Scandinavia - Finland & Baltic States Tour 2013

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Stage 33A “A day in Klaipėda”

Labas Rytas (Lithuanian “Good Morning”)

Decided this morning as there was no sign of the promised rain, to take off and go into Klaipėda for a look around, so set up ‘City Centre’ in TomTom and off we went....



Not long after and we are there in the centre, which as it happens is the Old Town…





Nice floral Boat….



Followed by Ladybirds to keep the bugs off the floral Boat….



Coming from the Port via a lift bridge is this tributary ….





The cobbles while looking nice were quite difficult in places to walk on….



Old Town map on the side of the building….



On this road is the Tourist Information Office, which was quite handy….



Then following the road a bit further we come to the Town Square…..



Old Theatre, now a restaurant…..



Pictures of the town in days gone by…..









Carrying on further around we see these stone troughs with small water fountains….



Walking further towards one of the main roads it was like swimming through floating cotton wool pieces that were coming off the trees, and you had to keep your mouth shut or else!



Then we find the Old Market…..





We think this kiosk owner might have gone off for more supplies?





Had to start making our way back into the Old Town as the Parking Meter was running down….



Then we find this large basin a bit further up the tributary…..



While on the green grass inside the hedge was a church that was completely destroyed but they are hoping to rebuild….



Then around another corner we see this….



It’s a Chimney Sweep, and if you get to touch one of his coat buttons at New Year it is supposed to bring you luck throughout the next year….



I’m glad we left ‘Flamenco Red’ where we did after seeing this…..



While then making our way to the harbour….









Lots of cranes for offloading of ships…..



Cruise ship ‘Silversea’ registered in Nassau….



While a bit further along but we could not get any closer was this Lithuanian Naval Ship ‘M53’….



While getting under way was the Vehicle Ferry….



Time ran out for us at this point so we had to hoof it back and go off to the local supermarket for some fresh victuals, before heading back to the campsite…..
It also looks like we could be in for some rain tonight as the clouds have rolled in and the wind is getting up!

Labos Nakties (Lithuanian ‘Good night’)

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Stage 33B “A side trip to Palanga”

Labas Rytas (Lithuanian “Good Morning”)

Very overcast this morning with a chance of rain, so we decided to stay local and go and have a look at the ‘Seaside Town’ of Palanga which is quite close to the campsite…



Park up on the outskirts of town and walk in as it was not far.…



Passing the 4x4 Off Road ‘Young Members Club’ getting ready for a day out!



View across the town square….



While a short distance away was the biggest second-hand clothes market we have ever seen….





While the traffic entrances were closed off with some nice floral displays…..



And this nice outfit on the other side of the road, but the horse was missing, presumed off for a late breakfast….



Old War Memorial with ‘Hammer & Sickle’ centre piece…..



While there are some more very nice floral displays along the main road….



Coming to a red brick church….







While just a few yards away down the road was this rather nice Bird Statue….



DIY Pedal Hire Cars for getting around town…..



Nice little children’s fairground…..



As we make our way towards the seafront we see these pictures on the wall of again ‘Bygone Days in Palanga’….





With a couple of the buildings as we walk along the road…..





With the small river alongside…..



Just then the rain started to arrive so it was about turn and head back to the campsite, and on the way for a minute I thought we had been transported to another country as we passed these Donkey Engines in a field by the main road back…..



Now back on the campsite and the heavens have opened up to a good drop of rain which is a pity, but it will be back on the road as it’s time for the next stage tomorrow…..

Labos Nakties (Lithuanian ‘Good night’)

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Stage 34 Karkles - Šilinė (111 Miles)

Labas Rytas (Lithuanian “Good Morning”)

Up early and away by 08:00hrs this morning as we understood that a large party was expected at the campsite for a golf tournament, and within 8 miles we went onto the ‘Klaipeda Motorway’....



The Motorway lasted for around 85 miles of today’s stage and like most roads of this type was rather uninspiring…..



We did notice that unlike a couple of countries in the EU the road building seems to be ongoing in Lithuania as we spotted this new bridge being constructed, while on the other ‘side roads’ the Pothole Repair Men were out in force even on Saturday!….



After arriving at our next campsite which is called Honey Valley, after just getting set up we had another visitor hanging onto the sun canopy guy ropes, and it was only after looking at the picture that I noticed the damage to the upper left and bottom right wings of this Dragon Fly….



While the campsite looks like this, and it is really a very nice place and setting….





While over on one side of the campsite is this rather nice Tree Stump, with a little secret…..



