Text: Peter Johansson
Editing: Christer Lundstedt
Photos: Christer Lundstedt, Peter Johansson
Videos: Christer Lundstedt
Saturday 20th of July
00.08 We enjoyed a late evening that included balcony beers and it was Saturday before we got ready for the night.
08.43 It is morning in our nice apartment Mild Old Town in Klaipėda, Lithuania. The apartment sleep has been good. One could actually imagine living here on a permanent basis. Now we will start the next transport shortly, but there is no panic yet. First there will be breakfast and before the bus journey from here possibly also a visit to a café.
09.36 After eating our breakfast, we will now start preparing for today's journey. My bus ticket, which is now in Christer's phone, should be sent to me.
10.15 The ticket is in my possession. What was washed yesterday has dried and will soon be reunited with the other clothes in our backpacks.
11.28 The keys were returned to the number box outside the apartment and we walked into the center where we found Vero Café in a large premises near the river. We are on our way to the bus station. We relax with better quality coffee than what we drank in the apartment.
12.16 We drank our black coffee and set off again. Now a pigeon is heard in the distance and a little closer, cars. We are now at Klaipėdos skulptų parkas, the Sculpture Park. Here we rest for a while so that we arrive at the bus station at the appropriate time. The park contains 116 modern sculptures created by 61 Lithuanian artists between 1977 and 1991.
12.40 We have now left the park and have arrived at the city's bus station, Klaipėdos autobusų stotis. When does our bus do the same?
12.55 The bus from the company Toks (https://toks.lt) had already arrived. Now it is also ready to receive passengers and we are on board seats 5 and 6. The rear view mirrors are actually different monitors, screens. They show razor-sharp what lies behind. Our bus is called Toks Neo and is one of the company's best and most modern buses.
16.09 As tradition dictates, we will now go and do some shopping for upcoming meals. We will visit the Maxima supermarket at the bus station.
20.20 A place with black parasols made us interested. We stopped at the sign, "Waiting to be placed". A plainly dressed man came sauntering towards us, we thought he was a guest. He belonged to the staff and meant that we could sit wherever we wanted. Now we have ordered our long-awaited dinners here at Lavender Inn.
Sunday 21st of July
On the balcony shortly after midnight.
Clean and nice before check-out and departure.
Vero Café, Klaipėda.
Christer at Vero Café.
On this boat is the restaurant Meridianas.
Klaipėdos skulptų parkas, Sculpture Park.
Waiting for the bus.
Lunch at Cancan Pizza.
Virginija Guest House, Palanga.
A powerful view from the room.
Kretingos gatvė, Palanga.
Vytauto gatvė, Palanga.
Sculptures in Palanga.
Apverstas namas Palangoje, an art museum.
J. Basanavičiaus gatvė, Palanga.
We will have dinner at the Lavender Inn.
Christer has dinner at the Lavender Inn.
Ferris wheel near the beach in Palanga.
The pier Palangos tiltas.
Swimming in the Baltic Sea.
Sunset in Palanga.
A popular place tonight.
Christer on the pier in Palanga.
The last we see of the sun this day.
08.28 The darkness of the night has been chased away by the rising sun. We too must hurry on our journey no matter what.
09.10 Today there will be self-purchased breakfast here in our room at Virginija Guest House. This is a quiet and pleasant accommodation with a good communal kitchen. The location near the bus station is also good. 09.57 The foundation for today's journey is laid. Breakfast is rarely wrong. It will be a quiet morning this Sunday as our bus doesn't leave for a few hours. 11.01 It is now time to end our stay here in Palanga. The stay has been short but rich in content. We had originally intended to continue north by bus along the coast from here to reach Latvia, but we have chosen to travel by train instead. Therefore, we take the same way back as we came. 11.15 Now we are ready to leave Palanga. Is the bus ready to take us out of here? 11.28 Our bus from Toks is here. There was a man with his luggage sitting on our seats. He got up and we could sit down. 12.15 Now we are back in Klaipėda. We have chosen to return to the beautiful environment of Klaipėdos skulptų parkas, the Sculpture Park. There will now be a moment's rest. 12.57 Here we are still sitting on our bench and are quite relaxed. We have spotted a lunch spot that we will soon walk towards.
Back in Klaipėda again.
A nice Sunday in the park.
We have lunch at Shashlik House.
Christer's lunch plate.
The author Martynas Mažvydas stands at Lietuvininkų Aikštė.
The sculpture Atsisveikinimas outside the railway station in Klaipėda.
13.58 There is music playing at our lunch restaurant. Just now the waitress asked where we were from. Today we eat our Sunday lunch at Shashlik House. It's quiet here. We are the only guests. We wonder if it is an Armenian restaurant? At least it says Armenija on the fridge here.
