Was outside the Belarus consulate by 10:30. Stood in the freezing cold for two long hours waiting for my ticket number to show up on the screen. Thank god for NPR.

Was in and out of the consulate within five minutes. I’d applied for a transit visa, but apparently I need a tourist visa from a tourist agency…  They directed me to one across the street. I was told to come back tomorrow.

Dad is also in the visa application process, there is really no telling if either of us will get approved. I’ve prepared multiple itineraries for his visit just in case. He is determined though, so much so that he wrote a poem: DO NOT GO TO BELARUS WITHOUT ME!

Had a coffee before class at 3:00. We learned about associative duties in regards to patriotism.

Had lunch before class at 6:30. We learned about just cause for engaging in a humanitarian intervention.

Talked to Clara and Dad on the way home. I’ve been approved to graduate this summer.

Jumped rope and then blogged all day on Gediminas- has become my Sunday routine since weekend trips necessitate longer posts.

Traveled at night to meet Kristiaan’s girlfriend (Annelie) who is visiting from Holland for her fall break. They are staying in a really nice flat, it was so nice to schmooze somewhere other than a bar or the dorms. Daniel and Koki joined us.

Decided I wouldn’t force it, but would travel if I woke up in time. Was at the train station by 9:30.

I arrived in Siauliai at noon and rushed to the bus station. Took the bus to Joniskis, got off at Domantai (fourth stop). Overheard the bus driver telling a young man that it was his stop as well. I promptly introduced myself- he was also going to the Hill of Crosses.

We walked the two kilometers from the bus stop to the hill in a light snow. Yuki is from Japan, but studying in Denmark for the year. He is traveling the Baltics for his autumn break.

We started at the information center, got a sandwich from a vending machine. I met an Israeli couple there and thoroughly impressed myself with my ability to converse with them in Hebrew.

The hill was smaller than I imagined, but nevertheless consumed by crosses.

The first crosses were erected in memory of insurgents lost during the two great Polish rebellions of the 19th century: the November Uprising of 1830 and the January Uprising of 1863.

The number of crosses reached over 400 after WWI, as custom dictated that a cross was to be planted for missing loved ones in lieu of a proper burial.

Naturally, the number of crosses increased substantially during WWII.

The disappearance of thousands into Siberia and Soviet Gulags made for a sizable addition to the hill.

Alas, the communist decree of atheism as state policy led to the removal of all crosses from the hill (1961). Thus, putting up crosses became a means of religious defiance in addition to nationalist.

After the fall of the Soviet Union the number of crosses began to multiply infinitely as pilgrims from around the world started to visit the hill en masse. There are over 100,000 crosses on the hill as of 2006.

In 1993 a visit by Pope John Paul II inspired him to bestow Lithuania with the appellation ‘Country of Crosses’ and also to call for the construction of a Franciscan Friary near the hill.

The building was exceedingly plain, but the view of the hill from behind altar was spectacular.

The walk back provided for a couple more incredible views.

Yuki and I walked frigid back to the road where we took the 3:00 bus to Siauliai.

The city of Siauliai has glorious beginnings, but an otherwise inglorious past. In 1236 Siauliai was host to the Sun Battle in which the Samogitian inhabitants unexpectedly obliterated the invading Livonian Brothers of the Sword. As a result, the remaining Livonians were incorporated into a branch of the Teutonic Order and would not again function as a sovereign entity until the emergence of the Livonian Confederation following the collapse of the Teutonic Order at the Battle of Grunwald in 1410. A sundial was erected in 1986 to commemorate the 750th anniversary of the battle and the de facto founding date of the city.

Siauliai has served as a regional center in different capacities since the 16th century. Unfortunately, the city was bombed into oblivion during both World Wars and lost all vestiges of her old town- except for one. The Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul was built in the early 17th century and has since held the title of highest steeple in all of Lithuania.

The interior is nice, relatively plain.

Cold and exhausted, I was determined to make the 5:30 train home. First, I had to visit the Chaim Frenkel Villa.

Built in 1908 by Jewish manufacturer Chaim Frenkel, the residence completely eviscerates the general perception of the shtetl Jew.

Frenkel started as an ordinary leather dresser, but by the early 20th century he was known as the ‘King of Leather’. His leather factory was one of the largest in the Empire. It was the  largest supplier of footwear in interwar Lithuania.

His efforts led Encyclopedia Britannica to describe Siauliai as the ‘the world center of leather’ in their 1911 edition.

In recent years the villa was repurposed into an exhibit of the culture, art, and Jewish heritage of Siauliai.

Down the street stands the since abandoned leather factory.

Opposite the factory is a statue of the man himself.

Adjacent the factory stands the synagogue that Frenkel built for his employees.

Surely there was more to see in regards to Jewish history, the population was predominantly Jewish in the early 19th century. But in light of the weather and absence of a family connection (save for some extended Brenner relatives), I was ready to go.

