Russia and the Baltic States September 7-October 17, 2017
A journal kept by Susan Hanes during a trip through Russia and the Baltics from September 7—October 17, 2017. Volume 4. Photos by Susan Hanes and George Leonard, c. 2017 Cover: St. Anne’s Church, Vilnius
Russia and the Baltic States September 7—October 17, 2017
We enjoyed the art and culture of St. Petersburg for several more days before flying to the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad, formerly Prussian Konigsburg, where we stayed for three nights. We continued to Vilnius, Lithuania by train.
Volume 4: St. Petersburg, Kaliningrad, Vilnius
Thursday, September 28
St. Petersburg
We returned to the Winter Palace galleries today to complete our two-day visit of the Hermitage. We visited the Asian art collections on the third floor, where we saw the 4th- 6th century Buddhist murals from the Kizil Caves in Kuqa, the 7th-11th century murals from Bezeklik Caves in Turfan, and the mural paintings from Mogao near Dunhuang, all of which we had visited on our trip to western China this spring. Little of the original art remains at those locations, since much of it was removed by numerous European expeditions in the early 20th century.
The Hermitage
Kizil Caves, Kucha, China May 2017
Bezeklik Caves, Turfan, China May 2017
On the lower level, we savored a collection of 5th-8th century Sogdian wall paintings from archeological sites in the Zerafshan Valley near Samarqand in eastern Uzbekistan, an area we explored in 2016.
At 2:45, we joined a tour of the Diamond Rooms. Beginning with the Scythians in the 4th century BC, we saw examples of the extraordinary skill of those early artisans. Our guide pointed out the opulent diplomatic gifts presented to the Russian court over the years— particularly a horse blanket containing 8,000 brilliantcut diamonds that was a gift of the Sultan of Turkey. We learned that Catherine the Great had a particular appreciation for small, beautiful objects and commissioned the finest artists in Europe to create her collection of snuff boxes, and that Empress Elizabeth, although not a beauty, owned 15,000 dresses and a toilet set that contained 40 kg of gold. Unfortunatly, we were not permitted to take pictures. Afterwards, we crossed to the General Staff Building across the Palace Square where we concentrated on the Post-Impressionist works collected by Sergei Shchukin and the Morozov Brothers, among the most astute Modernist collectors of the 20th century. We marveled at the rooms of iconic works by Matisse, Cezanne, Gauguin, Van Gogh, and Picasso. The Staff Building has been repurposed as an art gallery by the substantial repositioning of walls and although there was not the lighting problem that we encountered in the rooms of the Palace, we found ourselves backtracking to reach the rooms we sought.
General Staff Building
Alexander Column Palace Square
The Hermitage General Staff Building
Vincent van Gogh Madame Trabuc Pablo Picasso Absinthe Drinker Pablo Picasso Absinthe Eduard Vuillard Old Woman in an Interior Henri Matisse The Dance Pablo Picasso Farm Woman Henri Matisse Harmony in Red
Kasimir Malevich Black Square
We left at closing time and began the long walk to the State Academic Maly Theater for the performance of Chekhov’s Three Sisters. We had read of the play’s highly successful run at the Brooklyn Academy of Music back in 2012 and were excited to see the production at its home in St. Petersburg, with the same actors. As in the Brooklyn production, the play was in Russian with English supertitles. Lev Dodin’s production is both emotional and precise and we felt the humanity of Chekhov’s characters as we followed the lives of the three sisters, where personal crises and tragedies occur and Moscow is seen as a symbol of shattered dreams. The set is dominated by the dark wooden facade of the provincial house where the schoolteacher Olga (Irina Tychinina); her married sister, Masha (Elena Kalinina); and young Irina (Ekaterina Tarasova) live. As the play progresses, the structure slowly creeps forward, becoming more oppressive as the years pass. The actors exited the stage through the center aisle, further engaging the audience in their emotional turmoil. Once again, we noticed the absence of coughing or the rustling of paper programs that one encounters at performances in the US. At the conclusion of the play, the actors took six curtain calls as the audience broke into synchronized clapping and surged forward to present flowers and gifts to them. Since the checking of coats was mandatory, it was a mad crush to retrieve them at the conclusion of the evening, with people in multiple lines to pick coats up, and others going in the opposite direction to get outside. On our way back to the hotel, we stopped at a 24hour market to buy a bottle of vodka. We found it interesting that the manager of the market, although happy to let us purchase it, would not let Jake have the receipt (which would have been proof of the sale after legal hours).
