There is nothing special to say, in general, about Lithuanian toilets. The vast majority are spotless, and like most other places boys go to the boys’ room, girls go to the girls, they flush with water and have a ring to sit on, like most toilets we know and are familiar with in the West. But, just like many parts of Scandinavia, there is a common type of toilet in Lithuania that many reading this blog would be horrified by: the outhouse, or Išvietė. These johns don’t flush, and over time the contributions mulch into compost, and so is a very ‘green’ alternative to flushing away human waste with perfectly drinkable water. On the downside, going out to do the required business when it’s -20°c is not great. Still, I don’t see it catching on in France or the UK any time soon. As an aside, it’s been said that if you hear a Lithuanian kid saying “eiti pas nykštukus” – “going to visit the dwarves”, they’re likely to be hading to the Išvietė, which, apparently, is where they live.
Camping passion
One activity that Lithuanians cherish, and for good reason, is the tried-and-tested tradition of camping. The country is replete with fantastic camping sites, many of which are barely accessible with a normal car, and most of which are little more than clearings by a lake with a couple fire pits, a bog and a bin. For continental Europeans who have grown weary of over-serviced ‘camping’ where a site has a round the clock restaurant, small shop and pedalo hire, Lithuania’s version of camping is suitably exotic. For an idea of where to go, the web is a good start, but it is also worth making for a natural reserve and studying the many local-area maps scattered around, and scout out a place that looks suitable for the day’s inspiration.
Nestled in the woods
This post continues the series of vantage points around of the city of Vilnius, with the Karoliniškės ridge to the west offering a stunning view on just how much forest that surrounds the city. You can see how the city nestles in among the vast wooded hills that surrounds it. Because it is higher up, and slightly further removed it offers a more far-reaching vista than the panoramic spots closer to the city, like Subačiaus, the hill of three crosses, Tauro hill, or Kalnų park.
Happy birthday (again)
Today was the presumed day when Lithuania’s first and only king, Mindaugas, was crowned in 1253 – around the same time as the Mongols were busy sacking the Thai kingdom, Baghdad and Cairo. Since it doesn’t take much patriotism to get the Lithuanians out on the street, today was celebrated with a predictably pompous party in the centre of Vilnius, with singing, dance and a collective singing of the national anthem (if you’re not into the heavy-going traditional version, here’s a suitably summery bossa nova rendition). The coronation of Mindaugas is seen as the start of “Lithuania” as a geopolitical entity of relevance, and paved the way for the mighty grand duchy that once stretched from the Baltic sea to the Black sea, and so it counts as a national day. It should not be confused with 11 March, when Lithuania became re-independent from the Soviet Union, or the “real” independence day on 16 February, when Lithuania celebrates splitting off from the Russian empire. So, again, happy birthday Lithuania!
City beach
If you come to Vilnius on a sweltering hot summer’s day, and fancy cooling down in the waters of the Neris river, the closest beach is only a 20 minute bus ride on the number 10 from the main city square, Lukiškių aikštė (or short bike ride along the river upstream on the right bank). Žirmūnų paplūdimys – Žirmūnai beach – is well looked after, with spots for grilling, a nice sand beach with a jetty, ducks and playgrounds to entertain the kids, a volleyball court and toilets. Alcohol is not allowed, so leave the six pack of beers at home, but en revanche, it means you won’t likely run into drunken louts. At the moment, the river is 21°c, so there’s no reason not to jump in. If you want to go a bit further, there are more beaches along the other river bank in Valakampiai, 10 minutes upstream across the bridge, and the glorious lakes that run in an arch north and east of the city.
Blue gold
The season has now started for the most wonderful delicacy carpeting the forest floors in Lithuania (and other countries nearby in Scandinavia) – the bilberry. These juicy little blue fruits grow abundantly all over the forests, and though this year’s early summer heat and dry weather doesn’t seem to have triggered a bumper crop, the berries are still plentiful and offering just that little extra incentive to put on a pair of wellies and hit the woods. They are best eaten fresh, or made into a crumble (if you’re in a luxurious mood, sprinkle in some white chocolate shavings).
Village fete
In Vilnius, you rarely get a glimpse of ‘traditional’ Lithuanian culture, the city’s culture being decisively contemporary and urban. But you don’t have to go far to enjoy the more authentic songs, dress and food of Lithuania. Over the weekend, the village of Švenčionys, about 80km northeast of Vilnius near the Belarus border, celebrated its 530-year anniversary with a village fete. The town existed before 1486 (that’s six years before Christopher Columbus set off on his fateful sailing trip, for comparison), but that was when it was first mentioned by its name in Lithuanian records. The folk dances and dresses are pretty much what you can expect from this part of the world – all fancy headdress, pretty apron and embroidered waistcoats, flapping about to the tune of violins and accordeons. What is perhaps less usual in the West is that people turned out in droves to watch the show, suggesting that folklore still pulls the crowds in this country.
Highlands and lakes
Just one and a half hours northeast of Vilnius lies one of the great natural wonders of Lithuania, Aukstatijos Nacionalinis Parkas – the highland national park. It spreads west of Ignalina (a town better known for the eponymous nuclear plant at the Belarus border), at the meeting point of three lakes, and is in a compact format a chance to sample the essence of Lithuania’s heritage and nature. There are fort-hills, for those into medieval ruins, old water mills, quaint towns and delicately decorated wooden houses scattered throughout the park. Add to that glorious forests where the blueberries are just coming into season, lakes with soft sand bottom and clear water, and mixed evergreen and broadleaf forests that form a soft, green cushion over the whole area, and it’s a summer weekend dream come true. Though the “capital” of the park is Palūšė, with a fantastic beach and a smattering of guest houses and cafés, along with boat and canoe rental facilities, it is worth getting off the main road and head to Ginučiai at the heart of the park. This extra 15 minutes will offer a glimpse of the essence of the park in all its glory.
Amber museum
Lithuania is dotted with fantastic little mansions that have survived the ravages and pillaging of the Soviet years. Built by the Polish nobility in the last few centuries before communism took over, they have been the subject of a meticulous restoration programme, with the help of EU funds, to bring them back to their former glory. Nowadays, they are often converted into public spaces, with restaurants, events venues or museums occupying the grand buildings. This one is on the coast, in Palanga, and is now an amber museum, and has an absolutely delightful garden with ponds, bridges and meticulous landscaping. It was originally built in 1897, by German architect Franz Heinrich Schwechten for the Tyszkiewicz family, which also commissioned another neoclassical gem in Trakai.
Capturing the skyline
Since Vilnius is located in a river valley surrounded by hills, there are many superb vantage points from which to get an overview of the city below. Some are obviously marked out on the tourist trail, including the three crosses and the chief landmark in Vilnius, Gediminas hill, but one that is often overlooked despite a central location is the viewing platform on Subačiaus gatve, just above Kūdrų parkas. The advantage of this one is that it allows you to capture nearly the entire profile of the city’s skyline, including the skyscrapers in Šnipiškės, north of the river, Gediminas hill, a handful of Vilnius’ famous churches including the cathedral, and the bo-bo Užupis neighbourhood clinging onto a ridge jutting out into the Vilnia river. So as far as panoramic vantage points go, this is probably the one that packs the biggest number of landmarks in a single photo frame. As a bonus, turn up on a sunny summers’ evening and you might stumble upon one of the alfresco salsa clubs that occasionally sets up shop here.
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