Hippy Weirdsville

Arrived in Vilnius, Lithuania after a torturously long train ride. (Polish trains are not known for their speed. There was also a 2 hour delay due to a brutal train wreck on the tracks further up from my train. Train smacked into a truck carrying dried cement. Very nasty.)

Gorgeous countryside. It rained a bit on the train ride, so we were treated to rainbows throughout the entire journey through Lithuania. Absolutely adored some of the farm houses. It looked a bit like someone had taken a hippy paint box and splattered them all over. So you'd have a yellow house with purple window frames and an orange door or a green house with pink window frames and a red door etc etc. Loved it!

Lithuania is markedly poorer than Poland. Houses are a bit more shacky, the cars are older, and the towns are quite small. (At least outside Vilnius anyways.) But the people are friendly and it's the first place I've seen that reminds me a bit of home. Maybe that's why I had homesickness dreams last night. :P

Yesterday I went to see the sights of Vilnius, such as they are. Unlike most capital cities, there isn't any one thing that you "must see". No Eiffel tower. No Tower bridge. Instead it's just this neat little city with a pretty large old quarter that flows gently into the newer buildings. Lots of churches though. But Vilnius harbours the vestiges of a free thinking revolution that occured after they gained independence. It's evident in such strange things as the statue to Frank Zappa and the self-declared republic of Uzupio. They even have their own constitution!

Constitution:

1. Everone has the right to live by the River Vilnele and the River Vilnele has the right to flow by everyone.
2. Everyone has the right to hot water, heating in winter, and a tiled roof.
3. Everyone has the right to die, but this is not an obligation.
4. Everyone has the right to make mistakes.
5. Everyone has the right to be unique.
6. Everyone has the right to love.
7. Everyone has the right to be loved, but not necessarily.
8. Everyone has the right to be undistinguished and unknown.
9. Everyone has the right to be idle.
10. Everyone has the right to love and take care of the cat.
11. Everyone has the right to look after the dog until one of them dies.
12. A dog has the right to be a dog.
13. A cat is not obliged to love it's owner, but must help in time of need.
    
14. Sometimes everyone has the right to be unaware of their duties.
15. Everyone has the right to be in doubt, but this is not an obligation.
16. Everyone has the right to be happy.
17. Everyone has the right to be unhappy.
18. Everyone has the right to be silent.
19. Everyone has the right to have faith.
20. No one has the right to violence.
21. Everyone has the right to appreciate their unimportance.
22. No one has the right to have a design on eternity.
23. Everyone has the right to understand.
24. Everyone has the right to understand nothing.
25. Everyone has the right to be of any nationality.
26. Everyone has the right to celebrate or not celebrate their birthday.
27. Everyone shall remember their name.
28. Everyone may share what they possess.
29. No one can share what they do not possess.
30. Everyone has the right to have brothers, sisters and parents.
31. Everyone may be independent.
32. Everyone is responsible for their freedom.
33. Everyone has the right to cry.
34. Everyone has the right to be misunderstood.
35. No one has the right to make another person guilty.
36. Everyone has the right to be individual.
37. Everyone has the right to have no rights.
38. Everyone has the right not to be afraid.
39. Do not defeat.
40. Do not fight back.
41. Do not surrender.

I should mention that Uzupio is more home to drunks and vagabonds than artists and true bohemians these days, but the feeling is still there. They also have some awesome stencil graffiti! My personal favorite: "Don't watch porn. Use your imagination!".