Around the back is this little ‘entrance’ to inside…..



When you open it you see the Honey Comb waiting for the Bees to come along and fill it with their honey, and they will as the campsite owner sells the honey from his Bees and I must say it is rather nice, having bought a jar and made a ‘Honey Butty’ (Sandwich) for a snack!….



Meanwhile, as it was Saturday we needed to make a trip to the supermarket for some groceries, so off we went to the nearest town which is ‘Jurbarkas’ parking up when we got there opposite this old building that was showing signs of its age…..



While a bit further along was this fountain, pond and flower garden.
The shopping had been done by this time so we were strolling around the place….



The town seemed to have a lot of flats for accommodation near the centre





While we then saw this gentleman ‘testing’ his Scythe on the grass outside one of the blocks of flats….



As there was no Tourist Information Office in the town so no town plan could be obtained we just had a look around a number of the roads……









While wandering around we did see some older property like these timber houses but they were surrounded by the multi storey flats….





Spotted the Fire Station only because they were putting one of the engines back in its garage…



While back at the campsite we got back in time to see the Bride and her Bridesmaids as her wedding celebration and picture shoot was taking place….



Hopefully further wanderings tomorrow by foot if the weather is kind and stays dry, so 'Flamenco Red' can have a day off! …..

Labos Nakties (Lithuanian ‘Good night’)

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Stage 34A “A day around Honey Valley Camping”

Labas Rytas (Lithuanian “Good Morning”)

Woken this morning to the sound of rain on the roof of the ‘Tin Tent’ which kept going until around 10:30 when it stopped and about an hour later the sunshine came out, so after lunch we set off to have a look at a couple of castles in the area....

The first one in the little village of Raudone….



Where part of it is now a basic school…..





The Mill, now disused and boarded up….



While at the side is this rather well carved tree trunk….



Making our way to the Tower as you could climb up to the top for a good view around the area we pass this sign pointing the way….



Then we see the stairs, all wood and a few loose…..





Up and out of the doorway and onto the viewing platform with this view….





While out on the river this operation is taking place which we could not see in the grounds….



Looking back across the village we see this rather nice house….



Then it was time for the downward trip…..





At the bottom was this collection of the family that lived here……



As we made our way back through the corridors to the outside again we passed some of the children’s work displayed on the walls…...





With a final look back at the castle….



We went off to find the Gediminas Oak Tree that is mentioned in the information plaque, and found that it had ‘died’ and broke the fence surrounding it when it fell apart…..



While in another part of the park surrounding the castle is this memorial to Russian Soldiers who died in WWII…



A bit further along the pathway is this Lime Tree Grove…..



Taking a short walk around the village before we went to the next castle these are the sights we saw….



















Back in ‘Flamenco Red’ and making our way out of the village we come to this piece of road that is all large stones, and going over it you really got ‘Shaken and not Stirred’ by the time you got to the bottom…..



Next stop was Panemunės pilį….



In the pond just in front and to the right of the tower in the previous picture are Bullfrogs and they are well camouflaged…..



Inside the castle square you can see how the EU Funding has started to renovate the outside of the building along with some of the inside, but there is still a lot to do…..





Special exhibition in part of the un-renovated section which was modern art for which I must admit to having no interest in, however the 5 pointed start in Lithuania according to the young lady selling the tickets to the castle signifies a person, namely: Head, two arms & two legs….



First stop after getting my ticket was to visit the….





Looking down through the grill, I am not sure if you ended up in this part….



Next stop was climbing a lot more stairs up the…..



With the following view at the top….



Then managing to open a window…..



You can see into….



While inside coming back down you notice a difference in the portals in the wall….





While at the bottom are these implements of old battles….



Upstairs was some of the ‘modern art’ displays, but I was more interested in the frescos and I hope they are eventually restored….







On the road again tomorrow for the next stage…..

Labos Nakties (Lithuanian ‘Good night’)

[ssicarman]

As usual another nice batch of pictures.

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As usual another nice batch of pictures.

'Dospedanya' Comrade! (Hope the spelling it correct!)

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Stage 35 Šilinė - Trakai (96 Miles)

Labas Rytas (Lithuanian “Good Morning”)

Another early start as we wanted to be at the next campsite if possible before lunchtime which would give us the afternoon to do some exploring of the area including the big castle of Trakai…

Yet another building enjoying EU Restoration funding….



While this got a coat of paint from the owners …..



As we passed this church it looked very similar to one in a place called ‘El Rocio’ in Spain….



