Facts and myths about Lithuanian vodka

The first written account of the word vodka is from the mid 1800s, so despite the fact that the beverage itself probably has been around for a longer period of time, vodka in its current form is a rather recent invention. As indeed are most destilled spirits of strong potency. However, more crudely manufactured destilled beverages have a far longer history.

Home made moonshine is still made in Lithuania, particularly in the countryside, and this beverage is typically somewhat stronger than what can be bought is shops. As most homemade vodkas, its potency varies from 40 to 96 percent, depending on the manufacturers motives. Purity does however not alone make great taste, as anyone who has ever tasted 96% pure vodka will agree.

Many Lithuanians are for good reason proud of their national tradition when it comes to vodka production. Some are even so fiercly proud that they have no problems with bending the truth a bit when they fill thirsty visitors inn on their glorious national achievements in the field of vodka making. Here are some claims you are likely to hear:

Lithuanian Auksine vodka

#1 Lithuanians invented vodka

Claims to having invented a technique does however not mean that you are particularly good at it. The chinese for instance invented gunpowder hundreds of years ago, but have yet to develop a decent firearm. Since most scholars agree that the modern term vodka, which is connected to the word water, is a more recent term, the fact that the Lithuanians still use the word for burning when referring to this drink, points in the direction that they might in fact have invented some early type of vodka. Although, this is difficult to prove.

Lithuanian Bajoru vodka

#2 Lithuanian vodka is the worlds` best vodka

This might well be true, even though the entire spectre of qualities are represented in the Lithuanian vodka market - from divine drops to liquids indistinguishable from toxic waste. Speaking for my self, I can at least say that the best vodka I`ve ever had is a Lithuanian brand.  And that Lithuanian vodka is greatly underestimated in comparason to many other internationally known vodka brands. Like for instance the unexpainably popular swedish brand Absolute Vodka, which in comparason tastes more like a chemical for cleaning windows. At least they take vodka seriously in this country, and that is probably why they have so many successful brands.

In my opinion, this is the best Lithuanian vodka

#3 Lithuanians drink massive ammounts of vodka

This is undoubtable true for some, although most Lithuanians walking the streets appear rather sober to me. But there are of course exceptions. Most households do however keep a stash of vodka, since this traditional product has taken on a variety of different uses. From universal heavy-duty cleaning agent and active ingredient in home made cosmetics, to medical supply for both internal and external use. For several diseases it is in fact possible to first drink yourself into symptoms, and then cure yourself using the same vodka - But this time taken externally.

Vodka section in a Lithuanian hardware store

#4 Vodka is available all over in Lithuania

Well, if compared to western societies (and particularly my own), this claim is virtually true.
Vodka can be found in all kinds of shops, from supermarkets to gas stations and even hardware stores. And until recently it was available all night is some shops. EU legislators, however, fail to see the practical purpose of this, so the policies have been somewhat restricted in recent years. But for visitors from more restrictive countries (like Scandinavian countries) this place is still like one big duty free shop, with cheap vodka available everywhere.

Vodka in a plastic cup. Aparently, there is a market for such a product

#5 Public drunkenness is accepted in Lithuania

Just because something occurs, it does not mean that it is accepted. And besides, there is a time and place for everything. Vodka is quite common in Lithuania, but public drunkenness is not that common.  At least not if you want to be taken seriously. And as a tourist you would usually want to be taken seriously, so I recommend to avoid getting pissed in public. Observing this rule will keep you out of a lot of trouble. And PS: Even though it doesn`t seem so, the legal limit for driving under the influence is the same as in the rest of the EU.

Last tips:

• For those of you visiting Lithuania and not taking a fancy to the local vodka - have a beer. Lithuanian beer is far better than its virtually non-existant international reputation.
• For those of you who prefer vodka, have a look at my vodka test for recommendations on which vodka to choose

The Curonian spit in one day

Yes, it is possible, although not advisable. I usually recommend spending more than one day. But then again, sometimes a day is all you have.

