Day 13 & 14, Warsw (Poland)

Witam?

Yes, today we are going to Poland.

We are leaving Vilnius at 11am and take a train to Warsaw, and as we have moved into Poland the clocks have gone back an hour, which explains the rather long journey. It will take 9 ½ hours and end at 8.30pm. We have in totaly 2 stops and have to change from trains in Kaunas and change at the border station Sestokai.

When we arrived in Warsaw we went to our hotel called Hetman.This was my last night with the group, because I'm leaving. We had a dinner at restaurant Babalu across from the hotel and went out to a local pub. I came back at 1 'o clock that night.

The next day I wook up at 6 'o clock in the mornig, I wanted to see something of the city.

Warsaw traces its history back to the 1410. After Krakow it became the capital of the great Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1596, and lost all its importance as a result of the partition of Poland at the end of the 18th century. Plenty of uprisings occured during the 19th century followed by the three partitions fighting each other during WorldWar I. Independence was finally gained in 1918, but this only lasted 20 years due to the 1939 Nazi Germany invasion(the cause of WorldWar II). More uprisings occured, especially in Warsaw and in its Jewish getto., The final blow was the total destruction of the city in 1945 by the hand of the Nazi.

The city was 'liberated'by the Sovjets, leading the country towards a communist regime which lasted until 1989. Most of the city was rebuilt during the 40's an 50's. UNESCO recognized its effort by listing it as a World Heritage Site in 1980.

I went to the Old Town Square, one of the most magnificent squares in Europe. Originally used as a market and even a court, it was also destroyed during the war. It as been totally rebuild to its original design. After that I went to the Presidential Palace. Built in the mid-17th century it is the official home of the president.

After that I went back to my hotel and had a breakfast. My taxi was there at 8:15am and brought me to the airport. My flight was at 9:45am and goes to Copenhagen. From Copenhagen I flew to Amsterdam Airport were I took the train back to home.

This was my Holiday from Moscow to Warsaw. Back to reallity!

Do widzenia !

Edwin

Day 11 & 12, Vilnius (Lithuania)

Labas,

After a comfortable four hour bus trip from Riga we arrived into Vilnius at around midday. Vilnius was quirky with an amazing old town.The narrow streets, cobbled alleys, and walkways of the Old Town can best be discovered and explored on foot. A 1km walk starting from Ausros Vartai, the only remaining Old Town gate to the end of Pilies gate gives you a good orientation of the numerous places of interest and architectural monuments that await you.

We started off pretty late the day and went for a guided tour from Sahra our tour guide of the city. Passing under the 16th-century Gates of Dawn, we arrived in Vilnius's old town. We then walked through more ancient streets due east to Uzupis, Vilnius's version of Copenhagen's Christiania, but much less hippie. It is in fact a an official, unofficial breakaway state.
We then made our way to Vilnius's main sight, Vilnius Cathedral and the very large Cathedral Square. Passing yet another church (made of brick this time) and the national museum, we then came across what looked like an unauthorised breach into the museum compound. Turns out that it was more than legal and was in fact the entrance to the funicular that took you up to the Gediminas Castle, the main attraction in Vilnius, nestled proudly atop a Gediminas Hill. There isn't really much up there - just a large crumbling brick building and a old refurbished tower where we got some fabulous views of the city from the top. Inside the tower was a museum where we learnt about the 'Baltic Way' a human chain of two million people formed in 1989 that stretched from Vilnius all the way to Tallinn, cutting through Riga along the way, thus physically linking the capitals of the three Baltic states as a pro-independence protest against the then-USSR. There was also a video highlighting the recent simultaneous singing of the Lithuanian national anthem in hundreds of countries around the world by Lithuanians to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the name 'Lithuania' (Lietuva in Lithuanian). Very interesting and extraordinary events indeed.
So what better way to celebrate Lithuanian culture than to try some of the local grub. The fare we had a go at was an array of cepelinai, stuffed potato dumplings. To be completely honest, none of us really thought they were that great - the Lithuanian-style BBQ venison was slightly better - the dumplings seemed to have more gluten than potato in them. It's always worth a try. And it wasn't expensive either - drinks included, I think we only paid the equivalent of 7 or 8 euro for a hearty meal.

The next day we went to the KGB Museum. The very first thing that struck me as I was approaching the museum was that the former KGB prison stands in the very heart of Vilnius.
In the past many people would pass the building yet they never heard the cries of desperation of the freedom fighters, locked in the basement prison.
For Lithuanians, the KGB Museum symbolises the 50 year long Soviet occupation. During World War II it was the site of Gestapo headquarters and later of the KGB.
Between 1940 and 1991 people who resisted the soviet occupants were arrested, killed or deported to Siberia. You will see a lot of the names of anti-Soviet resistance fighters carved into the stone walls of the building.
The museum building is as intact as it was in 1991, when the KGB left the premises. You will see KGB rooms authentically furnished and secret KGB spying equipment.

