Republik of Užupis

There's a neighborhood in Vilnius that declared themselves a republic, wrote their own constitution and elected a mayor.  One of my favorite declarations is "we let dogs be dogs". 🐶. You can probably guess, the neighborhood is populated by artists, writers and other eclectic type of people.  Užupis translates to "other side of the river". I think you get the picture.  

On entering Užupis

I also visited Trakai Castle, a bus ride outside of Vilnius. It was once the capital of Lithuania and has been restored to much of its original state.  It's located on an island surrounded by seven lakes and has been declared a NationalHistoric Park. 

Now a concert venue

The moat

Quick descent into the dungeon