FaceTimed on the train with Dad and Sarah Minion- she is road tripping across the South and was kind enough to grace my family and city with her presence.

Jumped rope and then ubered to the Belarus Embassy to submit my visa application. They informed me that I needed to go to the consulate instead.

I walked to the consulate, but the line was daunting. I surely would not have made it out in time for class. I’ll go on Monday.

Instead, I bussed to Vokieciu Street for Mexican.

In class we learned about national minorities in Poland during the interwar period. Of her thirty million inhabitants in 1931, only two thirds were ethnic Poles. Ukrainians represented over fifteen percent of the population, their western territory affirmed Polish by the Treaty of Riga (1921). Belarusians were similarly a ‘territorial minority’, but represented only five percent of the population.

Jews accounted for ten percent of the population, but a whopping third did not affiliate religiously. They were represented in all professions and all economic classes.

After class I got coffee with Enola, per usual. We spoke at length about minority conditions in France. In an effort to promote a perverted egalitarianism, her government has refrained from collecting demographics altogether. To do so would call attention to divisions that are supposed to be irrelevant. Discussion of minorities and other societal differences is taboo- socially, academically, professionally. As such, our class is her first exposure to minority studies- it would be considered radical in France. We also discussed the minority groups and tensions resulting from the French occupation of Algeria, including the Pied-Noir and the Harki. I really enjoy our conversations.

I blogged at Olandu for a couple hours before heading to the Jewish Community of Lithuania (Pylimo Gatve 4) per an invitation from Amit. I led Shabbes and made a few remarks about the holidays. Just over ten of us in total, we were led in traditional Israeli dancing by Samek- a young Lithuanian of Israeli origin.

He dedicated his past year to honing his skills and sharing his craft around the globe after falling in love with Israeli dancing at camp just last summer.

After sufficiently making a fool of myself, Amit invited us to eat sushi and socialize. It was not long before I asked about the piano… I was on the keys in minutes.

Traveled home soon after. I am so impressed and humbled by Amit’s dedication to building and supporting a vibrant Jewish community for young people in Vilnius.

Was planning to drop off my visa application at the Belarus Embassy, but was anxious I’d miss the bus.

Left the station at 10:00. The bus was small, crowded. I spent the ride exchanging comments in a Facebook debate regarding Russian aggression and American provocation. Putin just moved a nuclear-capable missile to Kaliningrad Oblast. Many young folks here fear Clinton would escalate the conflict.

Vytas picked me up in Svencionys just after 11:00. Vytas Jurkuvenas worked in Birmingham for many years with Michael Kimerling, a close friend of my dad. His career in public health took him around the world: the Caucasus, Angola… Upon retirement he settled in his hometown of Vidutine, 10 miles outside of Svencionys.

I’d expected a simple day in the mountains away from Vilnius, but my interest in Jewish history had preceded me.

We started at the central park in Svencionys. An intricate wooden statue in the middle of the park marked the sight of the ghetto entrance. The Jewish community once accounted for over half of the population.

At one corner of the park was Naisla, the Ethnographic Museum of Svencionys.

Vytas kindly translated as a guide walked us around the main exhibit. Perhaps most striking was a section of barbed wire from the ghetto. There was an abundance of Yiddish materials.

I also learned about the history of the herbal industry in Svencionys. Organized in 1883, the industry prospered under Jewish leadership.

Just outside the museum stood the Svencioniu Vaistazoles Factory, which exports teas and medicinal products around the world. Herbs are collected exclusively from the regional forests. The industry remains Svencionys’ largest.

On another side of the park stood an impressive nineteenth century church, the first on sight was built by Grand Duke Vytautas. He also had an estate in the city.

We traveled a short distance to the Jewish cemetery.

It was in immaculate condition relative to those I’d visited. I wish my ancestors were buried there.

Svencionys was the hometown of multiple prominent Jews including Mordecai Kaplan, founder of the Reconstructionist movement, and Menke Katz, Yiddish poet and father of Dovid Katz.

At 1:00 we made the short drive to Vytas’ home in Vidutine, on the border with Belarus.

I was welcomed by his wife, Virginia, who is originally of the Klaipeda region. She had prepared an elaborate meal- french soup, chicken Kiev, an assortment of sides and a delicious apple pie. We spoke of our Birmingham connections, Vytas’ career,  my studies and travels. Their home was lovely, quaint.

With a full stomach Vytas and I left for a tour of Vidutine, which can be described as a traditional ‘one-street-village’. This settlement type was popularized in the early 19th century as a means to organize peasantry into manageable confines.

The homes were originally situated just along the street. Made of logs, most have been reinforced by slabs of wood. If painted, they were only done so since the sixties.

