Lithuania

You'll find Lithuanians to be the most colorful and emotional people in the Baltics; their courageous and defiant push for independence in the late eighties and early nineties clearly demonstrated their spirit. We only saw Vilnius and Kaunas, though the rural areas are supposed to be splendid as well.

WHAT TO SEE: Vilnius is a very green city and has a rustic feel to it. Start walking at Cathedral Square (Katedros Aikste), where the gleaming Cathedral, which the Soviets bastardized into a picture gallery, is holding mass again. Walk up Gediminas Hill, which offers a nice view of the city. Be sure to walk through Old Town and drop by Vilnius University. Gedimino Prospektas, the main drag in Vilnius, is a vibrant place for people watching, and at the end near the river, check out Parliament, where you can see a memorial dedicated to those who resisted the Soviets' attempt to crush independence in 1991. At Kalinausko 1, the Frank Zappa Memorial will enthrall you because it is so ridiculously out of place.

Kaunas, Lithuania's second largest city, is a decent sized university town. The central square has a quaint feel to it and is lined with beautiful old German merchants' homes. The remains of Kaunas Castle make for a good hike.

WHAT TO DO: In Vilnius, you must visit the Museum of the Genocide of the Lithuanian People. Located on Gedimino Prospektas 4, it's housed in the former headquarters of the KGB. The tour guides are for the most part former political prisoners whom the Soviets jailed for their pro-independence activities after WWII. Our tour guide had been imprisoned there for eighteen years. I won't go into how he was tortured, but I could understand why the Baltic peoples view the Nazis more kindly than the Russians! Wander through the streets of Old Town, where the buildings date as far back as the 15th century. Vendors sell all sorts of goods, from wooden boxes to hand-knitted sweaters.

The Devil's Museum in Kaunas is a must. Located on Putvinskio 64, it houses over 1600 pieces: all of Satan. Dana Carvey would have had a field day here. Collected by the artist Antanas Zmuidzinavicius because of his protest against the Soviets' suppression of religious freedom, you'll be fascinated how he was able to increase and add to his collection while the Russians continually harrassed him. Laisves Aleja, a two kilometer pedestrian mall, is lined with restaurants and shops and will give you ample opportunity to people watch.

WHAT NOT TO DO: I wouldn't bring up the Russians as a topic of discussion. There is still a lot of bitterness and hatred that linger from the Soviet occupation.

WHERE TO EAT: As is the case with most of Eastern Europe, the food here can be a bit heavy and greasy. Gedimino Prospektas has an excellent assortment of restaurants offering various cuisines. New places are always opening, so take a stroll and you're bound to find something you like. An excellent Lithuanian joint is Ritos Smulkle on Zirmunu 68. If you wish to self-cater, the Kalvariju Market on Kalvariju 6 has all sorts of farm fresh goodies. There is also a small market close to the train station, and supermarkets are becoming popular as well. You won't starve here: food is good and very reasonable.

Kaunas offers a decent selection as well. Again, Laisves Aleja offers the best choices to find some grub. The Astra at no. 76 has a great menu and you can get a mean cup of coffee. If you like Greek, try out Pompeja at Putvinskio 38.

WHERE TO STAY: You'll get a great feel for Lithuania if you stay in a private home. Litinterp (223-850), located at Bernardinu 7-2, can arrange such accomodation throughout the country. The staff here is very friendly and efficient, and we were more than satisified with the rooms we rented. If you'd rather stay in hostels, contact the Lithuanian Hostels Association (696-627). The Vilnius University Student Representation (614-414) offers a cheap alternative in student housing.