The setting was superb and we approached by a bridge.
The main castle housed many ancient artefacts from fourteenth century, including coins, personal items and furnishings. We learnt about the customs of the two ethnic groups and how the small Karaim community now exhibited weaknesses due to intermarriage in an attempt to preserve their way of life. I tried a kibin with my coffee, a form of Cornish pastie! A Karaim speciality.
Apparently these interiors have been used for filming historical dramas, including the Elizabeth 1 series. I would have thought we had enough castles. Interestingly huge areas of Lithuania were used to film the BBC series of War and Peace!
Our tour guide talked most of the way along the route but I tuned out and snoozed at times like everyone else! However, I gather Lithuania is very advanced with laser development and is also developing solar power so as not to be reliant on Russia. It is certainky a connected country snd internet is good. They also have developed Vilnius to be a green city thus protecting the environment.
Foraging mushrooms is a popular autumn activity.!
Our lunch stop was a beautiful mansion, Bistrampolis.
Apparently many of these estates were abandoned when Lithuanians left during Russian rule. When this ended the families had settled elsewhere and donated these to the state. Now some are hotels and conference centres.
We had a delicious lunch served in a private room, we all had borsch, I had fish with lovely vegetables, then the traditional Apple pie. Well that set me up for another snooze!
I could have spent a few days enjoying the ambience and walking in the countryside.
From here we headed on through the border to Latvia, so unspectacular, I missed It! But of course we are in the Schengen zone so no one has asked for a passport since we left UK.
We arrived at the hotel and said goodbye to Agnes and our driver. I am akways amazed at thise people whonscuttle off quickly without giving a thank you tip! She had been excellent, but my brain just couldn't take in all the information. After a very quick settle in, I went to explore the old town of Riga, armed with my map. It is another attractive cobbled area, full of beautiful old buildings and restaurants too of course!
The house of the Blackheads!
I expect we will visit some in detail tomorrow but I got a great view of the sunset at the bridge!
Our hotel here is large and impersonal and I imagine every room is the same. I have a view if a glazed atrium and a little bit of a back street. The bathroom is tiny, it reminds me of what Agnes told us about the Kruschovian flats! But I did get some washing dry overnight. Breakfast thus morning was a bit of a bun fight. Buffets are always difficult when you are eating alone. It took me forever to find where everything was and I didn't find the scrambled egg until I had finished. But tomorrow will be better! Just far too many people for someone who likes a quiet breakfast.
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