Five days later

 It took five days, a weekend at the Curonian lagoon, fresh water fish for dinner, a few bottles of Austrian riesling and French cider and that strange anxiety I harboured upon arrival has disappeared.


Vilnius oggi è inondata dal sole, semplice e imponente. E soprattutto accogliente e rilassante. Come quando sono arrivata, non e' cambiato granche'. Ma Vilnius è la scusa perfetta, allora perche' non usarla?

Different eyes and different perspectives: today we climbed two belfries and one (Gediminas) castle hill, to decide which one held the best view of the city.

And the winner is ... the University's St. John church in the old town: for there you can get the most central view of the city (the jury's motivation).


But I need to learn more: now I have a little girl to visit in Vilnius.  

Vilnius again

A small airport with a feeling of a train station. Wide streets, northern lights, old style buildings and not so many people around.

It feels bizarre entering Vilnius once again. A feeling like the end of the world is approaching. Of course Vilnius is only the excuse, not the cause. It is me generating these feelings.

Or perhaps it is also the bath tub parked in the garage.

But the first memory of Vilnius soon comes back, that of Captain Ramius of Red October. Handsome, smart, in control. And native of Vilnius, that he abandoned forever. That Vilnius was an exotic place behind the iron curtain, mysterious. 

Today's Vilnius, the only one I know, is richer, clean, growing. EU flags show the renovation projects funded by Brussels. In 5 months the Euro will replace the Litas. Euroscepticism does not belong here. Yet.

While reestablishing familiarity with old friends whom I should see more often, the best youth of Vilnius is preparing to hit the town, beautiful, well dressed, queuing to get into the best bar in town, ordering the best Spritz and Mojito. But we are not part of Generation Y, we will go to a much better place just next door.

Lithuania 2012

Nice time in Vilnius. After more than 7 years it is fun to be back, with the only sightseeing pressure coming from the sun shining on a Sunday afternoon and the curiosity to see whether I still remember the city  - I did not but it seems it is not entirely my fault: big renovations took place in recent times.

It was also an instructive trip. I learned a lot about Lithuanian energy concerns, dismissed nuclear power plants, Lithuanian pagan traditions, national heroes and famous painters - oh yes, and Sorainen superheroes.


Once again, the gastronomic part of the trip was a big success. Biggest achievement of the trip is fishing my own 1 kg trout and eat it, instead of going for the legendary zeppelini I tasted 7 years ago. Bistro 18, run by an Irish lady, has the "best breast in town" - duck breast, that is.  Excellent wine & cheese football night - and Italy won against England.


As a wise man put it: life is good but good life is even better.