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MY HOLIDAY June2004
I left Scotland on 13th June 2004, flying Via Frankfurt, and was mt at the Airport by Arturas, Liutauras and his wife Elena, who had visited us in Scotland in October 2003 on honeymoon, and Gediminas and Krista who had visited us in Scotland in April 2004. I spent the next two weeks visiting Vilnius, birzai, Trakai, Kernave, Birzai and other places in Lithuania. I met with Ewen, Saule, Rebeka and Catriona, the new addition to the Family, spent time with the five great people named above, and saw Mango, Delfinai and cicinskas in concert at Jonines. I will try to make time to update the story, the story of last years visit, and the visits of Krista, Gediminas, Liutauras and Elena to Scotland as soon as possible. In the meantime, you will have to make do with photographs!
Ewen and Saule, waiting for the group Delfinai to perform at Jonines Festival, Birzai, June 23rd 2004
Liutauras and I, enjoying a beer at the Medieval Festival (Viduramzius Svente)Trakai.
As I say, I arrived at 4pm on Saturday 13th June at Vilnius Airport and was met by the five friends peviously mentioned. We went immediately to a pub on the outskirts of Vilnius and had a couple of beers. Liutauras had an exam that week so he went home. Arturas and I went to the new Europa Shopping Centre near Vilnius' new skyscraper district. What a difference in that city from 1994! That evening we went to Krista and Gediminas' place at the end of Ukmerges Gatve, Vilnius. The following day was election day and I went with Arturas to vote for the new President before visiting the new Akropolis Shopping Centre, the largest in the Baltics. then we went again to Krista's to watch the France England game at euro 2004. On Monday, I went to Birzai and met Catriona, only four month's old, Ewen and Saule's second daughter. I spent the week in Birzai, ate horse kebab and visited Ramunas bar before heading back to Vilnius for the week-end. There we again met Krista and Gediminas, had a barbecue at Liutauras and Elenas' place at Suderve. We also went to the Medieval Festival in Trakai, saw the palace where Liutuaras and Elena had their wedding photos taken and went on a traditional fishing boat on the Lake at Trakai. We ate Kebinai, which are a meat filled pastry traditional food of the Karaims, an islamic people, the majority of whom live in Trakai. They are very peculiar becuase they use Hebrew script but are Islamic and were settled in trakai by the Grand-Duke of Lithuania in the Middle Ages. We also visited Kernave, the original capital of Lithuania, where there is a spectacular series of Man-made castle mounds. We also saw some spectacular views of the uplands of Southern Lithuania, which I had never seen before. On Monday, I went to Panevezys and met the lovely Vilma and Kristina (who was on holiday from London, I was very surprised to see her!)before heading back to Birzai. On Jonines (St John;'s Day, the longest day of the year and a major festival in Lithuania) there was a concert in Birzai where some top Lithuanian bands played: Delfinai, Mango and Cicinas./ The concert was amazing! My last week-end, Ewen and I headed down to Vilnius. We spent a pleasant evening at Liutauras place, did some souvenir shopping on the Saturday before heading at night to a party at Arnoldas' holiday home in the country near Sidabrinai, a village between Moletai and Utena. It was a very good party, with much vodka (degtine in Lithuanian) only spoiled by the downpour of rain and the fact that I couldn't really let my hair down due to having to fly home at lunchtime on the Sunday. Thank you to each and every person I met during this holiday, you made the break so very special, to everyone who handed me a beer or a vodka, ho let me sleep on their floor or even in a bed!, to Liutaras, Elena, Arturas (who is coming to Edinburghnext week), Krista and Gediminas, Arnoldas, Kristina and Vilma in Panevezys and as ever, especially to Ewen, Saule, Rebeka and Catriona for letting me drink lots of beer and be part of your family!
Party near Sidabrinai, Saturday June 26th 2004
I will attempt to expand on this narrative, so please accept the current view as temporary!
Please also, accept my apologies to Linkuva, one for accidentaly deleteing the page of last year's visit (along with photos!) and for not visiting you people this year. I will get the page restored ASAP!
Liutauras, ewen, me and Arturas, Vilnius Airport, June 27th 2004
Liutauras, me, Elena and Arturas
Click here for some more photos of the trip
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