When you say you are going to Europe most people think of Paris, London, Amsterdam, etc. If you specify the "center of Europe" you might get a look of bewilderment considering we tend to divide everything up by east/west, south/north. So where is the geographic center you ask? Lithuania!
Lithuania has been part of the former Soviet Union, before that part of the Pale of Settlement for the Russian Empire, a territory in the Polish commonwealth, and since 1990 an independent nation once again. All of the history aside, it is considered to be geographically dead center in Europe. So why have you never known anyone that's been there??? Granted it doesn't have the grandeur or famous landmarks many a traveler find themselves chasing with endless selfie sticks and bucket lists, but what it does have is history.
A few years ago I started researching my family roots, and because of the advancement in DNA I started finding more cousins than I could fit on a tree. I knew I was of Russian Jewish descent, but what I didn't realize is that we were Litvaks. A Litvak is a Jewish Lithuanian. So on a whim we headed off to find out more.
Vilnius is the capital and landing spot. It is a quaint medieval town with more churches than people, but maybe I exaggerate. Each one is unique and beautiful and worth a look inside as well as from the university belfry. We had the opportunity to take a private tour of the Jewish quarter with Raya Shapiro, who is a professional guide and part of the remaining Jewish Lithuanian community. If you get the chance I highly recommend reaching out to her via the link because she is incredibly knowledgeable and well worth the cost to get a detailed look at the history of the area.
Word of advice - get out of the city! Renting a car is inexpensive and driving is simple by European standards. I admit that I had a lot of fun driving there, but then I love driving in general. I digress. Head for the smaller towns like Anykščiai, Plunge, and Trakai. The later has a beautiful castle with a moat you can cruise around in from the comfort of a pedal boat either before or after exploring the inside. Each town has its own charm, but do not forget to take note of the Holocaust memorial sites outside of almost every town. That is the dark side of the country's history. Prior to WWII the country's population was approximately 45% Jewish. After the war only about 2000 souls remained to bear witness to the horrors of mass executions in the country's forests. One of the more moving sites was the Ponary (Paneriai) Forest outside of Vilnius, where some 70,000 Jews were murdered between 1941 and 1944 from the Jewish ghetto. It is sobering, painful, and a stark reminder of man's inhumanity to man. Although I did not lose any immediate relatives to the Nazis, I did lose extended family, and I honored them with a silent prayer and the speaking of their names at each site. The truth is I could write days and days of blogs reporting my experiences with this side of the trip, but it will take a very long time to come to grips with the experience.
Before you leave take the long journey to see the Hill of Crosses, listed as one of the creepiest places on earth, but a sight to behold with hundreds of thousands of crosses placed on the hillside since about 1831. If you are not interested in the religious aspect, or amused by the macabre, then you may not want to waste your time, but I give it a 9.5 out of 10 for "creepy factor" alone. Especially if the weather is a bit stormy as it was on the day we went.
Last but not least...eat the food! If you are Jewish you may recognize a great deal of the food from your childhood because Lithuanian dishes are highly influenced by the robust Jewish community that thrived there for centuries prior to WWII. Even if you are not Jewish, however, you will love the familiar tastes of salmon, potato pancakes, and so much more. Between the food and visiting the towns of my ancestors I can honestly say I'll be back!
Lithuania has been part of the former Soviet Union, before that part of the Pale of Settlement for the Russian Empire, a territory in the Polish commonwealth, and since 1990 an independent nation once again. All of the history aside, it is considered to be geographically dead center in Europe. So why have you never known anyone that's been there??? Granted it doesn't have the grandeur or famous landmarks many a traveler find themselves chasing with endless selfie sticks and bucket lists, but what it does have is history.
A few years ago I started researching my family roots, and because of the advancement in DNA I started finding more cousins than I could fit on a tree. I knew I was of Russian Jewish descent, but what I didn't realize is that we were Litvaks. A Litvak is a Jewish Lithuanian. So on a whim we headed off to find out more.
Vilnius is the capital and landing spot. It is a quaint medieval town with more churches than people, but maybe I exaggerate. Each one is unique and beautiful and worth a look inside as well as from the university belfry. We had the opportunity to take a private tour of the Jewish quarter with Raya Shapiro, who is a professional guide and part of the remaining Jewish Lithuanian community. If you get the chance I highly recommend reaching out to her via the link because she is incredibly knowledgeable and well worth the cost to get a detailed look at the history of the area.
Word of advice - get out of the city! Renting a car is inexpensive and driving is simple by European standards. I admit that I had a lot of fun driving there, but then I love driving in general. I digress. Head for the smaller towns like Anykščiai, Plunge, and Trakai. The later has a beautiful castle with a moat you can cruise around in from the comfort of a pedal boat either before or after exploring the inside. Each town has its own charm, but do not forget to take note of the Holocaust memorial sites outside of almost every town. That is the dark side of the country's history. Prior to WWII the country's population was approximately 45% Jewish. After the war only about 2000 souls remained to bear witness to the horrors of mass executions in the country's forests. One of the more moving sites was the Ponary (Paneriai) Forest outside of Vilnius, where some 70,000 Jews were murdered between 1941 and 1944 from the Jewish ghetto. It is sobering, painful, and a stark reminder of man's inhumanity to man. Although I did not lose any immediate relatives to the Nazis, I did lose extended family, and I honored them with a silent prayer and the speaking of their names at each site. The truth is I could write days and days of blogs reporting my experiences with this side of the trip, but it will take a very long time to come to grips with the experience.
Before you leave take the long journey to see the Hill of Crosses, listed as one of the creepiest places on earth, but a sight to behold with hundreds of thousands of crosses placed on the hillside since about 1831. If you are not interested in the religious aspect, or amused by the macabre, then you may not want to waste your time, but I give it a 9.5 out of 10 for "creepy factor" alone. Especially if the weather is a bit stormy as it was on the day we went.
Last but not least...eat the food! If you are Jewish you may recognize a great deal of the food from your childhood because Lithuanian dishes are highly influenced by the robust Jewish community that thrived there for centuries prior to WWII. Even if you are not Jewish, however, you will love the familiar tastes of salmon, potato pancakes, and so much more. Between the food and visiting the towns of my ancestors I can honestly say I'll be back!
RSS Feed
