RIGHT BYTES

 

 

The ‘season’ed traveller goes now

May to July is laden with festive revelry. There is the International Folk Festival and the Music Festival in Vilnius; if you miss those, don’t miss the Thomas-Mann fest in Nida in July.

Savour’ faire

Potatoes are a Lithuanian staple; so also pork. Cook it, smoke it or simply bake it... Start with Kastinis, soup made of butter & sour cream served with bread or potatoes; and spice it up with Cepelinai – mashed potato stuffed with meat and fried. Gulp it all down with Mead (made of honey) or beer, both traditional ceremonial drinks.

Get to work

Skip the train, they are no better than ours; take the fast and reliable bus instead to the Hill of Crosses, a marvellous sight like no other in the whole of Lithuania. The National Museum at Vilnius is a must-see too. Trek into the Trakai National Park – eight thousand square kms of natural beauty at its splendid superlative.

What’s the word?

Arjus kalbate angliškai, Lithuanian for ‘Do you speak English?’ is a must know, for English is not commonly spoken. Aciu (thank you) and Viso gero (Goodbye) would help with the courtesies...

Keepsake courtesies

Bracelets or watches, pick up something made of gintaras or amber (fossilized tree sap) selling as precious stone.