Kaunas, Lithuania

Kaunas in February feels like a sleepy little town, rather than Lithuania's second largest city. The old town seems empty and even the new town, with its long street of fashion stores and cafes is so quiet for a place of this size. I keep thinking if this was London, the streets would be packed, but Kaunas is nothing like a British city. The people here seem relaxed and go about their daily life with an acceptance of what they have. Some of the buildings are quite run down and many unoccupied, yet the people seem content.

Today it rained a lot, so I made my way to The Devils museum, which had some really imaginative carvings of Lithuanian devils as well as a floor of international exhibits such as Mongolian masks and Bolivian straw dolls. As with everywhere else, I had the museum to myself, apart from the staff, who really should know better than to rustle about behind curtains, in a dimly lit room of devils because it felt a bit spooky. They were working on the display, completely oblivious to the macabre situation. Most of the depictions were quite sweet but there were a few masks, with hair and teeth that conveyed the horror that was intended.

I would really like to visit Vilnius because I hear its a lot like Kaunas, except that its bigger with more to do and see. They also have a craft market and a lot of art galleries. After seeing the standard of their illustrations and creativity, it sounds like somewhere that I would like to see.