Labas Forumers

[Dramblys]

Labas to all the Forumers out there. I'm just back from three weeks in Lietuva. I'm too tired to uplink my pics at this point, but look forward to some beautiful shots of Vilnius and the Lithuanian countryside.

All I can say is Lietuva has changed so much in two years that in some respects, its unrecognizable....some things were good, some were bad...but mostly excellent.

The one major thing that I learned is never fly LOT Polish Airlines...all of my flights were late, staff was rude and incompetent, Warsaw Airport was dirty, disorganized, and to say the least a chaotic mess. From now on its SAS or Lufthansa to the Baltics for me, no matter how high they raise the prices.

OK, enough complaining...I need to sleep. Will post more later.

[Mantas]

Despite some bad things good to hear you liked here. And waiting for the pics

[vytauc]

Dear Drambly, it's good that you'r safe at home now We shall wait for your photos and stories. Esp what changes you did see in Lithuania

[John]

It would be particularly interesting to see photos of VIlnius and the rest of Lithuania from a visitor which would indicate how foreigners tend to see our little country. I'm very happy that there IS something what attracts people from far away to come there and spend their holidays.
We're waiting for your photos, Drambly

[Whose Homepage]

Good to hear that your trip went well and that you (and your wife, right?) are safely back home in Chicago, Dramblys!

Aciu for letting us know. I'm sure you found enormous changes in your home country after a 2-year absence, and I am eager to hear your thoughts and observations, as well as seeing your pictures.

Don't knock Air Baltic btw. I know you didn't, but I think you should put that airline on your OK list.

And by all means do take your time with posting! I'll be watching.

[Dramblys]

Ok,

I've had some time to sleep and get readjusted to actually working again. I'm still too backlogged to post pics, but here are some of my thoughts:

1. Lietuva is one gigantic construction site. Vilnius and Kaunas are full of cranes for new construction and scaffolding for renovations.
Pretty much anywhere you turn in Vilnius, you'll see a construction crane, and or a building under renovation or construction. You're even greeted by cranes now at Vilnius Airport (a welcome refuge after dealing with F. Chopin Airport in Warsaw).

2. It seemed as if every sewer system is also getting renovated in Lietuva as well. One unfortunate experience we had in the Old Town was that prior to arrival, the plumbing in our hotel room burst because the city was testing water pressure in Town Hall Square. The hotel staff was excellent, they moved us to another hotel next door, then moved us back and upgraded us to a suite (with a nice 42" plasma tv I might add).

One effect of the plumbing renovations that wasn't so pleasant was that in most public toilets (I've never seen this before in 6 trips to Lietuva) you couldn't flush spent toilet paper. OK, as a dude, its no big deal to me, but my wife found it nasty to have to sit next to open garbage cans filled with used toilet paper.
Hopefully this situation will be fixed by our next trip. My wife wasn't having a good time with toilets because when we stayed in Druskininkai, the city was also renovating the plumbing. She had a little stomach bug and needed to use the toilet at the precise time the hotel shut off its water for 4 hours. I got to do some Air Freshener Spray shopping that the local Maxima.

3. I have never seen so many tourists in Vilnius or in Kaunas during any trip. Japanese, Italian, German, Dutch, Finnish, American, Brits, you name it, they were in Lithuania snapping away with their cameras and listening to their guides talk over loudspeakers. While I was happy to see that Lithuania has caught on as a tourist destination, my wife and I were a little sad that our untouched treasure has been discovered by the masses. I know it sounds selfish, but I liked Vilnius about 5 years ago before all the tour busses.

4. Service in restaurants has REMARKABLY improved! My wife and I were shocked…no more 3 hour dinners! There must have been some serious customer service training going on since 2004 because everywhere we ate, the service was prompt, polite, and accurate. Servers actually asked us how the food was, which was the first time in 10 years I've been asked in Lithuania. Of course, all of the food was phenomenal. My relatives also made some incredible feast for us..we tried rabbit for the first time and really liked it. I actually ate smoked pigs ears and didn't die. All in all, the food was top notch. The produce was so much fresher and organic than here in the States, and I got really used to ordering fresh squeezed juices 3 times a day at every type of kavine or restaurant.

One more note on restaurants, the only place that was slow was Cili Kaimas. Also, its nice to see non smoking tables, even if they're right next to smoking tables…this was a big improvement from 2004.

5. Its Christmas every day at Akropolis. What are they giving away at Akropolis? Every time of the day there are a million (at least it seems like it) Lithuanians shopping at Akropolis. I discovered a great panoramic view of Vilnius in the parking lot because we had to park so far from the entrance. Also, the new (to me) Bravaria Brewery had some decent Liters of beer and pseudo-German food. I hit the big shopping spots to see how they had been developed…Akropolis extension, Mega in Kaunas (for the Aquarium), and Europa for old time sake. One thing that's interesting to me is that there a multiple locations of the same stores in Lithuania (Utenos Trikotazas, Lelija, Apranga, Audimas) on the same streets…this was really prevalent in Kaunas on Laisves Aleja.