Maly Theater Three Sisters by Anton Chekhov
Friday, September 29
St. Petersburg
Today we visited the Russian Museum, located on the Griboyedov Canal near
time, such as Géricault’s Raft of the Medusa, which drew huge crowds. The
the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood. The Benois Wing introduced us to
museums we have visited in St. Petersburg have not been easy to navigate, as
the work of a number of Russian artists from the first quarter of the 20th
there are often several flights of stairs between floors and it is necessary to go
century. We were particularly interested to see two iconic portraits of Anna
up 80-100 steps just to come down again in order to pass from one building
Akhmatova, one by Nathan Altman and the other by Kuzma Petrov-Vodkin.
to another. The Russian Museum was no exception and it was quite a
Other artists that we liked were Mikhail Vrubel, one of the creators of Russian
production to reach the exit.
Art Nouveau, Mikhail Nesterov, an early Russian Symbolist artist, and avantgarde painter Nadezhda Udaltsova. There was a delightful exhibit of Russian folk art, with wooden household tools and embroidery, that I loved. In the adjoining Mikhailovsky Palace (also part of the museum), we saw several icons painted by Andrei Rublyov’s workshop that had been removed from the iconostasis at Yaroslavl. Unfortunately, the room where they were hung was dominated by a group of Russian students and their art history professor. We saw a number of immense 19th century paintings, including Karl Bryullov’s Last Day of Pompeii, at one time the most famous Russian painting ever. It reminded us of other huge 19th century paintings that were popular at the
Mikhail Nesterov Taking the Veil
Mikhail Vrubel Morning (detail)
Mikhail Nesterov Holy Russia
Nadezhda Udaltsova Restaurant Wassily Kandinsky Blue Crest Natalia Goncharova Cyclist Lyubov Popova Portrait of a Philosopher
Alexei Sundukov Queue Natalia Nesterova Metro Evsei Moiseyenko In Memory of the Poet Pushkin Konstantin Savitsky To War
Nathan Altman
Anna Akhmatova
Kuzma Petrov-Vodkin
Anna Akhmatova
We walked south along the canal to Kazan Cathedral. Completed in 1811, it is dedicated to Our Lady of Kazan, probably the most venerated icon in Russia. During Soviet times, the Cathedral was turned into a Museum of Atheism. This in an excerpt from my journal of our visit in 1985: We also visited the Museum of Religion and Atheism, in what used to be the beautiful Kazanskaya Cathedral. It was a haunting space, intended to give the viewer a sense of the futility of all religions and to show how the lavishness of the church is in opposition to the good of the people. Central to the exhibit was a glass-encased tomb, showing bones scattered on the ground, again carrying out the theme. Where the iconostasis would have been was a huge statue of Lenin. All this, located within the splendor of that once magnificent cathedral. Today I wanted to see how things had changed. Rather than the few old women we had seen in churches in 1985, the cathedral was filled with people of all ages. The murals and iconostasis have been cleaned and restored and I found no evidence of the glass-encased human remains and spilled reliquaries that I saw on my last visit. The statue of Lenin was gone. What we found was a long line of people waiting to kiss a 17th century copy of the Holy Protectress of Russia. There were
© Scott Tansey
no photos permitted, but the one below perfectly captures the scene I saw.
We had a long walk to the Mariinsky Theater where we had tickets to Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro at 7:00. We left the cathedral in time to return to Sadko’s Restaurant for a light supper before the opera. The performance was in Italian with Russian supertitles and was therefore hard to follow, even though we had an idea of the complicated plot. But the music was familiar and we enjoyed the 19th century ambiance of the Mariinsky once again. At the end of the performance, synchronized clapping continued for several curtain calls. What we did find disconcerting about the evening was the surprising number of flash photos emanating from the audience. In spite of pictures and video being forbidden during performances, there were those who decided that the rule did not apply to them and flashed away, capturing the blurry white shadows of the people in front of them.
Saturday, September 30
St. Petersburg
Knowing that we would have a lot of walking today, we took a taxi across the Neva to the Museum of Political History, housed in the elegant palace of Mathilda Kshesinskaya, the ballet dancer who was once the lover of Tsar Nicholas II. The museum offers a surprisingly candid overview of Russian politics from the beginning of the 19th century to the 21st. The current exhibition, The Soviet Epoch, Between Utopia and Reality, was laid out as a labyrinth, with comprehensive explanatory panels in English. Unfortunately, the cases of posters, photographs, and artifacts were only labeled in Russian, but we were nonetheless able to follow the museum’s assessment of political excesses from the time of Nicholas II through the end of the Soviet era.
