Our plan to do a walking tour was thwarted by the rain. We are hoping to do that tomorrow as we really enjoyed the one we did in Riga.

So… as much as we thought we wouldn’t do this, it made sense to catch the Hop On Hop Off Bus.

Can you see Mick?

We were the only ones on the bus for the first half hour, until the rain started to pelt down, when loads of other tourist thought this a good option

We started the tour at Cathedral Square – the most important cathedral in Lithuania for Catholics, who make up 80% of the population.

You can walk up the adjacent bell tower, but we didn’t have time today.

This was an impressive square.

Behind the cathedral is the Palace of the Grand Dukes.

We hopped off the bus at the Museum of Genocide Victims / The KGB Museum.

We spent only 90 minutes here because we had to catch the bus on its next round. It was eye opening and distressing. As the brochure states “it is important to remember the physical, intellectual and spiritual decimation of Lithuanians by Soviet authorities” – most of it Mick’s and my lifetime.

This photo shows Mick in an underground tunnel of cells, offices and interrogation rooms which were in use until 1990.

We also stopped at the Gates of Dawn – the only surviving gate of the old wall. Originally there were nine.

Thanks Mick for helping with taking some photos. Point. Click. And he’s off!! 😞

The spires in the background belong to one of several churches from different denominations.

These are the gates from the other side taken in Vartu Street.

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It is on top of the gates in a chapel that the beautiful painting of the Black Madona is housed. It is a famous pilgrimage site.

100 metres later we arrived at the main markets in Vilnius.

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hey weren’t a patch on Riga’s Zeppelin hangers.

We felt very sorry for the stall owners. Hardly anyone buying their goods.

Six hours later we made it back to our apartment, just as the skies opened again.