September 24, 2015

Manors and castle. 26 July

   One day someone asked me how I choose the destination of my trips. There is one of the stories. I just saw the photo of one manor somewhere in the book or internet. It was Lentvaris Manor and looked like this: https://lt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lentvario_dvaras#/media/File:Lithuania_Landwar%C3%B3w_Palace.jpg I thought: "it's in Lithuania and I never seen it? I must to go there". It was the decision. After that I just looked on the map what is near by to visit by bike and waited for good day to cycle.
   26 July. As usually, I took the bus to start my trip and get out near Vilnius where I started to cycling. I was not very confident about the way I chose to go forward, when it turned in the dark forest and seemed to go nowhere (although in the photo it looks better:) ).
The way through dark forest

Crossing railway
Somewhere
     After good "rebus" of not marked roads and paths I finaly reached my first place to stop - Trakų Vokė manor surrounded by nice park around, designed by french landscape designer Édouard André.
Trakų Vokė manor. Backside
Trakų Vokė manor. Front side
     Next stop was Lentvaris Manor. The place I wanted to visit the most. It was impressive! Not only the manor, but also others buildings and park (designed by the same french landscape designer as Trakų Vokė manor's park). But it is very sad, that the owners of this manor keep it in so bad shape.
Lentvaris manor
Lentvaris manor

Lentvaris manor
In Lentvaris manor park
     With the hope to see these buildings renovated next time when I will be there, I left Lentvaris to go to Trakai, to visit the castle there which is probably the best-known castle in Lithuania. But it happened that I didn't went there directly. After another "rebus" of the small ways, I accidentally found a cool trail in the wetland and a shelter to stop for the lunch, because it started to rain slowly. Ah! And do not forget that I eat a lot of blueberries there :)

Varnikai cognitive walking way
Lunch under the roof

Natural grace

The way through the wetland
Wetland
     When I came to Trakai, the weather was not very nice already, so I didn't stop there for long time. Just passed in front of the castle and went forward.
Trakai castle

Flowers in Galvė lake
     Despite the rain, I decided to visit one more manor in other side of Galvė lake - Užutrakis manor. Interesting fact, that owners of all three manors I visited that day (Trakų Vokė, Lentvaris and Užutrakis manors) in XIX century was the same - counts Tiškevičiai. They had to be very rich! :)
Užutrakis manor
     After little stop, the rain started again, so I decided to rush a bit and take a bus in Vievis to go back home as soon as I can. So, next 20 km was just fast cycling in the rain and I came to bus stop just about 5 min. before the bus. Despite all, I was surprised to enjoy this part of my trip - wet fast cycling :) There is the map of my trip. The distance - 69 km.
Grigiškės - Trakų Vokė - Lentvaris - Trakai - Užutrakis - Vievis

    



August 09, 2015

Cycling near Kaunas. 7 July

      7 July.

      It was the last day of my summer holidays and I decided to cycle a bit. Long time ago I wanted to find the better way than crowed road to go to one small town near Kaunas - Kulautuva, so it was the time to discover Kaunas surroundings :)
      Firstly I cycled on the nice cycling path along the river, but later I needed to cycle on pathways through the fields.
Can you see the path? It is there :)
Sometimes it's good to go out of better roads, to see more beautiful view.
Found a great new cycling path where I didn't expected. Great to see more and more paths for cyclists!
Sometimes it is better do not trust in your navigation system, because it can put you in the river :)

When you travel alone, you can have fun just trying to take a photo of you...
      In the middle of the day I arrived in Kulautuva. It was so peaceful time, only with few people around. I spent the time making some tours around when looking what they have there and enjoying the smell of the pine forest.

Kulautuva

Kulautuva

Kulautuva

Kulautuva

Kulautuva

Kulautuva
       Later I ate my lunch at the small boats quay. Don't break my tradition to eat lunch with a nice view :) And then started my way to go back to Kaunas.
Small boats quay in Kulautuva

Going back to Kaunas











      On my way home there was a nice castle in Raudondvaris, so I stopped there for a short break.

Raudondvaris castle
Raudondvaris castle
Raudondvaris castle
Raudondvaris castle
      Despite my thought to make a short local trip, I cycled that day about 75 km.


July 08, 2015

Week tour in West Lithuania. 6-7 day

     28-29 May.

