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Baltics trip
Day 15 - 30th May - Kernave, Lithuania (Part 1)
Arriving back in Vilnius, Lithuania, we all decided to do different things: I wanted to visit Kernave, the last of the 6 World Heritage sites in the Baltics (though the museum was closed), YC wanted to run around Vilnius buying stuff and nw.t wanted to visit the Soviet Disneyland.
One thing we all needed to do, however, was get Lithuanian money.
"We're open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. No breaks and no holidays. Looking forward to serving you every day all year round!"
We need more of these.
Rod of Asclepius variant (?) - snake twirled around a goblet, inside a cross
The bus took me out to the countryside, and I reached the village of Kernave.
Bus stop
I had called ahead, and the information centre opened at 9 (and someone would come out and give me pamphlets), so I explored the village first, and found it surprisingly interesting (though the buildings were closed, so I just walked in the courtywards).
Moses in front of Kernave Church (1920)
Moses
Path
Iron horse (?). The quote seems to be from a Father Nikodemas Svogzlys-Milzinas, "an active ethnographer, publicist, and propagator of Lithuanian history"
Wooden cross from 1990
Nice carved lanterns (?) around a pond
Pond
Set into and under the garden wall
Kernave Church
Cross-dragging
Stations of the Cross
Grave
Memorial to Vytautas the Great
Entrance to World Heritage site area
World Heritage plaque honouring the "Troy of Lithuania"
Map of area
Stone foundations of the old church
Wooden chapel (end 18th century)
Stone chapel-mausoleum (19th century)
While waiting for the information centre to open, I went to patronise the village store. Inside there was a fridge, but the only drinks inside were alcoholic - the non-alcoholic drinks were all at room temperature (and since the store was heated, this meant they weren't very cool). Annoyed, I bought some warm Coke and left it out in the open to cool.
When the time came to call the information centre I found out there was no English guide (despite what the website said), so I had to content myself with the pamphlets.
Site panorama
Mindaugas Throne/Fort and Castle Hill. In the background is Aukuras Hillfort
Path leading in
On top of a hill fort
On top of a hill fort
Cute sign on top of Aukuras Hillfort: "Do not walk down slope"
Looking back at the village
A Lithuanian fly
The peace and quiet of the morning was soon interrupted, making me happy I'd come early. The interruption in question?
A horde of Lithuanian
I tried to move to stay ahead of them, but they moved even more swiftly, and mounted the first hill.
I soon reached the end of the road, and resigned myself to being overtaken by the kids.
Looking back on the hillforts
Horde on top of Mindaugas Throne/Fort
Path to the Neris river
Horse grazing
The kids then trooped along, with the energy that only kids (or locusts) have
They mounted Lizdeika, my last redoubt
Fighting through the horde of kids, and their teacher, I made for the river
The triumphant kids