Scandinavia – Page 3

Vilnius…Resilent City

Major adventures, Scandinavia, Uncategorized Comments Off

Jul 092010

Our visit to Vilnius has filled in a huge gap in our understanding of Baltic history. It has been an awakening to their rich heritage and all that they have lived through. Yet they are thriving today. Eight unsuccessful attempts by the Malbork mob trying to muscle in on their bustling burgher controlled economy to an absolutely devastating attempt by the Soviets to wipe their culture out, Lithuanians can only be admired for their amazing rise from subjegation.

Tomorrow, Saturday, July 10th, we are off to Klaipeda on the coast via Trakai and Kernave (archeological site).
Bob is doing a terrific job of driving and navagation with his handy little gps. My contribution thus far as been to shout stop for a photo op when it is virtually impossible on a two lane winding road. We are having a marvelous time!!!

: Cathedral Square–Heart of the Old City

: Our Boutique Shakespeare Hotel

: Grampa Does Sudoku

: Orthodox Church of St. Paraskeva

: Contemporary Facade on the Lithuanian National Drama Center

: Outside the National Museum

: From the Upper Castle Overlooking the Old City

Malbork Castle and more…

Major adventures, Scandinavia, Uncategorized Comments Off

Jul 082010

Finishing up in Gdansk in the morning, we drove about 30 miles to Malbork Castle for an amazing tour of the on-going restoration of yet another World Heritage site. (Click on the pictures for some fun historical tidbits.) We then drove the backroads, byways and round-abouts through the Polish countryside. Green, prosperous appearing family farms cloak the rolling hills. Their boundaires often defined by hardwood forests or at least a line of old trees.

We are spending Thursday, July 8th in a delightful boutique hotel converted from a prosperous townhouse.

Thanks to all of you for the fun response notes and loving support. Blogging by the younger generation must be easier and fastser but for we ancients, it is fun too.