Saturday, August 15, 2009

DAY 37 EUROPE TRIP - LITHUANIA – trip to Mosedis

22 June 2009

DAY 37 EUROPE TRIP
LITHUANIA – trip to Mosedis

Whilst exploring the countryside today we made our way to my cousin’s place near Mosedis.

We travelled alongside the Nemunas River and finally crossed it near Jubarkas to go north.


We met a horse and buggy as well as cars as we travelled north west via Šilale, Varniai, Telšiai.

We stopped at one forest and came across these beautiful purple and yellow flowers.

We stopped to explore Jomantų forest. The walking path here was very interesting and different from the others we had been on. There were various sections to it. 6% of the forest is swamp land. Each section had its own characterisitics. Interesting scultures lined one section of the path.



This led onto a section where all the trees were labelled and information was provided on the uses of the wood of eaach type of tree and shrub. There was also information provided on where you planted certain trees on your property in order to ensure that your home was protected from the bad spirits. For example an oak had to be planted in a place of honour eg highest spot, whilst fir trees should not be planted in the vicinity of the homestead as they had the charactersti of weakness .

A Samogitian Skrabalas instrument was erected in an interconnecting clearing between different sections.

The path continued through an obstacle section and there is always someone who is still a kid at heart who has to try it all out.



An interesting carving from a fallen log along the way.

The final leg of the walk was through the bird houses in trees.

At the end of the path was ‚Zuikiu mokykla‘ (Hare School) where one had to demonstrate how well they had absorbed the information along the way by answering questions on the board. I think we failed dismally as lots of little detail we had ignored along the way.

These walks through forests, nature parks are truly worth stopping for. A pity that not all paths have bilingual signage but I am sure that will come in time. As we spoke the language it was not a problem for us. The countryside seemed to alternate between forests

farms,

villages, townships with their church or chapel steeples.

At Plateliai we stopped to explore the well known lake with its islands.

In the park of the old manor grows what is referred to as the Ash Tree Witch.

Finally we got to my cousins place. They were very busy getting ready for the party next day to celebrate her husband’s 50th birthday and the summer solstice. They met us very warmly and she had not forgotten to make the promised cheese for my husband and the wasp honey. We couldn’t get over the changes they had made to their place since we were last here seven years ago.

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