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You can lose everything, but nobody will take away what you saw and what you experienced...
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May 11, 2016 06:00 PM Giving lecture in Vilnius
Sometimes the life surprises you. Can you imagine: today in front of the Vilnius university located in the heart of tge old town I met by strange coincidence Vilius - Lithuanian traveller. Some 5 years ago we met in Siwa Oasis in Egypt to travel toogether through Sahara Desert! Vilius took me to the interior of the university (normally they charge 1,50 euro entry fee) and ornate St John church - it still works like univerrsity church. Then we have a look of presidential palace - just nearby -see the presidential palace gardens on the picture. What a nice and surprising meeting after years!
For centuries - until the second world war there was a strong union between Poland and Lithuania. Many Poles including Polish biggest poet Adam Mickiewicz lived and worked here. I found the monument of Mickiewicz in front of St Anna church. On the local cemeteries I saw many graves with Polish names. But now the friendly locals speak rather English then Polish.
I have been invited to give the lecture about the world and my traveling in Polish Institute in Vilnius, located just near the city hall. The biggest room of the institute was full and instead planed 60 minutes I was talking more than 2 hours... Many questions... Big satisfaction for the lecturer.
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May 10, 2016 06:00 PM Vilnius - the biggest Old Town in Europe?
Old Vilnius enchanted me again after some 35 years. They write that it forms the biggest in Europe complex of old architecture. It is on the UNESCO World Heritage list. With many churches reopened after the soviet period, nice public buildings, fountains and monuments it gives the tourists a chance to stroll around hours and hours. I was climbing the hill with castle tower for the excellent view of the city. It is free to climb the hill. Another option is TV tower, but it is far from the center. They have good tourist info office in the city hall. Old Vilnius lies beetweem two rivers. You will find here many street cafes, the delicate green of the spring... The sun is shining. I have a good time in Vilnius!
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May 09, 2016 06:00 PM Flying to Lithuania
Kiev - the capital city of Ukraine has 3 mln inhabitants and there is a lot to see. On my last day I took a long walk to famous Lawra monastery. It is like city in the city. Thre are caves with the gaves of the holy monks, but the most impressive are of course the golden-domed churches. With the chestnut trees in blossom spred around the view was beautiful.
But it was time to say goodbye to Kiev and my friends. In Kiev Borispol airport I (and more then thousand other passenger) we were waiting more then an hour before security control because the false alarm. When they finally opened the door a huge crowd was pushing us... no police, no security to keep everything in order... miserable...
I landed in Vilnius wth the delay. In front of the airport terminal there is a city bus stop. Bus 3G took me for 1 euro to the city center. Welcome back to Vilnius!
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May 08, 2016 06:00 PM Pirohovo - worth to visit
Pirohovo Museum of National Architecture is located on the outskirts of Kiev. To get there take the subway to the Ipodrom station and change there to the trolleybus 11 - conductors sell tickets on the trolleys for 3 hr. Then you have to walk about 2 kms to the entrance and pay 40 hr for the ticket. They put there houses from all regions of Ukraine. Wooden churches, water- and windmills, village houses. It is spread out on the big, hilly area, so allow a least 4 hours to see everything. Many houses are open to see the interior and in one orthodox church there was a service - I enjoyed especially their singing.
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May 07, 2016 06:00 PM Walk around Kiev
Cloudy day, raining from time to time but I took the walk through the center of Kiev. On the streets you still hear mostly Russian language. This is the result of the decades of soviet domination. It is not far from my mini-hotel to St Sophia monastery converted into museum. Entry fee is 80 hr if you want to see ornate church or 20 just for the courtyard.
Famous Michaylovski Golden Domed Monastery is visible from the St Sophia gate. This moonastery still works and you can visit for free nicely painted church. From Michaylovski it is already not far to the heart of Kiev - well known Maidan or Independency Square with high column and nice fountains. Kreshchatik - the main street of Kiev goes from the square to the south.
My Ukrainien friends showed me also Andreyevski Uzviz - very seep and picturesque street of the old town going down to the river.
In the evening at their home I was giving a slide-show about my theveling through the world. We had a great time. Very hearty people!
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May 06, 2016 06:00 PM Kiev - Ukraine
I am flying on Ukraine International from Vilnius to Kiev. The ticket is cheap assuming that you fly only with a cabin baggage. Nobody checked the weigh of my backpack in the old-fashioned Vilnius airport.