Not long and we are entering the outskirts of Kaunas…..



Where it was only a very short distance to the Motorway where we get behind this Truck.
While the Trailer was made in Holland (That was on the large Mud Flap across the bottom)
The advertisement was in German, and the whole unit had Russian registration plates on it!



Very soon you could tell we were getting closer to Vilnius as the churches started showing the Onion Domes…..



Not far to the campsite now and this ‘Sun’ carving appears on top of the hill…..



Shortly after is the campsite entrance which is pisted road full of potholes and quite narrow but thankfully nothing met us coming the other way…..



While we checked in and found that the price quoted in a telephone call yesterday was incorrect, it was more expensive, while so far it’s also the most expensive campsite we have stayed on in Lithuania, the next picture was taken after we got back from our afternoon excursion to Trakai as a Rally had arrived at the campsite and all the members parked close together so that they could open their windows next morning and shake hands wishing each other ‘Good Morning’….



After an early lunch we set off into Trakai and as we found a place to park, spotted this vintage car…..





For anyone who doesn’t recognise it, it is a Wartburg (2 Stroke Engine), I would guess around 40 years old, made in Eisenach (Germany)



Moving to the lakeside in Trakai, it did not take long to determine that it was a ‘Tourist Trap’…



While these two kind gents from the USA gave us a chuckle as they tried on a couple of special hats…..





Then looking across the lake is the Castle…..



Making our way over to it, we spot this Duck with her brood….



While a nice ‘guardian’ keeps an eye on the bridge to the castle….





Then having paid the ‘Pensioners Entrance fee’ we get inside and see…..





I couldn’t quite get the high parts in so had to take them separately.….





While across the bridge and through 3 gates then into the square Tower we went….



Inside it looked like this



First stop was…..











Next stop in the basement was…..



Various ‘pots’ were on display with coins from different periods on display….



While in the museum was this rather nice clock…..





Then came a model of the castle before it was restored…..



And now after the restoration…..





While some of the original inhabitants of the castle were the Tartars….





More museum pieces of smoking pipes…





Then we see a dining set….





My apologies for this next picture that did not turn out right. The colours on the coach & four were very vivid….



Followed by a couple of nicely decorated vases that did turn out alright!



Glassware…..



Step aboard for a trip around the lake and a couple of beers in the process if you want….



Back on the mainland it was off into the village of Trakai itself…..



While this rather good carving was outside the Fire Station….



Then we found the church which was heavily decorated inside…..





Time to head back to the campsite for dinner, and sort ourselves out for a public bus trip to Vilnius tomorrow……

Labos Nakties (Lithuanian ‘Good night’)

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Stage 35A “A day in Vilnius”

Labas Rytas (Lithuanian “Good Morning”)

Coming this far East in Lithuania it was a forgone conclusion that we would end up in another BIG City and this time it was Vilnius. We took the bus in, but it was the wrong one, so we ended up with a 40 minute walk to the Old Town, while we caught the train back, well it was all part of the ‘adventure’…

Off the wrong bus and hoofing it, we soon pass the blocks of flats….



While a bit further along the road we see a number of the older generation sat on the wall trying to sell produce from their gardens to get some money…..



High rise flats from the Soviet era….



Then looking back along the road we have just walked along…..



While next was truly the only real ‘Onion Dome’ church that we saw, and there are a lot of churches in Vilnius…..



I found the scaffolding intriguing to say the least as it was all made with pieces of wood, and quite a few were just slices from a tree trunk!
No doubt a Health & Safety ‘Official’ would find some regulation that would not allow it in any other country, but as one of the men said “If there is a problem, then the wood ‘talks’ to us, steel is silent & just collapses” .….



As we start to come into the Old Town, the roads get narrower…..



While the first of many churches comes into view it is closed up…..





A bit further up the road you could hire a ‘Segway’ for an assisted tour around the city…..



However if you did then you might get just get a ticket!!!



Yippee, a pedestrianized part of the city!...



While of the 5 signs on the pole, 3 of them point in the direction of different churches….



Town Hall in the middle that has the Tourist Information Office in, with a sculpture of modern art along the path….



Square in front of the Town Hall….



Bottom Right of the next picture. Some would say ‘Good Old George’…..



Then looking across the front of the Town Hall is this view….



Then up the left hand side is this view of the Astoria Hotel….



While over to the left is….









A bit further along is the Lithuania National Philharmonia building….



Gateway leading to another church, which we did not enter….



While further along on the left was…..

















Next along the road was….



While in the museum was this rather nice clock…..







