Day 5: From Vilnius to Riga

For the first part of the morning we finished up our tour of Vilnius. We saw the main cathedral as well as the place in the square where the 600 km human chain of the 1989 Singing Revolution began (or ended depending on how you look at it). Unfortunately I did not take any pictures because my back was injured that day. But I find the story of the Singing Revolution to be quite an amazing one. I can't imagine how all of those people, under intense surveillance by the KGB and without the means of communication that we have today, were able to organize such a massive and coordinated protest. It is a beautiful example of the power of people coming together to affect political change. It also speaks to the power of song. In the Baltic countries, songs were a means of maintaining unity and national identity during decades of occupation. Using song, the Baltic peoples peacefully demanded that their right to be independent of the Soviet Union be recognized. And they were heard.


On the ride to the Riga we stopped at one more castle...

Trakai Island Castle, Lithuania

One of the best parts about academic travel is making new friends. But especially in senior year, spending time with some of your closest ones is unforgettable.