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Vilnius 2017
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Gediminas' Tower overlooks the old and the new parts of Vilnius.
If you are feeling lazy, you catch catch the funicular which will take you to the top of the hill, but I joined a throng of young tourists who walked up to Gediminas' Tower.
A view from the Tower of the Neris River and the new town of Vilnius.
On the right of this photo is the Roman Catholic Cathedral of Vilnius. To the left of the Cathedral we see its bell tower.

During the Soviet period, the Cathedral was used as a warehouse, and it was only fully restored as a cathedral in 1989.

The Chapel of Saint Casimir in the Cathedral.
The Cathedral organ.
It is delightful to walk around the Old Town of Vilnius. There is always something interesting to see at every corner.
St Anne's Church is a Roman Catholic Church in the Old Town. It was built in 1495 - 1500, and the exterior has remained as it was centuries ago.

In 1987, the Lithuanian Freedom League held a rally here to protest against the Soviet occupation, which was a remarkably brave thing to do at the time.

This is the Holy Mother of God Church in the Old Town. It is a Russian Orthodox church.
Interior of the Holy Mother of God Church.
The Church of All Saints in the Old Town. It is attached to a Carmelite Monastery.
This is the interior of the Church of All Saints in the Old Town. It is a lovely example of Late Baroque design.
Pilies Street is a lively area with cafes, restaurants and bookshops. Buskers enjoy playing here.
The tame sparrows get well fed on Pilies Street.
The Gates of Dawn. This is the sole surviving gate of the old defensive walls around Vilnius.

The famous icon of the Black Madonna is housed above the gateway behind the large glass window.

The Black Madonna of the Gates of Dawn.
I caught a 45 minute bus ride to Trakai, which is 28 kilometres West of Vilnius. There are about 200 lakes in this area and much of it is now designated as a National Park.

In the distance, you can see Trakai Castle.

Trakai Castle is built on an island and is connected to the mainland by two bridges.
An inner courtyard of the Castle.
The bus station at Trakai was a fair distance away from the Castle but it was a most pleasant walk along the lakes towards it.
This was a typical example of the traditional wooden buildings of Lithuania.
Back in Vilnius, after my sojourn in Trakai, I just enjoyed walking around the Old Town, exploring a few of the back streets.
A photo shoot of the model on the left was about to commence.
And its goodbye to Vilnius.
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