6. Coffee culture is getting better in Lithuania. I actually got delicious coffee, in big cups this time. We used to have to drink coffee in espresso cups at the hotel for breakfast, then run to a kavine later in the day because it wasn't the "American-sized" coffee I'm used to. At Presto Arbata, the Mega Cappuccino really is MEGA. We only had grounds served in our coffee once at a relatives house, which is an all time record for us.

7. Traffic. I have never seen so many cars in Lithuania, especially Vilnius. Jesus, the traffic was bad 24 hours a day. So many more new cars on the roads, especially a new influx of Lexus and Infiniti's that I didn't see in 2004. I only saw 5 Ladas on the entire trip! That truly is an all time record. I think when I come back, maybe it will only be 1 or 2….they're like cockroaches though, so you never know.

8. "Bowling with Dancers" really means "Striptease Bowling". My Kaunas family took us out for a night of bowling, beer, pigs ears, and we later found out, naked women.
It was the funniest thing my wife and I had ever seen and we had a blast. For some reason all of my male cousins (myself included) were bowling perfect games until the strippers decided to start walking on the platform, suspended above the lanes. What a bizarre, but funny experience.

9. This was the first trip that I got the lowdown on the beloved Baravikas and went on my first mushroom hunt in the forest. What a peaceful and rewarding way to spend an afternoon. It was nice to see that Lithuania is still VERY clean, even in the cities, but especially in the middle of the woods. The clean air, the sound of Pusynas trees swaying in the wind, and the hunt for the main ingredient in that night's soup.

10. Scots don't wear underwear under their kilts. I learned this the hard way. It was funny, my wife and I understood people speaking to us in Lithuanian easier than the drunk Scots on Laisves Aleja speaking to us in English.

[Edd]

Thank you for sharing your impressions, it was really interesting to read. Lets hope that all those bad things will turn to good ones in the future. Btw, I can't wait to see photos from your trip.

[vytauc]

Thank you for sharing your impressions, it was really interesting to read. Lets hope that all those bad things will turn to good ones in the future. Btw, I can't wait to see photos from your trip.

Second that

[Meier]

10. Scots don't wear underwear under their kilts. I learned this the hard way. It was funny, my wife and I understood people speaking to us in Lithuanian easier than the drunk Scots on Laisves Aleja speaking to us in English.

Hahaha, nice comments, especially this one ;-)

That was much more a coincidence than a rule that there was no water during your trip here. Usually it's ok. However, every year I've got hot water shut for a week (for some kind of testing works), ouch, it's an experience to have shower with really cold water!

By the way, the same week I was flying from Riga to Manchester and half of the place was filled with Scots! It seemed Scots were all around! Heh, that always happens when Scotland or Scottish club meets Lithuanian one

[Giedra70]

Ok,

I've had some time to sleep and get readjusted to actually working again. I'm still too backlogged to post pics, but here are some of my thoughts:

1. Lietuva is one gigantic construction site. Vilnius and Kaunas are full of cranes for new construction and scaffolding for renovations.
Pretty much anywhere you turn in Vilnius, you'll see a construction crane, and or a building under renovation or construction. You're even greeted by cranes now at Vilnius Airport (a welcome refuge after dealing with F. Chopin Airport in Warsaw).

2. It seemed as if every sewer system is also getting renovated in Lietuva as well. One unfortunate experience we had in the Old Town was that prior to arrival, the plumbing in our hotel room burst because the city was testing water pressure in Town Hall Square. The hotel staff was excellent, they moved us to another hotel next door, then moved us back and upgraded us to a suite (with a nice 42" plasma tv I might add).

One effect of the plumbing renovations that wasn't so pleasant was that in most public toilets (I've never seen this before in 6 trips to Lietuva) you couldn't flush spent toilet paper. OK, as a dude, its no big deal to me, but my wife found it nasty to have to sit next to open garbage cans filled with used toilet paper.
Hopefully this situation will be fixed by our next trip. My wife wasn't having a good time with toilets because when we stayed in Druskininkai, the city was also renovating the plumbing. She had a little stomach bug and needed to use the toilet at the precise time the hotel shut off its water for 4 hours. I got to do some Air Freshener Spray shopping that the local Maxima.

3. I have never seen so many tourists in Vilnius or in Kaunas during any trip. Japanese, Italian, German, Dutch, Finnish, American, Brits, you name it, they were in Lithuania snapping away with their cameras and listening to their guides talk over loudspeakers. While I was happy to see that Lithuania has caught on as a tourist destination, my wife and I were a little sad that our untouched treasure has been discovered by the masses. I know it sounds selfish, but I liked Vilnius about 5 years ago before all the tour busses.

