Vilnius: Frozen Lens and Chaotic Streets
so i roll into vilnius with my *camera gear looking like a walking hardware store, and the first thing that hits me? the air. it’s this thick, soupy cold that wraps around your bones like wet wool. i just checked the weather and it’s…you know, that kind that makes your nostrils freeze when you breathe too deep. hope you like that kind of thing.
the old town is basically a maze of cobblestone and frustration, perfect for getting lost in. someone told me that if you find the secret alley behind the cathedral, there’s a hidden mural that changes when it rains. sounded like drunk advice until i saw it-this insane kinetic art that morphs in the damp. also heard the street food near the train station is legendary if you can stomach questionable hygiene.
if you start getting cabin fever, the next town over is like, a car ride away. i mean, kaunas is basically your backyard if you’re into brutalist architecture and Soviet ghosts.
speaking of ghosts, the hill of crosses is a 40-minute bus ride through countryside that feels like stepping into a tim burton film. seriously, thousands of crucifixes in the wind-creepy but oddly therapeutic for a broken tripod situation.
pro tip: skip the hot air balloons. overpriced and they cancel if the humidity hits 100%, which it does here like clockwork. instead, wander the neris river at dawn when the mist rolls in-best light you’ll ever see, even if your fingers turn into popsicles.
for real talk, check out this yelp thread on hole-in-the-wall bars or tripadvisor’s vilnius gallery guide if you need art fixes. the city’s tourism board actually has decent maps too.
and yeah, i got a local warning* about the cat café charging extra for ‘emootional support’-which, fair.
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