Liberated. That's how I've been feeling recently. It's been many many weeks since my life left behind the boxes (and clothes... details later) which used to define it. Now it tramps down previously unseen or unreached roads which are open to the sky, sea and wind. Read on to revisit some of those roads with me.
Nevsky Prospect
I wanted to go to Russia for a long time. My dear family and oldest friends will attest to this, I am sure. It was an incredible (if a bit surreal) blessing to actually make it there. The experience was not just a new adventure, however. It was the summation and furtherment of all that I have ever thought or felt about Russia. I carried with me the years my soul curiously prodded around a place it had never been for those glorious 7 days. Now, I can't really say much more than that without a cup of tea and chunk of time (feel free to treat me!), but I can tell more of what I and my traveling companions actually did! I refuse to write a trip summary, though, so here's two scenes from a larger narrative I can give in person.
The Moscow Metro blew my mind. The thing is HUGE and its stations are palaces - each unique, many with grand tributes to the Soviet person and state, and all art in and of themselves. Unfortunately, pics are not allowed in the Metro since it's a major terrorist target- 8+ million people ride it everyday. Those babushkas at the bottom of the 5 minute escalator ride look like they're asleep... but they've got eyes like hawks (or so the wise Natalija said). Here's some pics I didn't take but I can attest to their accuracy! (All credits to whomever took them.)
In the past four months I've been to sauna 4 times. I think I'm getting addicted! The St. Petersburg "banya" was quite an experience. It's a nude sauna with separate sections for men and women. There are several rooms in the place, and it's an incredibly communal, cleansing event. I knew all along that I would shed every article of clothing I had, but all the same, it was a thrill to lose my attire and be entirely comfortable in my skin. Unfortunately, we didn't procure any of the birch branches with which the legit Russians were beating themselves and their friends, but, all the same, it was fabulous, and I recommend it for even the shyest person. No pictures here either - due to steam.
Believe it or not, I did take my own pictures in Russia. Here's a few selections:
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| I had a delightful encounter with a pickpocket here. |
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| Christ the Savior in Moscow - Simply the most beautiful church I've ever seen. |
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| With my good friend Ieva in front of the Hermitage (formerly the Winter Palace) |
Itsenäisyydenkatu
The weekend after Russia, my friends Aurelija, Iveta and I headed to Finland thanks to cheap Ryanair flights. The city of Tampere is a beautiful one, resting between two large lakes. After being in Lithuania and Russia, I could feel a definite change in the spirit of the place. The Finns were a friendly and happy sort as well as seeming more relaxed than Lithuanians and Russians. Far more outdoorsy too. Tons of people in ski-jackets, cycling, cross country skiing, and Nordic walking. Even the punk rockers we met were happy - I've never seen a punk rock show with such a happy audience!
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| This is how I looked everytime I needed to take a photo :) |
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| My traveling companions! Aurelija and Iveta |
The three of us couchsurfed with a fellow named Antti during our trip. He was a laid-back, quieter fellow with an often unexpressed sense of humor. He showed us around and was a stellar host.
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| Antti, unphased by the snow fall, showing us his city |
Herkaus Manto Gatvė
Lietuva, how I love you. Russia and Finland were but flings in comparison with you. Seriously, I'm not sure what to say about this place but that its been very good to me, and I'm dreading saying goodbye. Klaipėda, LCC, my roommates and friends, the sea, the plants in every window, the language, the bandelės, the naked boy statues... And now that it's warming up, I'm seeing another side of the place, and my heart is getting all the more entwined with it. Can't say there are not places and people in the States for which I long, but for now, there are other streets I'd like to tramp down.
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| Hike along the Baltic |
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| Making masks for Užgavėnės with dear friends |
