We got out at 7am and headed to Kernave. They were having their annual archeological days and this time we did not want to miss it. Georgia slept most of the way again.
We got into town at 10am and there were already lots of cars on the road. It is pretty unusual for a day off here. A policeman directed us to paid parking "on the right after the white house." Dan and I disagreed on the definition of the house so he made a left and pulled into the driveway of a farm right next to the main avenue in Kernave.
There were vendors stalls on both sides of the road and the avenue. It was the same kind of atmosphere as at the fair in Trakai last month. We walked past the stalls towards the mounds area. There they had the program of the events. It was very similar to Trakai's events: knight joust, demonstration of weaving, ironworking, and such. It was for the whole day. We decided to head back because we also wanted to see what was happening in Vilnius. After all it was the Day of the State and 1000 years of the name Lithuania.
There were things happening in Vilnius. The access to cars in old town was blocked to everything but the local traffic. There were hordes of people from all the little villages in Lithuania, and some Lithuanian world communities dressed in ethnic clothing and preparing to perform. The cathedral square was roped up near the lower castle where the unveiling of the hastily completed (read half-assed) entry way was to take place later. The youth park was the staging area for the performers to organize, change, and get in the groups. There were some song performances in front of the Presidential Palace that were broadcast on the large screen at the Cathedral square. If on Wednesday it felt like the entire Vilnius was getting together there, today it was more like the entire country had shown up. Except those who were in Kernave and Palanga.
We got into town at 10am and there were already lots of cars on the road. It is pretty unusual for a day off here. A policeman directed us to paid parking "on the right after the white house." Dan and I disagreed on the definition of the house so he made a left and pulled into the driveway of a farm right next to the main avenue in Kernave.
There were vendors stalls on both sides of the road and the avenue. It was the same kind of atmosphere as at the fair in Trakai last month. We walked past the stalls towards the mounds area. There they had the program of the events. It was very similar to Trakai's events: knight joust, demonstration of weaving, ironworking, and such. It was for the whole day. We decided to head back because we also wanted to see what was happening in Vilnius. After all it was the Day of the State and 1000 years of the name Lithuania.
There were things happening in Vilnius. The access to cars in old town was blocked to everything but the local traffic. There were hordes of people from all the little villages in Lithuania, and some Lithuanian world communities dressed in ethnic clothing and preparing to perform. The cathedral square was roped up near the lower castle where the unveiling of the hastily completed (read half-assed) entry way was to take place later. The youth park was the staging area for the performers to organize, change, and get in the groups. There were some song performances in front of the Presidential Palace that were broadcast on the large screen at the Cathedral square. If on Wednesday it felt like the entire Vilnius was getting together there, today it was more like the entire country had shown up. Except those who were in Kernave and Palanga.
A line of people waiting to sign their name in the giant scroll of this event:
A "new" statue unveiled in front of the monument in the square next to Gedimino 9. It was set up severak weeks ago and wrapped in the drape. Every now and then someone would pull the drape down and explose the unopened monument. Finally it would be able to stand uncovered.
We dragged through the crowds and went home down the much quieter and emptier Vilnius gatve. In the evening Vitalik and his family joined us for the pizza dinner at home. Their kid had quite a shakeup on his first trip ever. You can see the changes in the way he communicates already.
We went for a walk in the evening. The performers had relocated to Vingis park and now entertained themselves and the national television by singing every single song ever composed by a Lithuanian. The streets are pretty empty. This is one of the city's little "miracles" - portable coffee cart.
Portable coffee! They should come up with that business idea in the US, it would make loads.
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