Everyone has the right to appreciate their unimportance. Lithuania and the Free Republic of Uzupis

Even though my time in France included time in one of the world's most vibrant and busy cities, I must say that it was a remarkably mellow and unrushed sort of visit.  However, I have found that when in Europe, the very best way to slow down and just enjoy being in a place is to head East.  So, after spending a mellow morning watching young men hock cigarettes outside the Barbes Metro station, we said our farewells to Paris and hopped on a plane to Vilnius, Lithuania.

What always strikes me when traveling in Europe is how despite the relatively close proximity and even the formal bond of being part of the EU, each nation is so very distinct. I have always been a bit of a culture geek, going as far as to get a Masters Degree studying my own home culture of Appalachia.  And so when I travel, I find all the little nuances of daily life to be far more interesting than any celebrated monument or tourist attraction.

 

Maybe it is my Appalachian roots that make me feel more comfortable in places that are a bit less polished and flashy - or maybe that is just part of who I am.  I like dirt and grit and being around regular people going about their lives.  You can find this anywhere you go, but it is much easier when you go places that are not banking most of their economy on tourism.  

Lithuania is just this kind of place, with so much history and beauty and grit and character - it is just as lively and interesting as Paris, but at such a slower pace, with so fewer people and so less expensive!  

A short bus trip (with many stops), and we found ourselves at our home base for the next four days - the self-proclaimed independent republic of Uzupis. In Lithuanian, Uzupis means "the other side of the river." A bohemian community close to and partly in the Old Town of Vilnius, on April Fools day of 1997, this quirky neighborhood declared itself an independent republic with its own president and the best constitution I have ever read.  

 

The constitution is posted along a small street in just about every language you can imagine.  

 

Some of my favorite bits:

4. Everyone has the right to make mistakes.

12. A dog has a right to be a dog.

13. A cat is not obliged to love its owner but must help in time of need.

20. No one has the right to violence.

32. Everyone is responsible for their freedom.

I have linked this three times now - Read the whole constitution here: http://uzupis.uchplus.org/2013/10/14/constitution-republic-of-uzupis/

I couldn't think of a better way to experience and explore Vilnius than to call Uzupis our home.

  

When we got off the bus, we found ourselves at a bustling food cart pod, which seemed like the place to be on a Friday night. Like a bee to honey, I immediately made my way to a cart where a couple of really friendly Ukrainian women were serving up traditional and delicious vareniki - a potato dumpling dish that I fell in love with when I spent time in Ukraine over a decade ago! And for good measure, I tried a "taco" from the taco truck. It was actually a quesadilla, but that's close enough!

 

We spent the next few days sleeping in late, drinking coffee and just rambling around the town, enjoying what has now become one of my favorite cities. And by happy accident, we could not have chosen a better weekend to be here. All day Saturday, the streets were packed with live bands of every sort, open air cafes and street vendors.  

To make things even better - all the museums stayed open late with free admission.  I must say, there were some musical acts that baffled us - as well as the local onlookers.

On Sunday, the festivities continued with the Vilnius marathon, and in our ramblings we found the Frank Zappa statue.

In France, I had begun to notice a certain affinity for cats - and this also popped up all over Vilnius.

The local food was delicious, especially the cold beet soup, but it was so filling that after trying the cepelinai or "zeppelins," for the rest of our trip, I wanted to eat was salad!

I came to Vilnius knowing next to nothing about the city and even less about Lithuania.  I can't say that I know that much about it now, but I do know that it is a beautiful and very livable city with a thriving arts community and a whole lot of character and charm.  

It is a city that has really worked to make itself a great place to live and to visit.  So much so that in 2011, the major sent a message to cars illegally parked on the bicycle lanes by running over such a car with a tank! https://youtu.be/91W3Ys_cSkU

Coming from Portland, how could I not love this city, where somebody actually rode a Penny Farthing to the local pub. 

We spent our last night at a small pub in Uzupis, where we were treated to smoked eel that a regular brought into share. The bartender who the night before invited Eli to return for this treat, told us the eel had been swimming in the sea just two days ago - so quite fresh, and most certainly delicious!  

Eli & Paula enjoyed the local beers - including one that was made with wormwood, and I enjoyed sipping on the local dry cider.

Although I did not get out of the city, what I did experience of Lithuania here in Vilnius has put Lithuania on the shortlist of one of the cities that surprised me the most.  Viva Uzupis and viva Lithuania!  I feel so lucky to have spent some time here.