Technically called Grutas Park, this exhibit in the woods, an hour and a half outside Vilnius, houses Soviet relics and statues. There are innumerable statues of Lenin, along with several of Stalin and Marx. Nestled amongst the trees, and meant to simulate a Siberian camp, the park doesn’t put a positive spin on the atrocities committed by the Soviet totalitarians. Instead, it showcases Communist statues and propaganda items, which otherwise would have been destroyed after the fall of the U.S.S.R. Paired with these statues is factual information about the lives lost under the regime.
Vilnius is a city with a sense of humor. It’s classical but full of hipsters. The weather is cold and gray, but the flag represents the sun. Church steeples are used as mobile phone towers. Pagan symbols adorn churches.
Their mayor, tired of people parking in bike lanes, drove a tank over an illegally parked car, posted it on YouTube, and now hands out stickers with the slogan “Don’t make me get the tank!”. He was awarded an “Ig Noble” award from Harvard for this.
There’s even a section of the city that has declared itself an independent republic. Užupis, as this artist inhabited area is called, has its own president, constitution, and flag. Though, It’s a bit tongue in cheek, as their Independence Day is April 1. It sounds like they throw raging parties to celebrate, even making beer flow from a public water fountain one year.
The birthplace of Hannibal Lecter, Lithuania is a beautiful, surprisingly flat, quirky country, that feels more Western than Eastern European. We were really impressed with the hospitality, architecture and beer we encountered.