     28 May. 6th day of traveling and the last to travel by bike. Maybe for that reason I woke up sad. It was hard to know, that this is the end and that day I had to cycle the longest one day distance I ever did. I didn't want to go out from the bed (also because it was big and comfortable bed :)) )  But even then, I had a nice surprise. Since I woke up, I heard some noise. Firstly I thought that it's my neighborhood using the warmer because the night wasn't very warm, but when it did not stop, I decided to look maybe it's something outside. When I opened the door, I realized that this sounds was of the sea. It changed my mood - how I can be sad, when I woke up with sounds of the sea? :) No way! I took my food out and ate breakfast on the table outside when listening to the sea. Then I packed my things, put on the bike and went on the road. More optimistic already, but with some doubts about that day cycling distance. That day I had to cycle from Šventoji to Mažeikiai, more than 100 km, so I planned to stop longer only in one place - Plateliai lake (the biggest lake in West Lithuania), to arrive not late at my aunt home in Mažeikiai and to have time to spend with her and her family. What I saw around my way:
Windmill
Old cinema
Flowers :)
Spring colors
The way to the sky
Plateliai lake
Lunch stop in front of Plateliai lake
Lithuania map :)
Short stop in Žemaičių Kalvarija
     When I planed my route where to go, I decided to take the shortest way from Plateliai lake to Žemaičių Kalvarija, despite the gravel road. But when I was there, I saw the sign "Žemaičių Kalvarija 15 km" and perfect road through the forest. I couldn't resist. After I thought "sometimes is better longer road than worse road" and went on it. It was great choice, as the road was up and down, left and right. I enjoyed it so much, that selected this road the best I cycled on this trip :)    
     From Žemaičių Kalvarija until Mažeikiai there was only straight road to go. And more close to the city, more cars on it. It was not the most pleasant road, I was already tired and used bus stops for short rests. Finally, close to Mažeikiai, I saw bike path and then I started to feel - this day is done :) From there it was easy to reach Mažeikiai and my uncle already waited for me at the beginning of the city. We cycled together until their home where my aunt waited already with good dinner, cakes and vitamins :)) Later arrived my cousin with his family. We all had nice chats till late evening, despite that I felt very sleepy at the end.
Sixth day distance (114 km)
     Next morning I woke up not early, but somehow happy that I don't need to cycle. Also, the sky was cloudy and I was sure that it will rain that day. In days like this it is better to travel by bus ;) So, in the middle of the day my uncle accompanied me to the bus station where I took the bus to go home. It was quite long way (about 4 hours and half) to go to Kaunas from Mažeikiai, but probably I slept more than half way, so it was not too boring :) When I get out of the bus in Kaunas, I needed to cycle about 9 km to home, but it was nothing comparing with distances I cycled last days. And when I came home, nice surprise was waiting for me - my sister left a smile for me:
     To finish my story about this trip - it was my first longer than one day trip by bike and not perfect organized, but it was great to know that I was able to do it, to learn about myself and what to do not forget for the next time. Okay, I want to believe it was not the last one :) Totally in this trip I cycled about 440 km. It is not much, if I compare with cycled distances of some people who I know, but I will not stop there. Tanks for these cyclists for inspiration and for all people who helped for me!

Approximate map of my trip by bike (Kaunas-Vilkyškiai and Mažeikiai-Kaunas was done by bus)

June 26, 2015

Week tour in West Lithuania. 5 day

     27 May.

     It was hard to leave the place where I felt so welcome! But, after little breakfast (I was still not hungry after good dinner) and more nice chats it was time to cycle again. And I must to say, it was not easy to cycle after I ate so much food at evening :)) However, I enjoyed to look around despite my heavy legs, because it was sunny day again and often I had to ride on good roads and pretty bike paths:

Bike path

Bike path, walking path and street together

Don't think it's the road - it's only bike path in the forest ;)
     It was great to see, that we have such nice bike paths in Lithuania :) Finally I reached my first goal of that day - I was back to the sea to continue my cycling trip along the Baltic seaside.

