Lithuania > Getting to know Vilnius

According to teletext, it’s a busy weekend at Schiphol. This proves to be true. As we enter the departure hall, travelers swarm past each other, searching for the correct counter. Unfortunately, it doesn’t make much difference that we’ve already checked in at home. The line for baggage drop-off is just as long. It takes over forty-five minutes just to hand in our luggage. After that, we quickly join one of the long lines at customs. Fortunately, this line moves along reasonably quickly, and we make our way to the gate. Just before boarding, we arrive at gate B23. The plane itself has just reached the gate. With a slight delay, we take off for Frankfurt. The transfer to Vilnius goes smoothly. At the Frankfurt airport, we meet most of the other travelers. Shortly after seven, we approach Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania. From the air, I can clearly see the city. The plane makes a wide turn around the city and, to my sense, flies quite close over the suburbs of Vilnius.

Lithuania - View over the Neris River in Vilnius

A little later, the wheels touch down, and applause breaks out in the back of the plane. To my surprise, I simply walk out of the arrival hall with my luggage—no customs formalities, no stamp. A bit of a shame, as I had expected the last pages of my passport to fill up on this trip. But the Baltic States are part of the European Union. In just over half an hour, we reach the hotel in the city center by bus. The streets are remarkably quiet for a Saturday evening. The wide roads lie almost deserted, allowing the driver to navigate smoothly through the city. Along the way, I catch glimpses of Vilnius’s old town, the castle, and the modern high-rises on the other side of the Neris River. Vilnius has about 600,000 inhabitants. Most of the sights are located in the old town around the square by the Cathedral. The hotel is just across the river, about a 20-minute walk from the center. In the evening, we walk into the city center to have dinner with the whole group—a nice way to get to know everyone. Since it’s late, I opt for a simple salad. Near the hotel, just after midnight, we have a beer to finish the night.