Monday 17 September – Karaimes, castles and cages.

This morning, on our last day in the Baltics, we walked to the bus station and boarded the bus for the 30-minute journey to Trakai, a small town situated on a peninsula bounded by three lakes.  It is known for being the home of the Karaimes, a people who have maintained many of their traditions from the Middle Ages, including speaking the Turkic language.  It is an idyllic spot and as we made the long trek from the local bus station to the main village area, we passed many traditional wooden houses, of a simple rectangular shape, without adornment of any kind. After a delicious – and filling - lunch of dumplings smothered with melted cheeses and the local beef and potato stew, we crossed two bridges to reach the 14^th century Peninsula Castle, strategically located on a small island overlooking the village.

The castle has been fully renovated, although it is an easy task to identify remnants of the original structure (renovations started in the mid-20^th century, and much has been rebuilt).  The courtyard contains interesting relics of torture and humiliation, including stocks, and cages (John tried one in particular out for size - sums up 30 years of marriage, really) and the many rooms and chambers over the two floors and the basement contain marvellous displays of artefacts and coins recovered during renovations, as well as armoury, maps, paintings, period clothing, silverware, ceramics and jewellery.  Quite an amazingly presented and curated display.

Back on the “mainland”, we strolled along the waterfront, having a last look across the lake at the castle, checking out the many stalls and purchasing a couple of mementos, then made our way back to the bus station, pausing to look in the 15^th century Trakai Basilica of the Visitation of the Blessed Mary, in which hangs the miracle-working icon of Our Lady of Trakai; and the 14^th century Trakai Orthodox Church of the Nativity of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary.  Then on the bus, back to our apartment for our final dinner together at a nearby restaurant - Sue goes her separate way tomorrow to join a friend for a tour of Iceland, while the rest of us fly on to Turkey.