Although it's convenient to speak of our June travels collectively as a Baltic road trip, I hesitate in doing so for two reasons. We only toured two of the three Baltic countries (Lithuania and Latvia), touching down only briefly in Estonia to change planes. It's disappointing in the same way that having Ventnor and Atlantic in your pile and never rolling the number you need for Marvin Gardens is.
Also, Lithuania and Latvia are incredibly different from one another. Lithuania tends towards a more traditional way of living and farming in the countryside with one-horse field plows and families' one or two milking cows tethered singly in unfenced fields, while some Latvian farms resemble small-scale factory farms, with large herds, fences, and immense barns.
Vilnius, Lithuania's capital, has a palpable Eastern European-ness about it and is comprised of crumbling ruin, a lively and unique fashion scene, and a definite undercurrent of quirky waywardness. Riga, Latvia's capital, has glossy new malls, signs written in English, and seems to lean towards a more Western European way of doing things.
If strange tickles your fancy, see parts one and two of our most strange road trip.
Here a countdown of my last four favorite things of our travels:
Although I wouldn't exactly call it warm, or the best place for one's holidays, my immediate disdain turned into pure fascination as we realized that out of the hundreds of rooms, only a few were stay-able, and the rest were in various stages of demolition/renovation. And they weren't locked. We explored at our leisure, which yielded some wildly interesting photos (and dinner conversation). It may not be most people's thing, but I know a handful of folks that are emerald with envy right now.
If strange tickles your fancy, see parts one and two of our most strange road trip.
Here a countdown of my last four favorite things of our travels:
one: Verkiai Palace | Verkiaia, Lithuania
Known as the Versailles of Lithuania, this middle-of-nowhere beauty is all charm, and a little decay. Some of the bushes were in dire need of trimming, and a closer look told us the gardens didn't get quite the attention that those of Versailles do. However, it added to the aesthetic of the place, and the grandeur of the main palace couldn't have been overlooked if you'd covered it with a tarp, and the smaller out-buildings were delightful. The mister and I chose not to tour the interior and opted for an outdoor stroll instead; it was a lovely way to spend an sunshiny afternoon, especially after hours of driving.
two: Hotel Fontaine Royal | Liepāja, Latvia
Easily the quirkiest hotel I've ever stayed in and my favorite one of this trip, The Hotel Fontaine Royal is at once dark and gilded, both grungy and tidy, impossibly endearing, and incredibly affordable. I immediately fell for the place in a big way. If you ever find yourself a weary traveler along Latvia's western coast, please spend a night here, and say hello to the resident iguana.
three: storks
The White Stork is a bird of impressive stature and a frequent visitor to freshly plowed farmers' fields, hunting freshly roused rodents. The national bird of Lithuania, it is also a welcome resident on farms, believed to bring harmony to the families on whose properties they grace with their gigantic nests atop telephone poles. Lithuania has the highest known nesting density of the species; they are absolutely everywhere, and spectacular.
four: Nuclear Power Plant + (zombie) hotel | Visaginas Lithuania
Imagine the setting of your favorite zombie flick. Now imagine spending the night there. I basically just described our one night and one day in Visaginas. (And, yes, we giggled every time we passed a sign with the village's most comedic name.)
A nuclear power plant that is in the process of being decommissioned and located just outside of town employs one-fifth of the town's residents and is the nation's only source of nuclear power. Parts are neatly adorned with planters and geraniums and bike lanes, and others look bombed out.
Of course, to increase the quirk-factor and rattle things up a bit, my mister booked us rooms at the less, um, lux of the two hotel options. According to a tourism website,
"Aukstatija hotel is home warmth, comfort and unforgettable the landscape of Visaginas. This will be the best place for your holidays and business transactions, as you always feel a desired guest."
xxx,
j
