Sweet, flavorful, and ubiquitous, meet Lithuania's liquid gold. From tea to a cure for sore throats, Lithuanians use honey constantly. So much so that I'd have to call Lithuanian honey liquid gold.

Is Honey Really That Important In Lithuania?

The short answer: yes. More than black rye bread, wild-collected mushrooms, and potatoes, honey might just be Lithuania's number one culturally important food. So much so that it has been incorporated into Lithuania's pagan belief system, proverbs, tourism, and basic healthcare.

A Lithuanian proverb says, "A lone bee cannot create honey." (Viena bite avilin medaus neprines.)

 

How is Lithuania's honey consumed + utilized?

Honey tea

One of my favorite ways to consume Lithuanian honey is in the form of honey tea, something that I had never heard of prior to moving to Lithuania. Honey tea is made from thick, spun honey with herbs incorporated into the mixture to provide ultimate health benefits. Though there are several brands that sell honey tea, my personal favorite is from Apiflorus.

They sell honey teas in a variety of sizes and include teas infused with herbs that have added health benefits. For example, lemon balm is thought to aid digestion, reduce period cramps, and be calming. The honey tea with lemon balm is excellent for relaxation, in my opinion.

To use honey tea, simply mix a small spoonful with hot water and stir. This can be enjoyed immediately -- I really enjoyed it while I was pregnant with Baby ISO. You can buy honey tea at several gift stores and at the Vilnius Airport, but my favorite place is at Senamiescio Kratuve on Literatu g. in the Vilnius old town.

Cakes

Honey is used as a traditional sweetener for numerous Lithuanian desserts, although honey is now sometimes replaced by white cane sugar. My favorite Lithuanian cookbook, Taste Lithuania* by Beata Nicholson, even has a wonderful chapter entitled "Rivers of Honey." This entire chapter is dedicated to desserts, most of which use honey as the sweetener and main flavoring. Included in the recipes are gyrabukai -- my favorite Lithuanian dessert -- glazed mushroom cookies. The most famous Lithuanian dessert, honey cake, is also described, and of course, features honey as one of the main ingredients.

Honey cake (medaus tortas) is a labor intensive layer cake sweetened and flavored with quite a bit of honey. Found in numerous bakeries in Lithuania, visitors can easily sink their teeth into a slice of honey cake. Made with a different number of thin, wafer-like layers of cake depending on who makes it, the layers are then soaked in tea before assembly.

I think the best honey cake in Vilnius can be found at Senamiescio Kratuve on Literatu gatve and Pilies Kepyklele on Pilies gatve. Senamiescio Kratuve also has excellent gyrabukai, although they aren't always shaped as mushrooms. If you'd like to try out this recipe at home, the blog Ugne Bakes has a really nice recipe. The blog's writer, Ugne, is the Lithuanian woman who was on Great British Bake Off in 2015!!

Mead

The delicious hard alcohol made from honey -- mead -- has likely been produced in Lithuania for thousands of years. At one point, noble Lithuanian families even had their own special recipes and consumed up to 30 barrels per week. If you want to read more about the history of Lithuanian mead, I've written about it here for Culture Trip.

If you want to taste mead while in Lithuania (I know I do!), Lithuania's most famous mead company, Lietuviskas Midus, just started holding mead tastings in Vilnius. Prices are really reasonable, 8 Euros for four beverages, education, plus snacks. Tastings are held on Stikliu g., which is really the perfect location in old town. I'm dying to get a babysitter for the afternoon to do a tasting!

Cure for ailments

"A spoon full of [honey] makes the medicine go down[?]" ... that is how the song in Mary Poppins goes, right? Well, I bet the version translated into Lithuanian would be more culturally appropriate if honey replaced sugar in the timeless song. In Lithuania, honey is thought to be a cure for ailments. Spoonfuls of honey are added to tea, hot water, or simply consumed to prevent or help colds and sore throats.

This belief is actually backed by science, as honey is known to have antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. Its antibacterial properties are actually what makes honey unable to spoil. Using honey (and other bee products) as a medicine is considered apitherapy, and other than ingesting honey, it can be used in facials and spa treatments.

