The Lithuanian flag, Vilnius.
A side street in Old Town, Vilnius.
Old Town as seen from the Higher Castle, Vilnius.
Old Town as seen from the Higher Castle, Vilnius.
Looking down on the (under renovation) Arkikatedra from the Higher Castle, Vilnius.
The Arkikatedra (under renovation), Vilnius.
Looking down on the (re)construction of the Palace from the Higher Castle, Vilnius.
The reconstruction of the Palace, Vilnius.
The Gates of Dawn, Vilnius. This gate served as one of the original entrances to the town of Vilnius and now separates the Old Town from the (more) modern city.
The Gates of Dawn as seen from inside the Old Town, Vilnius.
The Presidential Palace, Vilnius. Originally built for a bishop in the 14th century, Tsar Alexander I and Napoleon Bonaparte also slept here.
The University of Vilnius.
Sv Mikalojaus Cerkve (St. Nicholas Church), Vilnius - an Eastern Orthodox church.
Another angle on St. Nicholas Church, Vilnius.
Skaisciausios Dievo Motinos Cerkve (Church of the Holy Mother of God), Vilnius - another Eastern Orthodox church. At one point, this served as an academic building for the university before becoming religious once again in the 1860s.
Another view of the Church of the Holy Mother of God, Vilnius.
Yet another view of the Church of the Holy Mother of God, Vilnius.
The Town Hall, Vilnius - as you can see, the city is undergoing major infrastructural improvements.
Even in the midst of Old Town, Vilnius, one can find the newly renovated side by side with the desperately-in-need-of-renovation.
The Higher Castle hill, Vilnius.
Higher Castle hill, Vilnius.
The Higher Castle, Vilnius.
A view of the Higher Castle from below, Vilnius.
A view of the Higher Castle and beyond from the Hill of 3 Crosses, Vilnius.
A very slightly different view of Higher Castle hill from the Hill of 3 Crosses, Vilnius - on the horizon, you can see Soviet era housing blocks.
Hill of 3 Crosses, Vilnius.
The National Theatre, Vilnius.
Statue of Grand Duke Gediminas, founder of the city of Vilnius.
The statue of Lithuania's one and only ever king Mindaugas, outside of the National Museum, Vilnius.
Across the street from the National Museum is this unrenovated building, Vilnius.
An old house along the Neris river, Vilnius.
A view along the Neris river from the Higher Castle, Vilnius.
A view along the Neris river from the Higher Castle, Vilnius.
The swollen Neris river, Vilnius.
Along the Neris river, Vilnius.
Along the Neris river, Vilnius.
A bridge over the Neris river, Vilnius.
Zaliasis Tiltas (the green bridge), Vilnius.
The agriculture statue on the green bridge, Vilnius.
The construction and industry statue on the green bridge, Vilnius.
The peace statue on the green bridge, Vilnius.
Statue of "that old Soviet chestnut" Youth on the green bridge, Vilnius.
The building that housed the KGB (and its prison) during the Soviet era, Vilnius - it's amazing to compare how beautiful this building looks and the evil history it has.
The wall of the former KGB building, Vilnius - it honors those that did not survive imprisonment (or deportation) from the prison.
A memorial for those that suffered under the Soviet occupation, Vilnius.
A view over Old Town and into Uzopis from the Higher Castle, Vilnius.
Along the Vilnia river, Vilnius - the river divides the Old Town from the artistic community of Uzopis, amongst other things.
Welcome to Uzopis, Vilnius.
The Uzopis constitution, Vilnius.
Uzopis, Vilnius - one of the smellier (in a not-so-good way) places on my travels.
Uzopis, Vilnius.
The Uzopis angel, Vilnius.
Stebuklas ("Miracle"), Vilnius - this stone marks where one end of the human chain, formed in 1989 from Lithuania to Estonia to protest the occupation, started. It grants wishes if you stand on it, declare your wish quietly and turn 360 degrees.
Spanish speakers probably get a kick out of this company - building on the Neris river, Vilnius. This is something akin to Skoda autos, because "Skoda" means "shame" or "pity".
Frank Zappa memorial, Vilnius.
God bless the proliferation of American mass culture - sidestreet, Vilnius.
A sign at the rest stop between Vilnius, Lithuania and Riga, Latvia.
The rest stop between Vilnius, Lithuania and Riga, Latvia.
The rest stop between Vilnius, Lithuania and Riga, Latvia.
The rest stop between Vilnius and Riga was more or less a zoo.
A bear at the rest stop between Vilnius, Lithuania and Riga, Latvia.
The bears' enclosure - there were 2 bears in a small enclosure, to be precise. Somewhere between Vilnius, Lithuania and Riga, Latvia.