And what can be better than finishing summer with a 17 kilometer river trip! Ducks, herons, weird sculptures hanging from the bridges and unusually bright sun. All this you get to experience if you go kayaking in Neris river in Vilnius. If you have a good company, like I did, then you are even more lucky.
There was a very nice weather in August in Lithuania. There was very little rain, but for the same reason the autumn came earlier than it would have been, if it rained a lot more. The leaves of trees are already brownish, some are on the ground. I felt like paddling into the autumn - from the lush green woods to the brown city. And technically it's not autumn yet.
2015-08-30
2015-08-29
Two girls walk into a ...
Two girls walk into a fishing equipment store. The man at the counter doesn't laugh, he just smiles. He understands, why two girls taking part in the night run have walked into his store. His wife is also taking part in that run too.
The one that laugh is our colleague, that has spotted us walking out of that shop. But we don't care - running 8 kilometers in the dark is a dangerous thing and it needs extra lights (yeah, even luminescence fishing sticks or whatever they are called), especially if you compete for the most original costume prize.
Actually, it's not the prize, but the process that matters - brainstorming with like-minded people and having fun. And to win the prize - one has to have a plan like this one:
When it got really dark, all one could see - was a running stick-man. Cool!
It was a great event - almost 1000 people thought they can extend the summer by 8 kilometers or at least help less fortunate children prepare for the school.
The one that laugh is our colleague, that has spotted us walking out of that shop. But we don't care - running 8 kilometers in the dark is a dangerous thing and it needs extra lights (yeah, even luminescence fishing sticks or whatever they are called), especially if you compete for the most original costume prize.
Actually, it's not the prize, but the process that matters - brainstorming with like-minded people and having fun. And to win the prize - one has to have a plan like this one:
 |
| photo by:KaunoMaratonas |
When it got really dark, all one could see - was a running stick-man. Cool!
It was a great event - almost 1000 people thought they can extend the summer by 8 kilometers or at least help less fortunate children prepare for the school.
2015-08-23
August snow
I feel like I've fell dozen of times on my knees and palms, and my rear. And it's because I did while trying to tame the snowboard, and snow. No, you are wrong this post isn't a lost one from the winter season. It's a summer still at this moment. I just visited Druskininkai Snow Arena yesterday. Besides some skiing lessons at school long time ago, I had zero experience of skiing. Neither did I have any experience of snowboarding. And you know, 2 hours of skating with long board doesn't make it easier. The lack of my experience with winter sports is that snow and ice never was my favorite medium for doing sports.
But I rented a snowboard, and everything seemed easy until I had to stand at the middle of the hill in snow arena. Funny thing was, that after I fixed my boots to the board, I couldn't stand up on my own. A thought of going down - didn't seem so funny at all. So, after hearing some instructors from my experienced snowboarder colleague, I went to beginner's track - somehow got on the elevator (sort of moving floor), went down once - and was dragged back in(by my colleague) to the normal track. Once you fell down once, it get's easier, and again, and again. So, very slowly I evolved from a crawling skater to a somebody that resembles a human on a snowboard. Still moving at very slow speed, I could make it down the hill by falling down 3 or 4 times only. 4 hours is definitely not enough to say, that I would be confident to go snowboarding in the mountains (I wouldn't be confident, but I would go anyway:)) ). But I'm ready to give it a try few more times - it's good that the winter season is not there yet, and there are quite a few people you have to share the track with in the Druskininkai Snow Arena - making it a perfect place to practice first steps with a snowboard.
But I rented a snowboard, and everything seemed easy until I had to stand at the middle of the hill in snow arena. Funny thing was, that after I fixed my boots to the board, I couldn't stand up on my own. A thought of going down - didn't seem so funny at all. So, after hearing some instructors from my experienced snowboarder colleague, I went to beginner's track - somehow got on the elevator (sort of moving floor), went down once - and was dragged back in(by my colleague) to the normal track. Once you fell down once, it get's easier, and again, and again. So, very slowly I evolved from a crawling skater to a somebody that resembles a human on a snowboard. Still moving at very slow speed, I could make it down the hill by falling down 3 or 4 times only. 4 hours is definitely not enough to say, that I would be confident to go snowboarding in the mountains (I wouldn't be confident, but I would go anyway:)) ). But I'm ready to give it a try few more times - it's good that the winter season is not there yet, and there are quite a few people you have to share the track with in the Druskininkai Snow Arena - making it a perfect place to practice first steps with a snowboard.
