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If even the rooks, ravens, and jackdaws who've appropriated the unfinished high-rise behind us couldn't wake me, it must be a sign that we need a slow morning and relaxing day. Instead of running, I watch some Olympics. Mom takes calls from relatives to plan more day trips - and reluctantly turns down Aurija's invitation to go to Vilnius tonight for a concert. She knows that she'd be too tired by 5 PM to face the trip, although she'd love to go to a concert. Then we have another blynai breakfast. I have to try making these with the orange slices.
We stroll up the block, visiting a little souvenir shop, window-shopping at book stores, a milliner's, and other specialty shops, and walk around the square with the "Soldier's Church". And see the statue of Man - the famous and infamous statue. Although he sure is large, he's tucked in next to the art museum in a corner of the large plaza; Mom almost misses him. I think he's wonderful: reminds me of a young elf from Tolkien. |
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Then we crossed the square and walked uphill, past residential apartment buildings. Friezes and decorations, balconies, flower boxes make each building individual. And, in the heart of Kaunas - with upscale stores, businesses, municipal offices, museums, and all - there are so many trees and grassy plots. This is such a livable, human city. |
The Zaliakalnio funicular too us to the top of Green Hill. This inexpensive shortcut up the steep hill is run by older women - and decorated by young school children. At the top, we find ourselves near Christ's Resurrection Church (confiscated for secular use by both Germans and Soviets and now being restored as a modernist-architecture church), in the midst of uniformed school kids - early teens. While we enjoy the view, a city truck, with a work crew, pulls up. The men jump out, put up some barricades, and get to work. How unusual! No leaning on shovels, drinking coffee, hanging around.... Can I import these guys? Smuggle them home in my luggage?
 Some celebrity on the funicular with me? |
 Looking out a decorated window, down the hill. |
 The decorated funicular. |
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Back down again, we sit in the little park at the bottom and people-watch. Rested, we walk along this residential street. We pass a small grocery and try to compare prices in the window ads. But neither of us can compute the liters and kilos. I love the juxtaposition of small wooden houses (the one in the photo has some shops inside) and big modern buildings (left rear in the photo). Again, I feel so comfortable. Mom's "hot rod" is sure making a difference. She's chugging right along and enjoying the walk! |
We crossed Vienybes square (Drat, the museums are closed on Monday.), pausing at a huge circus-type tent with loud music, large TV screens, lots of tables and chairs, and sort of bars - empty right now. Then down a block of side mall to Laisves al. We stop at Pizza Jazz; we each have a small beer, and Mom tries a Lithuanian pizza, with a thin crust and no tomato. But good. A man goes by in a wheelchair. He sort of pumps the arms, instead of rolling the wheels, to make it go. Fat and happy, we walk to the post office (which I thought was a store named Pastas) where I manage to buy the right stamps to send our post cards to the U.S., despite my lack of Lithuanian and the staff's lack of English. Mom is starting to feel chilled, although I find it pleasantly brisk. I am younger.
Elyte and a friend come walking towards us! They are out for a break from work. I let Mom chat while I run upstairs in an office building to the Air Lithuania office to learn that we do not reconfirm but need to be at the airport an hour before our flight. Then we part from Elyte and souvenir our way back to Monela.
Just as we approach the last cross street before our block, we meet Sarunas, Vitalis's great-grandson, and some school friends. They attend the arts school at the Miesto sodas (city park) by the post office. The way the children are safe and comfortable in the city - and do not hassle the adults but just join in enjoying the city life - is so different from at home. We could learn a lot from Lithuania. |  |
"Home" at Monela, we finish writing our postcard and make arrangements with Litinterp for when we need a driver. I have decided that I would need to spend a week in Caracas, Venezuela practicing to ever attempt driving in Kaunas. On top of everything, the trolley wires move from lane to lane, sometimes while going through an intersection. I'll relax in the back seat, thank you. However, I do know that Chuck would handle driving here as well as he did in Venezuela. Me, I'd take public transit in the city when I couldn't walk.
Leaving Mom to relax, I walked down Laisves al. to mail the last post cards (OK, so I counted wrong and bought more cards on our stroll.), emailed Chuck and Vikki, and bought more water. I kind of enjoy wandering in the below-ground supermarket, amid conversations I cannot understand. It's odd how relaxing it can be to not understand.
We return to Pizza Jazz for dinner. It's brighter, busier, noisier, and more crowded than the other places we've been or passed. An interesting change for us.When we return to Monela and turn on the Olympics, we discover a strange game in progress. It looks like a hybrid of soccer and basketball - handball instead of football?
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