Then we came to….. While to get to the centre inside over the archway you go in a door on the left then follow a corridor and up some steps….







The small metal hearts on either side of the Virgin are from families who wish to remember relatives who have passed away…..



This is the view from the other side of the Gates of Dawn…..



Time for a coffee, and while hunting the coffee shop we pass this shed with the firewood in, so not everyone is using electricity or gas, even in the city!



Then we see find the Train Station…..



Bit of a nightmare for drivers with the two pedestrian crossings coming together in a ‘V’ and yes you did get the odd driver who didn’t bother stopping when people were on the crossing!



Walking further on we pass some nice architecture on this building….



Finally time for some lunch which was enjoyed while sitting by this rather large Egg….



Next was the only Synagogue left in Vilnius while there used to be quite a few…..
(The information plaque while difficult to read was sadly not photographable)







Then on the ‘non-tourist route’ we pass some of the rundown buildings as we make our way further into the old town….



Back into the ‘fashionable street’…..



Next up was Gediminas Tower set on a 48 meter hill and is the only remaining part of the upper castle…..



Then after a rather nice ice cream we strolled over to…..









While strolling on a bit further we spot this rather nicely decorated tree, but not sure how the trunk manages if it is still growing….



While directly opposite too it was…..



While there are 2 churches and a basilica, this is the inside of the church on the left in the picture after the next one….



The church in the centre of the next picture is part of a friary that is ongoing…..



As we entered the gate of the larger church we found a man on the ground asking for money to sadly support his drinking habit, which you could discern from other people you saw in the city with the brown bottles in their hands, and the glazed look in their eyes….



As we came away and looked back you could then see how big the Friary is…..



A nice flower arrangement in a historic place…..



This next picture is the history of the place…..



Off around the corner we come to another Orthodox church, but again without the Onion Domes on the top…..







When we spotted this next sign we thought we were about to enter another country and wondered if we would need our passports!



The for something different we found the market…..







Finally back to the station for the train back to Trakai and we see this train that looked quite new, fenced off from all the others with a security guard and special train conductor as its destination was Minsk, and I remember passing a Border Control door as we made our way to our platform…..



Looking across to Vilnius Railway Station on the right of the station is this building, don’t know what it is, but the statue of the ‘Howling Dog/Wolf’ was very striking…..



While just a bit further over to the right was this old engine….



Then on the other side of the tracks was this old ‘Steamer’ which reminded us of the engines we saw in a railway museum in Ulan Bator (Mongolia) so I would not be surprised if this one also made its way across the Russian Steppes at some time……



Not our train but it still looked good…..



Finally back at Trakai Station, after a bit of a jerky ride as the train pulled out of each station after stopping….



As we settled down for the evening we heard this loud ‘ROAR’ and found a hot air ballon climbing over the trees around the campsite before it ran into them!



So with a final view over Trakai and the lake with the hot air balloon floating off to come down elsewhere it’s time to start getting ready for the final stage in Lithuania tomorrow…..



Labos Nakties (Lithuanian ‘Good night’)

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Stage 36 Trakai - Seirijai (72 Miles)

Labas Rytas (Lithuanian “Good Morning”)

While we did plan to spend a few nights at ‘Slenis’ as no maintenance had been carried out at the campsite for some time, and having a shower on our first night I was not impressed when the water rose to a temperature that was not far short of scalding hot and could not be adjusted, so between that and the incorrect information about the cost, we decided to leave.

OK on the road again by 08:30 for the run to Seirijai, before the rally members decided to leave …..





Off to the local village….



Re-chipped road surface with the speed supposed to be restricted to 40Kmph but in trying to keep up we found we were rolling along at more like 60 or 70Kmph….



While a bit further along we came to the section were one side of the road has just had its bitumen coating before the tarmacadam is applied, however oncoming traffic was expected to travel along it as there was no traffic control, so some drivers were coming towards you with their offside wheels on your side of the road, while not slowing down and remaining on your side of the road!



Just entering the outskirts of…..









We found out later after we went back into Ayltus from the Tourist Information brochure that the sculpture in the next picture is of ‘Patrimpas’ who is the ancient Baltic god of spring & fertility!



Around 40 minutes later we turn left onto a side road that is just wide enough to take the wheels on the ‘Tin Tent’ without going into the nearside ‘piste’….







As we get around the next corner it was slow down time…..



Shortly after we pull into the campsite pulling up with this carving staring at me as I go to check in….





