Stalin’s World Theme Park A Hit

by Karen Walrond on

A few months ago, Neil Woodburn introduced us to Grutas Park, in Lithuania.  The park, also known as “Stalin’s World,” is a beautiful park filled with statues of some of Communism’s truly horrible leaders.  Neil described this park as his personal favourite, saying “the contrast of evil men against this beautiful landscape is truly unnerving.”

Well, apparently, CNN.com agrees it’s worth knowing about:  the site is currently featuring an article on the quirky park.  Apparently hundreds of thousands of visitors a year visit the park, owned by Viliumas Malinauskas, a Lithuanian millionaire.  The park can be navigated via the wooden walkways built to replicate those which existed in Siberian prison camps, weirdly juxtaposed by a merry-go-round, a restaurant and a zoo.

Some of the visitors don’t like the park, finding it verging on the macabre.  “He does not care about painful history of Lithuania. What is purpose of this park? To laugh at our pain?” asks Juozas Galdikas, a former Parliament member, about Malinauskas.

“Why I am doing this? It’s my gift to future generations,” responds Malinauskas. “People can come here and joke about these grim statues. This means that Lithuania is no longer afraid of communism.”

Truly odd.  And yet … I find myself quite intrigued.

Has anyone out there ever visited this park?  What was your impression?

Red Corner: Latvian Women

by Neil Woodburn on

I couldn’t resist taking a peek at an article in The Baltic Times entitled, 10 Things Not to Say to a Latvian Woman. For those of you men out there who have traveled through Latvia and found yourself enjoying the beauty of its women as much as the beauty of its cities and countryside, then such information would have undoubtedly come in handy. Of course, 10 Things to Say to a Latvian Woman would have been more helpful, but us poor mopes will take what we can get.

So if you’re heading off to Riga any time soon and are concerned about your clumsy, culturally insensitive attempts in chattin’ up the foreign women, take a moment to read this top ten list. It may not get you lucky, but it will go a long ways in not getting you slapped.

Red Corner: Vilnius, Tallinn, and Riga

by Neil Woodburn on

The Baltic States of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia were the last to be incorporated into the Soviet Union, and boy do they show it. The extra 20 years of European influence can still be seen today as these three countries, now independent, are rapidly becoming hot tourist destinations-thanks in large part to this quaint European vibe still very much alive.

The flavor of these three capitals is succinctly captured in an LA Times piece by Beverly Beyette who heaps accolades upon the Art Nouveau façades of Riga, the walled old town of Tallinn, and the hidden courtyards of Vilnius. Vilnius, however, was Beyette’s least favorite of the three capitals, but one which I particularly like; it just takes a little bit more exploring to fully enjoy it.

This fairy tale ambience of the Baltics, however, is offset by dark memories of Soviet and Nazis abuses. Although she doesn’t write too much about it, Beyette does delve outside the idyllic comfort zone of her travels to visit the horrific Museum of Genocide Victims in Vilnius and The Museum of Occupations in Tallinn. A few hours in either one of these museums can ruin your whole day with the horrors contained within; it is a necessity, however, when visiting the Baltics.

Red Corner: Illegal Lithuanian Jazz Festival Jams Away

by Neil Woodburn on

This last weekend, the Lithuanian town of Birštonas held its semi-annual jazz festival. The Birštonas Jazz Festival is perhaps the least known jazz festival on this planet. It takes place in a small town on the Nemunas River with a population of only 3800 people.

Why such a remote location for a jazz festival you ask? Well, in 1980 it was impossible to organize such an event under the communist government. So, jazz lovers put together the clandestine festival in a reclusive, wooded location where they could secretly play without the KGB crashing their party. The government goons came nonetheless and set dogs upon festival-goers. The concerts, however, persevered.

Now that communism is dead, the festival has taken on a far more international appeal, drawing musicians from throughout Europe. It remains a small and intimate affair, but one popular and legendary enough amongst Lithuanians to sell out six months in advance. With the next festival occurring March 2008, you should have plenty of time to buy your tickets.

Red Corner: Baltic Summer

by Neil Woodburn on

Summer is still a little ways off but not so far that you can’t start thinking about where to go. And if Europe is on your mind, but the crowds that plague the Mediterranean make you cringe, then consider vacationing a bit further north in the Baltics.

The weather is a tad cooler, and the water is not as clear, but otherwise the miles of coastline meandering through Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia offer wonderful summer possibilities. I spent a couple of June weeks in the coastal resort town of Jurmala, Latvia a few summers ago and found it to be relaxing, quaint and quite beautiful. Not only is it much cheaper than Greece or the coast of Spain, but Boris Yeltsin has a summer house there and if you’re really lucky, he might invite you over to play some tennis if he’s not dead yet.

And if you think the Baltic coast is full of old USSR sanatoriums and Intourist hotels, spare a moment to check out this wonderful old Art Nouveau hotel in the seaside town of Pärnu.