Episode 3So we continued on our way. We saw our first Storks nest while still in Germany. Then we crossed into Poland just outside Stiau, this is a 3 borders area with the Czech Republic border just to the south of the town. Just inside the Polish border there were lots of market stalls selling mostly fruit and veggies for Euros. They could possibly have been cheaper there than in Germany, however, as we didn’t need anything we didn’t stop. Soon we crossed into the Czech Republic but only for about 30k’s or so and didn’t stop. The only indication that you are crossing a border at these minor crossings is the big sign showing the European Union flag and a sign showing the speed limits for highways, regular roads, and towns and villages in the country you have just entered. At some places the old border post buildings are still there, just abandoned.It is all much the same as what we had been seeing. Far fewer solar panels on buildings, likewise for the wind turbines, still there are some of both and we did see a few solar farms as we crossed Poland. We passed through Legnica but circled around Wroclaw in heavy late afternoon traffic. We had though of going into the city for a look, then decided against it. Mainly it was open farmland with cereal cops, some rape (in flower) as we crossed this quite flat central part of Poland. In fact most of Poland is fairly flat. As we neared Lodz we came into an area of orchards, apples mainly, or at least that’s what my lot think they were, with the trees loaded with small fruit. Also areas of small crops predominately potatoes in various stage, some already in flower while later plantings are just up. Similar crops continued almost to Olsztyn. We had spent a wile in Olsztyn last year looking for something or other for the car and recognised the places we’d been. From here on there are lots more lakes, this part of Poland is the lakes district, and there seems to be a pond in very field with many large lakes. many of these lakes are interconnected with canals and boating is a popular pastime. Many of the vessels in the numerous small marinas are sailing vessels and some of them are quite large. They wouldn’t look out of place in the middle of the Pacific, but do look a bit ‘over the top’ on even a very large lake in Poland. Perhaps they like to sit out in the middle and dream about sailing across the Pacific. My lot were taking their time for a change, in the past we have often belted across Poland in a rush, however, this time we could take it more leisurely so we spent a couple of days meandering through this lakes area. One pretty little town we stopped in was Keszyn. It had a really pretty Greek Catholic church and a large red brick Basilica that seemed to have some link to Pope John Paul 2nd. Perhaps it was just a visit but my lot got the impression he may have served here at some time early on in his priesthood. Mostly it was bright an sunny but not particularly warm, we also had rain showers most days. The mozzies are out in force in places, and my lot have started to get ticks where-ever they brush past grass.Poland still uses its own currency the Polish Zloty, and although people earn much less in Poland it doesn’t seem to be significantly cheaper. Diesel is a little, but most groceries we bought didn’t seem much different. Similar can be said for Lithuania and Latvia, as we’ve found out when we passed through them.Next we crossed into Lithuania and took a scenic route south to Druskininkai near the Belarus border, then northward again following this route to Vilnius. Really it didn’t seem much different to our usual route. The only thing was we came across a high tower that offered a scenic lookout over a lake and the countryside. The one thing that strikes L after entering Lithuania from Poland is how much less populated it is. Although still predominately Roman Catholic, there seems to be far fewer people per sq kilometre. Like Poland there is still lots of forest, in fact my lot are always amazed at how much forest there is in Germany too, although you don’t see a lot from the motorways you do see a lot when travelling the minor roads. Lots of logging is going on in all these countries and one wonder just how sustainable this can be but still we see plenty of mature forest too, so perhaps it is well managed. We also continued to see storks nest mostly atop light posts, but whereas years ago their nests were on every available light post, chimney top or any other type of high post now we only see one or two per village and an odd few out in the countryside. Haven’t seen any chicks yet. When we got to Vilnius, seeing that it was a Saturday and traffic was light, we spent a few hours in the city having a look about. This was my first visit to Vilnius but my lot had been here back in 2006, not that they remembered any sights from that time, didn’t recognise a thing so they claim.In the central part of the old city there are a good many churches. Most are Roman Catholic, but there are others too. One of special significance has a painting called the ‘Mother of Mercy”, it sits in a room directly above the only existing old city gate. It can be seen quite clearly from the road as you approach that gate from the city side. This painting is of extreme religious significance to many people and the faithful gather all around it singing and praying while an endless stream of camera clicking tourists hustle in, some pushing and shoving in order to get a better view and photo, before exiting in a similar manner. Such behaviour wouldn’t be tolerated in many places.Apart