Atmostas Baltija, Bunda Jau Baltija, Ärgake Baltimaad
žymės:
important days
Today is the 26th anniversary of the Baltic Way - a chain of 2 million people holding hands from Tallinn to Riga from Riga to Vilnius. It was organized as a protest against Molotov-Ribbentrop pact which turned 50 in 1989 23rd of August. It was a peaceful protest which lead to my country's declaring of independence on the 11th of March in 1990 - just seven months after the Baltic Way. Of course, there was much more work involved in declaring it than gathering 2 million people to hold their hands for 15 minutes at 7pm. But it was a great moral boost to take further actions, to prepare for whatever sacrifice is necessary to gain our freedom. And freedom is a treasure, if you set out to look for it, that every participant gets a whole part of it. Way better than dividing a chest of gold.
I do recall some tv reports on this act, very hazily though. But every time I watch this clip and hear this song, I feel that freedom is one of the key elements of everyone's life.
I do recall some tv reports on this act, very hazily though. But every time I watch this clip and hear this song, I feel that freedom is one of the key elements of everyone's life.
2015-08-15
Tree crown trail - attempt #2
Last Sunday - sitting on a railing of Rotunda in Taujėnai manor, listening to Vivaldi and letting the rain wash my feet - was an amazing evening. It was not far away from Anykščiai, but we didn't make it to tree crown trail. We tried it, but apparently it closes at 6pm (!) and guard at the entrance was very dutiful.
Today with a co-worker we gave another try to it. Coming early we hoped to avoid crowds and car lines, but other few hundred people thought so as well. Nothing reminded of a peaceful walk in the forest.
Visiting the trail is free, but the lady at the entrance doesn't want to let you pass through, unless you buy a regional park ticket.
And though walking the trail was still pretty easy, at the tower it got worse - more people were getting up than getting down, the tower was resonating - you could really get sea sick there.
What struck me - is how many people were trying to take pictures, selfies in spite of the crowd around them.
Today with a co-worker we gave another try to it. Coming early we hoped to avoid crowds and car lines, but other few hundred people thought so as well. Nothing reminded of a peaceful walk in the forest.
Visiting the trail is free, but the lady at the entrance doesn't want to let you pass through, unless you buy a regional park ticket.
 |
| The trail is 21 meters above the ground |
 |
| Climbing the tower will take you 36 meters above the ground |
 |
| Nothing reminded of peaceful walk in the park |
What struck me - is how many people were trying to take pictures, selfies in spite of the crowd around them.
 |
| The tower in tree crown trail in Anyščiai is getting as much attention as couple thousand years old Palatino Hill ruins in Rome (see below) |
 |
| Palatino Hill ruins in Rome. From there a nice view to Roman Forum is seen. But actually, most of tourists were taking picture of this seagull-like bird. |
Yes, and this madness takes place at 11 am. But it's not the worst part. Anykščiai is a nice small town, with comparably a lot of museums and fun activities. To name a few: an angel museum, a horse museum, memorial museums for famous Lithuanian poets and writers or museum of a narrow train Siaurukas, an adventure park(with Tarzan kind of activities), skiing track in winter or summer sledge in summer. A summer sledge track is less exciting than bobsleigh in Sigulda, but it costs a lot less as well. Compare 10 euro to 1,45 euro! And the time you have to wait in line is different as well. No line in Sigulda, and 2 hour line in Anykščiai! I'm hoping it's not always like that, and that the majority of the visitors are going there after tree crown trail, And a music festival taking place in Anykščiai this weekend is as well to blame. But 2 hours! Best you can do, is buy a set of tickets, and at least take 5 rides in a row - that's how this line becomes 2 hours long, though physically it doesn't look long at all. But in any case, if you go to Anykščiai, don't go there on weekends.
2015-08-09
What happens when you go paragliding on Saturday morning
žymės:
travels,
true stories
6 am alarm clock rings, it's Saturday though. I get up to slowly get ready for the day. At 9 am we reach a field next to Birštonas. A huge wing of cloth is lying on the grass.
You guessed it right. Paragliding. Again. Only this time in a different location and with a different instructor. When the question who's going to fly first, arrives, my colleague is a gentleman - I receive a "ladies first" attitude, that makes me think, he is afraid of something. First to the sky! Why not?
Few seconds of running, we are pulled with a car, and the earth under the feet starts to disappear. It's not scary. Not yet. Objects below become smaller fast which makes me feel like a giant - trees, fields, roads, everything shrinks and stays below you. You cannot touch them though.
I know nothing about air streams and torrents, but the instructor starts to complain about the wind, that it suddenly has disappeared. This is important if you want to get higher. We definitely get higher than first time. It doesn't make me feel more afraid. If the instructor is not doing any turns and tricks, I can just enjoy the beautiful landscape of Nemunas river loops. But it's definitely very high - I cannot see everything clearly, the horizon becomes a little bit foggy. If we get higher, the height metering device starts to beep.
