A different kind of white house

The Lithuanian State Flag (left) and the Flag of the President of the Republic of Lithuania (right)

Thanks to the organizing activities of my daughter's school, my family and I were able to join an English-language guided tour of the Presidential Palace today (Sunday), which should explain the above photograph. The palace building is a ten minute-walk from our apartment building:

The history of the Presidential Palace goes all the way back to the late 14th century, when the site was donated to the Vilnius Diocese by Grand Duke Jogaila and a palace for bishops was constructed. Napoleon used the palace in 1812 during his invasion of Russia, and was in turn used by Mikhail Kutuzov, the Russian general chasing him back to Paris. The present building is an 1824-1834 reconstruction in the Russian Empire style, apt since Lithuania had lost in its independence by that point. During the Soviet occupation, the building was used first as a Military Officers' Center and then as an Artists' Center, playing host to dances and cultural events. Following the restoration of the country's independence in 1990-1, the palace became of the official seat of the President of Lithuania in 1997. The current occupant is Dalia Grybauskaitė, who was first elected to the office in 2009, and then won a second term in 2014, becoming the first president to win back-to-back elections. Unlike the White House, the Presidential Palace does not serve as a residence, due to security reasons; the building sits in central Old Town, adjacent to Vilnius University.

And unlike the White House, it's very accessible to the public. Our tour guide took us to see several rooms, including the president's office, but only in the large reception hall were photos permitted. So I took advantage of the limited window of opportunity:

 The view from one of the windows

 The president's Christmas tree is somewhat larger than ours (see below)

At the conclusion of the tour, we went outside and had our picture taken with two soldiers in medieval uniforms who keep a one-hour guard following the Flag Replacement Ceremony, which takes place every Sunday at noon in Daukanto Square in front of the palace. I haven't had a chance to witness the ceremony yet, but there's still time:

The sight of the presidential flag flying from the roof of the palace indicates that the president is somewhere in Vilnius:

One hour up, and time for the guards to leave. Which they did, marching to a small van parked at the end of the palace and then driving away:

The tour of the Presidential Palace was the highlight of the weekend, at least for me, but it wasn't the only thing we've done during the past few days. Last Sunday we purchased a real, albeit small, Christmas tree and set it up in the living room a couple of nights later. The lights later stopped working, however, and as I can't be bothered to work out why this happened or to restring the tree with new lights, the atmosphere is going to be a little darker this year compared with the past:

My daughter poses with a politically-dubious figure standing outside the Brazilian restaurant where we lunched on Saturday:

The large Christmas tree in the atrium of the Panorama leisure and shopping center, where the above-mentioned Brazilian buffet is located:

A strange light shines from one of the spires of the supposedly-disused St. Catherine's Church on Saturday night, as viewed through the snowfall from one of our living-room windows:

Amber enjoyed Sunday's tour of the Presidential Palace, but she had even more fun trying to catch snowflakes with her tongue as we walked the streets of Old Town afterward:

L. Stuokos-Gucevičiaus square:

Lunching on Sunday at The Old Green House:

My wife purchases a seasonally-themed candle holder at the Christmas village being held in Cathedral Square:

Walking through a winter wonderland on the way home Sunday afternoon:

The Dark Side of a White Winter

The view looking down Trakų gatvė and toward the Three Crosses

When she first learned that we would be going to Lithuania, my wife was...perplexed, in that she had never heard of the country and no idea of its location. Once she had found 立陶宛 (Lìtáowǎn) on a map and had learned of the long, cold and gray winters in the Baltics, Shu-E proclaimed that she was looking forward to spending the next couple of years in Vilnius. Like many Taiwanese, the idea of snow fascinates her (Hokkaidō 北海道 in winter is a popular tourist destination for Taiwanese tourists), and she is looking forward to a white Christmas.

I, on the other hand, am somewhat warier. Yes, I was excited when it snowed in Japan or in the Washington, D.C. area, but those snowfalls were relatively brief. Vilnius is different, however. It isn't even officially winter yet, but snow covers the ground and the temperatures are falling below freezing. True, our apartment is well-heated and for the most part I'm adequately dressed for the weather. However, icy surfaces are a serious problem here. I've slipped on sidewalks a couple of times already, the last time being earlier this week in which my wrists, tailbone and back are still feeling sore. Just in time, an order I'd placed through Amazon for Yaktrax finally arrived and this weekend was the first opportunity to put them to the test. I'm not prepared to turn into an unpaid shill for a commercial product - let's just say that so far I've managed to remain upright. Stay tuned as winter approaches...

