Klaipeda, Curonian Spit

Klaipeda, 17.08.2017

In the morning we arrive in Klaipeda. The journey was long, but trouble-free. Klaipeda welcomes us with 1a Soviet charm. Huge residential complexes, wide streets, just as you imagine it. The guide describes a beautiful old town, let's see. First, our way leads us to a campsite in the middle of the forest and, as we later discover, next to a freight transhipment station... We set up our tent and fall straight into bed. At noon, we decide to get up and go to the sea and then into the city. The sea is just a stone's throw away from the campsite. In the parking lot there is a Mercedes A-Class with an espresso machine in the trunk. If someone wants coffee, the seller gets into the car, starts the engine and prepares a coffee. I have never seen that before... After a short walk on the beach, swimming is not allowed due to the waves, we make our way to the old town. And indeed, it exists. Between the industrial port and residential complexes is a small picturesque old town with cobblestone streets and cute houses. The many artworks and sculptures that are scattered around every corner in the area are striking. We haven't even walked 100 meters when we meet Christian, a colleague from the company where I wrote my master's thesis. What a coincidence. He has been here on business for some time. He tells us that he ate the 'fucking-best ribs of his life' in Klaipeda and that we absolutely have to try them. Problem: The place is located on the outskirts of the city. I write down the approximate location and the name (BBQ Baras) and Hanna and I decide to look for the place based on this vague description the next day. After a short walk through the old town and a Lithuanian cherry beer in an artist's pub, we head back to the campsite.

The next day, we go to the Curonian Spit. Klaipeda is located directly at the passage from the Baltic Sea to the lagoon and you can take a ferry to the Spit. It is about 50 kilometers to the Russian border. Since we couldn't drive through Kaliningrad, we at least want to take a look at the enclave. There are also huge shifting dunes here. The highest one is 64 meters high and is called 'dead dune' because it buried a fishing village. The Curonian Spit is known not only as a holiday destination of Thomas Mann but also as a research site for shifting dunes and how to stop them. Right in front of the Russian border, we visit one of these shifting dunes. An incredible view. The dune is one of the very few places in the world where you can see the sun rise and set over the water. We spend the afternoon in the witch forest. There are wooden sculptures of witches and goblins everywhere, telling stories and legends from Lithuania.

In the evening, with the help of Google Maps, we actually find the rib joint and Christian was not exaggerating. I would have never driven here alone and: the ribs were amazing. But let’s start at the beginning. The BBQ restaurant is located amidst run-down residential blocks on the outskirts of the city. Luckily, we find a parking spot right in front of the place. When looking at the menu, we are faced with the next problem. What the hell is 'ribs' in Lithuanian??? Our phones are both dead, no chance for translation. Only hands and feet will help. Fortunately, the friendly waitress understands the word 'ribs' and we understand what she means by 'hot or cold'. Spicy or not. We let ourselves be surprised by the side dishes. And beer is almost international. Excellent!!! In the evening, we meet Christian and one of his colleagues from the shipyard in the city for a beer.

Klaipeda is definitely worth a visit!