Day 43: Cesis, Latvia to Kaunas, Lithuania 400km 9 hours

A day on the road from Latvia across the border to Lithuania.
Dick chooses a route that takes us into the countryside in Latvia.
Derelict castles,
Small farms, mostly crops but some cattle
beech forests,
Gravel roads, road works
Ladies in skirts working in their vegetable gardens,
Shopping - everything is very cheap. 
Take a look at the pics of food, liquor and cigarettes (around €3 for 20)
Currency Euro 1€=0.65NZ
People out walking along the road, sometimes to bus stops,
Local cyclists,
Lada 4WD at the gas station,
Woman listlessly sweeping the forecourt,
Houses, USSR occupation tower blocks,
Big vegetable gardens with potatoes, beans, peas, potatoes,  cucumbers
 
Home for the night is Monte Pacis, a hotel in a monastery.
There are nuns in a separate part of the building.
Wonderful dinner.
The chef had spent a year at Kokapo in London with Peter Gordon, 
The kitchen grows herbs and lots of vegetables.
Wines from european monastery vineyards.

  
Orlanda has taken us to quite a few places.
 
A symbol of Independence from German and Russian occupation. Latvia remained independent until 1939 but was occupied by Soviet Russia on 17 June 1940.  After decades of soviet occupation Independence Day was reinstated on 4 May 1990.


 

 


 
   

 

 
 

 
Solvita and I did our best to communicate in non verbal ways.  This is a new store. She and her colleague have emerald green shirts with yellow scarves.
 

 

 

 
 A lada 4WD.
 
 

 

 

 


 

 



 

 


 

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