Acting President Vladimir Putin’s Address to the Nation December 31, 1999 Dear Friends, On New Year’s Eve, my family and I planned to gather round the TV, just as you probably did, to listen to the address by President Boris Yeltsin. But things took a different turn. On December 31, 1999, Russia’s first president decided to resign. He has asked me to address the Russian people today. The powers of the head of state have been turned over to me today. The presidential election will be held in three months. I assure you that there will be no vacuum of power, not for a minute. I promise you that any attempts to act contrary to the Russian law and constitution will be cut short. The state will stand firm to protect the freedom of speech, the freedom of conscience, the freedom of the mass media, ownership rights, these fundamental elements of a civilised society. The Armed Forces, the Federal Frontier Service, and law-enforcement agencies are working in the usual regime. The state continues to uphold the safety of every Russian citizen. When making his decision to stand down, the president acted in full compliance with the constitution. We will be able to see the true importance of what Boris Yeltsin has done for Russia only after some time has passed. However, it is clear already now that it was thanks to the President that Russia has opted for democracy and reform and is moving towards these goals, and has become a strong and independent state. I wish health and happiness to Boris Yeltsin, the first President of Russia. The New Year has always been the most cherished, the kindest and the most loved holiday in Russia. It is a holiday when dreams come true, and this is especially so this year. I believe that the good dreams we have will certainly come true. Dear friends, the new year will begin in a few seconds. Let us smile at our friends and relatives, and wish each other warmth, happiness and love. Let us drink to Russia in the new millennium, to love and peace in every home, to our parents’ and children’s health. Happy New Year, Happy New Millennium!
We crossed the river to the Peter and Paul Fortress on Zayachy Island. In the Chapel of St. Catherine the Martyr are the tombs of Nicholas II and his wife and five children, assassinated on July 17, 1918.
Departing via the Kronwerk Bridge, we walked to the Museum of Ethnology and Anthropology, known as the Kunstkamera. Founded in 1714 by Peter the Great, it was the city’s first museum. The fine old building retains the original display cases exhibiting rare objects and relics from around the world. We found numerous cases devoted to Russian Alaska, filled with artifacts of the Aleut, Tlingit, and Eskimo. The Russians still lament the 1867 deal that sold Alaska to the US. Upstairs was the section that held the most fascination for Peter—his collection of preserved monstrosities of nature, including mutant fetuses and odd body parts—which obviously also held a fascination for visitors who peered intently through the glass, iPhone cameras at the ready.
We walked back across the Neva to the Four Seasons Hotel, located in the former Lobanov-Rostovsky Palace, for drinks in the burl-paneled Xander Bar. I had a Vodka flight, trying 30 ml shots of three vodkas: Imperial, made in St. Petersburg and filtered through coal and crystal; Tsarskoe Selo, also from St. Petersburg and favored by Nicholas II; and Beluga Gold Line, distilled in Siberia using Lake Baikal water. The Tsarskoe Selo was incredibly smooth and the bottle looked like a perfume flask, but I liked Beluga the best. Jake ordered polugar, the historic forerunner of vodka. It was a pleasure to sit together in that exquisite space, with Frank Sinatra crooning softly in the background. Nearby, we shared a sandwich at the Astoria Hotel, where Houston and I had stopped for tea in 1985. To me, the place looked much as I remembered it; renovations in 1987 and again in the 90s had freshened things up, but it still retained its Soviet atmosphere. Back in our room, we heard a popping noise outside and looking out the window, discovered a fireworks display right in front of us.
And at this time in Peter’s Square A great new corner-house stood, where, Paw raised, each like a living cat, Above the elevated entry, A pair of lions stood on sentry. The Bronze Horseman Alexander Pushkin
Pushkin’s description of Lobanov-Rostovsky Palace, now the Four Seasons
Sunday, October 1
St. Petersburg
While Jake spent some down time at the hotel, I took a walk in our now familiar neighborhood. I poked into several shops that we had ignored previously and looked at amber, which is hugely popular here with tourists. I learned that milky amber is favored by Chinese visitors, as they feel that it has the greatest healing properties. I stopped for tea at the Astoria Hotel, where Houston and I had gone when we were here together. Sitting in a cozy corner by the window, I wrote in my journal, enjoying the solitude after these busy days.
