Vilnius

• By admin
• July 29, 2016
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View across Vilnius Cathedral from the bell tower

Arriving at City Camp in Vilnius, Nicolette, a very friendly Dutch lady walked over and introduced herself. Coincidentally she too had started her tour on 20^th April but in a delightful dinky caravan and on her own. We agreed to all cycled into Vilnius town together, unfortunately on our way into town the gears on Graeme’s bike failed with a loud snap! Graeme limped back to the campsite whilst Nicolette and I continued on and spent a pleasant few hours cycling around the old town and a terrifying climb up the cathedral bell tower

Fortunately, the campsite had several bikes to hire so the next morning, with Graeme perched on a slightly too small bike, we set off for town again. We arrived in time to join an English speaking guided tour and spent the rest of the morning hearing about and seeing the sights of Vilnius. As with Latvia and Estonia, the signs of previous occupation is all too evident. Much of the old town had been rebuilt to its former glory with a rather Italianate feel.

Ex KGB Headquarters

The large white city cathedral dominated with its classical portico and separate bell tower. In the afternoon we visited former KGB offices which housed the prison and torture cells used during the soviet occupation until 1991 and before that was the headquarters of the Gestapo. It is now the Museum of Genocide Victims. The cells remain exactly as they had been left in 1991, these, and the photographic displays depicted devastating barbarity and de-humanising actions. Over a thousand, Catholic Priests, Jews and members of the Polish resistance were killed in the execution chamber in the basement. Feeling drained, we left the museum, cycled to the river crossing over to a newly developed part of town with its modern architecture and lively atmosphere. Feeling more uplifted we headed back to the campsite.