Lithuania

We visited the rare book room at Vilnius University established by the Jesuits in 1570. There was an amazing exhibit of rare important books: Vesalius' anatomy drawings from the 16th century, Copernicus' notes, illuminated Gregorian chant songbooks. Upstairs from the library in the observatory were globes from the 13th century depicting wolves and scorpions in the underworld.

Following this, we visited the Baroque Vilnius Cathedral and its chapel to St. Casimir, a revered Polish saint. During the Russian occupation following WWII, the plan was for the cathedral to be used as an automobile repair shop for German army vehicles. The mayor of Vilnius stalled long enough for that idea to be dropped. The cathedral was then converted into an art gallery. Many religious buildings were converted into storage facilities, granaries, art galleries, shops, and so on during that period. After Lithuania declared independence from Russia in 1990, the churches reverted into places of worship. Lithuanians are 84% Roman Catholic and about 10% Lutheran, the rest being Russian Orthodox Catholics and Jews.

Just when I was having negative thoughts over the downside of group travel, up comes a musical dance and instrument performance at a school for the arts in Vilnius. The students in this music program are selected and trained beginning in the 5th grade and participate until graduation at 18 or 19. They gave a very impressive performance of Lithuanian folk music. The best part was they invited us to dance! This is the kind of thing an independent traveler would never be able to experience and what a treat it was!

Before we departed Vilnius to bus it to Riga, Latvia, we spent an afternoon touring the castle at Trakai, a medieval structure on an island in a lake where kings would come to celebrate conquests over the Crusaders. Interesting that the Crusaders came to Lithuanian long after it was completely converted to Christianity. We think to plunder and pillage? Yes we do.

(Obviously I haven't figured out the picture position thing. Castle at Trakai top center, University reading room left, student musicians right.)

Errata: In a previous post Kronenborg castle should have been correctly named Kronborg Castle. Oops.