This is our last day in St. Petersburg, three weeks into this trip. Jake suggested I might like to spend some time on my own while he catches up on US sports and plans the next few days in Kaliningrad. I have been walking around what, in the last twelve days, has become familiar territory, passing St. Isaac’s and making my way towards Nevsky Prospekt, ducking into shops here and there, as the spirit moves me. I am enjoying walking at my own brisk pace. This trip, coming so soon after those to Central Asia and China, has been as stimulating as the others but it has been more difficult in some ways. As we become ever more conscious that every step we take on uneven pavement has the potential for catastrophe, we need to acknowledge that we are getting older. Today I returned to the Astoria for tea. Thirty-two years ago, I had tea with Houston in this very place. It is comforting to me to imagine that I sit here with the shadow of my younger self. I almost feel that Houston and I are here still, perhaps on the other side of that nearby column. My mind flows over the years, so rich and fulfilling in spite of loss and disappointment and yes, ageing too. I have been conscious on this trip of so many experiences that have come full circle. It is almost like life is one big connection. The background of a 20th century painting at the Russian Museum featured the same woodcut I printed at the Yangliuqing Woodblock Prints Museum in Tianjin. The Hermitage collection of ancient murals that once decorated the walls of the Buddhist caves of Western China are from the caves that we saw and the paintings that completed the fragments at archeological digs are the sites we visited in Central Asia. The cases depicting the Aleut way of life in Russian Alaska at the Kunstkamera reflected the Aleut customs we observed as we ferried out the Aleutian Chain. The carvings on the Cathedral of St. Demetrius in Vladimir were reminiscent of those that we savored on our drive through Romanesque France. The Balkans, Morocco, Spain, and of course, England…our experiences tumble over in my mind as I sit here, in the frumpy tearoom of the old Astoria. I acknowledge the passing years, but with age comes—not necessarily wisdom—but perhaps perspective.
For our last dinner in St. Petersburg, we went by taxi to Gras, a small restaurant near the Russian Museum. We ordered the tasting menu accompanied by cocktail pairings, prepared by Executive Chef Anton Abrezov and Chef Bartender Artur Frolov. In a sleek urban setting, complemented by music that varied from Sinatra to “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” we were served nine small courses and five artisanal drinks. Although service timing was uneven and some of the courses did not quite work, it was fun to play critic and discuss ways we might improve them. However, we appreciated the imaginative ingredients in both food and drink. As we taxied back to the hotel, we savored our final views of St. Petersburg at night, bright with activity even on Sunday. After nearly two weeks here, I can understand the saying, “I go to Moscow for work, but I stay in St. Petersburg for love.”
Monday, October 2
to Kaliningrad
After breakfast at the Renaissance Hotel we said goodbye to members of the staff with whom we had formed friendships during the past twelve days. By 11:30, we were in a taxi, speeding along the sleek 12-lane highway to Pulkovo Airport. Security was no more of a hassle than usual, but the body scanner carried you along on a little belt rather than sliding back and forth. Using the Aeroflot Lounge as a base, we waited for flight SU 6327 to Kaliningrad. I think that we were the only people there not wearing jeans. It has been amazing to us that the entire world seems to wear jeans—regardless of age, nationality, or affluence. Besides taking advantage of wine, snacks, and Wi-Fi, I did some shopping at the airport’s CKA Ice Hockey Club store after being assured by the girl in the shop that it was “the best team in the world.” Just after 4:00 we boarded our Rossiya (Aeroflot) flight to Kaliningrad on an Airbus A319. I believe that we were the only tourists on board, or at least, the only Englishspeaking ones. We were served hot tea and a cookie during the 1½-hour flight and landed at 5:15 local time. As we touched down, applause broke out among the passengers for some undetermined reason. Once in the Hrabrovo Airport terminal, we prepaid for a taxi into town but felt sorry for the driver since he got stuck in traffic for nearly an hour; Jake gave him a nice tip. Kaliningrad, an exclave of Russia, is nestled between Lithuania, Poland, and the Baltic Sea. Originally the capital city of East Prussia (then called Königsberg), it was overtaken by Soviet brigades in 1945 and renamed Kaliningrad after the Bolshevik revolutionary Mikhail Kalinin. On the way into town, we noticed that many of the homes had a German appearance and we saw the residue of German buildings and lots of decrepit apartment blocks. For the next three days, we will be at the Kaiserhof Hotel, part of the Fish Village development. We had seafood snacks in the lobby bar before heading up for an early night.