The Curonian spit - possible to cover in a day

Assuming that Klaipeda is your base and that you are organizing the excursion yourself, you first of all need transportation. Busses not belonging to tourist parties are few and far between on the spit, so if you didn`t bring your own car you should rent one. Or a motorcycle, if there is only one or two of you.

The Ferry from Klaipeda to the Curonian spit

If driving is not an option, there is a boat route from Klaipeda to the Sea Museum which allows you to visit the northern tip of the spit on foot. This does however not allow you to visit the small fishing villages further south, as they are too far away to reach without transportation.

Set off early. Most of the people going to the Curonian spit come from further away than Klaipeda, so the busiest time on the ferry is not until later in the day. Leaving just after the morning rush in the city is perhaps a good idea. Then keep driving all the way until you reach Nida.

Nida - the place to start

In Nida you will find enough things to do to keep you entertained until it`s time for lunch. Preferably, an early lunch. Have a walk in the village itself and visit a museum or two, like for instance the Thomas Mann museum. A visit to the white dunes is also recommended, but those are outside the village so that you can do on your way back.

The Nida dunes

After walking around for a few hours, you will probably start remembering what products you need from the nearest shop to endure the rest of the day. Like water, suncream, new shoes and similar. Luckily, Nida is the only place on the Curonian spit that has a proper shop, and a visit there might be in order before having luch. The area around the pier has several good places for that purpose, and I recommend a lavish plate of herring. This is a fishing community, after all.

Traditional fishing community architecture in Nida

After dinner, it is time to leave and head north again. Check the white dunes on the way out, and the beach if you have to. Neither should take up too much of your time. The next stop is Preila, only about six kilometers away. Take a quick walk through the village, have a cup of coffe or glas beer (if someone else is driving, that is), and make a quick visit to the beach if you want to.  A visit to the beach usually has no place in a one day program, but if you are hell bent on doing so anyway you should do it in Nida if you want fine sand, or in one of the smaller villages if you want peace and quiet. I recommend the quiet beaches, like the one in Preila.

Preila beach

From Preila you head towards Pervalka, some five kilometers further north. If you`ve wasted time on the beach and is starting to feel hungry again, it`s not a bad idea to eat here. Cold beetroot soup or herring I must recommend once again. Mostly because the best herring I have ever had was served to me in a restaurant in Pervalka. Walk the streets of the village and enjoy the great view of the Curonian lagoon before it is time to get back on the road yet again.

The beach is not bad in Pervalka either

This time for a bit longer drive. About 15 kilometers further north lies the village of Juodkrantė, and there you should spend at least a couple of hours. This place also has a nice beach promenade, and in combination with the expanding sculpture park, it offers good opportunities for a scenic walk. If you are in the mood for food, this is also the place to but smoked fish, which is a local speciality. I recommend smoked eel, although they sell at outrageous prices these days. Probably because they are hard to come by legally in other countries these days.

Having smoked eel in Juodkrante

Don`t speed too much, even though everybody else does, and make sure to make a complete stop at the stop sign by the toll booth. The police here seem to be rather active these days. Also, those paying close attention will have noticed a pattern in my recommendations for the villages on the spit – you should walk through all of them. The reason for this is that walking and observing is how I think time is best spent if you only have one day to visit the Curonian spit. You want to see the place, and not waste time looking through souvenir shops and improvised museums that basically look more or less the same all over the country.

The promenade in Joudkrante

At the end of the day, if there is still time, go to the northernmost point on the spit and enjoy the view to Klaipeda. The Sea museum will probably be closed by then, but if it isn`t it is well worth a visit. If you spend the extra Euros and time on a visit to the dolphinarium, you will not regret it. Although the view is the main point, that and the realization that this is all you would have seen of the Curonian spit had you not rented that car.

What Klaipeda looks like from the tip of the spit

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how you cover the entire Curonian spit in just one a day.