The distance between homes was originally quite minimal and the width of homes quite modest. Rather, the bulk of the home lied in its length. The plot extended far beyond the home, but Vytas informed me that it was not enough land to sustain a family.

Opposing homes generally belonged to the same family. Testaments divided the properties amongst children. Thus, Vytas’ siblings live in the home directly opposite his. I was shocked to learn that there are only five families (albeit extended) in Vidutine, multiple Vytas Jurkuvenas.

Our walk was not very long as there are only 60 homes and roughly 200 residents in Vidutine.

Across the street from Vytas’ house stands his childhood home, where his brothers now reside.

He was kind to let me browse what he described as the ‘ethnographic portion’ where he was raised.

He even pointed out the bed he was born in.

Vytas built his current home only since retiring in 2014. He was able to purchase the adjacent plot, which allowed him a reasonable amount of space.

Vytas drove me back to Svencionys where I boarded a bus at 5:00.

I was very fortunate to have been invited, I otherwise might not have experienced a genuine rural household. It was a delightful day.

Grabbed breakfast on Gediminas then walked to the Office of International Programs to print my application and supplementary documents for the Belarus visa.

Got the required photograph taken back on Gediminas before heading to my history class at 3:00. The lecture was incongruent as usual.

Tried to fall asleep early, was unsuccessful.

Jumped rope and then traveled to city center.

Received my electronic ballot by email last night. I was planning to just read the instructions, but got carried away. I was too excited to vote against Donald Trump.

I don’t think many Americans can say that they cast their first vote by laptop in a coffeeshop in Vilnius, Lithuania.

Both Morality courses today. Coffee between. I’ve been watching a good amount of Fargo.

Jumped rope and then blogged at a coffee shop for eight hours. Went home and blogged some more.

Kristiaan made immediately for the mountains, while I spent the morning in Suwalki. Thankfully, our hotel was located at the top of the thoroughfare- Tadeusz Kosciusko Street.

Designed in 1825, the town is of predominantly neoclassical style. Just across from our hotel stood one of the most impressive neoclassical buildings in Suwalki. It was designated the Russian field hospital in the 1830s and remained so during the early 20th century, when a garrison of 10,000 soldiers was stationed in the city.

Walked back across the street to snag a photo, which is when I noticed the plaque on our hotel. It was in Polish, but I was curious enough to translate it. Google provided me with the following: In tribute to the Polish patriots, tortured and murdered in the years 1939-1944, by Hitler’s Gestapo whose headquarters were in this place.

So I reacted in a couple different ways. On the one hand, I was disgusted that I had just slept there and I was angry at booking.com for not putting that important piece of information in their description of the hotel. On the other hand, there’s something poetic about a Jew being serviced in a place that once facilitated his destruction. But mostly disgusted.

Continued down Kosciusko to the Suwalki Regional Museum, located in the former Citizens’ Clubhouse, built in the early 20th century. They only accepted zloty, but they let me in nevertheless. I didn’t realize that Poland has yet to adopt the Euro (they’ve belonged to the European Union since 2004).

The exhibit was a piece of art. Honestly, the first time I’d appreciated or recognized the artistry that goes into building an exhibit.

It explored the history of Suwalki since time immemorial. The region was originally inhabited by Yotvingians, a tribal group with ties to  Lithuanians and Prussians. I was beyond thrilled that the region was left uninhabited until the late 17th century. Less for me to understand.

In 1667 King/Grand-Duke John II Casimir (last of three Vasa) granted this wilderness to the Camaldolese Order, a monastic community with origins in Italy. They built their headquarters on nearby Wigry Island, but spent more time building settlements than in prayer. One of their first settlements was called Suwalki, named for the region it inhabited. The new town grew fast as it lied on the main trade route linking Grodno with Kaliningrad (Koenigsberg) and Warsaw with Saint Petersburg.

Suwalki was incorporated into the Duchy of Warsaw after Napoleon defeated the Prussians. Unlike his predecessors, Napoleon permitted Jews to reside in large cities- this is when my family arrived. Suwalki became the capital of Augustow Province in Congress Poland after his fall, and later the capital of Suwalki Gubernia following the complete incorporation of Congress Poland into the Russian Empire as a result of the 1863 uprisings. It was during this period that Suwalki underwent her finest development.

From the museum I strayed a couple blocks to a former prayer house, now inhabited by a public library.

I returned to Kosciusko where I walked past the State Archives. Their digital resources have been invaluable in my research.

I finally reached the old market, now occupied by a ‘romantic 19th-century park’ as described in my guidebook.

On one end of the park stood the neoclassic Cathedral of Saint Alexander.

On the other stood the modest town hall.

From there I walked across the Czarna Hancza River, which once divided Suwalki into two parts. Picked up a coffee on the way. I arrived at the cemetery by 10:40.