I learned a lot about the most tragic period of Lithuanian history and about people who bravely fought with genocide. I learned that Lithuanians, even though a small nation, were gallant and dignified people.
Its hard to believe, especially after seeing the daunting basement prison, how the soviet authorities brutally tortured and killed innocent people whose only fault was fighting for their country's freedom.

Later on that day we went to the Trakai Castle. Trakai and Trakai Castle are important to Lithuanian history. Associated with the Grand Duke Gediminas, a medieval Lithuanian hero, Trakai rose to importance before the Grand Duchy of Lithuania joined with Poland. The area began to develop in the 1400s with its castle the center of the action, though the area saw human habitation long before these permanent structures were built. 'Trakai' references the 'glade' in which the area appears. Trakai Castle is situated in Trakai, about 20 km from Lithuania's capital city Vilniusso it makes for an excellent day trip. The Trakai Castle Museum is situated in two castles - one on an island in the middle of a lake, and one on the shore. There is actually a third castle associated with Trakai, but this structure lies in disrepair and is not a part of the museum complex.

Later that evening we went to Alaus Namai, it's a small brewery serving local favourites.

Viso gero !

Day 9 & 10, Riga (Latvia)

Sveiki...

Today we are going to Riga (Latvia), we don't need our passports or ID's because Latvia is part of the European Union.

Riga is the largest city in the Baltics and dubbed the 'Paris of the North'. The city is an important seaport and a major industrial,commercial,cultural and finacial centre of the Baltic Sea region. The city lies on the Gulf of Riga, at the mouth of the river Daugava.

First impressions aren't great driving through the suburbs that appear little changed from the concrete jungle associated with communist USSR (Latvians are an ethnic minority to the Russian majority). Arriving at the busy station and the vibe in peak hour Riga is noticeably more edgy than the relaxed vibe Tallinn. We stayed in Hotel Irina, just 10 minutes walk from the bus station.

After an hour we had a walk into the city from Sahra, our tour guide. We headed to central Riga. Arriving at the centre, Riga presents some unexpected sights. Not least is the central canal running North West to South East parallel to the river that provides a pretty and tranquil lush leafy area to relax and row. Crossing the bridge over the canal leads to the giant column of Freedom Monument which is symbolic to Latvian liberty. Riga has its fair share of historic buildings dating back to the 13th century, with a collection of buildings still in surprisingly good condition built by the apparently prodigious 'Knights of the Sword' that include baroque churches and towers that have been re-used for numerous purposes in the subsequent 800 years (many now museums). The most touching museum in Riga is the Museum of the Occupation of Latvia charting the sorry story of Latvians through the Russian and German occupations over the part 100 years until its recent independence.

By night, Riga starts to come alive and 'The Second City that never Sleeps' becomes a little more apparent. The plazas full of locals and musicians of mixed ability cabaret entertain anyone willing to sit and listen. The whole scene is a little cheesy and Riga trying a little too hard to appeal to Western tourists, but in the mild evenings, the surreal mix of cultures in the shadow of Russian/Baltic architecture make it well worth sampling.

The next day we had a free day to do things by ourself. Part of the group went to the Powder Tower, one of the original fortification towers of the city, it houses the Latvian War Museum. After that we had lunch (pasta) en a beer. Later on I decided to go back to the hotel and do my blog things. At seven 'o clock we went out to Lido, Lido is a canteen-style chain with a wide choice of Latvian food for little money that is popular with travellers & locals. This time I decided to have an vegetarian meal. Later on we went to a Kiwi bar an had some shots and beers.

The following day we had to go up early to get the bus to Vilnius, Lithuania.

Tiksimies velak !

Edwin

Day 7 & 8, Tallinn (Estonia)

Tere!

Today we are going by bus for a 5 hours long drive to Tallinn. It took us an hour at the border of Russia an Estonia. We are staying in the Tatariv53 hotel in Tallinn.Tallinn is the capital and largest city of Estonia. It is situated on the northern coast of the country, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, 80 km (50 mi) south of Helsinki, east of Stockholm and west of Saint Petersburg. Tallinn's Old Town is in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. It is ranked as a global city and has been listed among the top 10 digital cities in the world.The city was a European Capital of Culture for 2011, along with Turku, Finland.

Tallinn is the oldest capital city in Northern Europe.The city was known as Reval from the 13th century until 1917.

When we arrived in Tallinn we had a little walk into the city. We visited Toompea, this is a limestone hill in the centre of the city, towering over Lower Town, home to the former Royal Castle and now the centre of government. We saw Toompea Castle, The Great Coastal Gate, the Dome Church (Toomkirik), Kadriorg Park and its Palace, the Oleviste Church and the Aleksander Nevsky Cathedral. Later that evening we went to a restaurant and had a great dinner with some drinks (beers and shots).