from the churches we also had a look inside the Townhall. There was some Czech trade fair going on there and anyone could go in. The interior had a staircase and columns of grey marble. This building stood on the uphill end of a fairly large square with other lovely building around. In fact there are many lovely old buildings around this city, mostly dating from the 19th century. The palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania and the Cathedral/Basilica, both large white painted buildings sit side by side, with a orange brick tower stuck on top of a man made hill beside the palace. On the Palace wall there is a working sundial that is accurate in real time, not artificially adjusted ‘summer time’. After a few hours of walking around here D was completely knackered, he really can’t seem to do much at all these days. Anyway, we headed back to the car and then found a shopping centre on the outskirts of town where there was a Mcdonald’s where L could use the internet and catch up with stuff such as posting my all important blog, the previous episode to this and photos to go with it. There was some choice words mumbled by L as she tried to load the photos for that blog, that took more than 2 hours, the staff in the shop must have though she had taken root there as she was there for about 3 hours, during which time D was mostly asleep in the car. I was resting too:After leaving Vilnius we headed north through Lithuania on the minor routes we usually follow and passed through the Lakes district of northern Lithuania before crossing into Latvia. Again following minor roads we were to the east of Daugavpils with only 130 k’s to go to the Russian border when the car suddenly overheated. Initial investigation saw water pouring out of the radiator, but the cause took a good while to find. Eventually, D found that a blade had broken off the new fan, only fitted weeks ago, and had put big holes in the radiator. Fortunately we carry some epoxy. What did people do without this stuff: Once D had got the fan off, and out of the way he then plugged the holes with epoxy. It took quite a lot of water to check that he had plugged all the holes. Fortunately someone local had come across us and brought us back some more water so that we could put a reasonable amount in the radiator, then we made our way towards Daugavpils where D would try and get a new fan. He is hoping that the epoxy will do the job of plugging the holes in the radiator for some time to come. After all, the ford F 250 at home had the radiator plugged with just such stuff for 20 years as my lot used it to tow their food canteen around Queensland. So we spent a day in Daugvapils Latvia waiting for a new fan to come. It is a pleasant enough place to spend some time. This is the 2nd largest city in Latvia with a population of around 108,000, so not huge. A long pedestrian mall runs through the old heart of the city and it’s a pleasant place to stroll along, Plenty of cafes and restaurants, the post office and a tourist information, that is always handy for us travellers.Away from the centre somewhat is an old fortress that dates back a couple of hundred years, so not real old. When we visited it I made a new friend, Carolina who took a real shine to me, as i did to her too. She works in the Tourist info office that is located in the former water pump house that dates from about 1866 or so. The old water tank is still in the loft, it held around 36,000 lt of water that was pumped from the river. There was up to 3000 personal here plus horses that all needed to use water, albeit not at the same rate a modern 21st century society uses it fortunately, but still they would have used quite a significant amount daily so it would have needed to be refilled frequently. The pump house also houses a small museum of artefacts found within the old fortress during restoration.Most of the other buildings within the fortress complex have been put to other uses, some are apartments now, and one houses an art gallery. Around the outside of the fort was a moat fed from a small lake, and outside that an embankment to stop the fort from flooding when the river that it stood beside flooded. The embankment still serves that purpose.On a small rise just outside the city centre sits three churches almost side by side. The Ordtodox Church with its gold domes, then across a busy main road is the red brick Lutheran church, and a little bit further up the slope another large white church, that L thinks is a catholic church. Only the Orthodox one was open when we visited. It has the usual elaborate Iconastasis:We found the shot tower that we’d been told we could got to the top of for a view over the town, however, it appeared to be shut up and even abandoned when we found it.The following morning D went and collected the new fan that came right on time and fitted it right there in the carpark where we’d parked. Then we were on our way again, and this time we actually got to the border without any more mishaps.Took us somewhat over two hours to get across with the Latvians always wanting some paper, a different one each time, to do with the car that David can’t find. This time they wanted the insurance paper that D only had on the internet. Last year it was the MOT certificate. When we use other crossing points we don’t have this problem, its just Latvia.As soon as we were across we found the same place, but different lady, and bought insurance for Russia, then we headed off up the road towards Moscow before turning towards Pskov and St Petersburg.© Lynette Regan May 24th 2016