So to start I’m sitting in a cafe that’s part of a huge open market, Hales market (Halės turgavietė), mostly because it’s early (825) and they seem to be one of the few open places. Its meat, fish, cheese, produce and deli/bakery (and also clothes, shoes, and everything else) market is supposed to open at 7 and my 25 minute walk here showed me that things do not open early in Vilnius, not even coffee places. But it’s also Sunday morning so maybe it’s slower today. Of course it is my first day being out this early. The market reminds me a bit of the Italian market on Arthur Avenue so I guess I wasn’t inspired to take a picture! Though the outside is kind of cool (you can google it?!).

I’ve been to this market before, on my last trip out of Vilnius to neighboring Trakai via a 30 min (for 17 mi) train ride. 

Trakai is famous for its island castle. And is a favorite day trip for tourists and Vilnius folks alike. There’s a lake with boats and a long 40 minute paved and easy to walk/bike path that runs the length from the train station to the castle and beyond. Biking, boating and strolling galore; open stalls and cafes are set up along the path — in good weather.

Of course I had much rain and for several minutes — HAIL. All this btw with 0 chance of precipitation according to my app. Sigh. So I was not in my waterproof pants but thankfully the new coat did its job. I had to make a few stops to get dry. 

That said before the rain and after the long walk I treated myself to a big lunch of the most famous food of the region. Kibinai (large fried dumplings filled with meat or mushrooms etc — I think kibinis in plural?) and gira to drink. Gira is a rye bread based fermented (nonalcoholic) drink. Not my fave but had to try. Definitely if you have gluten issues it’s a problem here. Though other stuff is a lot of potatoes instead. Oh plus the beauty of the bunch — a cabbage and bacon soup in a bread bowl.

The soup is called royal cabbage soup and something impossible in Lithuanian. The restaurant that served all this was another 8 min walk from the castle and the TI woman seemed convinced I couldn’t walk much further — but having walked 35 minutes and having read this place was the best, I prevailed on her to give me more information — the restaurant is Senoji Kibininė. I guess she saw my commitment so she then also told me about a chocolate museum/shop and gave me the cool culinary booklet.

After lunch I made it to the castle and even spent the 10 EU to go through. Probably not worth it. I’ve been to too many spectacular museums but the net I’d say is that the Lithuanians are proud of the fact that they were once a wealthy, large and important country. The rooms showed their “riches” but I’ve seen so much better. (Porcelain, ivory, armor, paintings, coins, silver, and a tapestry but seriously nothing noteworthy and mostly from elsewhere in Europe.) In any case it was nice to be warm, have access to a bathroom, and support the local museum.

When I left I had the return 35 min walk and I went through town instead of along the lake. That’s when it started pouring rain and even hailing. So, I decided it was worth the outrageous 5 EU to go to a “chocolate museum” — the actual coffee and chocolates at the same place were worth their fees though. Anyway a few obligatory photos of people/things made out of chocolate!

It was actually kind of impressive. There was a lot more (not a TON) though I think they literally used about a ton of chocolate for some of the large sculptures. And seriously I just finished a dark chocolate bar from there and it IS good. They say they use the Belgian method and those Belgians do good chocolate and good beer!

Now let me get to my new friends! I mentioned there was only one other woman, Melissa, at the second tour I did about undiscovered Vilnius. Turns out she’s a SW professor, has lived in Durham, lives in DC area now, spoke German in college for her semester abroad, and lived in Rome last year — and is going back this summer and also speaks Italian (like me —haltingly but we can get our point across)! That’s just current stuff. She went to UVM (always think it’s weird they say VM when the state is abbreviated to VT) undergrad where I also visited with Luca and had an intern who went there; she got her MSW and PHD from Smith — where my Andrus co-group leader attended; and of course she knows some people at Hunter … we’ve been circling each other for years!? We are also good walkers, obsessed with food, and like to see similar things. Needless to say, we hit it off and though we’d already made several of our own tour plans, we went around together often and did meals together. She was in for a conference but could manage her own time easily.

And even funnier, as we were walking up a huge hill together (photos to follow) and discovering the Italian connection, an Italian in our age range, Riccardo, asked us about the (non-working?) funicular and we ended up chatting in Italian-ish.

The three of us ended up having dinner together at the place I wanted to try at lunch but this was much better since we could split things and try way more. It was a LOT. I went there for their specialty, maybe mostly in Vilnius, called Cepelinai — but also called Zeppelins for tourists because it almost sounds like the Lithuanian and also because they’re these huge, potato-based, Zeppelin-shaped bombs of a food item! They’re filled with either cheese or “meat” (yeah, unclear— unlike my kibinis — I had pork and chicken/shrooms at the waitress’ suggestion even tho it’s not authentic as the original creators didn’t eat pork — mutton and venison as well as beef and mushrooms were original I think?). Anyway zeppelins are a bomb! Mostly potato. And we ordered soups, pork shank, a meat plate (kind of like Italian antipasto plate but no cheese or olives — just pickles and sausages/ cured meats), herring and a bunch of other stuff that usually included more cabbage and potatoes! Oh and a big favorite here is a cold beet soup that comes out absolutely pink. Called Šaltibarščiai. Obviously I did not want it. I hate beets and am not a fan of cold soups especially when it’s cold out. I took a tiny taste but don’t regret having a delish hot shroom soup instead.

Since I’m on a food roll I have to add the last major food I tried. Called kepta duona, it’s deep fried rye bread sticks, maybe some cheese melted on top — and a sort of garlic aioli dip that’s thicker but just as garlicky on the side. Yummy. But omg this has been too many carbs and too few greens. On my last night in Vilnius, Melissa and I went on a quest for greens. We ended up at a hipster vegan spot that was good but of course pricey compared to other Lithuanian places we’ve been eating at. Big salads though mine had quinoa and corn chips I didn’t even want.

OMG! I still have not talked about the KGB museum or nearby prison — or Kaunas, which is where I’m now and will meet Melissa again tomorrow. And then I’m off to Riga.

But it’ll have to be later. This is too long already!