In Lithuania - starting on the Curonian Spit. Obviously a favourite holiday area in the summer but we were a few weeks after the end of the season, when it was much quieter.
Fish for dinner, still warm from the smokehouse. Not sure what sort the large round flat one was, but there is a salmon on top of it.
The view from Europe's highest sandhill
Walking back to Nida. The weather looked threatening but the sun continued to shine. As it did for almost all of our trip.
Trying out the seesaw on the path to the sandhill
In the town of Nida
Sign for the Hill of Witches - a very pleasant walk through magnificent woodlands or forest
with huge wood carvings either illustrating traditional legends or made into playground equipment and seats - some intricate and delicate, some chunky and quirky
Another huge sandhill area with a sad history, is under UNESCO control.
Some straw (?) sculptures on the water which were to be burnt in a celebration a day later.
Travelling to Trakai - rain in the distance
Kernave, the site where the first settlers to the area came around the ninth millenium BC.
Lovely gardens in the nearby monastery
Lady selling very small quinces
Trakai Castle
Houses in Trakai with 3 front windows - favoured by the Tatar people who came to Lithuania probably after the collapse of the Mongol Empire
On to Vilnius, the capital. Along the way we tried dumplings cooked in different ways - boiled, uncooked content and fried, and cooked content then fried, and even managed to negotiate some salad. Not so keen on the boiled (not shown here)
Our spacious apartment had beautiful old furniture and fittings with 'modern' touches - flashing and coloured lights everywhere (we couldn't find switches to turn some of them off!) and Marilyn Monroe sheets and the cushions below
Went out to the Square and found huge crowds lining the streets - waiting to see the Pope as he was just about to leave the country after a short visit. Bronnie snapped at the right time -
The Cathedral and Bell Tower
We bought some lavender cheese - tasted lavender but looked green
Took an Old Town tour, dodging a bit of rain.
Next day we flew to Warsaw in Poland, for a whole new adventure.