14.50 It was again a good lunch of the type you get at charcoal grill restaurants. Now we are sitting in a park by the Lietuvininkų Aikštė square, waiting for the right time to go to the train station. 15.16 Christer and I returned to Klaipėda railway station. Outside the station building, we have photographed the sculpture Atsisveikinimas which means farewell. It depicts a woman and a child leaving the city. It symbolizes the German emigration of emigrants from East Prussia that began in 1944. I probably need to fill up with more liquid than beer before the train journey begins. 15.08 Liquid was found inside the station where I could buy water. Now we are about to board the train that will take us east back to Šiauliai. 16.24 The means of transport makes a quick stop in Plungė. It's sold out in the small train. 16.58 Some people in military clothes and other passengers with bicycles board our train car. It seems to be a bunch of Polish bicycle travelers. 18.53 So we were back in Šiauliai. This time we are staying at the brand new unmanned AN Hotel (https://anhotel.lt) and in room 9. As I said, we have made a small change from the original route, but it feels like the right decision. Besides that, it's raining now. 19.40 After drinking coffee, we will, among other things, buy something for the morning coffee, what we usually call breakfast. To cope with it, we have to go outside. The rain has stopped. We leave the small backpacks at home and the travel journal can also stay in the room during the short visit.
Time to go by train again.
AN Hotel in Šiauliai.
Gaidžio čaraiko aikštė, Šiauliai.
We are dining at Captain Morgan's (Kapitonas Morganas) tonight.
Peter eats a light dinner in the form of carpaccio.
Peter and Paul Cathedral in Šiauliai.
20.54 What an unnecessary adventure it turned out to be. Before we left the building, we wanted to make sure the door code and/or key card worked so we could get back in. This is what you would like to check in unmanned hotels. They didn't. Christer called the contact number and then it was discovered that both card and code worked as they should. This applies if you are at the right entrance. We had gone down the wrong stairwell and were at the wrong door. That door does not lead to the hotel but to a beauty clinic in the same building. At Rimi supermarket, however, we have purchased breakfast. Now we will walk towards the last Lithuanian dinner.
21.16 Now we went out again and continued to the restaurant Kapitonas Morganas (https://morganas.lt) for dinner. We saw it during the previous walk and thought it looked nice. 21.33 While waiting for the food to reach our table, we are reached by the news that the current president of the United States, Joe Biden, is leaving the autumn elections. Who will replace him? 22.35 Just like previous dinners, it was good. In my case, it was not as filling as yesterday. After an evening walk to Prisikelito aikštė square, we got to see a church, a fountain and the name of the city in capital letters. It read Šiauliai Šwiecia which means Šiauliai shines. As darkness fell over the city, we went home to the hotel room for evening coffee. 23.58 Christer has in a short time booked transport from the airport in Mauritius and enclosed a hornet in one of the glass cups in our ceiling lamp. The hornet was attracted by the light in our room. There was an unnecessary amount of drama when the hornet was to be caught. Christer stood on the bed and then slid off on the mattress and then landed with his knee on his glasses case which now doesn't look like it should.
Šiauliai shines!
Prisikėlimo aikštė, Šiauliai.
Monday 22nd of July
07.22 The last morning in Lithuania is here, at least for this trip. This morning at the AN Hotel in Šiauliai is quite similar to other mornings in the country. We have had breakfast and are going to pack our things.
08.13 Goodbye the room, and goodbye the hotel. Now we take with us what we brought here. The hornet lies lifeless inside the lamp. Our thought was that it would be there during the night instead of accidentally stinging us but we had actually intended to release it back out, not kill it. What did it die of? It's hardly a lack of oxygen, could it be stress? 08.43 After a walk through the city center we are then back at a railway station. Soon the train will also be here. 09.05 We are on board the international train that goes from Vilnius to Riga. Now our tickets will soon be checked. Everything is OK. It will be a shorter train journey today.LATVIA
10.22 Our first stop in Latvia will be the city Jelgava. In this now we are sitting in Stacijas parks (Station Park). Next, we will mostly pass the time and wait to check in at our hotel. During the walk there we will try to find a café and later also lunch. Jelgava is Latvia's fourth largest city and the capital of the Zemgale region. 54,701 inhabitants live here.
10.37 Some key decisions have been taken in the last few minutes. One, we skip the morning coffee due to the lack of coffee places in the immediate area. Two, we have moved to a smaller central bench here in the park. 11.21 While I was reading a detective story, Prio ett by Emelie Schepp, Christer tried to book upcoming train tickets. Information from a future accommodation states that we must tell if our pet weighs more than five kilos or if we want a hair dryer. We neither have pets nor need a hair dryer. Now Christer is off on a short walk and look for a potential lunch restaurant.
