“I have lived in so many different countries. But I am from Vilna, I identify myself with this city”.

Bak donated more than 60 of his paintings (with more to follow) to the Samuel Bak Museum beeing hosted by the Vilna Gaon State Jewish Museum.

Shmuel Bak was one of the few survived after nearly 200k Lithuanian Jews were exterminated during the WW2.

for more read: timesofisrael.com

 

as suggested by CNN, The Guardian, National Geographic, travelers’ blogs, etc.

 

Estonia’s capital Tallinn might be a former soviet city, but it has undergone huge change in the 25 years since the end of USSR control. The oldest capital along the Baltic Sea coast has a distinct identity, very different from the rest of Europe.

Sweeping panoramic views of Tallinn

things to do in tallinn viewing platform

Get lost in the old town of Tallinn

With its pastel-colored buildings all pretty in a row, the Town Hall Square is reminiscent of pages from a children’s fairy tale book.
The old medieval heart of Tallinn is ripe for exploring galleries and craft workshops.

Enjoy contemporary Estonian Cuisine

Contemporary but honoring all the Estonian classics, the menu reads like a local market produce listing, from freshly salted salmon to fried Baltic herring to salad with dried elk meat and roasted duck leg.

Russian revival architecture in Tallinn

things to do in tallinn alexader nevsky cathedral

In the first quarter of the 20th century it was scheduled for a demolition that never took place due to lack of funding. Built in the late 1800’s, the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral remains to this day one of the finest examples of architecture from the Russian Empire.

Visit Kadriorg Palace

in the early part of the 18th century, Russia’s Peter the Great had this Baroque palace built for his wife, Catherine.

Kalamaja neighborhood, Tallinn

things to do in tallinn kalamaja

The colourful hippest area of Tallinn.

Taste Estonian craft beer

Estonia may be small but its craft beer industry continues to grow.

Walk through St. Catherine’s Passage

A walk through St. Catherine’s Passage, also known as medieval street, is a simple way to step back in time.

Learn about life under occupation

The Estonia that was under Nazi rule from 1940 then, until 1991, controlled by the Soviet Union. The Museum of Occupation tells the story of an Estonia not so long ago.

 

Full text http://edition.cnn.com/2016/11/22/travel/best-things-to-do-in-tallinn-estonia/index.html

© Maria Pasquale, an Italian-Australian travel and food writer based in Rome. Founder of popular lifestyle blog www.heartrome.com
By Maria Pasquale, CNN. Updated November 22, 2016

We have to admit that until researching for this article, we would have imagined that the capital of Art Nouveau would be Brussels, Barcelona or Paris; or the city of Riga never even crossed our minds.

Well, Art Nouveau architecture in Riga makes up roughly one-third of all buildings in the city center, making the Latvian capital the city with the highest concentration of Art Nouveau architecture anywhere in the world.

Riga Art Nouveau
Riga Art Nouveau

The reason why Riga has the finest and the largest collection of Art Nouveau buildings in the world is the fact that, at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries, when the style was at the height of its popularity, Riga experienced an unprecedented financial and demographic boom. In the period from 1857 to 1914 its population grew from 282,000 to 558,000, making it the 4th largest city in the Russian Empire and an important sea port.

Riga Art Nouveau
Riga Art Nouveau

Stylistically, the Art Nouveau architecture of Riga is often divided into four main categories: Eclectic or Decorative; Perpendicular or Vertical; National Romantic and lastly Neo-Classical.

full text on https://www.thevintagenews.com/2016/09/09/priority-riga-capital-latvia-finest-largest-collection-art-nouveau-buildings-world

Here are some quotes from our customer from New Zealand (travelled summer 2016).
Thank you, Brian!

 

Hill of Crosses
Our first stop in Lithuania was the Hill of Crosses. It is indeed a strange sight… hundreds of thousands of crosses have been planted by pilgrims…crosses big and small, cheap plastic, wood, and metal..some with names, photos and carved art. It started in Soviet times, but in 1993 Pope John Paul visited and 100,000 people turned up for mass. Ever since, it’s been a major pilgrimage site for Lithuanians and Christians from many countries. Oddly enough, it’s adjoined by the biggest onion paddock I’ve ever seen..running for 2 km beside the entry road, and as far as you can see in the distance. We escaped the rain again, and it was an enjoyable walk and a rather unusual place to visit.

Lithuania Hill of Crosses
Lithuania Hill of Crosses

Hill of Witches
We stopped at the Hill of Witches on The Curonian Spit; large statues of characters in Lithuanian folklore. Very nice place to walk along the trails and among the trees & statues for an hour or so.