4. Service in restaurants has REMARKABLY improved! My wife and I were shocked…no more 3 hour dinners! There must have been some serious customer service training going on since 2004 because everywhere we ate, the service was prompt, polite, and accurate. Servers actually asked us how the food was, which was the first time in 10 years I've been asked in Lithuania. Of course, all of the food was phenomenal. My relatives also made some incredible feast for us..we tried rabbit for the first time and really liked it. I actually ate smoked pigs ears and didn't die. All in all, the food was top notch. The produce was so much fresher and organic than here in the States, and I got really used to ordering fresh squeezed juices 3 times a day at every type of kavine or restaurant.

One more note on restaurants, the only place that was slow was Cili Kaimas. Also, its nice to see non smoking tables, even if they're right next to smoking tables…this was a big improvement from 2004.

5. Its Christmas every day at Akropolis. What are they giving away at Akropolis? Every time of the day there are a million (at least it seems like it) Lithuanians shopping at Akropolis. I discovered a great panoramic view of Vilnius in the parking lot because we had to park so far from the entrance. Also, the new (to me) Bravaria Brewery had some decent Liters of beer and pseudo-German food. I hit the big shopping spots to see how they had been developed…Akropolis extension, Mega in Kaunas (for the Aquarium), and Europa for old time sake. One thing that's interesting to me is that there a multiple locations of the same stores in Lithuania (Utenos Trikotazas, Lelija, Apranga, Audimas) on the same streets…this was really prevalent in Kaunas on Laisves Aleja.

6. Coffee culture is getting better in Lithuania. I actually got delicious coffee, in big cups this time. We used to have to drink coffee in espresso cups at the hotel for breakfast, then run to a kavine later in the day because it wasn't the "American-sized" coffee I'm used to. At Presto Arbata, the Mega Cappuccino really is MEGA. We only had grounds served in our coffee once at a relatives house, which is an all time record for us.

7. Traffic. I have never seen so many cars in Lithuania, especially Vilnius. Jesus, the traffic was bad 24 hours a day. So many more new cars on the roads, especially a new influx of Lexus and Infiniti's that I didn't see in 2004. I only saw 5 Ladas on the entire trip! That truly is an all time record. I think when I come back, maybe it will only be 1 or 2….they're like cockroaches though, so you never know.

8. "Bowling with Dancers" really means "Striptease Bowling". My Kaunas family took us out for a night of bowling, beer, pigs ears, and we later found out, naked women.
It was the funniest thing my wife and I had ever seen and we had a blast. For some reason all of my male cousins (myself included) were bowling perfect games until the strippers decided to start walking on the platform, suspended above the lanes. What a bizarre, but funny experience.

9. This was the first trip that I got the lowdown on the beloved Baravikas and went on my first mushroom hunt in the forest. What a peaceful and rewarding way to spend an afternoon. It was nice to see that Lithuania is still VERY clean, even in the cities, but especially in the middle of the woods. The clean air, the sound of Pusynas trees swaying in the wind, and the hunt for the main ingredient in that night's soup.

10. Scots don't wear underwear under their kilts. I learned this the hard way. It was funny, my wife and I understood people speaking to us in Lithuanian easier than the drunk Scots on Laisves Aleja speaking to us in English.

No comment.

[taimis]

A very interesting read indeed, always nice to see Lithuania through some one else.

Good to hear that you had a great time Dramblys .

[Delfinas]

Pretty much anywhere you turn in Vilnius, you'll see a construction crane, and or a building under renovation or construction. You're even greeted by cranes now at Vilnius Airport (a welcome refuge after dealing with F. Chopin Airport in Warsaw).
English.

hmm Warsaw Termianl 2 - the most modern Termianl in Central Europe - 28 new air bridges (opening in December)

http://tinkle.miestai.net/showpost.p...&postcount=300

[deep'as]

hmm Warsaw Termianl 2 - the most modern Termianl in Central Europe - 28 new air bridges (opening in December)

http://tinkle.miestai.net/showpost.p...&postcount=300

And how about the Prague? I saw on TV that Prague airpor is biger than all Poland airports.

[Delfinas]

And how about the Prague? I saw on TV that Prague airpor is biger than all Poland airports.

with new T2 Warsaw's is going to be the largest one but there are more pax at Prague's airport - Warsaw 7,5mln Prague about 10, Poland is also the fastest growing air market in the world, we have international airports in many cities, most of them are being extended now.

http://www.business.gov.pl/Air,and,m...sport,112.html

[John]

Poland is also the fastest growing air market in the world, we have international airports in many cities, most of them are being extended now.

I wouldn't be so sure about that one, especially while there are places ike UAE or some SE Asian destinations where numbers of passengers are skyrocketing (e.g. number of flights from London to Hong Kong literally doubled in the last year or so!). Of course %-wise the numbers might be big but that still doesn't make much difference while air traffic from e.g. London Gatwick is probably twice as big as the traffic of all airports in Poland