But on board of the plane they serve for free only mineral water.
After 1.5 h flight I landed in Kiev Borispol airport. The terminal is much more modern and impressive then in Vilnius but do not expect any tourist info here. It is better to bring a city map with you!
There are money changers in arrival hall - I was positively surprised - they are giving the same rate like in the city! Once you left the terminal on the right there are skybus stops - that is the best way to go to the railway station or to the nearest subway station "Kharkivska" - you pay on the bus 50/35 hryvnas. For one euro you will get 28 hr.
Kiev subway is one of the cheapest in the whole world - the token for one ride will cost you only 4 hr - less then 20 UScents.
I get of the subway at Zoloty Vorota station, walked 200 m to the opera. Just opposite the opera there is budget traveller's paradise: mini-hotel on the 11th floor of the huge building (bookable via booking.com) For just 20 euro I got here clean and quiet single room with bath, TV, fridge.
But the main advantage is the view over the roofs of Kiev and very central location. Well, they do not speak any western language here, but it should not be a problem since the receprionist is ver friendly...
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May 05, 2016 06:00 PM Most beautiful Lithuanian castle
Panevezis -Poniewiez - big city in the central Lithuania disappointed me - in fact it has not an old toown and the only attractions for the tourist are few churches. So soo I was diving further south by excellent and empty highway A2. Before the sunset I reached Trakai - Troki in Polish where on the island on the lake you will find nicely restored castle. It is very picturesque place so no wonder that crowds of tourists are coming here. Locals charge 3 euro for parking the car in their courtyard. I strongly recommend to come here by local transport (train or bus) from nearby Vilnius... But this is obligatory place when you are coming to Lithuania.
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May 04, 2016 06:00 PM To the Hill of the Crosses
Lithuania is not a huge country and has good roads. I decided to rent a car for 24 hours (24 euro, unlimited mileage, basic insurance) and drive north of Kaunas. First stop was in the old town of Kieidanai (Kiejdany in Polish) connected also with history of Poland. Today Kiejdany can offer to the tourist many nicely restored old houses, churches and sinagogs. The old town is compact, so one hour was enough for visit and pictures.
Then I was driving about 100 kms to the Hill of the Crosses near Szawle. It is unique place. Imagine small hill completly covered by crosses of different size. Pilgrims from Lithuania and abroad are bringing them here since 19th century. Very interesting place, but today there were more tourists then pilgrims. Sorry, I do not like the noisy crowd.
In the afternoon I was driving back - south via Panevezis (Poniewiez) -quite a big town with few nice churches. It was lovely, sunny day and I enjoyed the landscape of forests and lakes and the local people.
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May 03, 2016 06:00 PM Kaunas -Kowno, Lithuania
My first flight took me early in the morning from Gdansk to London Luton. This was my first time in Luton and I am not impressed. Long, long and narrow corridors will take you to immigrations (be prepared for the bottlenesk here.Those with e-passports have a separate, faster lane. Something like transit channel does not exist here so you must go out of the arrival building walk 150 m and enter the other one - departures. Allow minimum 1 hour from the plane to the departure security stands. My second flight was from Luton to Kaunas on Ryanair. From little Kaunas Airport I took city bus 29 paying 0,80 euro to the centre of the city. Kaunas is the second town of Luthuania and has long and rich history. There are old churches in the old town. Many streets were converted into pedestrian zones. There are remains of the castle and nice park at the conjunction of Niemen and Neris rivers. I was walking around till the late evening. The highlights of the day: meeting with the girls in national costumes on market square and very tasty, dark Lithuanian bread.
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May 02, 2016 06:00 PM New European voyage
New European trip! I'll be off for several days to visit our eastern neighbors - Lithuania and Kiev. In Lithuania I wasn't 30 years, and Kiev saw 40 years ago... Eastern Europe from Soviet times had changed a lot, I'll get to know it again. I'm going not only to visit cities, but also to meet new friends, to give lectures about my traveling around the world and to reach new, completely unknown places. The white line on the map below looks like a product of the mad traveler, but that's how it looks now, in the era of low-cost airlines - it is now much cheaper to fly Gdansk to Vilnius via London then via Warsaw. Also return via Malmoe is cheaper... :)
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