I decided to bumble around Vilnius for the day, the last of the three Baltic capital cities on the tour. It has been raining off and on all day and I don't fancy riding in that. The old town is positively stuffed with churches of all persuasions and it seems that many of them at some time have been Catholic, Lutheran, Orthodox, used as grain stores or even a 'Museum of Atheism'. The place is an orgy of baroque. Apparently pre WWII, it was even more so. If overdecorated churches is your thing, this is a place to see.
The old town itself doesn't have anything as much party life going on as Riga or Tallinn. It is a lot more laid back and 'european'. The other two have lots of pubs, taverns and night clubs. Vilnius has a more easygoing cafe feel to it. Not the place I would pick for a wild night on the town but still good fun. What it does have is 'high culture'.....theatres, three full size orchestras and a couple of smaller ones. 
Heard of the 'Free Hugs' idea? If not, look it up on youtube or google. These kids were wandering round the centre today offering them to any takers. I had it in my head that it started in Australia....but they seemed convinced that it was a Japanese thing. Anyhow, I felt a bit awkward as they were so young so I just took the pic.
Later, I went to visit the ex KGB HQ. Part of it has been converted to a Museum telling the story of the horrors carried out in Lithuania by both Nazis and Soviets. In the basement is a prison which was in regular use up till independence. Some of the cells have been preserved in their pre 1991 state and include soundproof torture chamber, water torture room, isolation cells and execution chamber. Approximately 1000 people were shot in the basement between 1944 and 1991. The names of some of them are engraved on the granite stones of the walls on the outside. What is really weird is the casual nature of the official correspondence about the executions and disposal of the bodies in hidden graves around the city.
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