Friday 10 August
Moving Day. Sadly, Minuk is still in pain in the mornings, and had less time to ease into the day. After breakfast and final packing we set off for the bus station. Bus (1 euro each), easy and convenient. Glad we decided not to roll the bags up the hill!
We were quite early for the bus (8:10), so waited 30 minutes for our rather swish looking double deck bus to arrive. We were seated up top (good views), but with a bunch of young French folk in a tour group. As has been the case this whole trip, the countryside was quite unexciting – rolling farmlands and forest, with barely more than slight undulations. There were 2 short stops before arrival in Klaipeda about 5 minutes late at 12:50.
Taxi to the Old Ferry Port cost 5 euro, for a 5 minute trip. Driver a bit of a laugh, rabbitting on about ‘problem for car at port’. To be fair, the traffic arrangement is pretty cramped. Just missed the 13:15 ferry, so got tickets (1 euro each), for the next one at 13:45. Ate Ice creams in the ‘Meat Lovers’ restaurant at the port, since there was limited shade in the waiting area outside.
Ferry trip takes only 5 minutes, crossing the river, and dodging other traffic. The bus to Nida (4 euro each) was waiting. Another double decker. We sat on the bottom deck this time. The trip took an hour, with a few stops. A conversation across the aisle between two born-again Christians and their very polite Danish seat mate a bit of a hoot. He was so tolerant of their over-the-top enthusiasm. The landscape covered mostly with pine plantations (to keep the dunes from migrating).
Elena, our host, met us when the bus arrived. Very kind of her to take the trouble. She commented on the very warm summer, which has apparently been unusually long and warm. It was humid and warm, but with a pleasant breeze as we walked the 500m to the little flat. About half the size of the one in Vilnius! We rested and had a cuppa, then set out to get supplies.
Awesomely crowded and busy Maxima. Barely room to move to browse the goods on offer. Checkout queues overflowing into the aisles of goods. Got breakfast vittles’ and also spring rolls and salad for dinner. Ice cream for desert. Calamari for another night. I bought up on beers for the next 3 days. Began drizzling as we walked back, and much cooler. Just before we got home the heavens opened and we got moderately wet.
Minuk heated up dinner, which was quite OK. Ice cream a touch sweet, but well counteracted with Black Balsam.
After the rain stopped, I walked out to Parnadis dune for the sunset. Impressive expanse of sand extending off into the distance (and Russia). At the top of the dune, the view extends to the Baltic Sea. Quite a crowd were out walking. I walked back to town through the pine forest, and decided to see if the sunset was colourful down by the lagoon. It was OK. Saw some folk launch balloon lanterns over the lagoon, and a few guys fishing.
Back for bed after a 5km circuit.
Beer of the Day: Volfas Engelman 1410 Šviesusis
Saturday 11 August
The day dawned fine and cool, so after breakfast (and following Geelong’s underwhelming performance v Hawthorn), and a period of recovery for Minuk, we both set off to check out Parnidis Dune. Slightly different route to that I took yesterday. There was barely a breath of wind on the land, and the lagoon was as still as a millpond. A curious grey and flat light. Must have been some breeze though, as a flotilla of yachts was sailing, spinnakers belled out with captured breeze. We decided that the sundial is a bit meh, but liked the statue of Jean-Paul Sartre ‘Against the Wind’. Notably, his companion Simone de Beauvoir has been erased from history.
We walked back into town through the pine forests, and chose to eat at Kavine Kursis. Generous serves, and tasty food at a fair price.
Along the shoreline, a paved promenade hosts the Lithuanian version of La Passagiata. Folk are out strolling, walking their toy dogs or pushing perambulators (and dodging cyclists should they stray onto the red bicycle path!) Aloft and twisting in the wind are the distinctive wind vanes which once decorated the main masts of Curonian spit fishing vessels (kurėnai). The designs identify the vessel, denoting the village or origin, telling a story of the local lifestyle, and on the end which points into the wind symbols of luck and hope for good fortune and safe return.
Grey clouds threatening a storm loomed over the harbour as we tootled back home to advise our genial host of a problem with toilet, which she swiftly rectified. She told us of yesterday’s tragedy (woman killed by lightning strike 100 m from apartment). Candles now sit burning at the base of the tree.
We took another afternoon walk on the foreshore. Minuk went shopping for amber earrings, whilst I discovered that Thomas Mann museum too far to walk. Returned observing more wind vanes and greedy birds being fed by the lagoonside.