Lithuania Hill of Witches
Lithuania Hill of Witches

Pigs Ear to a Beer
we had a starter that included smoked Pigs Ear. It was rather nice with the local beer…and very similar to bacon rind. Which got me to thinking, what do they do with the Pigs Ears in NZ….I guess they end up in pork sausages and our various types of mystery meat?

Lithuania pigs ears
Lithuania pigs ears

Road Signs
We are quite close to Belarus (only 40km or so to the border) and Poland, so plenty of cars on the road with Belarus, Polish and Russian plates. Lithuania seems to still have a mix of the EU and the Russian style of road signs in some areas and of course the place names are not in English, so I’ve had do some Googling to find out what some of the more obscure ones mean.

Lithuania Road Signs
Lithuania Road Signs

Entrepreneurial Pensioners
Trakai is on a 2km peninsula between 2 lakes and we visited to go to its restored Gothic castle and Museum which dates from around 1400. Very pleasant place with very nice wooden homes around the lake ( and entrepreneurial pensioners encouraging you to pay to park in their driveway instead of feeding the parking meters.

Lithuania Parking in Trakai
Lithuania Parking in Trakai

Zeppelins and Kybyns
They also have a decent version of a Dumpling/Empanada/Samosa/Cornish Pastie, which is called a Kibinai. We had to try them so went to a place called Senoji Kibinine which is in a green wooden house where folks were crammed in rather tightly scoffing these things….at €1.50 each they are a bargain and very tasty. We also tried the Lithuanian potato dumplings didzkukulai (usually called Zeppelin as that’s what they look like) They are stuffed with mince meat and topped with small cubes of fried pork fat. The potato part was a bit average, but the stuffing was very nice. You just need a long walk after eating them…plus there was confusion when we asked for 2…we got 2 each, not 2 portions of 1 Zeppelin.

Lithuania Zeppelins and Kybyns
Lithuania Zeppelins and Kybyns

Constitution
We also walked to the Uzupis part of Vilnius which is the arty area and where a group of dreamers set up their own “Republic” complete with a great constitution. Among other things it gives a dog the right to be a dog, the right of everyone to have no rights, and the right of everyone to remember their name. The Uzupis Constitution is on a street wall in numerous languages.
Its compulsory in Uzupis to smile, drive slowly, create masterpieces and be careful of the river.
All very cool…

Lithuania Consitituation of Uzupis Republic
Lithuania Constitution of Uzupis Republic

We really liked Lithuania. It has a great blend of friendly people, architecture, forests, coast, farmland, food, relics of the Soviet era, yet is also very modern Europe. Its a great pity Lithuania isn’t on more folks travel lists.

a kind of joy in the bogs of Estonia

Only a fool would approach a bog without due caution. And yet, three hours later, I was halfway across the Kuresoo experiencing a kind of joy in the bogs of Estonia.
To the extent I gave it any thought, my own antipathy lasted until I encountered a bog for the first time. My corrective was Soomaa, literally a “land of bogs,” set amid the nondescript farmlands of southwest Estonia. A national park since 1993, it’s a tranquil region patched with pine forest, where beavers swim in lazy streams and mushrooms proliferate along bosky walking trails. It is also, famously, smeared with some of the largest bogs in Europe. And it was here, one day last summer, that I found myself wrestling a pair of red snowshoes over my walking boots and teetering on the northern rim of the Kuresoo, a giant, putrefying sponge almost twice the size of Manhattan.

There to guide me on a traverse of the Kuresoo was Aivar Ruukel, a local expert, redoubtable in camo fatigues and a knee-length poncho. “People are always surprised when they see how beautiful it is,” he said, beckoning me onto the sphagnum

© Henry Wismayer, a travel writer and essayist based in London
Full text on https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/20/magazine/letter-of-recommendation-bogs.html?_r=1

Why would Ben recommend you to visit Estonia? Now, when he’s back from the trip, he’s got a dozen of reasons.
…very few travellers ever consider adding Estonia to their itinerary, which is a shame because Estonia is truly a European gem. This unspoiled, unique and underrated Baltic country is a must visit, and here are 9 reasons why Estonia should be your next travel destination.

Visit Estonia because

It offers Fresh, Clean and Organic Food,
Estonia boosts Internet Everywhere.
and the country has Untouched, Accessible, and Wild Nature.
besides, it is Mass-Tourism Free.
and is Easy to Get Around.
unlike the bordering Scandinavia, Estonia is Best Value For Your Money in Europe.
and offers you to Experience the Island Life.
and of course, Estonia is a Historical Country (medieval).
you see, Estonia Has Something For Everyone.

© Ben, a professional web designer and the man behind the scenes of Road Affair. He has been traveling around the world with his partner in crime, Jazzy, since 2012.
Full read on https://www.roadaffair.com/visit-estonia/