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

Week tour in West Lithuania. 4 day

     26 May.

     For this morning I set the alarm very early, because I still had a little hope to cycle these 30 km (go and back) to the mentioned place. But when I woke up and looked outside I was not so sure what to do - it was almost raining and very cloudy. After I looked to the mirror. Yeah... My face started to peel off and my lips looked awful because of herpes. Unpleasant sunburn consequences and not very joyful morning :( After some doubts, I decided to sleep one more hour, take the good breakfast and do not rush. I felt unhappy, because I didn't visited everything in Curonian Spit and I had the worst feeling when traveling, that not all things are done. And I decided to leave Juodkrantė only when my sister promised to come back there with me in autumn to finish all my tasks :-) So, after good rest I went on the road again. First time in this trip I felt sad to leave the place where I stayed. Only one thing helped me to stay positive - at evening I should come to my cousin home and stay there for the night. It was so nice to know that someone (great company, for sure!) is waiting for me. :-)

     First part of this day trip was go to Smiltynė, where I should take the ferry to Klaipėda. All the time I used cycling path, the weather was very fresh, so I cycled fast (with a hope to go to Smiltynė before the rain starts) until I saw some animals in the forest which I crossed, than I started to look more around me. :) But it started to rain before I reached Smiltynė and I continued cycling like this:

Raining

     I came to Smiltynė earlier than the ferry should go to Klaipėda.  Happily, the rain stopped and I done a little tour to look what is around:

Flowers in the sand

Old house in Smiltynė

Old house in Smiltynė

Old fishing boats

Waiting for the ferry

My companion for early lunch (my apology that I saw him too late to share my food)

Klaipėda in the other side of the Curonian lagoon

     When I waited for the ferry, I wrote to one couchsurfing member from Klaipėda (which I met in Kaunas few weeks before my trip) to ask if he would have a time to take a coffee together and I was happy to receive positive answer. What can be better in cloudy day than good cup of coffee and nice conversation sharing travel stories? :) When I arrived to Klaipėda, we met in the nice square and because the sun sometimes was shining through clouds, we drunk coffee outside. Great time! But soon it was the time to go further for me. I had to take the road in the opposite side of the city, so I made a little ride through Klaipėda and I had to admit once more that I like this city. But there is the only photo that I made in Klaipėda, because I rushed to meet my cousin in Gargždai.

One of the Klaipėda symbol - the barkentine "Meridianas"

     Well, from Klaipėda, there are few ways to go to Gargždai, and I decided to take the one that was marked like picturesque road in my book but longer than others. Finally, it was not so nice than I expected, but it was okay and I sow some signs, that I am on the right way for cycling :)

Great to know that I am on the good way :)

Poppy on the roadside

     I easily cycled the way from Klaipėda to Gargždai and made only one little stop in the village on the road. There I felt like making the show for kids as I sited in front of the lending-library and some little kids passed there with their moms looking at me if I would be an alien :) When I reached Gargždai, my cousin and her friend were waiting already for me and it was so cool to see them! But I had to refuse their kind offer to cycle together around Gargždai, as it was enough for me to cycle that day. After eating tasty refreshing šaltibarščiai, we went to do a tour in Gargždai with car (luxury tour :) ) and also walked in the park near the river. We even found a gym in the open air near Gargždai:

Exercises :)

     When we came back, there was also my cousin's friend's mom at home, so all together we had the lovely dinner: delicious fish with salad, home made tiramisu, champagne and long chats :). Perfect evening! Ah, and do not forget - my cousin made sandwiches for the whole next day for me, so I was well prepared for the next part of my trip. I am really gratefull for everything and you know, you are always welcome at my home (even if I am not sure that I could make such good dinner)! ;)

   
      P.S.  I don't want to make you jealous, so there is no photo of this dinner ;)

     Cycled distance - 62 km.

Fourth day distance

 

Week tour in West Lithuania. 3 day

     25 May.

     Monday. Slow waking up. Burning face. Only then I start to think - why I didn't take sun cream with me? Now it's too late - my face is too red and I can hardly touch it. So, first action that day - go to the pharmacy and buy sun cream and some anti-herpes medicine (because I started to feel it:(). As I went to the pharmacy with my helmet, it was funny to see the reaction of the guy who worked there. He looked at me and said: "hmm... as you like an active leisure, you need the good protection from the sun...". So, I bought the good one and went cycling :) It was the time to make my dream come true - cycling along the Curonian Spit. There is easy to do it - you have cycling paths almost everywhere. 

