Putin | The Traveling Overeducated Housewife

Those of you who regularly read my travel blog might already know that whenever I take a trip somewhere, especially when I go somewhere new, I like to sum things up with a “ten things I learned” post. Vilnius, Lithuania was a new place for Bill and me, so I definitely need to write one of my famous “ten things I learned” posts for that trip. Here goes!

10. Vilnius is a city with MANY churches.
One thing I noticed in Vilnius is that there are a whole lot of churches in the city, and even in today’s worldlier times, people who live or visit there seem to be very committed to their faiths.

*One of many religious landmarks in Vilnius.*

9. On the whole, Lithuanians did NOT want to be part of the Soviet Union.
As I’ve mentioned before, growing up in the United States during the 70s and 80s, I had a limited appreciation for and personal experience with other countries and cultures. Yes, I lived in England as a small child, but I never really went to other places. So, when I was growing up, I thought of the former Soviet Union like I might think of the USA– a big country on its own, rather than a huge conglomeration of republics with different cultures, languages, religions, and mores. Lithuania, like Estonia and Latvia, was a Soviet country, but it was made one under duress. The country was occupied by Russia, and forced to accept the Soviet regime. On March 11, 1990, Lithuanians declared independence from the Soviet Union, and it’s quite clear in 2025, that they have no desire to be aligned with Russia again.

8. The Museum of Occupations and Freedom Fights is a must see for adults and teens.
A week ago, Bill and I visited this incredible museum in what was once a KGB headquarters building. Although it was about how Lithuania became a Soviet republic, it really taught me a lot about the United States today. So many things that happened, techniques used to gain power, and attitudes among the people were disturbingly familiar. And yet, that museum, as frightening and stark as it was, also offered hope. Because Lithuania is no longer a Soviet country. It’s independent and progressive. And the United States can and will one day be back on the path to progressiveness. Hopefully, I’ll be around to see that day.

*We weren’t the only ones impressed by the museum.*

7. I love the smell of linden trees.
I noticed the fresh scent of linden trees when we went to Latvia in 2023. I enjoyed them again in Lithuania. I wish I had one of those trees in my backyard.

6. Pink Soup is beautiful, refreshing, and tasty.
I didn’t think I’d like Pink Soup, so I asked Bill to order it and taste it. He was kind enough to do that, and for under five euros a bowl, it was a bargain. We both discovered that it’s a very refreshing soup and doesn’t taste like beets (which is why I was hesitant to order it).

5. People travel to Vilnius for religious pilgrimages.
The Church Heritage Museum in Vilnius has a fascinating exhibit about people who traveled to Vilnius as part of a pilgrimage to religious sites. We saw and heard a number of people who had come to the city to fulfill their own spiritual quests.

4. The Cathedral Crypt tour is well worth doing, even if it’s raining and you’re very sore.
One of the most interesting things we did on our trip was visit the crypts under the cathedral. A very interesting anthropologist who had worked at the cathedral for nine years told us all about the history of the cathedral and how the Soviets had turned it into a concert hall and art gallery. She also showed us the tombs of Queen Elizabeth and Queen Barbara, and told us the fascinating story about their husband, Sigismund II Augustus.

3. If you want a good view and don’t want to be sore, consider visiting the bell tower at Vilnius University.
Bill and I climbed the Cathedral Bell Tower because it was very close to our hotel. We were both hurting afterwards, because we’re not so young anymore. I don’t regret climbing the tower, but I wish we’d done the bell tower at Vilnius University. you can climb the steps if you want to, but they also have an elevator! The Bell Tower doesn’t have a lift, and the steps are narrow and rickety. Consequently, you might get sore just from trying not to fall!

2. Vilnius has really excellent food!
I was actually a little worried about visiting Vilnius, because I kept reading about how much they love mushrooms. Fortunately, they had all kinds of excellent food there. I was particularly impressed by the excellent produce– lots of really nice salads and soups, as well as barbecue, and craft beers!