Back to the sea...
   My next stop had to be the hill "Olandų kepurė" (info about it: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olando_kepur%C4%97 ) where I wanted to take my lunch with nice view to the sea, but... On the way to that place I found some fallen trees. First it was quite ok, but later there was no way to go :(
     I started to go back a bit and saw a little trail straight up to the hill. Tried to go up on it, but soon I gave up, because my feet slid on the sand. Well, I decided to go back where I saw the stairs to this hill and climb there, but I just turned and saw one guy, who cycled on the same way from which I came back because of fallen trees. I stopped him and said that there is not possible to pass (in Lithuanian), than he asked me in Russian if that's true. I explained in English why it is impossible. He looked at the hill, showed the trail where I tried to go up, and said that we could go there (in Russian and maybe one English word). I said yes, probably, but for me it is too hard, and showed my luggage. Then, he quickly took his bike on his shoulder and went fast up to the hill. He almost ran, but so lightly, that looked like a panther. I just looked at him with no words, just willing to be able to be so light... But it was not the end. He put his bike on the top of the hill and I looked that he is coming back. I was thinking "Why he is coming back?", looked around, but there was nothing except me... When he came, he showed my bike and just then I understood, that he came back to help for me to take my bike on the hill. We pushed my bike together and soon reached the top. I was so grateful for this guy!! After I said thanks few times, we looked around and took some photos, because this hill was "Olandų kepurė", where I wanted to do the lunch stop. I started to look for the best place for my picnic and also what that guy was doing, so we looked to each other, smiled and said "by". Then he went forward and I stayed longer to eat and to rest, thinking at the same time, how it was nice to get that unexpected help and sad to do not speak Russian to have possibility to ask this guy what he was doing there. At this time I didn't know, that we will meet each other again :)
Me before lunch on the "Olandų kepurė" hill
     After good meal (thanks again to my cousin for it) and nice rest I was ready to cycle again. Next stop - Palanga, the city where I already been before, so I didn't think to spend much time there. After I left "Olandų kepurė" I needed to cycle on the road a bit to reach the next bike path and soon I saw few campers in front of me. The first camper was standing and I drove past (just looked, that they are from Netherlands, as I always like to look, from which country is the car:) ). When passing I heard someone knocking on car window. I saw a men coming back to the camper, so I didn't take attention to this knock, but then I heard "beep beep" from this car. Something wrong with me?? I looked at my back tire, it was ok, so I decided that it was not for me. But then I heard more "beep beep". I decided to stop and look well at my bike - nothing wrong. Then I saw another camper, who went opposite direction than I, stopping near me. They asked how to find the camping "Olandų kepurė". Fortunately, when I went from the hill "Olandų kepurė", I saw the sign of that camping, so I was able to help. At that moment I understood what first camper wanted from me. Then I looked back if the camper, which stopped to ask me the way, will stop to tell the way to first camper. He stopped and I was happy that they are all together and I didn't left that first camper without help :) At the same moment I was thinking how fast I had the possibility to thank the guy who helped for my by helping to other people. With nice feeling, that I am less indebted, I draw further. And guess what? I see the same cyclist, who helped for me, coming in front of me! :) We smiled, waved, said "hi" and went to opposite directions :) Great to have some travel stories like this, it makes the trip more memorable. It didn't take much time, I was already in Palanga and decided to visit Birutė park. Some photos:
Angry swan, because I didn't feed her (or him) :)

In the park
Amber museum in Tiškevičiai palace (back side)
     After Birutė park, I cycled through the city:
Love avenue in Palanga

Time for the rest. The view to the Palanga bridge and the sea
     Time to say goodbye to Palanga and to go to my last point that day - Šventoji. I was excited, because I never been there before, so it was easy to cycle and I even did a competition "who is faster" with one women (ok, she didn't know about that :) ). When I arrived to Šventoji, it was a big surprise for me - the emptiness. I saw only few people. Of course, it was still not the season, but I expected to find more lively town.
Bike path to Šventoji

Old style and new style. Šventoji
     Another surprise was waiting for me when I started to ride on the street where I found accommodation for the night. The street looked like this:
Jūros g. in Šventoji
     At the beginning I was happy, because it shows that the town will be nicer later, but when the street became like in the next photo, I started to doubt how I will find the place I need. It seems that I was lucky that day, because my place to sleep was just before that mess - it was the sign with the address, hung in the tree. Great!
Jūros g. in Šventoji
      I left everything "at home" and went to look for the shop to buy some food and visit town center. From every corner I could see that people just preparing for summer season. When I saw the shop still closed, I asked one women how to find an open shop. She said, that she is going to the same direction and she will show me. We talked when we walked and she even invited me to take a shower at her place if I don't have the shower at my place. So kind :) Or - I just smelled too badly? :)) In any case, it was nice to know, that there are so kind people in the world! As I had the shower at my place, she just showed me the shop, we talked a bit more and I went to do shopping. I was so hungry, that i could buy all shop :) And I even couldn't resist not to buy the beautiful cake to celebrate my last evening by the sea.
Dinner time (other food was already eaten)

Evening with the sea :)

Little dunes in Šventoji

The sunset
       After good dinner and sunset it was time to sleep. But before - original way to do the curtains, when the owner said they sent it to the laundry to be prepared for the summer season and they don't have others to change. Well, the only one thing that I could use like curtains was my cover from the rain:
My home for the night
Nice number of cycled kilometers that day (didn't mark this before I came back to home) :)

Fifth day distance