When cooking dinner, we discovered what we had presumed to be calamari turned out to be onion rings! It was still quite tasty with salads and drinks.
Beer of the Day: Švyturys Baltas (same as I had with lunch actually)
Sunday 12 August
Pelting rain and strong wind as we woke. Looked like we would be stuck inside for the day, but amazingly, the clouds began to break up after breakfast and blues skies broke through. Minuk is having a bad time with sciatica, which seems to be getting slowly worse.
The church bells rung in the morning. We went out for a morning walk after she had loosened up a little. Down to the shoreline promenade for a look at the windvanes in a different light. After a quick visit to a much less crowded Maxima, we came home to eat chicken wings with salad and bread. Enjoyed a Lithuanian jelly layer cake for dessert.
After lunch Minuk rested whilst I walked across the width of the spit to the beach on the Baltic Sea. A pleasant walk along the shared footpath/bicycle trail under the pine trees. On reaching the beach, made sure to observe the signs and select the clothed beach, rather than the nudist beach for my explorations. Waves were crashing in and the wind was really howling. There were no swimmers, just a few paddlers, dipping toes into the foam. I walked along the sand for a time, then through the trees back to the path running parallel to the coast. Back to the beach to view the parachute sailors from afar. Walked back toward town, up a steep hill to a lookout tower, which I climbed by the scary ladder. Fair view of the Baltic Sea. Back down and up Ungas Hill, to the lighthouse. Then down to Nida once more, spying a squirrel in a pine tree as I passed.
We had afternoon tea, then walked back to town, to try again to loosen Minuk up. She is having a bad day. Stopped at Tik Pas Jona to buy smoked fish for dinner. The fish were not quite ready to come out of the smoker when we arrived, so we took a stroll out along the harbour’s southern breakwater. Spotted a 6L champagne bottle in the rubbish. Empty. Back at Tik Pas Jona, watched a chap take many racks of fish out of the smoker and st them on a rack for selection. The hordes descended, and we selected a fresh smoked mackerel and walked home with him.
He was most delicious with bread, beer and salad. And a bargain at 5 euros.
We took another walk before dessert, and I successfully set up our 3UK SIM cards.
Beer(s) of the day: Volfas Engelman Tamsusis Dark Lager (yum)
Moving Day. Sadly, Minuk is still in pain in the mornings, and had less time to ease into the day. After breakfast and final packing we set off for the bus station. Bus (1 euro each), easy and convenient. Glad we decided not to roll the bags up the hill!
We were quite early for the bus (8:10), so waited 30 minutes for our rather swish looking double deck bus to arrive. We were seated up top (good views), but with a bunch of young French folk in a tour group. As has been the case this whole trip, the countryside was quite unexciting – rolling farmlands and forest, with barely more than slight undulations. There were 2 short stops before arrival in Klaipeda about 5 minutes late at 12:50.
Taxi to the Old Ferry Port cost 5 euro, for a 5 minute trip. Driver a bit of a laugh, rabbitting on about ‘problem for car at port’. To be fair, the traffic arrangement is pretty cramped. Just missed the 13:15 ferry, so got tickets (1 euro each), for the next one at 13:45. Ate Ice creams in the ‘Meat Lovers’ restaurant at the port, since there was limited shade in the waiting area outside.
Ferry trip takes only 5 minutes, crossing the river, and dodging other traffic. The bus to Nida (4 euro each) was waiting. Another double decker. We sat on the bottom deck this time. The trip took an hour, with a few stops. A conversation across the aisle between two born-again Christians and their very polite Danish seat mate a bit of a hoot. He was so tolerant of their over-the-top enthusiasm. The landscape covered mostly with pine plantations (to keep the dunes from migrating).
Elena, our host, met us when the bus arrived. Very kind of her to take the trouble. She commented on the very warm summer, which has apparently been unusually long and warm. It was humid and warm, but with a pleasant breeze as we walked the 500m to the little flat. About half the size of the one in Vilnius! We rested and had a cuppa, then set out to get supplies.
Awesomely crowded and busy Maxima. Barely room to move to browse the goods on offer. Checkout queues overflowing into the aisles of goods. Got breakfast vittles’ and also spring rolls and salad for dinner. Ice cream for desert. Calamari for another night. I bought up on beers for the next 3 days. Began drizzling as we walked back, and much cooler. Just before we got home the heavens opened and we got moderately wet.
Minuk heated up dinner, which was quite OK. Ice cream a touch sweet, but well counteracted with Black Balsam.