Fish Village Kaliningrad
Tuesday, October 3
Kaliningrad
The day was rainy and grey as we went by taxi to the Amber Museum. The area around Kaliningrad mines 90% of the world’s amber and the museum displays hundreds of inclusions encasing ferns and insects and small vertebrae. It also houses a collection of more than two thousand pieces of art made from amber. The museum was built in the 1970s and occupies part of a reconstructed red brick fortification.
Amber Museum
We passed The House of Soviets, a hideous building known to locals as “The Monster.” The guidebooks call it a sort of an anti-attraction, as it was not structurally sound and therefore never occupied.
We reached the gothic Kaliningrad Cathedral, located on an island in the Pregolya River. Kรถnigsberg was decimated during WWII, but at one time the area around the cathedral was the cultural and commercial center of a vibrant city. Today, the cathedral has been partially reconstructed but it is a shell of what it once was and nothing remains of the community around it. When one thinks of the colorful history of Kรถnigsberg as the capitol of Prussia, member of the Hanseatic League, and home to the Teutonic Knights, it is sobering to look out at the barren cobblestones and think of what once was there.
We sat in one of the dark pews, listening as someone practiced the organ. On the north side of the building, we saw the mausoleum of Immanuel Kant, the "Sage of KÜnigsberg�. Kant was born here in 1724 and remained in KÜnigsberg until his death in 1804.
Kant’s Tomb
Live your life as though your every act were to become a universal law. — Immanuel Kant
The sun finally made an appearance as we walked back to our hotel in Fish Village, so we decided to take a tour aboard a small boat that took us through the canals and along the Museum of the World Oceans on the Pregolya River where we saw several ships, a preatomic submarine, and a series of large rusting shipping cranes from the Soviet era. We had local fish in the bar of our hotel, surrounded by large photographs depicting Kรถnigsberg as it was before it was reduced to the somewhat dilapidated Russian naval base that it is today.
Wednesday, October 4 Kaliningrad The Baltic autumn appears to be settling in, as we awoke to another rainy morning. At 11:15 we took a taxi to the Amber Box on Leninsky Prospekt, suggested by the front desk clerk as the primary place in Kaliningrad to shop for amber. Located in twin buildings connected by a green arch, it had a disappointing selection. We continued up the street to the shop that she said she prefers, where we purchased a necklace of classic cognac-colored amber beads. We had planned to walk back, but when we were ready to leave there was a torrential downpour and we asked the shopkeeper to call a taxi. I tried another shop across from our hotel where I found a cherry amber necklace that weighed more than the one we’d already bought for 25% less. We are finding the distinction among amber pieces relating to price somewhat inexplicable. All in all, however, amber costs significantly less here than in St. Petersburg, but there seems to be less available at the higher end. Later, I impersonated a local by going to a 24-hour market in an ugly apartment block across the street. I chose a few items, paid for them, packed them into the bag I brought, and said, “Spasibo!” without giving a hint that I don’t live here (I surely fooled them). This evening, we dodged the rain and walked to the Fish Club for dinner. The restaurant, with gold fringe and gilt mirrors, looked like it belonged at Trump’s Mara-Lago but our meal of fresh fish was excellent.