The instructor asks to wave for the go pro camera he's holding on a stick. After posing, he fixes it somewhere at the side and asks me not to close my eyes no matter what. I'll try, I think in my head. I know the turns and swings are coming next. Can somebody be afraid of something and like it at the same time? This is definitely the case. I am that somebody, and these turns and swings is that something I have double feelings for. Keeping your eyes open is important, if you don't want to get sick. Sure, facing earth without the need to turn my head is slightly frightening. I was not screaming, but I bet my face could tell the real feelings.
After these swings we lose some height and start to descend. I get handed over the camera with the selfie stick, so, I can turn it any way I want. When I ask the instructor whether it's possible to overcome the fear of height, he assures me, that - 1 hour of flight and it's gone. Of course, if you do not get sick.
We are already at the tops of the trees, few more seconds, but I do not hear the instructions to run we we are really close to the earth. I ask about that, and he says - no need, as we land in the field. Apparently, he is one of the most experienced paragliding instructors in Lithuania, with "only" over 4000 hours of flight. It's like spending half a year in the air!
10 am, and both me and my co-worker have completed our flights. No, the day is not over, it has just started! But we have plenty of time to explore the little town of Birštonas. It's an old health resort with sanatorium, longest river in Lithuania and central park full of tall pines. These trees make you feel like you are the seaside. There is a beach at the river, so we go for a tanning session(which I never do!). I do not believe I can fix my tan marks I get this year from a bike trip, but if I won't try, I definitely won't. The only problem is that even it's morning, it's damn hot outside. So, hot, that normal people stay at home - and they do - there a very few of those outside. The water is no good for swimming - it's warm, but not very clean.
Getting hungry and feeling bored sets us out to exploring the park nearby. It feels like a forest, but has lot's of paths for biking, walking, sculptures, training grounds, skate park, mini-golf field - lot's of possibilities to pass your time there, hidden in the shade. And in the shade the heat is not so unbearable!
Other surprisingly pleasant place you can find in this park is hard to describe. It's not big, it's shaped in circle, it's made of branches, wood and it has a water constantly dripping from it. There is a little fountain in the center of it as well, and a dark cool corridor. Picture is worth a thousand words, so, here it is.
If you manage to end up there alone, when there is no strangers around there, besides the cool mist, you'll also get a pleasant sound of water drops dripping and splashing on a wooden surface. I don't know how it's called, but I would call it "Water Oasis".
Another good place to hide on such a hot day, is Birštonas Art and Culture Center - and you get to look at the pictures there as well. Or just to eat at the local cafeteria. But stepping outside of any cool place into the heat again - is so hard, so demoralizing, that we have to grab some ice-cream.
2 pm and we are the meeting point where other 15 co-workers of mine agreed to meet before the rowing regatta. 1 boat - 16 men, and 3 more other teams will try to sweat out their way into the victory. And there is only me and a wife and a 2 year old son of another co-worker, who will try to cheer for them. I should say, the boats they are sailing with are pretty impressive: a head of adder is decorating one end, 14 men are rowing, the drummer beats the drum and the steersman is responsible for the direction.
Being dressed in company's t-shirts and red caps, as well as good team work helped them to win the first place in a one hour long competition. I can only be proud to work with such strong IT specialists.
And the day was not over yet - more smaller competitions took place: a rowing competition with concept machine, rope pulling and grass- skiing. In the last two, I joined the team for a small, but funny workout.
What can I say - staying outside, even on such a hot day - it paid off. With so much different and fun, and extreme experiences, air filled with pine smell, and a beautiful sunset when going back home.
You guessed it right. Paragliding. Again. Only this time in a different location and with a different instructor. When the question who's going to fly first, arrives, my colleague is a gentleman - I receive a "ladies first" attitude, that makes me think, he is afraid of something. First to the sky! Why not?
Few seconds of running, we are pulled with a car, and the earth under the feet starts to disappear. It's not scary. Not yet. Objects below become smaller fast which makes me feel like a giant - trees, fields, roads, everything shrinks and stays below you. You cannot touch them though.
I know nothing about air streams and torrents, but the instructor starts to complain about the wind, that it suddenly has disappeared. This is important if you want to get higher. We definitely get higher than first time. It doesn't make me feel more afraid. If the instructor is not doing any turns and tricks, I can just enjoy the beautiful landscape of Nemunas river loops. But it's definitely very high - I cannot see everything clearly, the horizon becomes a little bit foggy. If we get higher, the height metering device starts to beep.
The instructor asks to wave for the go pro camera he's holding on a stick. After posing, he fixes it somewhere at the side and asks me not to close my eyes no matter what. I'll try, I think in my head. I know the turns and swings are coming next. Can somebody be afraid of something and like it at the same time? This is definitely the case. I am that somebody, and these turns and swings is that something I have double feelings for. Keeping your eyes open is important, if you don't want to get sick. Sure, facing earth without the need to turn my head is slightly frightening. I was not screaming, but I bet my face could tell the real feelings.