AirInn – the Vilnius airport hotel

What the hell happened to my favorite hotel?!? You leave your favorite hotel unattended for only a year or two, and some inconsiderate capitalists come and ruin it completely. I was recently back to my old “home away from home” in Lithuania – The Skrydis hotel. Only to discover that everything had changed, and in my opinion not to the better. All the details that made staying at this hotel an experience in itself were gone.

One thing that at least hasn`t changed is the short distance to the airport

The old name was gone and replaced with “AirInn”. Some made-up western word devoid of meaning. Why not also call it AirOut? At least that way they could have kept the two counters they had at the time when two hotels shared the same building (a somewhat typical Lithuanian phenomenon). Anyway, the national and for foreigners somewhat misplaced name “Skrydis” was better.

The Airinn lounge today - like any other hotel

The receptionist was gone. This soviet-style older woman with her reassuring uniform and lacking understanding of English nicely reminded visitors that they were indeed in Eastern Europe. Her replacements, the tanned young women with their fluent English, almost make you feel at home, and this to me is not really a big point when I go on holiday. If I had wanted to feel at home, I would have stayed at home. After all, I was already there to begin with.

They even installed a lavish fish tank

The breakfast chef, if I can call him that, was gone. My reluctance to call him a chef is connected to the fact that I somewhat doubt whether he had any formal training at all. And since I am uncertain, I might as well call him a chef. This cheeky young man would jokingly point at me with his knife before taking my order and say “I know you”, before going back to flirting with the bored waitresses and composing a breakfast plate that could insult even a fasting monk. The kitchen staff they have today probably wouldn`t even dream of any such unexpected indiscretions. They seemed mostly preoccupied with preparing food.  

And can you imagine - free Internet access. Back in the good old days we had to fight for our Internet access 

The soviet elevators were gone. These timeless contraptions that were built to last a lifetime, at a time when obesity and intimacy issues must have been rather uncommon, used to be standard in most Lithuanian hotels but are now getting rarer and rarer as the hotels become gradually more westernized. Even this hotel got rid of its old elevator with its indestructible imitated wooden panels and the narrow doorway, which clearly sends the message that: “If you are too fat to squeeze through here, you should probably take the stairs anyway”. Now they have some boring German elevator that takes you to the second floor without reminding you that you are a mere mortal creature whose life can end at any time. I guess that`s what passes for progress these days. Next time I go back I wouldn`t be surprised if the elevator even plays music.

Ever wondered wheter you really pressed the button or not?
This was not an issue in soviet elevators

And last but not least – the low prices are gone. I used to be able to stay in this hotel for 100 Litas, but now they charge virtually the same as western hotels. This is probably due to the fact that the hotel has turned into some kind of wannabe western hotel, but that does not really justify me paying more for a lesser experience. That being said, I still strongly recommend this hotel because of its unbeatable location and the fact that traffic in Vilnius can be a real bitch in the morning. But there is no longer as much of a reason to enjoy your stay as there used to be.

Some highlights from the Vilnius airport hotel, from the time when it was the best hotel deal in the city

What is wrong with you people? Why can`t you leave your cultural heritage alone?

Why go to Lithuania

1. It`s original. The place has a bad reputation as a holiday destination, so not many people go. And those who do only visit a limited area in the capital or a few stops for tour busses. As a consequence, most foreigners who have even been to Lithuania have all seen the same stuff.
2. It`s cheap. At least for now. It used to be even cheaper, but if you mostly buy products that are locally made this is still one of the cheaper destinations in Europe. Eating in restaurants, having your nails done and that type of thing. Hotels have suddenly become rather expensive, but that is hopefully just a temporary thing.
3. It`s underestimated. Lithuania, like most small nations in Europe, can seldom boast to be the best in anything.  This is also true when it comes to what attracts tourists. There is always some other countries that does it bigger, better, cheaper or more spectacular. Lithuania on the other hand can sometimes compete when it comes to “doing it real”, with Rumsiskes and the Curonian spit as a prime examples. This fact is however often overlooked because the rest of the country is neither biggest, best, cheapest or most spectacular.
4. It`s always available. You don`t have to stand in line to visit Lithuania. Most people are in fact heading in the opposite direction. This means that there will not be crowds of other tourists at the various attractions, no problems getting a room in a hotel without having a reservation, and certainly no problem getting a table in a restaurant.
5. And…you`re welcome! Since Lithuania is among the least popular holiday destinations in Europe, you will find that enthusiastic foreign travelers are generally welcome there.
   
