I feel the tension just below my left shoulder blade first. Even before I get in the car, even before I leave the apartment and walk downstairs. Like someone has a hard, gnarled rope and has somehow tied it around me so the pressure is centred on that bit just below the shoulder blade. That is how I feel before I get into the car to drive through Vilnius. It takes every bit of concentration to get through the streets and avoid other drivers who have little concept that there are other road users. No one seems to mind though, as they are all like that and seem to expect it and cater for it.
So today we drove to Kaunas. A little over an hour. Beautiful old city with a beautiful castle from the 13th Century. Audrey was saying she was expecting to see more castles in Lithuania so it was nice to get to this one. Audrey bought a massive punnett of the sweetest tasting raspberries for 3 litus which is about $1.
After a couple of hours we headed back. About 12 kilometers out of Vilnius, someone tied the gnarled rope around me again and twisted it so the knot found my shoulder blade. We drove in during peak hour, and I must say, the town planners must have been on Kripnikas when the planned the roads. Massive roundabouts that lead to major arteries, so as you come into it, lots of people entering from a left side road wanting to turn right, as opposed to cars coming in from the left wanting to turn right. Over a very short space the cars need to get into their correct lanes . Take both hands, join them together and interlock your fingers, then look down on them from above. That is a Vilnius roundabout.
We made it back in thanks to Romas' navigation skills and the knotted rope is loosened.
At about 6:30 , Rita arrived and we took her out for dinner. A couple of the traditional Lithuanian restaurants we tried were full, do we made our way to the town Hall square and went to Kitchen. It is on the 2nd story, and has a small balcony - but also a large room. We had wanted to try it so up we went.
Anybody who goes to Vilnius would be doing themselves a favor by going to this very cool restaurant. There were 6 of us, we had a very nice bottle of Cote du juor, Roma's had a couple of beers, we all had starters and mains - I had an eggplant, olive and capers tapas style entree, then had the forest mushroom risotto.... The food was excellent, the service was wonderful and it cost $90 for all of us! In Australia it would probably have cost close to that for just the wine in a restaurant.
So we had a great time - then back to the apartment for tea and cake. By the time we hot there, Olga had arrived. Olga and Rita had brought a cherry cake, a marzipan cake and a poppy seed cake. They were amazing. We chatted for a while, then it was time to say goodbye.
The kindness of everyone here has been amazing. Rita looking after us and taking us around- even taking time off work and making sure we got to see amazing things. Olga opening her home to us and making that beautiful meal for us just after we had arrived in this country. Mindaugas driving us and checking on us and picking us up and he and Edita taking us to their home. Donatus taking time in his incredibly busy week to take us to Trakei with his family and friends for the whole day on his only day off.
Vytas and Grazina loaning us their car for the week. This was a great gift as we suddenly had some independence. Ella taking us on and giving us a place to stay - even giving up her bedroom and moving herself and Kazimiras upstairs.
Kazimiras driving with us all the way to the Coronian Spit, then back to Kaunas before having to turn back and drive to Kriukai. This was two days of long driving and he just did it all to help us out.
So to all the Lithuanians who have so gone out of their way to make our stay here wonderful - thank you.
And thank you to Viggo as well.