The wonderful resort town of Druskininkai in southern Lithuania has an abundance of spas with honey-based treatments. Though I wasn't in love with the treatments at the spa I stayed at, Spa Vilnius Druskininkai was highly recommended by my friends, and I'm rather envious of their stay! Spa Vilnius Druskininkai offers body massages with honey meant to stimulate the immune system and relieve inflammation.

Where can you learn more about Lithuanian honey?

Beekeeping Museum

I hate to say that after four years in Lithuania, I still haven't had the chance to visit the Beekeeping Museum even though it has been on my Lithuanian Bucket List since the beginning. Though way off-the-beaten-path for most visitors, the Lithuanian Museum of Ancient Beekeeping is an open air museum located in Aukstaitija National Park. The museum features carvings of pagan beekeeping gods and goddesses, examples of tree-trunk beekeeping hives, and other beekeeping paraphernalia. It is slightly unclear when the museum is open, so you might want to check with the tourism board and call ahead before visiting. I'm hoping to visit before leaving Vilnius, although some sources say it doesn't open for the season until May, so hopefully we have time for a quick weekend escape!

Rumsiskes: The Lithuanian Open Air Museum

Rumsiskes was also on my Lithuanian Bucket List, but we managed to visit this year for my birthday. This awesome open air museum holds historic houses from all of Lithuania's cultural regions and also has a small area about beekeeping.

Honey + Lithuanian beliefs

Honey gods and goddesses 

Honey features in Lithuanian food, culture, and is even wrapped into Lithuania's former pagan beliefs. Lithuanian folklore remembers two pagan bee deities. The first is the female queen bee, Austeja, the goddess of fertility and protector of women, especially pregnant women. The second deity is the male worker bee, Babilas. Further excellent details are given in this blog post.



Who knew honey could be so important. Tell me, is honey used where you live?

Experiencing different cultures is one of the main reasons I travel. I love feeling immersed in something different or familiar and trying new-to-me things. I also believe this is a great way to open my mind to different ways of life and to allow Baby ISO to experience the world, even as a toddler.

1) BookALokal, BonAppetour, street food, and tastings

Some of my favorite memories from traveling come from eating a meal cooked by a local. BookaLokal and BonAppetour are companies that help you to connect with locals who open their homes to visitors looking to learn about culture through food and conversations. J and I have experienced wonderful BookALokal experiences in Athens and Madrid. Thus, this has to be my top suggestion for meeting with locals to learn about culture, particularly while sharing a delicious meal.

If a BookALokal or BonAppetour experience isn't on offer (or is too pricey), street food and tastings options might abound. In China, I loved experiencing tea tastings, while in Lithuania, coffee tastings are prevalent. A quick Google search will let you know what to expect in every different destination.

Tea tasting in Kunming, Yunnan, China

2) Rental apartment

I'm a bit nosy when it comes to how people live around the world, so booking a rental apartment through Airbnb or Booking.com allows me to have more than a peak inside an apartment. We've learned the hard way that you need to be picky when it comes to selecting an apartment (watch out for ones hosted by companies!), but sometimes you can luck out with a wonderful accommodation and excellent hosts.

3) People-watch

Who doesn't like a bit of people-watching, am I right? Since I've started contributing to Travel Fashion Girl, I've been finding myself paying much more attention to the different fashion trends in each destination I visit. For example, here in Bari, Italy, where I'm currently writing from, I've been noticing chic women wearing very flattering palazzo jeans with fitted shirts and masculine shoes. Paying attention to these little trends is simple and easy to do when traveling and puts you at least a touch in-tune with a piece of local culture.

4) Free walking tours

I love free walking tours--they are reasonably easy with a child and they give you the opportunity to learn more about a destination. I always look for free walking tours while traveling, and often they can be pretty easy to find. So, I'd absolutely suggest looking for a walking tour where ever you go.

--> The free walking tours in Vilnius and Tallinn are really well done. I play on trying the tour in Riga this spring, so I'll let you know how it is! 

5) Talk to people

Though sometimes a language barrier prevents in depth conversations, talking to people is obviously one of the best ways to learn about culture. It is simple to exchange a few words with someone at a cafe, a hotel concierge, or a serve at a restaurant.

6) Museums

Okay, museums aren't for everyone, but some museums do provide excellent insight into the local culture. For any visitor to Lithuania, I have to suggest spending a few hours at the KGB Museum in Vilnius and/or the 9th Fort in Kaunas. These museums provide visitors with an understanding of the recent tragedies that recently faced Lithuania.