   

   

   
   

Many Lithuanians seemingly even hate their own country. Until you criticize it, that is.  

The best hotel in Visaginas

Well, an alternative caption could also be «The only hotel in Visagenas, but since the two are not mutually exclusive I will stick with the original one. Since the entire city has seen better days, this hotel by far covers the entire need for accommodations several times over, and consequently there has not been much interest in establishing competing hotels.

The hotel Aukstaitija - the one and only choice when in Visaginas

The hotel itself is impressive. With its monumental exterior it towers over the city, giving guests staying on the upper floors a great view of a city allegedly consisting exclusively of apartment buildings. Since the city originally was founded as a residential area for the nearby nuclear power plant, it offered a good opportunity for soviet urban planners to demonstrate what a works paradise should look like. And in such a paradise there was of course no need for any such bourgeoisie nonsense as individual houses.

From the upper floors you have an excellent view of the workers paradise

There was however a need for a monumental hotel, and this collectively owned marble was designed to show visitors just how much could be achieved when everyone worked together. And how this could be shared. The common areas of the hotel, such as the lounges, the restaurant and the reception area were all probably rather spectacular in their prime.



Are you one of those people who always complain that hotels never provide you with enough coffe cups, and that they never display them lavishly in ridiculously oversized glas cabinets? Well, in that case the Aukstaitija is the hotel for you. 

One previous visitor has described the hotel as resembling a furniture warehouse, and after visiting myself, I do see his point. The hotel in general and the rooms in particular, are rather lavishly furnished. Mostly with quite large and luxurious furniture, and to such an extent that one almost can suspect that the interiors were done by the same decorator that did Saddam Hussein`s palaces. Take this modest coffee table from my humble room for instance:



One of the more decent hotel interiors I have encountered in Lithuania.

The rooms themselves are also lavishly spaceous, at least the one I stayed in. A large bedroom with a bed that could easily have accommodated even two of the most overweight tourists imaginable, a separate kitchen and dining room for five people, and a (by Lithuanian standards) quite spacious bathroom. There was even a balcony, but that one was mostly for people who either know no fear of heights, people who have a strong belief in the craftsmanship of soviet masons, or people who do not fear death at all. Such as smokers.  

When hotel beds are so large that they even seem too big for two People,
it can sometimes make you wonder...if you are using the correctly?

I basically only have one objection to this hotel – the breakfast menu, or rather the interpretations of that menu by the kitchen staff. They will give you such options as “continental breakfast” and “English breakfast”, and even if you feel that you have a good understanding of what these terms mean – I still suggest that you ask. The answer might surprise you. In my opinion, they would be better off just naming their three breakfast options just “Nr.1, Nr.2 and Nr.3”. That would by the way also be in better keeping with the soviet traditions.




And of course, no classic walnut interior is complete without a boom-box

Seeing as how the city is rather young it has few attractions, but since Lithuania is a small country there is always something interesting in the area. Many people view nature as the main reason to visit this part of the country, while others find the city itself interesting enough. However, whether you are staying for long or just passing through – this hotel is the place to stay. After all…where else?  




If you want to seek urban solitude and find inner urban peace - this is the place to go.
Particularly off season.

