CB10 - Trakai Castle

On our way to Trakai castle we pass through an area of one of the minority people.  The Karaimu people, whose religion is part Islamic part Judaism.  These are typical houses of the people, although there are now only about 140 Karaimu people left in Lithuania.

We get to Trakai castle and head straight inside.  At first I am a little disappointed as there is a lot of reconstruction going on and parts of the castle have been rebuilt in fairly modern materials.  Inside however, due to all the reconstruction you really get a sense of the size and space of the castle and get a feel for how life might have been.

Fortunately, after the visit inside we cycle around the lake and the viewing point for the castle is really very lovely.

We only have a very brief cycle today, but it is through some of the prettiest countryside of the whole trip.

The cycling is hard going because it is hilly and also because it is so hot.  29 deg today.  

We have been incredibly fortunate with the weather, it has only rained once and that was as we sat down to lunch.  (Not bad for a country whose name means rainy lands (or something like that!))

We finish cycling at lunch time and have another traditional Lithuanian meal (a Cornish pasty by any other name).

Stuart also particularly enjoyed the post lunch coffee with a shot of Vana Tallin!)

On the way back to the hotel, we stop at St Peter's Cathedral.  Said to be the prettiest church in Lithuania.

So as we end the trip would I recommend a holiday in the Baltics? - Yes.  

Would I recommend a cycling holiday in the Baltics? - Yes. 

Would I recommend this cycling holiday in the Baltics? - only if they change the bloody bicycles!

The bikes were definitely an issue and I think it is a real shame that what was an otherwise superb holiday had the shine taken off because the bikes were no fun to cycle.

However, once again, we were exceedingly lucky to meet a great group of people.  Exodus cycling folks are just lovely!

CB9 - Something fishy

Today we leave Klapedia and are planning to visit a bird ringing station.  However, the fish restaurant nearby will be unable to accommodate us for lunch, so we stop to pick up supplies for a picnic.

Stuart is unimpressed as we all buy smoked dried fish for the picnic.  A very local fish, all home smoked and often sold through a window out of the front of somebody's house!

The bird ringing station also has a lighthouse, which is worth a visit.  However, we can't figure out how they persuade the birds to enter the bird catching nets for ringing.

Finally, it's picnic time and time for another swim for some.  This time the water is like a mill pond and I am almost tempted (but not quite!)

The fish is calling and everyone is very surprised at how meaty and unkipper like it is.

In the final leg of the journey we stop for a water break, and are lucky enough to see a white tailed eagle.  Which I obviously fail to photograph! 

Finally we make it to Vilnius after a 4 hour bus transfer.  We are all very taken with the city..

And have a lovely evening celebrating, the food, the beer, life in general!

CB8 - Witches, fairy tales, sand dunes and Russia again!

A busy day in Lithuania, starting with a stop to wave at Russia.  Even though my geography is very bad I know that we are at the wrong side of the Baltics to be close to Russia.  However, on checking the map we see that Russia retained a prime piece of coast land when the Baltics declared independence.

The first part of the ride is along a beautiful stretch of coast land at a nice steady pace.

A few stops along the way, include some fencing, a sundial that we think is 2 hours slow and a fairly long hike along some sand dunes that over the years have buried 4 villages.  Eventually, the villagers gave up and moved on.

When we stop for lunch at Juodkrante, we find the the annual folklore festival is taking place.  This is a lot of fun because it is aimed at the locals not tourists like us.  Most of the people seem to be wearing traditional costume for taking part in the singing and dancing.  I'd like to think that they appreciated us turning up in traditional English costume (lycra!)

We then talk a walk through a sculpture park on witches hill.

A very entertaining place, particularly for big kids.

After our longest day cycling (36 miles, and that is a lot on a tank of a bicycle!) we catch the ferry back to town and our unusual K tower hotel.

We take the lift to the 21st floor to enjoy a drink as the sun was going down.  The water bottles in the picture were replaced with a cold beer and glass of white wine!

Another lovely meal to end the day, at a restaurant called the Fat Cat (in Lithuanian).  The food has been a surprising highlight of the trip and I think this sign is now quite appropriate!

CB7 - Heading to Lithuania (in a headwind)

Today we leave Riga and head for Lithuania.  A country where the TV masts are taller than their "mountains"!  My kind of cycling country.

First, however we have a 4 hour transfer and I'm not sure why I will never learn, but you never get good photos taken from a bus!

The countryside was definitely showing signs of Autumn, with trees heavily laden with apples, fields of golden wheat and rye and lots of bales of hay.  Although, Colin probably choose the best option and snoozed through most of it!

On the 4 hour coach drive we whizzed through the border of Lithuania (too fast to take a photo).  However, it was a blog worthy moment as this makes country number 67!

First stop on the day's bike ride was another beach visit.  This time I settled for an arty photo and then headed straight to the cafe!

After lunch we cycled through some lovely botanical gardens.