Peter is ready to leave Lithuania.
We got off the train in Jelgava.
The railway station in Jelgava, Latvia.
In front of the station there is a liberation monument.
Stacijas parks, Jelgava.
Jelgava Orthodox Cathedral, Svētā Simeona un Svētās Annas Pareizticīgo Baznīca.
11.29 Arranging train tickets will probably go well eventually. Getting to eat lunch where we intended will probably be less successful. Latvian food was promised at Prospekts 9, but on closer inspection Christer only finds a basement that most closely resembles a bakery.
11.56 The quiet and leafy park filled with park-working summer workers and other young people is left and we walk on towards our hotel. 12.11 We have stopped at a fantastically beautiful church with a blue dome. It is the city's Orthodox cathedral, Svētā Simeona un Svētās Annas Pareizticīgo Baznīca. 12.15 The next building photographed by us is a grand museum, Ģ. Eliasa Jelgava's vēstēras un akas muzejs. It is a combined art museum and history museum. 12.26 Before we go to the check in at the hotel, we have sat down at a restaurant, PakČoi. We will have lunch here. We sit outdoors with a view of the great avenue Lielā iela. 12.48 Some guests just got up and left. Have they paid for the food before, do they have lunch vouchers or did they forget the bill? At least we have ordered our lunches. 13.51 The two of us have enjoyed delicious beer (Tērvete) and hearty, delicious pizzas. Now we feel ready to get to know our next hotel. The good beer is brewed in Dobele, a small village west of Jelgava.
In this building there is a museum.
Our lunch restaurant, PakČoi.
The long-awaited thirst quencher.
Christer is eating pizza at PakČoi.
Hotel Jelgava.
Inside room 217.
14.22 We have checked in at the nice Hotel Jelgava (https://www.hoteljelgava.lv) and are staying here in room 217. Here is what we want, although a slightly cooler room would be nice.
15.59 Here in the nice room, we have mostly relaxed. Maybe we need to be in motion to feel our best. From the hotel room, we have a nice view of the Driksa river, which runs parallel to the larger Lielupe river. 16.18 Now we have decided to leave the pleasant embrace of the hotel to run various errands here in Jelgava. 16.55 After a walk through the center with drink purchases at Mego Supermarket we are now standing on a footbridge over the river Driksa. The bridge is called Mītavas tilts. 17.16 We've walked across the bridge and then taken photos of some classic things for us, a city name in capital letters and a collection of padlocks, this time shaped like trees. Now we are in a park (Jelgavas pils parks) by a watercourse. It's time to get literary again. We will enjoy the afternoon in the form of drinks, beautiful surroundings and exciting detective stories. 18.10 Enough with fiction now. It's time to go back to the hotel and the room. We only have one attraction to see before that happens.
The room's TV shows our hotel.
The church tower in the Trinity Church, Jelgava.
View of the river Driksa.
Christer between the letters in Jelgava.
Latvia's flag planted and the bridge Mītavas tilts.
Padlocks in the shape of trees this time.
18.38 We walked through the beautiful castle park and looked at the city's castle, which has a rich history. It is a baroque castle that was built by Bartolomeo Rastrelli and Severin Jensen in 1763–1772 as a residence for the Dukes of Courland. The castle's architect, Rastrelli, was also the architect behind the Winter Palace in Saint Petersburg.
19.05 As we relaxed in the room, we realized that we read that alcohol is not sold after 20.00 here in Latvia. We have to go to the supermarket now if there are going to be any evening beers. 19.50 We had time to shop during the return visit at Mego Supermarket in the shopping mall Pilsetas Pasaza. Unfortunately, there is no point in putting the evening beer we bought in the room fridge. It is lifeless. 20.25 A small dog is barking outside. Does it want us to come out? Maybe it's just as well that we do. Not so much for the dog's sake as for our own. 21.05 We left the hotel and continued a short distance along the river Driksa to the gastropub Istaba (https://www.krodzinsistaba.lv). We just ordered a Madonas Alus, an unfiltered beer, each. 21.55 Outside our dinner restaurant stands an interesting sculpture, Jelgavas students. It consists of a man with an umbrella over which rain is pouring. 22.15 It was delicious again, but of course it costs money to eat. Apart from the two of us, there were French-speaking guests at the restaurant. 22.40 Back in our room, we will now sum up the day and plan the next one.
Here we sit and read our books.
A bridge to Jelgavas pils parks.
The baroque castle Jelgavas pils.
Lielā iela, Jelgava.
Peter is having dinner at Istaba.
The sculpture Jelgavas students.
Tuesday 23rd of July
08.40 It is morning again here in the room at Hotel Jelgava. Another day is dedicated to traveling. It's fun to travel and experience, but it's also good to be stationery sometimes. Today is also our travel companion Roberth's birthday.