7) Read

Though I love to read, picking up a book about a certain destination that I'm visiting (or dream of visiting) is a bit of a new one for me. I'm currently reading a book set in Malaysia--The Garden of Evening Mists, which has instantly transported me to stunning gardens and tea plantations set in Malaysia's mountains. Even if you aren't traveling, you can pick up a book to learn more about the culture in your home or in a destination you'd like to visit soon.

8) Visit a market 

Visiting a market is a totally simple option that only takes an hour out of your trip, but will allow you to experience a bit of local culture through observing people and the type of produce available. From the famous La Boqueria in Barcelona to the more local Kalvariu Market in Vilnius, there will certainly be options anywhere you go.

9) Street art

I love, love street art. It allows a little peek into the counter-culture of a destination. For example, the painting of Putin and Trump making out in Vilnius (the was painted during the election), was rather newsworthy! What bits of street art can you find while visiting a city?

Street art by one of my favorite artists (Athens)

10) Visit a place of worship

 
From Buddhist temples to Greek Orthodox Churches, I like to visit them all! Even during a weekend getaway or a stopover, visitors can seek the chance to visit a place of worship to learn a bit about the people who live in that region.

Temple in Kunming

How do you learn about local culture when you travel? What else can be added to this list?

Vilnius is home to some 120 nationalities, and many have played a significant role in Lithuania's history. Recently, Vilnius has been celebrating this diversity of nationalities with the installation of multicultural street signs. These multicultural signs are written in the language of the ethnicity that is referred to in the sign. For example, Vokeiciu gatve (German Street) is written in German as Deutsche Strake with a decorative symbol next to the name.

The first sign was installed on Iceland Street (Islandija gatve) because Iceland was the first country to recognize Lithuania as independent in 1991. Another sign was installed on Totoriu g. (Tartar Street) at the intersection with Gedimino pr. in the old town to celebrate 600 years of Tartars in Lithuania. The sign installations are celebrated with a visit from Vilnius' mayor, and in some cases, a small celebration of folk songs.

Now, not all have accepted these multicultural signs, and within the first few days, the street sign on Rusu g. (Russia Street) was vandalized, but was quickly cleaned up by the city government. There is also currently a lawsuit pending regarding the (ridiculous, in my opinion) belief that these signs may cause racism. However, the municipal government insists that the signs are decorative and meant to celebrate Lithuania's heritage.

Hopefully the Vilnius municipal government will be able to continue this interesting celebration of Lithuania's long history.

 Where to find these signs:

Feel free to read more on these press releases: Warsaw Street; Totoriu g.


What do you think about multicultural signs? Do you think they instigate racism and hatred or rather, celebrate a diverse city?

One of my favorite small businesses - a cafe where East meets West -- in Dali, Yunnan, China

Last week my Bloglovin' feed featured a blog post that moaned over how pointless and frivolous travel blogs feel with a world full of bad around them. Rather than offering their readers a way to take action (like this awesome post from Amanda or this post from Cassie -- there were many others, too!) or even simply providing an escape for readers (like these guys) feeling down about what's on the news, they just moaned. And you know what, that pisses me off!

I don't think travel blogs are frivolous at all; in fact, I think travel blogs have the possibility to contribute to making the world a better place.

1. Travel bloggers act as ambassadors for their country, providing clear information about their nation and break down stereotypes. 
2. Travel bloggers can share cultures with the world, acting to diminish fear and misunderstanding.
3. Travel bloggers can promote conservation through showing habitat destruction, companies that treat animals poorly, or share lifestyle tips for slow travel.
4. Travel bloggers can boost the local economy by shopping local and supporting local artisans. The travel industry ultimately provides millions of jobs to people around the world. 
5. Travel bloggers provide an escape from daily lives for readers.

Even though these actions may seem insubstantial, if we as travels can guide even one person to beat a misconception; to understand the world; to accept other cultures and religions, we've done our job. And if that person can pay it forward, then imagine just how many people our actions can affect.

So here I am, a frivolous travel blogger doing something to leave the world a more positive place.