The cemetery is appropriately named the ‘Seven Faiths Cemetery Complex’ as it contains designated areas for interment by Roman Catholics, Old Believers, Orthodox, Lutherans, Calvinists, Jews and even Muslims. I ignorantly did not expect a Muslim presence in Suwalki, Poland…. Tartars, of course.

I read that there has recently been a good deal of vandalism in the Jewish section, presumably why it was locked. I looked both ways for cars and then hopped the fence.

The Jewish section was expectedly destroyed by Nazis, but it stood out more than usual because all other sections were intact.

The central monument incorporated pieces of destroyed headstones. It was both haunting and beautiful.

I spent some time looking for family names, to no avail.

The remainder of the cemetery was sparsely occupied. In one portion lied a row of nameless tombs. This is where I said Kaddish.

At another corner I found the Adelson family plot. They were the last Jews of Suwalki.

I stumbled upon a collection of broken stones cemented in the ground. They must not have made the cut for the memorial.

I passed a horse and buggy  on the way back to center.

Walked one block past Kosciusko Street to Teofila Noniewicza Street. Once called ‘Jerusalem Street’, Noniewicza and her surroundings accommodated the vast majority of Jewish residents and structures.  An 1808 census recorded 44 Jews living in Suwalki, within thirty years they were the majority.

The patriarch of the Avner family (and perhaps first to use the surname) was Leib Avner, born circa 1740. Along with his three sons (Joshua, Eliezer and Hirsch) Leib presumably moved to Suwalki soon after her incorporation into Napoleon’s empire. His grandson Isaac married a woman from Seirijai. Other descendants include Yehoshua Zeev Avner, a disciple of Rabbi Salanter and later of Rabbi Diskin. He served as an emissary to Israel in the late 19th century, where he was a founder of Yesud HaMa’ala colony. He was the author of an acclaimed discourse titled Tsir Ne’man. Yehoshua was the great-grandfather of Reuven Rivlin, the President of Israel.

According to an interwar map that I found online, at the corner of Noniewcza and Wigierska stood the Talmud Torah and Yeshiva. There was no plaque, but I imagine this was the structure.

Continued up Noniewcza and ventured to the left where I found the birthplace of the militant Zionist Abraham Stern: leader of Irgun, founder of Lehi, and namesake of the ‘Stern Gang’.

Back on Noniewcza I found the newly erected memorial of the Great Synagogue, built in 1820 and destroyed by Soviets. Across the street once stood the Beis Midrash.

Further up the road I found the New Market, where my peasant ancestors probably sold their crafts.

It now hosts a statue of Maria Konopnicka, a Suwalki native.

Further up the road I found the former Jewish Old People’s Home, now the Youth Center of Culture.

Got in touch with Kristiaan at noon, he had an unfortunate morning. He took the morning bus to Krzywe, but the tourist center was closed. He couldn’t rent a bike. He’d spent the last hour trying to hitch a ride in the freezing cold, without success. We decided that I’d take a taxi to him and continue on from there. Meanwhile, I couldn’t feel my hands or ears. I quickly went into Suwalki Plaza (shopping mall), which is sadly known as one of the city highlights. I bought gloves, a toboggan, and picked up lunch.

Walked to the bus station where I hailed a taxi to Krzywe. I initially told the driver (upon inquiry) that I was from Canada, but I clarified after he expressed his love for America. He’d spent twelve years there, but particularly loved West Palm Beach where he worked for three months. I told him that my grandparents lived there. He said his name was Rumwald, but that I could call him Ray. Ray and I picked up a frigid Kristiaan at the Krzywe bus stop, and then drove a couple minutes down that road per Ray’s suggestion.

He dropped us at the Wigry Museum in Stary Folwark and then charged us an exorbitant amount for the ride. I’d thought he was my friend.

With the assistance of a ranger, Kristiaan and I built a hiking path through Wigry National Park. We started just outside the museum.

After briefly traveling in the wrong direction we made our way to Lake Wigry, the largest and deepest in the region.

We had an incredible view of the historic Camaldolese monastery on Wigry Island, built in the late 17th century.

We continued along our path until we reached the wilderness. Wigry National Park encompasses the northern portion of Augustow Primeval Forest.

An ‘old-growth forest’, Wigry has retained an impressive amount of biodiversity. In early times it was a favorite hunting ground of Polish royalty.  Kristiaan and I were hoping in particular to see a wild hog.

The autumn colors were spectacular.

Kristiaan directed us to a river that he was interested in seeing. It did not disappoint.

We trekked back through the forest until we reached Krzywe. We’d hiked at least ten miles. Waited until the bus picked us up at 5:00.

Got off at Suwalki Plaza. I blogged for a couple hours and then we grabbed dinner- KFC and Subway.

Our bus left from the station at 7:50. We arrived in Vilnius just after midnight.