09.32 After finishing the self-bought breakfasts, we think about where we will eat today's lunch. In addition, thoughts are discussed whether we fill in the entry documents for Mauritius digitally or do it on site upon arrival?. 10.00 Now things could have gone better for us. It is not possible to buy train tickets on the Latvian Railways through mobile phones. Despite the fact that Christer opened an account, nothing happens at the purchase. 10.28 There is no clarification regarding lunch and tickets. We have to figure something out. We have accommodation waiting for us later today. 11.26 All of a sudden everything worked out. Christer was able to register on another website, his bank card and also buy tickets for us and the backpacks. 12.12 The beer is good, lunch is ordered and we are sitting at an outdoor table at Kafe Picērija (https://www.kafepicerija.lv), a cheap restaurant along our walking path to the station. 12.39 That was clearly what we needed. We got suitable food and taste at low prices. We will hopefully be at the railway station within an hour. Maybe we are actually on board the train to Riga? 13.03 Is it nostalgia, tradition or just a coincidence? No matter what, we are sitting on the same bench, in the same park and in the same city as when we arrived here yesterday. Then it was to get to know the city. Now it's time to say goodbye.
A man is out in his rowing boat in the river Driksa.
We are eating a cheap lunch at Kafe Picērija.
Christer eats his Tuesday lunch.
Riga Central Railway Station.
We are waiting on platform 3.
The train crosses the river Daugava.
13.40 A new train set from the company Vivi - Pasažieru vilciens will take us on to the location where we will change to the next train. It's a place we've been to before, many times.
14.27 The station Tiraine, almost Tirana, are we leaving right now. We are moving towards the suburbs of Riga. 14.50 A train has left, tickets for the next train have been purchased by mobile phone and now we are waiting for the train. All this takes place at Rīgas centrālā dzelceļa stacija, Riga's central railway station. 15.04 The train rolled in and soon it will roll out of Riga. There was a short stop in the Latvian capital today. Hopefully we will be here longer at the end of this summer trip. 15.43 We got off the train at Dzintari station. Now we are going to get to yet another accommodation on foot this summer. 15.48 We made our way from the station to the large forest park Dzintaru mežaparks. We follow a footpath along the forest towards our next home. 16.12 Room number 3 at the hotel Elina in Jūrmala will be our home for two nights. The room is small but ours. Jūrmala is a popular holiday resort on the Gulf of Riga and it is not easy to find cheap accommodation here. Elina was one of those available at a reasonable price. 18.05 There is a place to see and slowly do. In other words, we need to leave the room to do this. Jūrmala with 52,154 inhabitants consists of several different districts. We got off in Dzintari and now live in Majori.
We choose to leave the train at the Dzintari station.
We will stay two nights at the hotel Elina.
The window to our room lets in some air.
Jomas iela, the main street in Jūrmala.
A lot of tasty products are sold here.
Horna dārzs, park in Jūrmala.
18.13 A short distance from our hotel we found the main street through Jūrmala, Jomas iela. Along the street there are shops and restaurants. Tourists in large numbers stroll along this pedestrian street. We will look for suitable restaurants and hopefully also find some kind of grocery store.
18.34 Really, there was a bench break in this town too. Christer enjoys ice cream and I am eating a Snickers and drink iced tea. We bought these goods in the Narvesen kiosk. 19.36 One thing is strange about the tourist resort of Jūrmala. It lacks stores where you can buy food. The only small shop we found (Vesko) was partly a cafe and had a meager and thin selection of goods. We collected some goods for a simple breakfast and also bought more instant coffee. 20.47 It is now time to look for an establishment that can offer us dinner. 22.11 It didn't go quite well to find a dinner restaurant. The ones we found were either full of people or close too early. We took a longer walk away to Restorāns Jūra but once there we were told that they close earlier than stated online. We chose to walk because we don't want to eat under time pressure. After even more trotting and looking for open places, we are finally at Zelta Teļš. 22.28 I have ordered Cepelīni, a typical dish in Lithuania and Latvia. They are potato dumplings made from grated and riced potatoes and filled with e.g. ground meat. Christer chose pasta instead. 23.30 After a late but good dinner, we will get ready for bed. It's almost completely asleep in Europe for a while.
Jomas iela is lined with wooden houses.
The Orthodox Church Kazan Icon of the Mother of God in Jūrmala.
Dinner at dusk.
Peter is eating Cepelīni (Zeppelins) at Zelta Teļš.
You can see 80 photos from July 20 in this photoalbum.
You can see 38 photos from July 21 in this photoalbum.
You can see 72 photos from July 22 in this photoalbum.
You can see 40 photos from July 23 in this photoalbum.