Berlin to Helsinki Day 10: Klaipeda
It was already menacing when we woke up this morning. By the time we left at 10:00 it was already drizzling. But this was really the last day where we couldn't afford to be flexible and try to wait out the rain. Damn.
By the time we reached the outskirts of the city it was pouring. But we still had almost 90km (55 miles) to go just to the border.
The Coronian spit is a tiny strip of land that connects Kaliningrad with Lithuania. It's about 100 km (60 miles) long and only about 800 meters (2500 ft) or less across in some parts. Fortunately there is only one road that traverses the spit so we couldn't possibly get lost.
But it rained and rained and rained.
Mylène on one side of the Spit. We could never stop for too long.
We took a short break inside a stall where there were some merchants selling amber-related things.
The main highlight of the spit are the dunes that line the west side. On both sides of the border (Russia and Lithuania) it has been made into a national park (for each respective country of course).
The only reprieve in weather we had was literally when we stepped across the border out of Russia. The rain stopped suddenly as if to welcome us back to Europe. It was enough time for us to see an elk by the side of the road. Half an hour later it was coming down again with a mean wind in our face.
The bike path along the Lithuanian side took us right along the dunes. This would have definitely been more impressive in nice weather. We took a peek at one of the beaches - totally empty.
At the end of the road took a ferry across into Klaipeda, which has a sprawling port and is a large Baltic station.
Entry into Klaipeda by ferry
We promptly found a place to eat and wait for our couchsurfer and began warming up an winding down from the ride with some pasta and a great local Klaipedan beer called Švyturys.
We met our couchsurfer, Elene who describes herself as pagan and is passionate about preserving the culture of her native Lithuanian tribe, the Coronians. We met up pretty late so we will do our extended visit of the city tomorrow.
Our bikes spent the night in Elene's apartment building.
By the time we reached the outskirts of the city it was pouring. But we still had almost 90km (55 miles) to go just to the border.
The Coronian spit is a tiny strip of land that connects Kaliningrad with Lithuania. It's about 100 km (60 miles) long and only about 800 meters (2500 ft) or less across in some parts. Fortunately there is only one road that traverses the spit so we couldn't possibly get lost.
But it rained and rained and rained.
Mylène on one side of the Spit. We could never stop for too long.
We took a short break inside a stall where there were some merchants selling amber-related things.
The main highlight of the spit are the dunes that line the west side. On both sides of the border (Russia and Lithuania) it has been made into a national park (for each respective country of course).
The only reprieve in weather we had was literally when we stepped across the border out of Russia. The rain stopped suddenly as if to welcome us back to Europe. It was enough time for us to see an elk by the side of the road. Half an hour later it was coming down again with a mean wind in our face.
The bike path along the Lithuanian side took us right along the dunes. This would have definitely been more impressive in nice weather. We took a peek at one of the beaches - totally empty.
At the end of the road took a ferry across into Klaipeda, which has a sprawling port and is a large Baltic station.
Entry into Klaipeda by ferry
We promptly found a place to eat and wait for our couchsurfer and began warming up an winding down from the ride with some pasta and a great local Klaipedan beer called Švyturys.
We met our couchsurfer, Elene who describes herself as pagan and is passionate about preserving the culture of her native Lithuanian tribe, the Coronians. We met up pretty late so we will do our extended visit of the city tomorrow.
Our bikes spent the night in Elene's apartment building.
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