Most of the ride was directly into a headwind, so there was a lot of drafting going on.

Finally, we make it to Klaipeda and there were lots of interesting things to see as we wandered around town in the evening

There was a particularly disturbing sculpture of a ghost climbing out of the harbour.  In the daytime it didn't look too bad, but at night it was quite spooky.

We had s group meal in a habourside cafe, although we all seemed to be eating in separate time zones. 

CB6 - Riga Beach and Airport

Today we cycle out of Riga city along some cycle paths that just appear to be bike signs mounted on the pavement.  Eventually our route takes us through the district where wealthy Russians have their holiday beach homes.  There is a real mix of houses, some very grand brand new ones, which sit adjacent to ones that have been let to go to rack and ruin.  Perhaps reflecting the changing fortunes of the owners.

The beach is very lovely and amazingly quiet and unspoilt.  The sand is hard packed so we can cycle for a mile or so to a nice cafe that gives all its profits to charity.

I have a very quick paddle in the sea, whilst most of the others go for a proper swim.  Stuart is nowhere to be found in case there is any danger of him being coerced into the water.

We spend most of the time on the beach at the cafe, but find that instead of selling cakes with the coffee they sell fishy snacks.  Just a coffee then!

On the way back into Riga the bus stops at the streets famous for Art Deco houses.

After the Art Deco visit we have the afternoon free.  Stuart and I have to go on an errand.  Last Saturday I lost my fancy Garmin Vivosmart watch in Riga airport.  I thought that it was gone forever, but as we were passing through Riga again I emailed the airport to see if it had been found.

Amazingly it had, and had been handed in and was waiting for me when I got to the airport.  A "restored faith in humanity" moment!

On returning to Riga old town we head up the Latvian Acadamy of Sciences tower.  This tower was refreshingly unspoiled, no hype and no gift shop, just lovely views!

Riga is the most confusing city I have ever been in.  I never managed to get my bearings.

But after wandering around a few more sites we round off the evening in the most famous tea house in town, Rigensis for the missed piece of cake!

CB5 - Estonia's Switzerland

Although porridge is a big favourite with the group at breakfast.  I find that I am quite enjoying the herring.  Herring is a big part of the local cuisine and available at most mealtimes!

First stop of the day is to hug an energy giving tree.  Not quite sure what the folk lore was behind this, but everyone gave the tree a hug, just in case!

We were cycling from Otepaa to Valka with a coffee stop at Sangaste castle and another photo op.

This castle was built as a romantic gesture by a man to win the heart of a woman.  (Sadly she did not return his love). 

Stuart may not have dug me a big pond or built me a castle, but he has built me a very large owl box (which he didn't need to, because he has my heart anyway!)

Today we have donned our Chasseur de Cols tops because we have been told that we are cycling in the Estonian Switzerland.  Although the route was slightly hillier than other days (860 ft of climbing) most of the roads are flattish, long, straight and tree lined, like quite a lot of the cycling.

We cross the border from Estonia to Latvia on the bus, but barely notice that the border is there. No barrier, no border guard.  Got to love Schengen.

We head to Riga for the night and the journey into Riga is very slow through heavy traffic.

We find that there are some seriously grey, depressing buildings juxtaposed amongst some beautiful old Latvian buildings.  Not a pleasant reminder of the Russian years.

Fortunately, we are staying in the old town, which is all beautiful, particularly in the setting sun!

CB4 - Know your onions

We are due to depart at 8.30 am and amazingly as the bus pulls away from the hotel the clock is showing 8.30 am, which is probably why our guide Vaida is smiling as we leave.

The first part of the bike ride is a long straight road along the edge of the fourth biggest lake in Europe, and worryingly close to the Russian border.

Since there is not much scenery and the road is very flat the pace of the group picks up.  I'm quite keen to see if I can keep up.

Despite the hire bikes being heavy as lead town bikes the group rattles along at a brisk pace.  The tete de la course are probably averaging 17mph.  Gwyneth and I form the Pour Suivant group.  We work together each taking a turn at the front and batter along at 16mph.  Although we don't quite catch the leaders they are never too far ahead and we remain quite far in front of the peloton.  This chase makes a long straight fairly uninteresting piece of road a lot of fun!

We have earned our lunch and enjoy two very traditional dishes in a lovely local restaurant. Soup and a fish onion pie.

The afternoon ride is much more interesting and we ride along Onion Street. With plenty of photo opportunities.

Every 20 yards along the street is an onion stall and a distinct lack of customers.  I've no idea how all these onions get sold.

At the end of a lovely day's ride most of the group opt for an ice cream.

In the evening we arrive in Tartu, the second biggest town in Estonia.  Throughout Estonia are several National Geographic frames, at positions of optimum photo opportunities.  It would be rude not to!

A few of the sights of Tartu.

The restaurant for the evening is very fancy.

With food to match.  And also the chance to sample the local liqueur Vana Tallin.