Traveling and living abroad provides an unparalleled opportunity to learn about cultures and histories that may be completely different from your own. It is your chance to open your mind to foods, experiences, religions, festivals, and more.

Lithuania, a country that only recently regained its freedom from the Soviet Union, has a rich history of food, culture, and bravery. Because it was part of the Soviet Union and only joined the EU recently, many people don't have a clue about Lithuania or what to expect when visiting. Actually, when I first moved to Lithuania, I also had no idea what Lithuania would be like and my parents were pretty nervous about the move. What I've found, however, is a wonderful home full of unique food culture where potato is king, a rich tradition of harvesting wild plants and fungi, and strong national pride.

If you happen to be visiting Lithuania or have recently moved here, I've created a list of 15 different ways that you can experience Lithuanian culture.

1) Mushroom Picking

Mushroom picking was one of my favorite experiences of all time in Lithuania. Shortly after the birth of Baby ISO, J's colleague took us mushroom picking in the suburbs of Vilnius. If visiting Lithuania, I have to suggest asking a knowledgeable local to take you mushrooming.

2) Uzgavenes

Uzgavenes is a traditional Lithuanian festival occurring 46 days before Easter and involved dressing up in wooden masks, singing, and going door to door to collect candy. The celebration culminates with the burning of a more to scare away winter. Enjoy the merriment on the streets on Vilnius or at the Rumsiskes Open Air Museum.

3) Kaziuko Festival

The Kaziuko Festival is the best festival in Lithuania and occurs at the beginning of March. At this festival, you can expect thousands of folk crafters selling their goods such as carved masks, wooden bowls and platters, painted eggs, jewelry and more! Plan your visit to Vilnius to coincide with the awesome Kaziuko Festival.

4) Coffee Tasting

Coffee culture is single-handedly changing the face of Lithuania and creating a counterculture. Cafes are providing upbeat meeting places, jobs, and workspaces for freelancers. With the increase of cafes comes pop-up festivals and markets, and improvement in parts of the city that were once kind of yucky (e.g., the Stotis area). One of my first and favorite coffee experiences in Vilnius was a coffee tasting at Crooked Nose and Coffee Stories. The owner is awesome and hosts frequent coffee tastings (see "kavos degustacija" on their FB page) at their airy cafe. Tastings can also be given in English, so no worries if your Lithuanian is as bad as mine!

5) Open Kitchen

I've shared my love for Open Kitchen probably too many times on In Search Of, but it is a highlight of the summer season in Vilnius and will provide a lively snapshot into hipster life in Vilnius. If you are visiting Vilnius in the summer or early fall, pop over to Tymo Turgis where they hold Open Kitchen.

6) Beekeeping Museum

The Beekeeping Museum has remained on my Lithuanian Bucket List since we moved to Vilnius, and I still have yet to visit <-- blame that on the bad weather most of the year. Both beekeeping and honey are culturally very important in Lithuania and there are even Lithuanian gods of beekeeping. Honey is used a sweetener in numerous desserts including gyrabai cookies, which are my personal favorite.

7) Maker Popups

Along with the cool cafes, there have been quarterly maker popups with great artisans. These events are always packed and I think they are a great way to support small businesses.

8) Jewish Museum in Vilnius

Another location that I haven't yet had the chance to visit is the Jewish Museum in Vilnius. My Mother-In-Law, who is Jewish with Lithuanian ancestry, did visit all of the Jewish sites in Vilnius + surroundings, and she said they were incredibly moving.

9) All Saints Day

All Saints Day is celebrated on November 1 all over Lithuania with families visiting cemeteries to light candles and pay respects to the dead.

10) 9th Fort

 Located just outside of Kaunas, the 9th Fort is a museum, memorial, and historic site in remembrance of the 50,000 people murdered there during WWII.

11) Street art walk

Vilnius has recently started street art festivals and projects meant to rejuvenate parts of the city as well as celebrate its history. Taking a self-guided tour of Vilnius' street art paints a picture of Lithuania's creativity and politics.

12) Mead tasting

Lithuania is widely known for its mead, which was previously used in pagan religious ceremonies. Mead tastings are available in Vilnius at Lietuviskas Midus in old town.

13) Independence Days

Lithuanian has two independence days, and both are widely celebrated with people wearing yellow, green, and red. If you happen to be in Lithuania on either February 16 or March 11, be sure to look out for parades, flags, and patriotism.

