I’m lying topless on my stomach on a soft mattress covered in rich purple fabrics and smooth silk. The air is rich with the aroma of flowers. My back is currently being walked on by a petite Thai woman who is literally working out my stress with her toes. Am I in Thailand getting this incredible massage? No - I am in Lithuania! As all my kinks get worked out by this amazing woman I start to think of all the self-indulgences I have had during my 3 day stay in Vilnius.
I came from Scandinavia and was starving! The food was so expensive there that I was pretty much living off of kebabs. I don’t mind kebabs, and I certainly don’t mind the price either, but it left me feeling hungry and craving to fill my growling stomach. Lithuania was definitely up for the challenge. My first night in Vilnius my friend Amy and I stared at our menus with wide eyes. Potato pancakes…..dumplings…..fried bread……beet soup……..a carb junkies dream is what it was. We both enjoyed our meals - her the pancakes and I the dumplings with sour cream and minced meat and she and I knew that we were in for a happy few days. The beer was also quite good. The first restaurant actually let you put flavored shots of syrup (vanilla, raspberry, caramel, hazelnut, etc) into the beer which was incredibly tasty! I especially enjoyed the smooth sensation of wheat bear flavored with raspberry sauce slide down my tongue and cool my esophagus. When the bill had come and we had our fill of carbs, beer, tea, and dessert we were pleasantly surprised to see that the whole meal had cost less than $20 for the two of us. It felt good to eat out again and not live off of the lowliest fast food for a few days.
The second night we found this great pub right by the river separating new town and old town in Vilnius. It was filled with locals and yet they were able to accommodate us with English menus which is always a helpful plus! We started with a Lithuanian favorite: fried dark bread covered with garlic, cheese and mayonnaise. I know - it sounds a bit gross but it was heavenly! The sauce provided a sweet and yet savory sensation on my pallet.. This pub also had a vast selection of local Lithuanian beers which were just to die for. I left that place a very happy kid, as did my friends.
You may be wondering, what is this about the massage? It was really my friend Amy’s idea. We noticed the Thai massage parlor and saw that we could get full, hour long massages for less than $20 each. Amy really wanted to go for it and I agreed. Now, I must admit that I was not too excited about it at first. I had received a massage back home once and really didn’t get anything out of it. But I went with the flow and was extremely pleased. This lady somehow cracked every bone in my spine and worked some major kinks I had going in my neck from toting my backpack everywhere.
Our last form of self-indulgence really came to us by luck. We had enjoyed our hostel so much (Jimmy Jumps hostel for anyone planning on visiting Vilnius) and mentioned to the owner that we wish we could stay there one more night instead of changing hostels. Well, he gave us the keys to his private apartment where we got to sleep on a futon mattress in the living room. Our own private living space! And private shower! It was heaven really to have the room to move about and sleep in without listening to others being restless in bed and snoring.
.I was inspired to go to Lithuania because of my heritage. I had family come from the country a few generations back and it has been important for me to go back to some homelands and explore my roots. I I came to this country with no expectations and have been incredibly surprised by all of the fun I have had. I could tell you about the other amazing aspects of Vilnius. The gorgeous buildings and churches. The quaint lifestyle of the people. The pretty dresses and skirts that I saw on all the women. The wacky weather - rain one minute, sun is shining the next. The fun of trying to cross the road without being run over. These things were all great, but what I will remember the most is the amazing food and company that I have had in my first Baltic country. Today I am off to Riga, Latvia. Let’s hope that the good times continue!
