Vilnius, finding a pause in a hurried week
The Portal, Old Town churches, modern streets and a bowl of borscht worth twelve out of ten.
“Speedran four countries over seven days,” I wrote during this solo trip. Yet it had also given me the respite I needed to catch up with people.
My note at the Vilnius Portal was a reminder to smell the roses when life gets too busy. The week moved quickly, but there were places to pause: a church interior, a broad city view and a very good bowl of soup.
Vilnius Portal
The Vilnius Portal connects public spaces through a live video link. People gathered around its concrete ring and waved towards the figures on the screen, with historic buildings and café tables behind them.
It fitted the thought I recorded there about making time to reconnect. A few raised hands turned a piece of technology into an encounter.
Vilnius Old Town
Columns, paintings, gilding and sculpture rise around the altar in this Old Town church. There is scarcely a plain surface in the upper part of the room.
My notes moved from the abundance of churches to their splendour, and to a dilapidated church elsewhere in the collection. The contrast made me reflect on luxury, greed and envy. I ended that entry with three words: “Christ is enough.”
Downtown Vilnius
A sculpted woman holds a sweep of birds aloft, with trees below and a glass building behind her. The arc of birds continues against the clouds. Glass, broad windows and public art give downtown a different character from the decorated church interiors.
Vilnius from above
The river curves between green banks, roads and buildings. Bridges cross towards modern towers, and boats sit along the water. From above, the skyline and the lower neighbourhoods fit into the same broad view.
Meals around Vilnius
Ukrainian borscht with garlic bread earned 12/10 in my Vilnius food notes. The deep red soup arrived with herbs across the middle and bread alongside. It was the highest score on a list that also gave full marks to Kyiv cake, compote and Georgian mint lemonade.
Khachapuri received eight, cepelinai six. There was plenty of variety, and I was quite willing to keep score. The borscht makes a good companion to the reminder I wrote at the Portal: even a hurried week should leave time to stop for something good.