After the rain stopped, I walked out to Parnadis dune for the sunset. Impressive expanse of sand extending off into the distance (and Russia). At the top of the dune, the view extends to the Baltic Sea. Quite a crowd were out walking. I walked back to town through the pine forest, and decided to see if the sunset was colourful down by the lagoon. It was OK. Saw some folk launch balloon lanterns over the lagoon, and a few guys fishing.
Back for bed after a 5km circuit.
Beer of the Day: Volfas Engelman 1410 Šviesusis
Saturday 11 August
The day dawned fine and cool, so after breakfast (and following Geelong’s underwhelming performance v Hawthorn), and a period of recovery for Minuk, we both set off to check out Parnidis Dune. Slightly different route to that I took yesterday. There was barely a breath of wind on the land, and the lagoon was as still as a millpond. A curious grey and flat light. Must have been some breeze though, as a flotilla of yachts was sailing, spinnakers belled out with captured breeze. We decided that the sundial is a bit meh, but liked the statue of Jean-Paul Sartre ‘Against the Wind’. Notably, his companion Simone de Beauvoir has been erased from history.
We walked back into town through the pine forests, and chose to eat at Kavine Kursis. Generous serves, and tasty food at a fair price.
Along the shoreline, a paved promenade hosts the Lithuanian version of La Passagiata. Folk are out strolling, walking their toy dogs or pushing perambulators (and dodging cyclists should they stray onto the red bicycle path!) Aloft and twisting in the wind are the distinctive wind vanes which once decorated the main masts of Curonian spit fishing vessels (kurėnai). The designs identify the vessel, denoting the village or origin, telling a story of the local lifestyle, and on the end which points into the wind symbols of luck and hope for good fortune and safe return.
Grey clouds threatening a storm loomed over the harbour as we tootled back home to advise our genial host of a problem with toilet, which she swiftly rectified. She told us of yesterday’s tragedy (woman killed by lightning strike 100 m from apartment). Candles now sit burning at the base of the tree.
We took another afternoon walk on the foreshore. Minuk went shopping for amber earrings, whilst I discovered that Thomas Mann museum too far to walk. Returned observing more wind vanes and greedy birds being fed by the lagoonside.
When cooking dinner, we discovered what we had presumed to be calamari turned out to be onion rings! It was still quite tasty with salads and drinks.
Beer of the Day: Švyturys Baltas (same as I had with lunch actually)
Sunday 12 August
Pelting rain and strong wind as we woke. Looked like we would be stuck inside for the day, but amazingly, the clouds began to break up after breakfast and blues skies broke through. Minuk is having a bad time with sciatica, which seems to be getting slowly worse.
The church bells rung in the morning. We went out for a morning walk after she had loosened up a little. Down to the shoreline promenade for a look at the windvanes in a different light. After a quick visit to a much less crowded Maxima, we came home to eat chicken wings with salad and bread. Enjoyed a Lithuanian jelly layer cake for dessert.
After lunch Minuk rested whilst I walked across the width of the spit to the beach on the Baltic Sea. A pleasant walk along the shared footpath/bicycle trail under the pine trees. On reaching the beach, made sure to observe the signs and select the clothed beach, rather than the nudist beach for my explorations. Waves were crashing in and the wind was really howling. There were no swimmers, just a few paddlers, dipping toes into the foam. I walked along the sand for a time, then through the trees back to the path running parallel to the coast. Back to the beach to view the parachute sailors from afar. Walked back toward town, up a steep hill to a lookout tower, which I climbed by the scary ladder. Fair view of the Baltic Sea. Back down and up Ungas Hill, to the lighthouse. Then down to Nida once more, spying a squirrel in a pine tree as I passed.
We had afternoon tea, then walked back to town, to try again to loosen Minuk up. She is having a bad day. Stopped at Tik Pas Jona to buy smoked fish for dinner. The fish were not quite ready to come out of the smoker when we arrived, so we took a stroll out along the harbour’s southern breakwater. Spotted a 6L champagne bottle in the rubbish. Empty. Back at Tik Pas Jona, watched a chap take many racks of fish out of the smoker and st them on a rack for selection. The hordes descended, and we selected a fresh smoked mackerel and walked home with him.
He was most delicious with bread, beer and salad. And a bargain at 5 euros.
We took another walk before dessert, and I successfully set up our 3UK SIM cards.
Beer(s) of the day: Volfas Engelman Tamsusis Dark Lager (yum)