"On the road again
Goin' places that I've never been
Seein' things that I may never see again,
And I can't wait to get on the road again."
Willie Nelson
D Day - 9
jeudi 24 septembre 2009
mercredi 9 septembre 2009
mardi 8 septembre 2009
Trakai and Vilnius
As the weather is particularly beautiful today, direction one of the 3000 lakes of the country, and its castle : Trakai.
The village consists of wooden houses, full of different colours. The traditional house has 3 windows on the street side : one for the Duke, one for God and one for the family.
It must be a very special place, because the wildlife is really different from anywhere else in the world...
The village consists of wooden houses, full of different colours. The traditional house has 3 windows on the street side : one for the Duke, one for God and one for the family.
It must be a very special place, because the wildlife is really different from anywhere else in the world...
To finish, a few global views of Vilnius, most of them taken from my bedroom.
Tomorrow, time to fly back to Paris. But for sure I will never forget the smile of the Lithuanian.
lundi 7 septembre 2009
From Riga to Vilnius
A last stop before the border between Latvia and Lithuania, at the Pilsrundale castle, the "Latvian Versailles". Usually, I am not really interested in this kind of visit, but to be honest this one is rather interesting the building and the park are nice, and the furniture has been gathered all around Europe, to fit with the context.
In Vilnius, some of the streets are lined with churches and amber shops. Between 2 churches, one or several amber shops, and between 2 amber shops, one or several churches...
Below, a picture of St Anne. Napoleon said that he would have liked to take it in his hand and bring it back to France.
Below, the Cathedral, St Casimir, St Francis and Bernardine, St John (in the middle of one of the courtyards of the university), St Nicolas, Sts Peter and Paul's churches. No, it is not becoming an obsession, but the 32 churches of the old town district is a very important part of what is interesting to be seen...
Some of them are really surprising, inside
Talking about surprise, did you know that you can drink amber alcohol ? Not kidding ! You can put small pieces of amber into your favorite alcohol, wait a few weeks until it starts melting, then drink it ! It is supposed to give you strength and energy...
Just a word about a restaurant in the historical Jewish part of the city, Bistro 18, which is absolutely amazing : gorgeous food, a pleasant room and very friendly staff (including a French girl, who has come to Lithuania to follow her boyfriend). I can hardly remember the last time I ate so well !!!
On the other side of the river Vilnia, what the Lithuanian call the twin sister of Montmartre, Uzupis, full of artists studios. On the 2 bridges which lead there, the married couples hand a padlock, on the day of their wedding, and throw the key in the river.
Now it is basket ball time : it is the national sport here, and tonight is the 1st match of the European championship, Lithuania is currently playing against Turkey. Vilnius is completely empty, everybody is at home or in the pubs (where it is very hard to get a drink, all the waiters are also watching the match ;).
It is going to be hot tonight !!!!!
(ooops, I almost forgot : "hello" is "laba diena" in Lithuanian)
In Vilnius, some of the streets are lined with churches and amber shops. Between 2 churches, one or several amber shops, and between 2 amber shops, one or several churches...
Below, a picture of St Anne. Napoleon said that he would have liked to take it in his hand and bring it back to France.
Below, the Cathedral, St Casimir, St Francis and Bernardine, St John (in the middle of one of the courtyards of the university), St Nicolas, Sts Peter and Paul's churches. No, it is not becoming an obsession, but the 32 churches of the old town district is a very important part of what is interesting to be seen...
Some of them are really surprising, inside
Talking about surprise, did you know that you can drink amber alcohol ? Not kidding ! You can put small pieces of amber into your favorite alcohol, wait a few weeks until it starts melting, then drink it ! It is supposed to give you strength and energy...
Just a word about a restaurant in the historical Jewish part of the city, Bistro 18, which is absolutely amazing : gorgeous food, a pleasant room and very friendly staff (including a French girl, who has come to Lithuania to follow her boyfriend). I can hardly remember the last time I ate so well !!!
On the other side of the river Vilnia, what the Lithuanian call the twin sister of Montmartre, Uzupis, full of artists studios. On the 2 bridges which lead there, the married couples hand a padlock, on the day of their wedding, and throw the key in the river.
Now it is basket ball time : it is the national sport here, and tonight is the 1st match of the European championship, Lithuania is currently playing against Turkey. Vilnius is completely empty, everybody is at home or in the pubs (where it is very hard to get a drink, all the waiters are also watching the match ;).
It is going to be hot tonight !!!!!
(ooops, I almost forgot : "hello" is "laba diena" in Lithuanian)
samedi 5 septembre 2009
Riga
Hi there !
A few more pictures of the Art Nouveau district, under the rain....
and below the Russian, French and Italian embassies
The Chemistry museum is not a boring museum full of dust, but something very funny to be visited, with a very lively guide, and a real alchemist who will prepare potions that you can try (just a bit tough to be tried in the morning, there is more alcohol than herbs in it ;)
The old town, which is an accumulation of Stalinian, Art Nouveau and hanseatic buildings with no obvious logic, is fortunately a lot more sunny, a few hours later :
A few more pictures of the Art Nouveau district, under the rain....
and below the Russian, French and Italian embassies
The Chemistry museum is not a boring museum full of dust, but something very funny to be visited, with a very lively guide, and a real alchemist who will prepare potions that you can try (just a bit tough to be tried in the morning, there is more alcohol than herbs in it ;)
The old town, which is an accumulation of Stalinian, Art Nouveau and hanseatic buildings with no obvious logic, is fortunately a lot more sunny, a few hours later :
vendredi 4 septembre 2009
From Pärnu to Riga
Sveiki !
No surprise, the sky is not bluer, and the sea is not warner in Latvia...
A few pictures taken on the side of the road, in the countryside :
In fact, to be honest, the weather got a lot better during the afternoon, just in time to visit Gauja National Park. In Turaida, the brick wall castle was built in 1214, burnt down in 1776, and restorated during the 2nd half of the 20th century. The gardens, also called Dainas hills (dainas are folk songs) are full of sculptures by Indulis Ranka.
The castle in Sigulda, built in Tudor style in 1878 has become the city hall.
Tomorrow will be spent in Riga, but here are the first 2 pictures, from the modern districts (an "Art Nouveau" building, and the Academy of Science, built by the Soviets, behind a wooden building)
No surprise, the sky is not bluer, and the sea is not warner in Latvia...
A few pictures taken on the side of the road, in the countryside :
In fact, to be honest, the weather got a lot better during the afternoon, just in time to visit Gauja National Park. In Turaida, the brick wall castle was built in 1214, burnt down in 1776, and restorated during the 2nd half of the 20th century. The gardens, also called Dainas hills (dainas are folk songs) are full of sculptures by Indulis Ranka.
The castle in Sigulda, built in Tudor style in 1878 has become the city hall.
Tomorrow will be spent in Riga, but here are the first 2 pictures, from the modern districts (an "Art Nouveau" building, and the Academy of Science, built by the Soviets, behind a wooden building)
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