Typical house colors in Curonian Spit

The view from the Vecekrugas dune (the highest in Curonian Spit)

Self portrait :)

Dreaming about old good times...

You cannot be lost, there are signs like on the roads :)

Lunch time on the beach and first walk in the sea. Not warm water :)

The beauty

Cycling path. On the left side - the sea. You can't see it, but you can hear it :)

      But that day not everything was perfect. I had a good lesson - do not always believe locals, when they are talking about distances. One women said to me that I must to visit something near Juodkrantė (where was my next stop for the night), as it's only about 3 km from this village. I cycled near it and thought to come back later without all my stuff or even without bike, but these 3 km had become more than 10 km soon. Well, I still wanted to go there, and after I left my stuff in the room and had the good dinner, I was on the cycling path again to come back to this place. But I cycled not far, because I saw the big cloud who came from the direction I needed to cycle. Ouff.... And I left my protection from the rain in the room. More than 20 km under the rain seemed to be not the best perspective that evening... I started to think, maybe I should stay one more day in this place and visit everything (and because the room where I stayed for that night was very lovely :D). Finally I decided to go walking in Juodkrantė that evening and if the rain comes - go home to rest. And maybe next morning cycle to that place which I missed today, without changing plans and staying more days in Curonian Spit. But I was angry that evening: for the women who lied to me about distance, for me that I didn't check the distance in the map, for the time which "flied" too fast. And than I said for me "Ok, if I am that angry and feel like a witch, why not visit that Hill of Witches, which is in Juodkrantė". And I did it :) Juodkrantė is the quite village (at least not in summer season), so after I walked near the Curonian Lagoon until Hill of Witches and came home, I felt calmer. And lucky me - the rain didn't come to Juodkrantė :) Later that evening I talked with the daughter of my room owner, and she said that the place I wanted to visit is 15 km away from Juodkrantė. And that women from Nida said only 3 km. Quite far to be true! :D

     Cycled distance - 55 km. 

     Some photos of Juodkrantė:

Hill of Witches

Villa in Juodkrantė

Walking and cycling paths in Juodkrantė near Curonian Lagoon

Baltic sea

Third day distance

     

Week tour in West Lithuania. 2 day

     24 May.
   

     That day I planned to cycle from Šilutė till Ventė cape and than to the small village Mingė where I should take the ferry to the Curonian Spit at 3 pm. After seen, that first day I cycled slowly, I was a bit worry to not have time to visit everything I wanted, but I woke up early and it seemed that I have enough time :) After rainy Saturday evening, the Sunday morning was completely different - the sun was shining again and it was good to be on the road again :)

There I listened the great frog concert :)

Minija

The monument in Ventė. For people who didn't come back from Curonian Lagoon

       The road was good until Ventė cape, so I was fast and reached my destination faster than I expected. So, I slowly walked around, sat on the bench in front of  lighthouse and enjoyed my holidays - perfect time! :)

The lighthouse of Ventė cape

     Ventė cape is known as a rest place for many birds during their migrations, so there is the station of bird ringing (next photo).

    

     When more people came to visit this place, I left and started cycle to Mingė village. And there I found the worst road of my trip - graveled road last 5 km until the village. But despite that, it was a little celebration on that road - I cycled with my bike already 500 km (in all my trips).

Strange flower for this occasion and thanks to my bike :)

      Finally I reached Mingė village, where I spent about 2 hours just sitting in front of the river, eating my lunch and waiting for the ferry. Mingė is known as the village with water road, because the river divide it in two parts and if you want to visit your neighbor in other side of "the road", you need to take the boat. And also, there is the ferry, which can take you to the Curonian Spit and which I was waiting for. Some photos of Mingė:

 

     This time we were only 3 passengers in the boat, so we had much space :) The ferry stops in other small village Uostadvaris, and we have opportunity to see something more :)

Uostadvaris

Going to the Curonian Lagoon

Ventė cape from other side

     I spent more than one hour in open deck of the ferry (the whole trip from Mingė to Nida in Curonian Spit takes 2 hours) and as it was very windy, I felt frozen, but it was so beautiful around, that I couldn't go inside :) With one mind in my head - first thing what I will do in Nida will be to take the hot shower :) And be sure, I did that! Just later, I went to the town center for the dinner and to enjoy the sunset in the Parnidis dune. It was amazing view and I came back home late :)

      Cycled only 52 km that day.

The port of Nida

Nida

The view from Parnidis dune

The sundial on the top of Parnidis dune

Evening colors of the Curonian Lagoon

Second day cycling distance