Perfection: The Lithuanian Dumpling

After a crazy night bus from Tallinn to Vilnius, we arrived at 6am, bleary-eyed and disoriented. We get some rest at a hostel for a few hours before exploring the city, but I'm quite sure that all my travelling has disintegrated my immune system, since I am congested and feel like I have cotton balls stuffed in my ears.

Later, we begin our exploration. Vilnius is far more Soviet and Eastern European than Latvia and Estonia, although, linguistically speaking, Lithuanian is closer to Latvian than any other language. Despite this, the northern Baltics seem aesthetically Scandinavian, with wispy, willowy spires and narrower streets, while Vilnius is home to more traditionally Catholic domes and wider boulevards. Vilnius was the capital of the Polish-Lithuanian Empire and the center of the city is marked by a castle on a hill, unlike Riga and Tallinn, which were always small port cities.

Before I digress - there is the matter of the Lithuanian dumpling: a divine concoction of mashed potato mixture filled with meat or mushrooms covered in a cream sauce. Essentially, heaven in the shape of a delicate torpedo. Although I did not find Vilnius' architecture particularly interesting, these dumplings made me want to move to Lithuania, forget about law school, my friends and family and open a dumpling shop.

All in all, the Batlics were quiet and sleepy, particularly compared to Cairo, which is possibly the most abrasive city I have visited. That said, spending some time in a civilized society is refreshing from the pushing and shoving you experience even in the FSU and back home.