Day 20 - Sights and sounds

In the morning we explored the Pylimo, Traku, and Ligonines streets. Ligonines is amazing. Lots of really pretty backyards and the street itself is picture perfect. We stopped on the way to look inside the Church of All Saints. It has beautiful colorful medieval statues. There was a couple in their 40s inside walking around and snapping pictures with their cell phones. We sat down and waited till they they were done but as soon as they finished, the lady knelt down by the main altar and started praying. We waited and waited but she really got into it. So we just left. Did not find any pictures on the Internet so we will have to come back.

We were hoping to go to the musum of contemporary art on Vokiečių 2 to see the Japanese exhibition but they were opening up in the evening today. So, in the meanwhile, several guys were busy gluing plastic train tracks to the floor inside the museum and outside as well. Will need to come back to this one too. Incidentally it looks really funky inside.

Next we stopped by at St. Kazimir's again. The music was still playing but the door was locked and there was a sign that they are closed for 30 minutes. I wonder if the music is pre-recorded. Will need to come back at a different time to see if they are still playing.

The final point of the morning wanderings was the marionette theater a few blocks away. Turns out they only show plays in Lithuanian and are going on the break until the end of July. Will not be coming back to this one. Incidentally the building was the ghetto theater during the war.

We got the orphan kibinai and Saltibarsciai from Cili Pica for lunch.

Speaking at last of the sights and sounds, the city is becoming more and more colorful with many interesting people hanging out in the streets. There is an elderly guy weating a boiler hat and smoking a pipe who rides around on his bicycle and singing "America, America" really loudly at the people on the streets, not necessarily foreigners. I am scared to death that he would do this to me. But he is really harmless. There is also a lady who walks around wearing a warm hat and a hood regardless of the weather. She looks really mysterious. There is also our homeless guy who is now sporting a full head worth of dreadlocks. I was wondering how he got anyone to touch his hair.

In the afternoon we went to Alicia. As we walked along the river we spotted a bunch of rubber boats attached to each other and floating downstream. They were full of people. There even was an orchestra sitting in one of the boats and playing. They were waving and shouting. Not sure what that was, maybe they were in the mood for the upcoming St.John's celebration.



The number of cats is still the same but the smell in the kitchen, coridor, and the living room had drastically reduced. The other bedroom and the bathroom are next. This is a true cat heaven with a selection of 3 types of cat cereal, milk, water, and another plate, probably featuring the leftovers but for the moment empty. We had a good time and everything was really delicious. Incidentally Tartar brand cream cheese is identical in taste to whipped Philadelphia.

As we walked back the weather seemed so nice that we did not want to go to inside. So we walked down Gedimino and then along Vilnius gatve. As we approached Vilnius g. 39, the large building in front of St. Katherine's we heard loud music. There was a band in the courtyard and some fun things like a cow with wings grazing on the side of the building and on the grass. We listened for a bit and left.

One of the perks of having a 3 year old is that they are able to take pictures of you and you don't have to rely on the questionable skills of strangers.

Next we discovered that Vilnius g. 41, also the home of the White Elephant bar, is the museum of Cinema and Music and they are having the exhibition of Medieval torture impements. Dan had been wanting to see that for a long time so we are going possibly this weekend or on Tuesday. There was another band playing at the White Elephant. The place also had a large pot cloud hanging in the vicinity. We stayed a bit at the beautiful courtyard of the museum and then got on our way.



Near the city hall a bunch of students were building a candle-based mandala in celebration of St. John's. We stayed around until 11:15 and watched the mandalas being lit and afterwards a show with fire stunts. There were hundreds of candles and Dad could not rest until he got in and lit up a few.

The event officially started at sundown - or 10:30pm. By that time there was a huge crowd waiting. It was about 50% foreigners. There was also the internation major forum going on at the city hall at that time. Possibly that's why the entire square was lined with cars featuring different flags and diplomatic license plates. People walked around the mandala or waited on the city hall stairs. It was drizzling but the candles were making up so much heat that it was were comfortable. Finally the event started. The performers did a really good job and Georgia was watching in fascination the entire time. We got super lucky with the location right in the front row of all the action. But also behind us there were several Brits who were holding large umbrellas so we stayed dry the entire time too.



Looking forward to the continuation of all the celebrations in the days ahead!