Karoliniškės Microdistrict of Vilnius, Lithuania

1974 - 1980

My trip was made with vivid memories of watching the Lithuanian struggle for independence on the BBC news. The TV tower played a major role in the events of 13 January 1991, when 14 unarmed civilians were killed and 700 were injured opposing the Soviet military seizure of the tower. The first thing I saw at the base of the tower was plaques remembering those killed. The tower is located some distance from the city centre, so the views would only appeal to one wishing to see on a clear day vast expanses of outlying flat countryside and the countless mundane Soviet-style concrete suburbs. The cafe "Paukščių takas" was worth eating in, not so much for the food, but to appreciate the views on a rotating deck without having to budge an inch.