%ft%s4%cr%bThe most euroenthusiastic city? and other Kaunas, Lithuania Local Custom Tips

A DAY BEFORE ELECTION TO

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

I was in Kaunas just before the election to the European Parliament (13th June 2004), the first in which Lithuanians took part just after joining European Union on 1 May 2004. No wonder that I could see many election posters, flags etc., like on my picture, both in Kaunas and in other cities and towns throughout Lithuania.

Lithuanians elected 13 of 732 members of European Parliament and with the turnout of 48.2% they were more politicaly active than say Polish people with only 20.42%. Well, Lithuanians were the most enthusiastic for European Union among 15 new EU members - over 91% of them voted for joining EU, in city of Kaunas the most in Lithuania, almost 95% - results here. Is Lithuania a country of euroenthusiasts? Is Kaunas the most euroenthusiastic city in Europe? We will see... in a few years...

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Website: http://www.vrk.lt/2003/referendumas/rezultatai/rez_e_16.htm

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Local Customs: Leave your shoes here, please

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Written by matcrazy1

on Sep 8, 2004

LEAVE YOUR SHOES HERE, PLEASE

When we entered little mosque in Kaunas we were asked to take our shoes off and to leave them at these shelves, on my picture, placed in a vestibule. Well, it was rather not Kaunas local costume but muslim mosque's custom.

But not exclusively, whenever you visit any local at home or apartment take your shoes off when you enter even if you are not asked to do it. Mostly slippers will be offered for you or... you - as a special guest - will be allowed to enter with shoes on.

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Local Customs: Telephone booths/boxes

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Written by matcrazy1

on Sep 8, 2004

KAUNAS TELEPHONE BOOTH/BOX

This telephone booth/box, on my picture, was located at the northern side of Town Hall Square (Rotuses aikste). I found quite many similar, red or brown, public phones (always for telephone cards) around both the Old Town and the New Town of Kaunas; well, not as many as in say Berlin (visited in February 2004) or esp. in US cities.

They were good example of beautiful, new and modern, Kaunas small architecture. Am I wrong?

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Local Customs: In not so old past...

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Written by matcrazy1

on Sep 8, 2004

SOVIET STYLE PUBLIC PHONE

I found this public phone for coins, on my picture in... Communications History Museum. Well, they were used during Soviet occupation of Lithuania, till at least 1992.

I remember almost identical public phones from my kiddy times in Poland. Hmm... they were out of use most of the time. Luckily it changed both in Lithuania and Poland. Did it change in deep Russia as well?

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Local Customs: Russian writings?

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Written by matcrazy1

on Sep 8, 2004

RUSSIAN WRITINGS

It WAS local custom in Kaunas, Lithuania and other Soviet republics to put writings in Russian language everywhere. Just one example, on my picture: info on how to use the phone was put exclusively in Russian on a public phone displayed in Communications History Museum now.

Well, in my country, Poland, there were no writings in Russian that time (before 1990). I think that in contrast to Lithuania the Polish nature of Poland (including the language) was never in danger.

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Local Customs: Cameras, alarms, heavy doors, gratings

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Written by matcrazy1

on Sep 8, 2004

CLOSED AND MONITORED :-)

Most small businesses like restaurants, stores/shops were equipped with street cameras, alarms and heavy wooden doors, like on my picture. Add gratings at windows on the ground floor of many houses. Was it casual anti-theft protection or a sign of very high risk of burglary in Kaunas?

Well, I felt in Kaunas as safe as in, say Berlin, Wien or Krakow :-).

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Local Customs: Colorful fences

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Written by matcrazy1

on Sep 8, 2004

GRAFFITI ON FENCES

I found a few old, wooden or brick and neglected fences around yards of local, old apartments buildings. Most of them were luckily painted, like on my picture, in form of colorful graffiti. Well, there were no unpleasant (I mean rude words or so) graffiti in the part of Kaunas I visited (centre/downtown), or I didn't find any.

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Local Customs: Thin and hard napkins

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Written by matcrazy1

on Sep 8, 2004

LITHUANIAN NAPKINS

Excuse, it's more Lithuanian or even Eastern European (Polish as well) than Kaunas local custom. I will transfer this tip to my Lithuania page soon.

They gave us small, white paper napkins (put in this holder, on my picture) in Avilio terasa restaurant. They were very thin and hard compared to those ones in, say, the USA.

Such napkins were common in many, especially inexpensive restaurants throughout Lithuania. Cloth napkins to put on one's lap were available exclusively in the most touristy (and expensive) restaurants.

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Local Customs: The best dark rye Lithuanian bread

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Written by matcrazy1

on Sep 8, 2004

LITHUANIAN BREAD ROLLS

I tasted traditional Lithuanian dark/black bread a few times during my two trips to Lithuania. And I must admit that this one served (bread and rolls) for breakfast in my Minotel Hotel belonged to the best :-). Add here some delicious sweet buns.

Lithuanian dark rye bread (rugine duona) is probably the oldest and surely basic Lithuanian food product. It's said that Lithuanian bread can stay fresh for up to 2-3 weeks when stored in a cool and dry place. Traditionally Lithuanian bread was served with a piece of white cheese, a slice of cucumber put on a slice of bread and with some honey spread on it.

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Website: http://ausis.gf.vu.lt/eka/food/bread.html

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Local Customs: Flag of Kaunas

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Updated by matcrazy1

on Sep 9, 2004

FLAG OF KAUNAS