Appropriately enough outside the Lithuanian Ministry of Defense, my daughter prepares a weapon of mass destruction:

Stopping in to check out what was on offer at the International Women's Association of Vilnius Christmas Bazaar, held in the former Town Hall. Dense crowds and a lack of small bills and change prevented us from purchasing anything:

The Gates of Dawn (Aušros Vartai) is the last-remaining of five openings that were built into the Vilnius city walls in the early 16th-century. You can still see the round openings that were used for cannons:

Sitting above the Gates of Dawn is the Chapel of the Gates of Dawn, which dates from 1829. It's also known as the Gate of Dawn Chapel of Mary the Mother of Mercy, and holds the Madonna of the Gates of Dawn (c. 1620), a venerated painting of the Virgin Mary among Catholic, Orthodox and Uniate (Greek Catholic) pilgrims. I've visited it a couple of times, and of both occasions people were kneeling on the floor and fervently praying in front of the revered image. Photography isn't allowed, so I've cropped the photo below to get a closer view of the painting (as well as lifting a photo from Google Images):

http://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-our-lady-of-the-gate-of-dawn-in-the-chapel-of-the-gate-of-dawn-vilnius-82520880.html

Doing some early Christmas shopping at Aukso Avis, a gallery on Pilies gatvė opened by Vilnius fashion designer Julija Žilėniene. What and for whom shall remain a secret:

Pilies gatvė at around four in the afternoon. Notice how early it gets dark here this time of year:

The Christmas village in Cathedral Square, which opened on November 26 and runs until December 29:

Gedimino prospektas lit up in the late afternoon:

Amber sits on a giant pea pod while an enormous red dress hangs from the rafters in the background at the Gedimino 9 shopping center. You can't make this stuff up:

On Sunday evening, Amber and I returned to the Christmas village in Cathedral Square, this time with Shu-E in tow. We made sure to wear the long underwear in addition to the yaktrax as the temperature was hovering at around -7°C (19°F):

A Czech beer with dinner at Asia Tasty:

Ordering and then eating a caramel pancake at the Christmas village:

Enjoying a Taiwanese-style hot milk tea in the cold evening air:

Going Dutch - the final days

The cloister garden of Sint Servaasbasiliek

We left Giethoorn in the morning of Thanksgiving, but not before one last quick look at this charming village and its waterways:

My daughter waits in the cold morning air for the bus to Steenwijk railway station:

After a 3½-hour+ train ride, we arrived at our next destination, the historic city of Maastricht, tucked away in the southeastern corner of the Netherlands, and immediately checked into the Kaboom Hotel. As my friend Jeff put it, the hotel looks like it was designed by college students; I figured it was the result of some hipsters given free reign, while Amber figured it was all dreamed up by some kids. Whatever the origins, the design concept is a success, as the rooms are both minimalist and comfortable. And each guest gets a free packet of Pop Rocks!:

With my wife deciding to rest in the hotel room, my daughter and I set out to explore the neighborhood, crossing the Maas river:

Our feet led us to the Vrijthof, a large square of cafes and shops (and a Christmas funfair in the process of being assembled), and dominated by the Sint Servaasbasiliek church. The origins of this shrine to St. Servatius, the first bishop of Maastricht, date back to 1000:

Admission into the church (like many attractions in the Netherlands, it was free for Amber to enter) allowed us to see the cloister garden...:

...as well as the medieval gold artwork exhibited in the Treasury:

Colorful archway:

The interior of Sint Servaasbasiliek:

The side entrance:

Amber munches on some churros in the Vrijthof:

We returned to the Kaboom Hotel and met our friends Jeff and Barbara in the lobby, who had taken the train from their home in Belgium to meet us for dinner. We dined that evening at Harry's, a local institution since 1912. Though it was Thanksgiving in the United States, here in Europe it was just another fourth Thursday in November - turkey wasn't on the menu, so I ordered the venison stew, which could be the start of a new tradition:

I have a lot to be grateful for in life. One of them is having good friends to spend time with over a fine meal:

Jeff and Barbara spent the night at the Kaboom Hotel, and the next morning I met them for breakfast before they had to return to Belgium. Afterward, Amber, Shu-E and I walked over to the Markt, the commercial heart of Maastricht:

Jean-Pierre Minckelers, the inventor of the gaslight. Apparently, the "eternal burning flame" isn't so eternal:

Amber samples some cheese at the market:

Taking a coffee break:

The day was one of mild disappointment - I'd wanted to go to Fort Sint Pieter to see the tunnels there. The problem was is that visits are by guided tour only, and the only English tour of the day is at 12:30. We would've made it with time to spare, but I missed the street where we were supposed to have turned left; by the time I realized the mistake, it was too late. Such is life, so we had lunch at a small Italian restaurant and then stopped by the Onze Lieve Vrouwebasiliek church to pay our respects at the Mary Star of the Sea shrine inside, which has been drawing in pilgrims for more than 300 years:

We spent the rest of the afternoon window-shopping:

Inside the train station in Maastricht is a piano asking to be played. This gentleman took up the offer:

Our trip to the Netherlands ended with an evening train ride to Schiphol Airport, where we stayed the night at a nearby hotel before leaving the next morning to return to Vilnius. We had a great time in the Netherlands - I would like to explore more of Amsterdam, while Shu-E preferred Maastricht. Both of us loved Giethoorn, though we had the advantage of visiting during the off-season. Amber took an interest in art of the Dutch Golden Age, but her favorite place had to have been the Kaboom Hotel. And, of course, there was the opportunity to meet up with old friends, and the hope that they will come see us in Vilnius in the time we have left in Lithuania. A lot of Dutch treats in a short period of time.

A Brand Brewery IPA. It certainly wasn't Heineken

Modeling a souvenir (and showing off a gut) back home in Vilnius

Sentiments which I do not share (I just thought it was a funny moment from an otherwise pedestrian film):