*They’ve got plenty of stuff for vegans and vegetarians, too…*

And 1. Putin is very publicly warned in Vilnius…

’nuff said…

*So are many other people in the world… isn’t it time he faced justice?*

So that about wraps up our trip to Vilnius. I hope some of you enjoyed this series. Now, I have to pack a bag, because today we’re headed for Switzerland, where we’ll be until next Sunday. That should be fun!

After we visited the Museum of Occupations and Freedom Fights, we crossed a big street and large park area. I couldn’t help but notice the enchanting and distinctive fresh aroma of linden trees. I also heard the lilting and powerful voice of a soprano singer. We stopped for a moment, and Bill looked up the building where the sound seemed to come from, and discovered it was the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre.

We turned down another street and passed a big church. We thought about going in, but Bill noticed that it was time for mass. We aren’t Catholic and didn’t want to disturb people worshiping, so we kept walking.

*We didn’t go in here, but I did admire how pretty the church is.*

As we approached the end of the street, I spotted the Neris River. Then I looked up, and saw an ominous message expressly for Vladimir Putin…

We walked down a block and crossed a road, then went down a gentle hill to walk by the river. We passed a cute little beagle on the way.

We gazed at what appeared to be the newer, more modern part of Vilnius, which we didn’t have the chance to explore while we were visiting. There looked like there was a large shopping mall and food hall on the other side of the river, along with people playing sports. I also spotted a beer garden/snack bar near what I assume was a skiff for those who want to take river cruises. I would have been up for that, had I not been still hurting from the tower climb. Getting to the other side of the river seemed too exhausting, although by the time the day was over, we had walked over 6 miles.

We were getting hungry, though, and I was more than ready for a beer. So we headed back to the cathedral area, where I knew there was an outdoor Lithuanian restaurant. It had caught my eye as our taxi driver drove us into the city. We made a beeline there… I took more pictures on the way. I really wish we’d had one more day to take in a few more of these sights near our hotel. But now we have a reason to go back!

We got the restaurant, took a look at the tourist friendly menu with many pictures, and decided to take a seat. It was a good decision. The food was delicious! Bill obliged me by ordering the Pink Soup, a beet based cold soup with yogurt, dill, potatoes, and quail eggs. He said it was light and refreshing, and not too earthy. I tried it and liked it, too. I normally don’t like beets at all.

I really liked the food at Katpedele, and the service was friendly and professional. I noticed a lot of people eating there were locals, even though the menu was definitely tourist friendly. I would have liked to have gone back, because they had a lot of really appealing looking dishes. I was pleasantly surprised by the many fresh options available, especially of produce based dishes. And again… that barbecue was amazing!

After lunch, we decided to visit the Cathedral Treasury/Church Heritage Museum, for which we had already purchased tickets when we went to the Bell Tower. To be honest, I don’t think I would have visited this museum if we hadn’t already bought tickets. The weather was nice, and I wasn’t feeling like looking at exhibits. But now that I’ve gone, I’m glad we made the effort. Visiting there was useful if only because there was a proper toilet, and it explained why there seemed to be so many religious people in the city. Vilnius is a place where people take pilgrimage tours, and there was a whole exhibit about it in the Cathedral Treasury. Prior to our visit, I’d had no idea. But then, I am not a very religious person.

Below are some photos from our walk to the Church Heritage Museum. On the way there, we got stuck behind a big tour group, where people were taking photos of these walls. We managed to get past them and found the museum’s entrance.

Here’s a big photo dump from the Church Heritage Museum, which was a very interesting place to spend some time. They even had some kid friendly activities, and I sure was glad for the presence of a nice, clean WC! Toward the end of this dump, you can see pictures from the pilgrimage exhibit. I was fascinated by how far people went for their Christian faith. No wonder we saw and heard so many people from religious groups– especially Catholics– in Vilnius.