On my way out to run, I met the Finland dog group - a bus trip - on their way to Budapest for a dog show. Lots of puppy kisses. Then off on my usual run. The 3 young lads cheered me on again, through a sort of mizzle (Yorkshire for a mist/drizzle). More puppy kisses as the Finnish group finished (oops) breakfast and loaded into their bus.
While we ate breakfast, Vytas arrived. We cleaned up, then went out behind Metropolis to the van, with Ruta & Arvidas. And off to Druskininkai.
We took the scenic route. And stopped in Birs^tonis at a high-rise hotel & retirement center. We got the grand tour of the swimming pool, the Lithuanian culinnary museum, and all. And we had coffees and teas. We also met a frog on the path out front. I don't know why I didn't get his photo. |
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Ruta, Vikki, & Arvidas in the posh lobby.
We drove through lots of farmland - and rain - to Druskininkai. Ruta & Arvidas offered to take us to Grutas - "Stalin World - a re-creation life in Siberia when Lithuanians were exiled there. But we really felt that, with the atmosphere of a dreary rain, it would be too powerful, especially for Elena. And we wanted to have a nice visit with Regina.
She is in a brand new apartment, just down the street from her old house. At first, I was sad because that house had been so cozy - and the large yard was full of garden and apple trees. But the new place is a big end unit, on the ground floor, with windows on three sides overlooking garden and trees and a stream. It's all one floor, with all modern everything. There is even a little playground right out her front door where Elena could play during a break in the rain. Naturally, we were all so busy sharing photos and talking, that we forgot to take pictures! Except while we ate.
And, man, did we eat. Regina and Ruta made wonderful thin potato pancakes - almost crepes. We ate these with a sour cream sauce and beer with honey. And then pastries, which Elena loved. We had coffee, Lithuanian style. The girls thought the jar held instant coffee - and were surprised when they added water to the grounds. Because they were real grounds. You let it steep in the cup, then drink the strong coffee off the grounds. It's quite good, but quite different from Starbucks.
Mari & Regina with potato pancakes. |
Vikki & Sharon, too. |
Ruta & Vikki. |
Ruta, Regina, & pastry. |
Finally, it was time to leave. We had a driving tour of Druskininkai because the rain had picked up again.
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A church in Druskininkai. You can see what the weather was like. |
We then returned to Kaunas, and out to Panemunes penninsula and Kavina Egle, which Ruta & Arvidas own and run. We had a warming broth with rice and dill, which certainly helped fight the cold that was trying to catch Mari. Then two c^eburettas - an almost filo dough with a stuffing. Sort of like a calzone. First we had one with meat, then one with cheese curd, which is definitely not like cottage cheese but more like Devonshire cream. And beer. Delicious. |
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And then we drove to visit Juze. She lives in an apartment complex sort of across the main road (Vytauto gatve) and a ways south from the Birute neighborhood. She has a pleasant apartment on the 3rd floor, overlooking a reservoir. It was so good to see her again. We had all seen her when she visited the US in the late 1980s. But she was working in the US when Mom & I visited Lithuania in 2000. Ruta & Arvidas left us there and headed to return the van to Kestas.
Juze had a little table set up with 8x10 pictures of Mom, Babs, & Milly from the 1930s. And quite a spread for us: bread, cheese, meat, pickles, tomato, stuffed carrots - and beer. And "branches" - of which Elena was now a real fan. Vytas was there to translate, so we had a lovely evening chatting. Then her grandsons, Gediminas & Donatas arrived. Wow! Donatas was a little kid who, with his cousin, was setting fire to toilet paper at the family gathering in 2000. And Gediminas went off with another cousin to listen to radio. Now Gediminas is a young gentleman - and Donatas is a tall high schooler. Kids insist on growing up when you turn your back.
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Juze & Vikki. Look at that delicious food!
Vikki, Juze, Sharon, Elena, Mari, & Vytas. |
Proud Grandma Juze with Donatas & Gediminas |
And then Gediminas drove us back to Metropolis. We were tired, but tried to do some packing. Mari put Elena to bed in our room because Dalius was coming to take the girls out for one last night in Lithuania. He didn't arrive until 11; Sharon & I went to bed after the "kids" left.
It was sad to know that our pilgrimage was almost over.
The last day and home: 10/2&3
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