After these swings we lose some height and start to descend. I get handed over the camera with the selfie stick, so, I can turn it any way I want. When I ask the instructor whether it's possible to overcome the fear of height, he assures me, that - 1 hour of flight and it's gone. Of course, if you do not get sick.
We are already at the tops of the trees, few more seconds, but I do not hear the instructions to run we we are really close to the earth. I ask about that, and he says - no need, as we land in the field. Apparently, he is one of the most experienced paragliding instructors in Lithuania, with "only" over 4000 hours of flight. It's like spending half a year in the air!
10 am, and both me and my co-worker have completed our flights. No, the day is not over, it has just started! But we have plenty of time to explore the little town of Birštonas. It's an old health resort with sanatorium, longest river in Lithuania and central park full of tall pines. These trees make you feel like you are the seaside. There is a beach at the river, so we go for a tanning session(which I never do!). I do not believe I can fix my tan marks I get this year from a bike trip, but if I won't try, I definitely won't. The only problem is that even it's morning, it's damn hot outside. So, hot, that normal people stay at home - and they do - there a very few of those outside. The water is no good for swimming - it's warm, but not very clean.
Getting hungry and feeling bored sets us out to exploring the park nearby. It feels like a forest, but has lot's of paths for biking, walking, sculptures, training grounds, skate park, mini-golf field - lot's of possibilities to pass your time there, hidden in the shade. And in the shade the heat is not so unbearable!
 |
| That's the cutest sculpture I've ever seen. It's called Kitty and can be found in Birštonas Central Park. Looks like characters from some fairy tale or animation. |
If you manage to end up there alone, when there is no strangers around there, besides the cool mist, you'll also get a pleasant sound of water drops dripping and splashing on a wooden surface. I don't know how it's called, but I would call it "Water Oasis".
Another good place to hide on such a hot day, is Birštonas Art and Culture Center - and you get to look at the pictures there as well. Or just to eat at the local cafeteria. But stepping outside of any cool place into the heat again - is so hard, so demoralizing, that we have to grab some ice-cream.
2 pm and we are the meeting point where other 15 co-workers of mine agreed to meet before the rowing regatta. 1 boat - 16 men, and 3 more other teams will try to sweat out their way into the victory. And there is only me and a wife and a 2 year old son of another co-worker, who will try to cheer for them. I should say, the boats they are sailing with are pretty impressive: a head of adder is decorating one end, 14 men are rowing, the drummer beats the drum and the steersman is responsible for the direction.
 |
| Viking boats decorated with a head of adder |
And the day was not over yet - more smaller competitions took place: a rowing competition with concept machine, rope pulling and grass- skiing. In the last two, I joined the team for a small, but funny workout.
 |
| The tip of the grass skis, nine more skiers to go - behind the first one. |
2015-08-07
2015-08-04
Couchsurfing reunion
žymės:
couchsurfing,
true stories
Interesting thing about the couchsurfing. Some guests do come back. And they come back bearing gifts. I enjoy the part of seeing someone again more, but the part where they show that they remember something about my interests and hobbies is also nice. Now I have a book how to learn play guitar in Russian. That will be challenging a bit, but challenges are more fun. I got super spicy hungarian sauce and peppers as well!
2015-08-02
The lake, the sky and paragliding
žymės:
sky
Partying till 5 am - it's not usual plan of weekend for me. Especially, if you get to sleep only 4 hours then. But to party till 5 am, because then you can go take beautiful pictures of sunrise above the lake - sounds like a good decision for me.
And then half an hour looking at the burning edge of the lake ( the one where the sun supposedly should rise), or the fog crawling from the shore to the middle of the lake, or the lonely bird disturbing the mirror of lake water colored by warm colors of the sunrise. Seems like nature observation early in the morning is a common thing in my life.
On our way home we got lost a little bit when trying to find a paragliding place. But in the end, we did locate it. Then looking for few minutes from the heaven with the eyes full of fear. I'm not chronically afraid of height, but being in the sky is not natural state for human. So, yes, there is a healthy portion of fear when paragliding.
And then half an hour looking at the burning edge of the lake ( the one where the sun supposedly should rise), or the fog crawling from the shore to the middle of the lake, or the lonely bird disturbing the mirror of lake water colored by warm colors of the sunrise. Seems like nature observation early in the morning is a common thing in my life.
On our way home we got lost a little bit when trying to find a paragliding place. But in the end, we did locate it. Then looking for few minutes from the heaven with the eyes full of fear. I'm not chronically afraid of height, but being in the sky is not natural state for human. So, yes, there is a healthy portion of fear when paragliding.
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