The day after we had a look around in the tunnels of Tallinn, under below the Bastions, dug in the 17th. century during the time of Swedish rule. This defensive tunnel system enabled the movement of soldiers and ammunition and can be toured. Other tunnels are located beneath Harju Hill and Linda Hill at the edge of Toompea, which are now open for tours. These were also built in the 1670s but renovated into bomb shelters in time for World War II, Electricity, running water, ventilation and phones were added during the Sovjet period.

We didn't go out the last night because we had to go early the next day to Riga (Latvia).

Hüvasti Tallinn! Siin me läheme Riia

Edwin

Day 1 to 6, from Moscow to St.Petersburg

From Russia with Love are the famous words from the novel of Ian Flaming (James Bond).

Privyet,

Yes, today my trip starts and we are going to Russia. On 15th of September at 09:40am my flight is going to Tallin and than to Moscow (Sheremetyevo International Airport, is an international airport located in the Moscow Oblast, 29 km (18 mi) north-west of central Moscow). From there I took a taxi to my hotel, the Izmailovo Gamma-Delta. At the reception they asked me for my passport to check in and they made also a photocopy of my passport with Russian Visa & Entry Stamp. While I was checking in I met the tour guide from Tucan Travel Sahra Mc Donald, she was saying to me that whe had a meeting in about half an hour in the lobby. After I was having a shower I went to the lobby and met the rest of the group.There was a couple from Australia, two sisters from the UK a twin from Australia and a few singles from the UK and Australia and a lost Guy from Holland, he,he...I'm sharing a room with a Aussie guy named Micheal Newman.

After the introduction we had a little walk to a restaurant for a typical Russian dinner. I had Russian Stroganoff with a vodka. The Russian Stroganoff (meat sautéed with sour cream, onions and mushrooms) I had was totally different what I know from my place. After the dinner we went out for a couple of shots (vodka).

The day after we went with the metro to the city centre of Moscow. Moscow is the capital city, it has a population of over eleven million, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural and scientific center in Russia and in Europe. According to Forbes 2011, Moscow has the largest community of billionaires in the world. Moscow is the site of the Moscow Kremlin, an ancient fortress that is today the residence of the Russian president and of the executive branch of the Government of Russia. The Kremlin is also one of several World Heritage Sites in the city. Both chambers of the Russian parliament (the State Duma and the Federation Council) also sit in Moscow.

The city is served by an extensive transit network, which includes four international airports, nine railway terminals, and one of the deepest underground metro systems in the world, the Moscow Metro, second only to Tokyo in terms of passenger numbers.

Moscow's architecture is world-renowned. Moscow is also well known as the site of Saint Basil's Cathedral, with its elegant onion domes, as well as the Cathedral of Christ the Savior and the Seven Sisters.

After we visit many things in Moscow, Red Square (Krasnaja Ploschad), Lenin Mausoleum, St.Basis's Cahedral, Kazan Cathedral, GUM, Lubyanka Square (the sight of Moscow's famous KGB building),we had a dinner with the group and went out for a couple of drinks - Naz dorovye! The next day we had a guided tour of the most beautiful and interesting Metro stations as well as the Novodevichy Convenant & Cemetry with Helen, our Kremlin guide.

At 09:30pm we left the hotel and went to metro and the train station for a overnight train to Venice of the North St.Peterburg. We stayed in compartments of four. We arrived early in the morning. Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject (a federal city) of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea. In 1914 the name of the city was changed to Petrograd , in 1924 to Leningrad and in 1991 back to Saint Petersburg since the fall of the Sovjet Union. Saint Petersburg is often described as the most Western city of Russia. It is also the northernmost city in the world to have a population of over one million.

We are staying in the Azimut Hotel. After we checked in and had a shower we had a walk by our tour guide Sahra to see some famous buildings. For example the Kazan Cathedral, The Church of St.Isaac, Yusupov Palace, Church of Saviour and Blood (Khram Spas-na-Krovi etc... We had a quick lunch before we had a two hours guided tour of the State Hermitage Museum, one of the most famous museums in the world, it is so large, it would take eleven years to see each piece of the collection for just one minute (no breaks) and cover the entire three million artifacts found in these five attractive buildings (incluiding the magnificent Winter Palace). Some of the great works of Michelangelo, Van Gogh, Da vinci, Reuben and more are found here.

After the tour we decided to have a break and to sit down in a park and have some drinks. When we came back me and my roommate Michael from Australia we went to the supermarket for some beer and snacks, we didn't go out this evening anymore because everybody was tired!

The day after we had a free day, we went to Peter and Paul Fortess and had a bit of a walk through the parks. This was also the last day of the sisters from the UK, we had a goodbye dinner nearby the hotel. Tomorrow we are going to Estonia (Tallin), but thats another story...!

Do svidanya!

Edwin