Trakai and the heritage of the Karaites

'Travel broadens the mind!' This old-fashioned and somewhat dusty saying can sometimes sound quite stale, given its overuse. Ultimately, a seasonal change of location rarely entails an obligation to expand one's own horizons, but rather an opportunity, a well-intentioned occasion.

The solo traveler is blessed with plenty of free time. Since I decided to forgo a travel guide on my tour, the internet had to step in. Google maps helped me with orientation during the long bus and train rides, and Wikipedia provided the explanations. Additionally, I came across the very informative blog

https://alles-ueber-litauen.de

On the first morning, I got stuck there while having coffee and croissant. I was particularly fascinated by the history of the Karaites. An Asian Turkic people who used the Hebrew Torah as the basis of their faith. The Jewish Tatars in Lithuania were spared from extermination by the Nazis because the racial fanatics were uncertain about their racial classification.

The stronghold of the Karaites, who settled in the region around 1400 when Lithuania reached the Black Sea, was the town of Trakai, half an hour by train from Vilnius.
I bought a ticket for 2.80 euros and made my way there on Thursday.

Trakai is nestled in a picturesque lake area; the sun was shining, the wind was pleasantly cool: summer freshness! The main attraction in Trakai was a medieval water castle that was rebuilt in the 1920s. There were also various boat rental companies, ice cream sellers, souvenir stands, and restaurants with a view of the lake. They offered freshly tapped kvass, hearty filled pastries, and also the local beer Švyturys. I ordered toasted bread with an excellent garlic dip.

I did not get to see the Karaites, who appeared like mythical creatures in all their descriptions, but their confirmed existence once again testifies to the cultural diversity of Central and Eastern Europe, which came to an abrupt end in the 20th century. Where once Russians, Jews, Kashubs, Poles, Cossacks, Germans, Prussians, and dozens of other groups lived alongside and with each other, there are often only monocultures today.

A sentimental conclusion that I do not want to leave with. Back in Vilnius, I sought refuge from a suddenly breaking rain shower under the umbrellas of a Lithuanian restaurant. There, I digested the day's experiences with potato sausages and bacon.

After all, traveling is also about food, or: Exoticism does not always have to involve pineapples.