The worst hotel in Lithuania

It is now official, everyone can stop searching, I have finally found the worst hotel in Lithuania. And rather surprisingly it is located in what is perhaps the best place in the entire country; the old Curonian fishing village of Juodkrante. For several years I have been spending parts of summers in Juodkrante, in which this hotel in commonly considered the most luxurious. This year we decided to finally try the allegedly luxurious hotel Azuolynas, and it was an utter disappointment.





The Azuolynas hotel in Juodkrante. My biggest disappointment when it comes to Lituanian hotels so far.

This hotel is overpriced by at least 50%. Nowhere near the 130 Euros we spent went in to producing the product we received, and I can only assume that this is due either poor management or cynical owners trying to squeeze as much quick cash from their investment as possible. Service was at times so bad that if a blind man was to visit, he would have no idea that he was in a so-called “luxury hotel”.



The water slide. If you pay them extra they might just put water in it.

The reason for this is that everything seems to be pretend at Azoulynas. They pretend that they speak English, even though they clearly don`t. The “Restaurant pirmininkas” in particular pretends to understand you. You can ask her questions and she will answer you, but the truthfulness is on the level of comical Ali.

They also pretend to have “free Wi-Fi for all hotel guests” at Azuolynas. Well, it was free all right, but signals only reached as far as the lobby and even there they were quite bad. That taken into consideration, a more correct slogan would be “Free Wi-Fi for all guests who are born without concept of time and willing to restrict their internet activities to the lobby area”.







A picture from another Lithuanian hotel that actually manages to deliver decent Internet access

They even pretend that there are TV signals in the cable connected to the TV in your room at Azuolynas, despite the fact that the TV quite clearly states (in English, that is) “No signal”. Instead, they view such incidents as some kind of divine intervention beyond both their control and their responsibility. Dysfunctional TVs are on the other hand not uncommonly defined as the visitors own problem in Lithuania, but not at hotels in this price range.

Not to mention the seemingly insignificant fact that they pretend to have minibars in the rooms at Azuolynas. This is at least the impression you get from pictures advertising rooms on the internet, and in a way this claim is correct – they do have minibars, it`s just that there is nothing in them! And if you are visiting with a small child, who after feeling sick all day and not eating suddenly demands food after 22.00, an equipped minibar can be quite useful. We found ourselves in such a situation at Azuolynas, and quickly learned these facts:

• The minibar is just for show
• The hotel restaurant closes at 22:00, even if the employees claimed it is open until 24:00
• There is no food what so ever on sale anywhere in the village after 22:00
• If you ask the hotel staff for food for your sick and hungry child after 22:00, you will merely be told that breakfast starts at 07:00  

One would think that these staff members are turning away in shame,
 but they are infact just busy ignoring you

In my opinion, this takes lack of service to new heights. There is already an attraction in Lithuania commonly labeled “Stalin land”, but I fear that characteristic is somewhat misplaced. It would be more appropriate for the hotel that deliberately starves its guests. I even had to argue to get my hand on a butter knife from the unfriendly staff that were busy preparing breakfast for the next morning, so that I could slice the food I had brought myself. I always come prepared for the worst, and at Azuolynas I certainly got confirmation that this is a correct attitude. Even when staying at allegedly luxury hotels.



Don`t get me wrong - the food here is good if you can get it.
The problem is that you can`t anways get it.

I have been coming to this country regularly for a decade, and this is the biggest rip-off yet. That being said the food was good, once it finally arrived. Let`s hope this place will shape up eventually. They have no lack of potential. When I rate this to be the worst hotel in Lithuania, it is of course not because it is objectively the worst hotel. I am sure there are plenty of worse Places. Hotels where the toilets are clogged, the neighbours fight with knives and bottles until the wee hours of the morning, and where they serve you heppatitis with breakfast, but such establishments usually have the courtosy  to charge in accordance to quality. Azuolynas on the other hand does not. This hotel has everything going for it - great location, high end of the market, a good building, dominating market position, and an old reputation. Yet it fails, and any hotel which fails despite such advantages deserves the title of WORST HOTEL IN LITHUANIA. In my opinion, you might as well sleep on the bench across the street. At least the bench has made no promises.

