Day 11 - Kernave park

Today was a great day. We left the city at 8am to avoid the heat and headed out to Kernave park. We walked a circular track around the park stopping frequently to sample blueberries, raspberries, and wild straberries that grow here in abundance. Georgia got so full that in the end she refused to eat even when being handfed the mixture of the three. Isabella got excited about the blueberries and it was fun to watch her crush the berries with her toothless gums and smile if a berry was sweet and vince if it was not. She feel asleep pretty soon from breathing all this good air.  

The track is very well designed and except a few places is stroller friendly. And even in those spots it is easy to get on the dirt road for the cars that runs in parallel. There are frequent rest stops with picturesque streams and wooden bridges, or carved wooden birds or picnic setups. It was very quiet and pleasant, and not hot at all. There was just one other family in the park. 

At 11 we headed back and near Dukstos made a right onto the road that leads to Vievis. About 1km down there is Kavine Pusynelys that we saw the last time we were here. We decided to stop here for lunch. The property is amazing: The place is located high on the hill above the river. Neris makes a turn at this point and you can see amazing pine vista in both directions. The restaurant itself has a huge playground, which is customary to these kinds of places. Georgia immediately settled in the sandbox filled with toys and emerged only of a quick walkthrough of the other play areas and to eat. The is a large open air roof set up around some of the tables. It provides a good shade; that's where we sat and it was very cool despite everything outside getting pretty toasty. Not to forget the obvious: the food was awesome. Dan got homemade kvas that was sweet and cool and refreshing, I got homemade cider and it was also great. That's what we have to try at home. The rest of the food was great too. Isabella woke up and sampled some rice and potatoes. She then joined Georgia in the sandbox. 

With some resistance we dragged the kids out promising to take them to the stone sculpture park on the lake a few km away. However when we got there, we realized that majority of the population in Vilnius, and probably some other cities too has decided to come to the lake too. The parking lot of the lake was full and the cars were parked on both sides of the road for 500m before and after the site. We turned around and left. It is scary to think what this mass of people would do to the lake. 

We found another lake suitable for swimming right next to Kernave; right before the final left turn to Kernave, there is a sign for swimming, eating, and lodging and you have to make a right to get there. We checked it out and it looks like there is free swimming if you just park by the side of the lake. But if you want a nice parking lot, changing facilities, and the bathroom, all of it is available for 10LT per person in a pretty new establishment right next to the lake. But we did not want to go back to Kernave at at point.

So we drove back to the city and first and foremost washed the kids who were completely covered in sand and some berry leftovers. They both enjoyed playing in the bath which is possibly more sanitary than the lake is by now. Afterwards Isabella and Dan caught a nap while Georgia and I did some painting. In the evening we went to Maxima to get formula.

While there, we foolhardedly decided to stop by at Borsch on Algirdo that we spotted on Friday for dinner. Poor Isabella, we did not have a bottle for her, or a pacifier, or any toys. She tolerated our lack of care for a little while and then started protesting. So we got her a sippy cup with some apple juice, bread, and baby biscuits and that appeased her somewhat. But in the process she got completely soaked in the juice and covered in food. She refused to sit on the stroller on the way back so I carried her and we both got sticky. At home she got another bath, which she did not mind and we walked out into the city some more.

 First, Georgia fed the doves. Isabella was dozing off but woke up and got very excited about them. Next, we parked at the Coffee Inn on Pilies and watched the people go by. There were a few college kids playing Beatles songs on guitar and singing (the last part dismally, but maybe it was their first show). Their girlfriends were supporting. A homeless guy or girl really enjoyed the show and spent some time dancing in front of them and shooing away other passebys. They were only too happy to walk away because the he/she was probably more than a few years behind on the shower. Poor kids. But the homeless person eventually left. Georgia wanted to give them some coins but was shy. 

We walked back and watched more and more people gather in the center. The center was getting ready for the final soccer game: there were many cops out and people were taking up the places in the city hall square. We saw a bunch of Brits dressed up in weird constumes and working on staying hydrated. I asked to take a picture of them and they obliged. Then, one of them, dressed in a ladies bathing suit and with a wig offered for me to be in the picture as well. As I posed with them a few of them pinched my butt. I feel so young and beautiful. I am not in the picture on the left.

After we put the kids to sleep Dan walked out on the city hall square to hang out with Andrei and Natasha and watch the game. Will share his story tomorrow.