’s must-try dish, and he recommended a place right next door. We marked it on our map and made a plan to visit for lunch the next day.
We stopped for one more drink at an outdoor bar placed between two cobblestone streets. It was fun to people watch and try to guess what everyone around us was talking about, but we were getting tired by that point. Our weather application said that rain was likely the next day, so we thought we should get some rest and be ready for anything tomorrow.