Yes, the levels can really be Limited in this hotel

DOs and DON'Ts in Lithuania

There are several DOs and DON'Ts lists around aimed at people visiting Lithuania, both online and in various books, but the quality of the information they provide seems to vary quite a bit. After reading several of these lists, I see that their advice tend to fall into four main categories:

• “Goes without saying”
• “Why on earth is this relevant for tourists?”
• “Complete dribble”
• “Useful information”

“Fellow citizens of the world; these are my humble suggestions as to what advice you should disregard when visiting Lithuania.”

I have compiled a short list of advice from all categories. Starting from the top:

#1 “Goes without saying”

“DON‘T drop litter”. I would assume that this activity is rather unpopular in most cultures. It is probably a good idea not to litter, even within the confides of your own home.


“DON'T interrupt others while they are speaking”. Most of us learned the potential value of this in kindergarten, and those of us that didn`t probably never will.


“DON`T ask a lady her age”. Well, let`s just say that if you have ever found posing such a question useful from time to time, you should probably keep doing so anyway. The rest of us already know not to.

#2 “Why on earth is this relevant for tourists?”

“DON'T give yellow chrysanthemums, as they are used for funerals”.  Seriously, when was the last time you felt the need to distribute flowers while on holiday?


“DO wait for a woman to extend her hand first”. Before what, exactly? Regardless of the answer, I can hardly think of any reason why this is more important to keep in mind when in Lithuania than anywhere else.

“DO give flowers in odd numbers, not even. Even numbers of flowers are for funeral”. Again, travel sites seem for some reason to think that tourists will develop a strong need to hand out flowers while in Lithuania. This is rarely an issue.


 “DO remove gum, pencils, cigarettes or anything else from your mouth while talking on the phone”. Tourists talking on the phone with pencils in their mouths may have been a big problem in Lithuania in the past, but the tension surrounding this seems do have eased over the years. I personally always keep pencils in my mouth while on the phone, and people are usually able to overlook this indiscretion.

#3 “Complete dribble”

“DON'T speak too loudly in Public”. Lithuanians themselves do so all the time, and I wouldn`t be surprised if testing was to reveal that they are among the loudest people in Europe. This would however give away the fact that you are a foreigner, and that is not always a good idea.


“DON'T show the bottoms of your feet. It's impolite”. Well, there is a shred of truth to this, but since most Lithuanians infact like to show their entire foot (flip flops is the national footwear), the chances of anyone actually being offended is minimal. This is not the Middle East.

“DON'T indicate that you are done eating by putting the fork and knife parallel across the right side of the plate”. Why the hell not? Who comes up with these things? Many Lithuanian restaurants don`t even give knives with their meals. Forks and spoons are considered sufficient, and where you place them afterwards rarely sparks controversy.


“DON`T consume alcohol in parks, squares and other public places – it is prohibited by Law”. So? The people most often seen doing this are the Lithuanians themselves. And enforcing this law is not really high on the priority list with the police.

#4 “Useful information:”

“DON'T smile unless you mean it. In Lithuania, smiling a lot can be seen as insincere”. There are god reasons why hardly anyone smiles on the street in Lithuania, and one of them is that nobody else does so. You would be a fool to think that you as a tourist could contribute to reintroduce public smiling, and they will see you as just that if you try to do so.


“DON'T confuse a Lithuanian with being Russian”. In many ways, this is rule number one. Despite the fact that a number of Lithuanian citizens are of Russian decent. Confusing the nationalities sort of puts the whole independence thing in an unpleasant light.


“DON‘T mix Baltic capitals”. Nations of this size know they are small and insignificant, so they don`t need reminders. So just avoid guessing, or better yet – do some reading before you visit.