Thursday, October 5
to Vilnius, Lithuania
As comedian Yakov Smirnoff might have said, “In Russia, trains leave on time
and tickets were checked for a third time, we departed on time. We
but you get to the station late!” Clocks at the Kaliningrad Station use
stopped at several small towns to pick up passengers before arriving at the
Moscow time. Thus, our train to Vilnius, scheduled to leave at 10:28 am,
Lithuanian border at 12:45 pm. It took an hour and half to go through
actually departed at 9:28 local time. We got up three hours before departure
customs formalities on both sides. Our Russian visas were canceled and we
and after a quick breakfast, went by taxi to the train station. Jake exchanged
were asked if we had any alcohol, guns, cigarettes, or amber. It was obvious
our vouchers for tickets, which were practically indecipherable. We were
that they were only interested in large quantities of contraband as our bags
able to determine which platform was ours based on departure time, since
only received a cursory glance. Crossing into Lithuania, we passed forests of
that was all we could make out. Unfortunately, the platforms were again
narrow birch trees showing a hint of fall colors. There was evidence of
located up steep stairs. This time, I tried using the luggage ramp on the side
farming that we had not seen in Kaliningrad, with cleared fields and dairy
of the steps, taking my bags up one at a time; I was surprised that it actually
cows off in the distance. We saw small villages with a few modest houses
was easier in spite of appearing so daunting. We stood on the platform for
surrounded by vegetable gardens. We have left Cyrillic behind, so reading
nearly an hour. A light rain was falling and the chilly wind blew clouds of
signs should get a lot easier. At 3:15, we passed the city of Kaunas. With a
fumes in our faces. Fifteen minutes prior to departure, we boarded a Second
population of 550,000, it is the second largest in Lithuania. We pulled into
Class car and located our compartment, which, with our luggage, was fine as
the station at Vilnius at exactly 4:30, in spite of an inordinate amount of time
long as we did not have to share it with anyone. After our passports, visas,
spent at the border.
It was raining when we arrived and we walked a long way in the wrong
about how different Vilnius feels from Kaliningrad. A lot has to do with the fact
direction before we found the tunnel to the station, down a long set of stairs.
that we are in the EU where English is more prevalent and we are not trying
After passing though passport control, we were relieved to find an escalator
to decipher Cyrillic. But it goes deeper than that. It is as if Kaliningrad’s sad
to return us to street level. Jake used the ATM and I located a taxi to take us
history hangs over it like a dark cloud. From the large photographs that filled
to the Stikliai, a Relais & Châteaux hotel located in an historic building in the
the walls of our hotel’s public rooms to the giant posters that lined the park
Jewish Quarter of the Old Town. (Lithuania was historically home to a large
leading to its partially restored cathedral, it seems that Kaliningrad is uneasy
and influential Jewish population that was almost entirely eliminated during the
about its own history and cannot forget the thriving, proud city of Königsberg
Holocaust.) Down a narrow cobblestone alley, we had an early dinner at Meat
that it once was. Even the new stadium that will play host during Russia’s
Lover’s Pub. While Jake had German sausages, I surprised myself by ordering
World Cup games in 2018 lies isolated, away from the city. Kaliningrad seems
the horse burger that the waiter highly recommended. We both had a local
to be Russia’s stepchild, set off geographically, historically, and spiritually from
unfiltered lager, translated to “Eel’s Legs” in English. Over the meal, we talked
the great country to which it belongs.
Friday, October 6
Vilnius, Lithuania
After a leisurely breakfast, we left the hotel at 10:15, prepared for the Baltic’s changeable fall weather with down jackets, raincoats, and an umbrella. We began at the Vilnius University Library, where we saw O Tempora! O Mores! (“Oh the times! Oh, the customs!” as Cicero observed), an exhibition in the historic Franciszek Smuglewicz library reading room. Unique works from as early as the 16th century were displayed in wooden cases around the room. They wove an intriguing story of early customs, with a focus on inappropriate behavior including excessive drinking, poor study habits, and assorted immoralities.
Vilnius University Library
Vilnius Cathedral and Belfry
We passed the Presidential Palace and walked to Cathedral Square, stopping to look at amber and linen shops, both specialties of the region. At the square, I climbed 140 steps to the belfry, once a part of the city’s 13th century defenses, for great views of the city. Jake waited for me in a pew in the Vilnius Cathedral, a Baroque church built in the 17th century.
Old Town Vilnius a UNESCO site
Adjacent to the cathedral, we visited the Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania. The palace has been painstakingly restored and reveals the various architectural elements of the fortified structures that have stood there since at least the 4th century. Going through the galleries, we got an overview of Lithuanian history from earliest pagan times. It is no wonder that the palace is considered a potent symbol of a revitalized country. In honor of its 630th anniversary, an exhibit entitled Baptism of Lithuania opened last week, showcasing a massive work by Polish artist Wojciech Gerson, painted in honor of the 500th anniversary of the founding of Lithuania. Jake encouraged me to ascend to the observation tower for views of the city including Gediminas' Tower and the Hill of Three Crosses. This time, I was accompanied by a group of noisy local high school kids.