With the cabins and the trees I could not see where the actual pitches were for the camping section, then with the owner we set off on a 600 meter walk to get to the places, but as we had to go around the perimeter it took a bit longer on ‘Forest Tracks’ to get to the places but ‘Flamenco Red’ just ‘growled’ quietly and in no time really we were there…..

Up along the tracks in the middle to the open pitches…..



While the ‘open’ pitches go off in the distance……



Choosing a large pitch we managed to turn around and get in while the ground erupted with Mosquitoes, large flies and Horse Flies of the type that bite! So we sat there for about 15 minutes till they settled down, and then got set up, but as the temperature was around 29C the first job was to get the windows open and the nets in place to stop the little buggers coming inside!…..



Having got set up after lunch we decided having found that the facilities were back by the bungalows and the site has no Interent we were only going to stay for the one night instead of the planned three, a trip into Ayltus for a bit of shopping and a look around was OK for the afternoon, so off we went…..

‘Town transport’ as this little bus came direct from Sweden and still had the license plates on!...





Komsomol Square in 1978….



Now called Rotuses Square.….



V. Kapsukas Street in 1974….



Now called Jotvingiai Street today…..



The Angel of Freedom statue, erected in 1929 to the people who gave their lives for the freedom of Lithuania…..



With the plaques on 3 of the 4 sides…..







The ‘Dead Bell Memorial’ it unites all the memorial symbols of resistance fights scattered throughout the city, and is dedicated to all political prisoners, deportees, partisans of Dainava military district and the Lithuanian Army rebels of 22 – 28 June1941…



The plaque on the rear of the Dead Bell Memorial…..



The National Awakening Movement cross near the Dead Bell Memorial…



The ‘Green Gymnasium’ which was first established in 1919, and then got the building in 1925 using material from the former Military Barracks it is now the School of Fine Crafts with the wood carvings outside…..





While outside the building materials ‘Supermarket’ are a few trucks with log loads waiting to offload maybe?



After trying for over ¾ of an hour to find the Jewish Genocide Cemetery that was created after mass graves were found in the Vidzgiris forest, we had to give up. Asking directions to the street that the cemetery was in produced various sets of directions in how to get there, none of which were correct, while the Tourist Information Office booklet gave no map.

Which made us think as we then returned to the campsite that maybe like this ‘Forgotten Memorial’ that we came across on our way back that had no information at the site, as it appeared that plaques that were on the wall had been removed or stolen.
It was now a similar story for the Jewish Genocide Cemetery….







Next stage tomorrow sees us in Poland….

Labos Nakties (Lithuanian ‘Good night’)

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Stage 37 Seirijai - Giżycko (105 Miles)

Labas Rytas (Lithuanian “Good Morning”)

Back on the road by 08:15 this morning, as the other small ‘problem’ was there is no Internet at Seirijai, and having been off now for 3 days there is a significant backlog for the update.

Setting off this morning we were under the impression that the Lithuania – Poland Border was around 22Km away when we saw the road sign, but I think because we went across country we got there in less than the 22Km, as from the sign it appeared in no time at all…..







While there was not even a sign of any Border Controls except for Trucks we were in….





Following initially the signs for Suwalki (Suwałki)!



“Turn left in front of the church, and watch out for traffic on your right”!







“Ere, this be Farmin Countryside so you can expect to meet us as you roll along!!”







Large grain silos on the outskirts of the town….







While on the other side of town we come once again into the ‘Roadworks’….



In parts it was really ‘up & down’ over the workings while the 10 Tonne Truck went through a Red Traffic Control Light at one section getting in front of this interesting trailer …..



Back on the good road……



Then we see two of them Farmin type vehicuules comin toward each other, and they was waving to one another!…..



Right hand turn just ahead while the Market was at the top of the road!...







Now just gone around the town of Giżycko and turned into the road to the campsite to find more roadworks, with again no traffic control even though one side of the road has been completely removed. It was like being back in Morocco but if anything worse thanks to the narrow lane and lumps and bumps as you went over it…..







While the entrance road to the campsite was not much better…..





Get on a pitch having got through the security gate with only instructions in Polish and get set up.…



Then went over to reception to register and was asked to pay for our stay of 3 nights, but for anyone coming to Poland with an outside of Poland Credit Card, be aware that there is a nice ruse to improve bank profits by putting the amount through in your Home Country Currency but at a very poor exchange rate when you check the details later!

You are supposed to be offered the chance to pay in your own currency or the currency of the country but nothing was said other than 'Pin Number'!

Dobry Wieczór (Polish ‘Good night’)