What experiences since I have last written! I apologize for no entries yesterday, but where we stayed Sunday night had no wifi.
Our friends from LSMU picked us up in Kaunas Sunday morning, and we embarked on a two hour drive north to Siauliai and the Hill of Crosses. This site, one of pilgrimage, thanksgiving, and hope, contains over half a million crosses from visitors wishing to give thanks to God, submit prayers, or demonstrate their faith for whatever they believe. The boys and girls, as well as Mr. Brown and Mr. McMurray, all left crosses. We were even able to locate Mrs. Roberts' cross from last year! The energy from all those who have come before is palpable as it hangs in the air, welcoming all, and I know that I will never forget this experience.
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| The Hill of Crosses in Siauliai |
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| Cross left by the boys |
After lunch, we next drove west to a former Soviet missile silo which has been turned into a Cold War Museum. We all descended underground to examine the Soviet military site which did house nuclear missiles capable of reaching as far away as England. This was an excellent history lesson shedding light on another side of the region's recent past.
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| Not a new fashion trend. Gas masks at the Cold War missile site |
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| Atop the missile silo |
Our final stop Sunday was a retreat within a national park near the missile site, and I must say that this place was truly a highlight of the trip. The picturesque natural setting was gorgeous with cabins both big and small nestled into the surrounding forest. It was also adjacent to the largest lake in Lithuania (only Andrew was bold enough to brave the chilly waters). We ate delicious traditional rural Lithuanian meals, baked bread in a kiln built the same decade as MBA was founded, and swam in their spa-like pools. A tremendous surprise, our LSMU friends arranged for a local group to demonstrate and lead traditional Lithuanian dances. All danced the night away for well over an hour, in and interesting and hilarious series of dances. Exhausted after such an amazing day, we all slept well to say the least.
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| Baking bread at the retreat |
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| The Lithuanian singers and dancers who surprised us |
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| Getting down, Lithuanian style |
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| Our amazing nature retreat |
Today we drove back to Kaunas for a slower day, to become more acquainted with Kaunas. After the drive and a delicious lunch, we walked through Old Town Kaunas with Linas describing the buildings we encountered, ranging from Medieval and Gothic, to Baroque, Soviet, and all eras in between. This included the beautifully restored Kaunas Cathedral, Kaunas Castle, City Hall, and several other unique churches and homes. The walk ended at the banks of Lithuania's largest river, the Nemunas, Kaunas has a charm and history unique to itself, while still resembling much of the typical beauty and vibe of a similarly sized European city.
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| Kaunas Castle |
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| At the Nemunas River. We love Kaunas! |
Lastly, we ended the day being treated to a wonderful dinner and reception by our gracious LSMU hosts at a local monastery. Still in operation, the monastery also contains a hotel, restaurant and event space. The stunning facility and the savory food was such a beautiful celebration of the relationship between our three schools and the members of two years of trips to Lithuania. Our LSMU friends have gone above and beyond anything we could have expected with their hospitality and love. It will be very difficult to say goodbye tomorrow to what feels like our new family. Good night from Kaunas.
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