Latvia and Lithuania

Things moved further south on Thursday and Friday. I moved on from Estonia to the other two Baltic States and their capitals, Riga and Vilnius. Both countries have a bit more Polish and German influences and both were more Sovietized during their decades-long occupation. While Tallinn has flouished with their newfound capitalism, these cities have been a little more slow to move along. The buildings are a little slower behind in their upkeep and the advent of new bright cages and shops are certainly there but just slightly more scattered.

Riga was WET! It has rained everyday up until this point but really culminated in a soaker on Thursday. Riga actually ended up being a bit of a slight disappointment. Vilnius is a bit better kept however and I enjoyed a couple of very good meals here and a walking tour of the city. Got to meet a couple people from my hostel too, one from Australia and the other from Beijing...nice people. Vilnius is right on the border with Belarus, who still lives in the Dark Ages under Communism and resisted change when the old Soviet system collapsed.



Speaking if the Soviets, I also took a look at the old KGB building and it's museum here in Vilnius...very chilling. They had their own execution chamber in the basement and a few padded cells for their torture victims, especially under the tyrant's Stalin's rule.