14) Grutas Parkas

 Located near Druskininkai, Grutas Park contains old Soviet statues that were once located throughout Lithuania. The park is pretty spooky with Soviet music playing in the background and larger than life statues of evil personalities such as Lenin and Stalin.

15) KGB Museum 

 The Museum of Genocide Victims (also called the KGB Museum) is a bone chilling museum in Vilnius that describes the recent horrors that Lithuanians faced under Soviet rule. The basement of the KGB Museum was a former KGB office, prison, and torture chamber.

 

What are ways that you can learn about the culture (or cultures) of your current home?

Though a small country, Lithuania has a an incredibly long history and probably surprising for most, different cultural groups. Samogitians, or lowlanders, are one such cultural group who have a strong presence in modern-day Lithuania and played an important role in Lithuania's history.

To put it simply, Samogitia is an ethnic region of Lithuania with a long and interesting cultural heritage. Samogitia is considered the low land, and this name has been in use since the 13th century.

Historically, Samogitia, or Zemaitija in Lithuanian, was independently ruled by Samogitian princes before the unification of Lithuania. Samogitia played an important role in the wars against Teutonic Knights in the 1200s and remained at least partially independent until the late 1700s when all of Lithuania was taken over by Tsarist Russia. Remaining steeped in national pride and cultural heritage, Samogitians were responsible for rejuvinating folklore, language, and history in the 19th century

Samogitia currently consists of the cities of Siaulai, Palanga, and Telsiai in northwestern Lithuania. Telsiai is considered the capital of Samogitia. Samogitia is notable as it was the last part of Lithuania that converted to Christianity -- it only converted in the early 1400s and most people continued to practice their pagan religion. Additionally, the people of this region have actively conserved the Samogitian language, which is slightly different from Lithuanian, cultural traditions, and cuisine.

Samogitians speak one of the two Lithuanian dialects and until fairly recently, women dressed in long skirts with brightly colored stripes and intricately detailed head scarfs. Examples of the outfits from different regions on Lithuania can be seen on the second floor of the National Museum in Vilnius.

In Samogitia, traditional botanical knowledge has also been maintained, and 113 plant species are considered medicinal. Use of traditional medicines are combined with modern medicine to create a holistic approach to healing in this region of modern-day Lithuania.

How to experience Samogitia while visiting Lithuania

Samogitian pancakes

If you happen to visit Lithuania and want to experience a bit of Samogitian but don't have a ton of time in country, try Samogitian pancakes. Samogitian pancakes are potato pancakes stuffed with meat and formed in a flattened football shape.

Rumsiskes

Houses were also traditionally very different than elsewhere in Lithuania and several example homes can be seen at Rumsiskes. Rumsiskes is a massive open-air museum located only a couple hour drive from Vilnius (near Kaunas) and is worth a visit if you have time.

Visiting Samogitia

If time isn't an issue, the wonderful blog True Lithuania has a massive post with maps that provides details for Samogitian sites that are worth visiting. A few examples on the "Samogitian trail" include the Panemune Castle (and road that has a couple of other related castles), a pagan shrine in Sventoji, and the Uzgavenes Museum (a pagan/Lithuanian festival to scare away winter) near the Zemaitija National Park.

Sources:

- Petekvicicute et al. 2010. Urban ethnobotany study in Samogitian region, Lithuania. Journal of Medicinal Plants Research Vol. 4 (1): 64-71. 
- Samogita Blog
- True Lithuania Blog



Do you like to learn about culture where you live or travel? What is one surprising/cool thing about where you're based?

If you've read my "Start Here" page or if you know me in real life, you may just know that I'm a super nerd. In fact, to solidify my super-nerd status, I completed a PhD in botany, focusing on ethnobotany, or how people use, interact with, and think about plants (both concrete and abstract). So, when I moved to the lovely country of Lithuania several years ago now, I had grand plans to study Lithuanian uses of and knowledge about plants. Life (both fortunately and unfortunately) intervened, so I was never able to complete what would be considered an "academic" study (for peer-review and publication, and blah, blah, blah). However, ethnobotany always stayed on my mind (as it would for any true super nerd, obviously), which actually wasn't so difficult as plants (and don't forget about fungus!) feature not so subtly in everyday life in Lithuania.

