Kaunas, the second city

We head to Kaunas, the second largest Lithuanian city but, before we get there, we stop off at the excellent Rumsiskes, an unusual open air ethnographic museum.

At the museum, old Lithuanian wooden houses from different periods and regions have been transported here and displayed as they would have been at that time. It's very good and made even better by our excellent guide, Erica.

Arriving at the campsite in the afternoon, we decide to use the bar, which sits next to a small lake, and relax with a travelling couple... then we eat and, in one of those spontaneous moments, most of the group, including our excellent leader, bring over chairs and red wine and, before we know it, the evening has gone. Wonderful.

Day 2

We take a group bus trip into town and are taken around the old quarter by a new guide who gives us immense amounts of detail about the complex history and development of Lithuania and the odd anecdote. We may remember some of it.

The Castle

 Town Square

National costumes in the Singing Festival

After a nice lunch with travelling friends we stay on to get a better feel for Kaunas. It certainly has a young, vibrant feel about it, even if parts are a little rough around the edges. The old town has a rich history with a great square and old town hall. We visit the the Devils Museum, Baroque Cathedral and other churches before walking out of the old town...


Depiction of Hitler and Stalin in the Devils Museum

We take a short funicular railway up to Christ's Resurrection Church, a wonderful Bauhaus style construction, which was used as a factory in the Soviet era. We take the view from the large roof terrace. Brilliant!

After a cool coffee in the young sector, complete with DJ, we head home by trolleybus: another great day.

Off into the country tomorrow - complete with meal and beer tasting. Someone has to do it......

See you there, all being well.