This church was built in a classicist style, but appeared too modest for the local population’s taste. So the inside, a circle symbolizing perfection, remained, but a new neogothic facade was built around the original building.
Bicycle paths in Vilnius
More and more people are cycling in Vilnius, which prompts a need for better cycling lanes. The new ones are convenient, but many of the old cycling lanes cause many inconveniences for cyclists and pedestrians alike, causing unnecessary urban conflicts.
North America trip days 6 and 7: Hollywood and Santa Monica
I have to say I didn’t quite make friends with LA, because it was very difficult to navigate without a car, and reading a guide book scared me a lot – there was an extensive list of where not to go alone, where not to go in the dark, and where not to go at all. But fortunately, I did …
North America trip day 13: more of Seattle
Thanks to my friend Amanda, I was able to see different parts of Seattle in a very short time. One of the most advertised landmarks is the Space Needle, connected to the city center by a monorail. The monorail mostly serves tourists – it runs infrequently, and locals enjoy well-developed (certainly according to American standards) public transportation system, so there …
North America trip day 12: salmon-watching in Seattle
The salmon struggle to jump up to reach Lake Washington.
North America trip day 11: urban landscapes and wildlife in Vancouver
I made a short list of objects that I wanted to see in Vancouver, but when I got there I decided to simply go with the flow. It was easy to meet new people, and I figured the social landscape is just as interesting as the urban. I went to the Sea Wall the first day (my geographer friend explained …
North America trip day 9: Chinatown and aquarium in Vancouver
I’m enjoying my 33rd country visited – Canada. Vancouver is as they say – very liveable, very comfortable, and a real relief after three days in the unwalkable LA. Strangely enough, entering Canada was more difficult than entering the US. I was asked various questions, including how I know my friend I would be staying with. This was in addition …
North America trip day 4: Silicon Valley
Having the luck of knowing someone who works in the Silicon Valley, I spent a day in Palo Alto and around. Palo Alto is famous as the site where the famous Stanford prison experiment was conducted.
North America trip day 4: mountains of California
I was pondering over the choice of transportation between San Francisco and Los Angeles for a while and eventually decided to opt for the bus. I wanted to experience space and distance instead of forming a pointilistic understanding of the West Coast. On the way, I saw various views of rural California, its silky yellow fields and impressive mountain ranges. …
North America trip day 5: UCLA sculpture garden
This horse is a part of the Murphy sculpture garden on UCLA campus. Its author is Deborah Butterfield. Believe it or not, the horse is made out of metal, beautifully made to look like wood. The garden’s patron wanted to create a space to appreciate beauty from the most abstract to the most detailed forms. The garden also includes four …