 So, what's all this about Lithuanian names and plants? 

If you've spent any time getting to know Lithuanians, even just to know their first name, you might be familiar with the name Ruta (or if you like chocolate, then you might know the name from the Lithuanian candy brand of the same name). Ruta, a popular female name, is also the name for the plant common rue (Ruta graveolens). Common rue is also the unofficial National Flower of Lithuania.

Ramune (female name) means chamomile (Asteraceae), which is a common plant used for tea -- a tea that is particularly popular in Lithuania.

Lina (female name), another popular Lithuanian name, means flax (Linum usitatissimum), which is a fiber crop used to weave linen. Linen is a common fabric in Lithuania; you'll see a huge number of stores selling linen goods in Vilnius.

Another botanical female name is Egle, which means spruce (a tree; Picea spp.). Moving to the abstract for a moment, let's look at the Lithuanian folk tale about Egle. Egle, the youngest daughter of a large family, was swimming with her sisters one day when she was forced by a serpent to become his bride. Fearing the famine and misfortune promised on her family if she tricked the serpent, she bravely married him, and in time, forgot her own family. Egle and the serpent eventually had their own children, three boys, Azuolas, Uosis, and Berzas, and one girl, Drebule. Many years later, after pleading with her serpent husband, Egle was allowed to bring her children to visit her former land and her family. Only Egle and her children knew how to return to the land of the serpents and were forbidden to share this information with anyone else. Drebule, however, told her uncles how to reach her father, and they killed him. Egle then cast a spell changing herself into a spruce tree, Azuolas into an oak tree (Quercus spp.), Uosis into an ash tree (Fraxinus spp.), Berzas into a birch tree (Betula spp.), and for punishment, Drebule into a aspen tree (Populus spp.) so she would forever remain trembling in the wind.

Moving onto another tree name that wasn't include in the story of Egle and the serpents, is Liepa, a female name that means linden tree (Tilia spp.). Additional ethnobotanical female names include Smilte (sandwort; Arenaria spp.), Roze (rose; Rosa spp.), Rugile (rye; Secale spp.), and Jolanta (violet flower; probably Viola spp.).


Other interesting but not botanical names include Ugne (fire; female name), Rasa (dew; female name), and Gelynes (flower garden; male name). See, it is actually pretty difficult to avoid ethnobotany in Lithuania!

Literature Cited

http://www.baltictimes.com/news/articles/6062/

https://europeisnotdead.com/disco/books-of-europe/european-fairy-tales/lithuania-egle-the-queen-of-serpents/

http://tikslai.blogas.lt/the-most-popular-lithuanian-folk-tale-1044.html

Today I'm linking up with Faraway Files and Wanderful Wednesday.

This past weekend we rented a car and spent the day at the Rumsiskes Open Air Museum of Lithuania in Rumsiskes (between Vilnius and Kaunas), LT. Even though the weather was a bit chilly and the clouds got darker and darker as the day progressed, it was an excellent trip that I had been looking forward to for some time.

Rumsiskes is an open-air ethnographic museum featuring homesteads, farms, and a small town center from the five ethnographic regions of Lithuania. Think Old Sturbridge Village or Colonial Williamsburg if you are from the US, but with fewer people (dressed up staff members).

I really liked seeing the different interiors of the houses, barns, and storage houses. Most were sparsely furnished with wooden furniture, handwoven blankets, and intricately decorated chests. The school house from the mid-1900s was particularly interesting.

Based on the reported average time people spend at Rumsiskes (via TripAdvisor), I thought that we'd be able to visit both Rumsiskes and the Ninth Fort of Kaunas. How wrong was I! We spent four hours wandering Rumsiskes at a leisurely pace, but we probably only saw about one half of the entire park. I'd suggest purchasing a map (there is only one posted map (that we saw) in the entire park) at the entrance of the park, so having a map will allow you to easily decide where to go.

Entrance costs 4 Euros per adult (we weren't charged for Baby ISO) and parking in the lot costs 2 Euros for the day.

If you have extra time when visiting Vilnius, I'd suggest visiting the Lithuanian Open Air Museum, especially if you are interested in ethnography.


I'm linking up with the January Cultured Kids with A Pigeon Pair and Me