Day 5: Trakai Castle with a Surprise Ending

Day five of our adventure began with a tasty European breakfast.  Oh how I miss Schwarzbrot!  We also loved the herbal tea harvested straight from the garden.

Next on the itinerary was a trip to Trakai castle.  Located only half an hour away from Vilnius, this castle is literally built on an island.  Impressive.  I love how mow most everyone is paying attention in this picture except for Lina and myself.  We're busy chatting.

Baba Yaga is ready to welcome us.

There was a terrific market on the way in.  Lina sends some of these traditional mushrooms every Christmas.  We love them!

We also love cheese, but it doesn't mail well.

Crossing the bridge to Trakai.

Instead of heading directly into the castle, we hopped onto a boat for a spin around the lake.  Can't really say we sailed since the captain never raised the mainsail, but it was still a great way to experience Trakai.

Trakai is actually surrounded by five picturesque lakes.  Have I convinced anyone to move to Lithuania yet?  Photo credit: Trakai Lakes.

Once inside the castle grounds, we immediately proceeded to torture ourselves.  This contraption looks like it was made just for you, Kes!

Eli in his neck irons.  Matches the metal in his braces (which come off next Tuesday, by the way.)

How many kids can you fit in a single cage?  A lot.

Next up, the stockade.  Liepa is ready to trap her sister.

But whoops!  Egle's hands are delicate enough to escape.

Liepa and Talia say "Labas!"

Brooklyn plays it cool.

Kes and Lina sneak a smooch.

Next adventure: archery!  Annika, it might help if you open your eyes.

Boys turn.  I love Vytis's focus!

Liepa and Talia aim for the target.  Talia was so strong that the archer gave her a different bow to try.  Egle took a turn as well--I just didn't get a good picture.

Last but not least, Brooklyn with an action shot.

The castle interior was fascinating.  Jason particularly enjoyed listening in on the French tour group behind us.

All those stairs can be exhausting.

Bidding farewell to the island castle.

On the way out, Lina bought all the kids gingerbread.  They were thrilled!

Then we headed into town for some Kibinai, a traditional Lithuanian pastry that looks similar to an empanada.  While we were waiting, for a table, the kids crammed into a tiny play school bus.

Liepa and Talia get ready to dine.  The pastries in the picture are the kibinai.

The real things look (and taste) even better!

My favorite, though, was actually the cabbage soup served in a rye bread bowl.  So tasty!

Here's Vytis with a grand smile after winning several rounds of "Down by the Banks."  Here's our version of the lyrics, just so Kes's kids have the words to this fun handgame.

Down by the banks of the hanky panky

Where the bullfrog jumps from bank to banky

With an eeps, ipes, opes, oops

Boom slap a dilly, and a baroop on you.

Between the sailboat ride, island castle, medieval torture, archery, and kibinai, you'd think we would have maxed out our new experiences for the day.  But nope!  Instead, Kes brought us over to the wakeboarding park just five minutes from his house.  We watched with amazement the experienced wakeboarders got pulled around by tow ropes attached to a circular overhead track, gracefully leaping off all of these obstacles.

After a while, we decided we were brave enough to try.  Here are the future wakeboarders. all suited up.  (Plus Liepa, who was still getting changed.)

Oh, and we can't forget Annika who just played in the water by the edge of the lake.

Checking out the proper technique.

Jason looks a bit nervous.

Since the kids were learning, they gave them each knee boards.  Hold tight, because when the tow rope catches, you go flying.  Go Egle!

Brooklyn's turn!

Definitely not easy, but still fun.  After you inevitably go flying off (especially around the curves), you then swim over to the floating boardwalk that circles the lake and walk back with your board to try again.

Smiles all around.

Meanwhile Jason got to try an Easy Up board.  Let me tell you, it's not all that easy to stay up!

Were it not for the torrential downpour, the fun would have continued longer.  I felt bad that our crew was getting drenched, but they didn't seem to mind too much since they were already wet.

So...wakeboarding.(!)  Surely that must have been the grand finale to a day filled with firsts.  Nė trupučio--not in the least! For dinner Kes broke out the frog legs.  You've never had a day of Vedeckis family fun until you've seen the frogs do the hokey pokey.  Life changing.  If you can get past the appearance, they taste pretty great too.

Last but not least, a piece of lazy cake to finish off a day that was anything but lazy.  Thanks Lina, Kes, and crew!