Museum of the Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania
Gediminas' Tower and the Hill of Three Crosses
We walked along the park to St. Anne’s Church, completed in 1500. Although the church was closed at that hour, we admired the intricate exterior Gothic brickwork. We entered the adjacent Bernardine Church and Monastery, among the largest sacred buildings in Vilnius. Across the street, St. Michael’s, a former Catholic church, now hosts the Church Heritage Museum. We explored the richly embroidered vestments, liturgical articles, and historic documents, but what we particularly enjoyed was an exhibit of photographs of the monasteries of Armenia, all of which we visited and photographed ourselves on our trip there last year.
St. Anne’s Church
Bernardine Church
Church Heritage Musuem at St. Michael’s Church
At the Amber Museum Gallery, we saw the sophisticated designs that Lithuanian jewelers have created with Kaliningrad amber and bought earrings to go with my cherry amber beads. We walked along Pilies Street, a main street in the Old Town that runs from Cathedral Square to the Town Hall Square. We discovered, however, that it was filled with tourist groups and touristy shops, and cut down Stikliu Street, through the Jewish Ghetto area, to our hotel. At 6:15, we walked to Lokys Restaurant, located in a 15th century building, where we had dinner in the Gothic cellar. Tucked into a brick alcove, we ordered venison and quail, traditional dishes from old Lithuanian recipe books; our dessert courses were accompanied by Trakai mead and a local quince wine.
Saturday, October 7
Vilnius This morning we walked back towards the Cathedral Square, stopping to buy a couple of things we had been considering yesterday. We continued up Pilies Street, trying unsuccessfully to find a bank open on a Saturday. At the University of Vilnius Library Courtyard, we bought tickets to tour the campus, although most of the buildings were closed today. The campus is entirely paved over, and we walked through the stone courtyards to the Church of Saints John, established in 1386. After it burned twice in the 18th century, it was reconstructed in a late Baroque style although it still retains aspects of its Gothic original.
As we walked past an antiques shop that we had seen before, I saw that it was
Europe’s leading pilgrimage sites. The little piece he was selling was from the
now open. Jake decided to return to the hotel and let me take my time in the
1920s, and was obviously used for personal devotionals. I was intrigued by the
shop. It was just the kind of place that I love—small and dark with lots of
story and by the piece itself, and bought it. I then went in search of the Gates of
interesting small things in glass cabinets. The owner was there today; he told me
Dawn. I walked south along Vilnius’s oldest street, Aušros Vartu, to the city gate
that he normally does not work there. We talked about travel and the difficult
and the Gate of Dawn Chapel of Mary, the Mother of Mercy. Up a long
issues in the world today. He said that he was in St. Louis on business two
stairway, I reached the small room where the Vilnius Madonna was displayed,
months ago; his first trip to the US. As I perused the shelves, he told me about
surrounded by hundreds of heart-shaped silver votive offerings. A worn
various things that I saw, many of them Russian. When I said that I was looking
wooden railing encircled the icon and women were kneeling around it. Other
for something from Lithuania, he pointed out a couple of pieces, including a
women knelt in the small chamber, with still others standing behind them. As
small metal icon with an image of the Virgin. He told me that it was Our Lady
one chanted a phrase, the others answered in unison. I did not recognize their
of the Gates of Dawn, a likeness from a painting from the early 17th century in
words, but it was easy to understand their petitions for grace. I found it quite
the only remaining in city gate in Vilnius. The painting is revered equally by the
moving. With those women, I lifted my own prayer for grace and peace. As I
Catholic, Orthodox, and Greek Catholic faiths and the chapel is one of Eastern
descended the stairs, I saw others ascending, several on their knees.
Our Lady of the Gates of Dawn
Back at the hotel, I told Jake about my experiences. At 4:00, we called Wesley to wish him happy 13th birthday and then set out to find a place for an early meal. We tried a Lithuanian restaurant that we had noticed yesterday but they were totally booked, even at that early hour. It probably has to do with the fact that England plays Lithuania here in the World Cup qualifiers first round tomorrow evening and there are bands of English blokes out and about everywhere. We continued up Pilies Street, looking for an appealing place and ended up at Notre Vie, a simple Italian wine bar only a few steps from our hotel. Afterwards, we sampled Lithuanian herb aperitifs at the hotel bar before returning to our room for the night.
A journal kept by Susan Hanes during a trip through Russia and the Baltics from September 7 —October 17, 2017. Volume 4. Photos by Susan Hanes and George Leonard, c. 2017
V. 4