tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66927967611658666992012-02-16T11:54:06.642+01:00Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17116469876042464166noreply@blogger.comBlogger261100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6692796761165866699.post-67306875893319087352008-02-20T00:45:00.004+01:002008-02-20T23:35:45.518+01:00

A mission to the UNESCO Regional Bureau in Bangkok with three other young professionals enabled me to travel to Thailand for the third time. This was a great opportunity to meet various colleagues working in different units of the UNESCO Bangkok, the UN Economic and Social Commission for East Asia and Pacific and UNDP; learn about diverse programs at the country level; and reflect on how to

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17116469876042464166noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6692796761165866699.post-79916498613609138112007-09-22T21:33:00.001+02:002007-09-30T20:51:01.284+02:00

Following non-stop rain in Paris during the whole August, a weekend escape to Burgundy and Champagne proved to be like a sun ray in the grey sky. On the way to Beaune, a Burgundian wine capital, the clouds started clearing out and the town met us with sunshine and warmth. Beaune charmed us with its stone houses, flower embellishments and wine stores where one can taste various wines. It must be

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17116469876042464166noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6692796761165866699.post-74949912449002947252007-09-17T20:48:00.001+02:002007-09-17T22:33:26.611+02:00

Attending the meeting on debt swaps for education provided me with a perfect opportunity to finally visit Buenos Aires. The vibe of the city made me wish that the visit lasted longer. It is strange how many parallels one can find between Paris and Buenos Aires. No wonder the city is called Paris of Latin America. I could easily see that Buenos Aires in Latin America is what Paris is in Europe.

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17116469876042464166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6692796761165866699.post-52330947667206894942007-07-31T22:04:00.001+02:002007-07-31T22:14:21.492+02:00

It was very nice to go back to visit friends in Washington, DC, where I had lived for three years before I moved to Paris. One of the special moments was that my friend had tickets to watch the game of Washington Wizzards against Cleveland Cavaliers in Eastern Conference during the 2007 NBA Playoffs and NBA Championship. The Lithuanian Zydrunas Ilgauskas was playing for Cavaliers so I was even

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17116469876042464166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6692796761165866699.post-74261135547313562792007-07-29T22:44:00.001+02:002007-07-29T22:55:46.663+02:00

On the occasion of St. John's Day, my husband and I went to meet my sister, her boyfriend and two friends in Amiens, a quaint town about one hour by train from Paris. The highlight of Amiens is its cathedral, the tallest and the largest classic Gothic church of the 13th century in France, classified by UNESCO as a world heritage site. Recent research has revealed that its principal facade was

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17116469876042464166noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6692796761165866699.post-7252159537042975032007-07-29T22:33:00.001+02:002007-07-30T11:47:08.671+02:00

Painting eggs for Easter is a special Lithuanian tradition. The egg is considered a symbol of life and rebirth of nature since pagan times. The tradition of egg dyeing is much older than Christianity and it was believed that painting symbols on eggs has magic power. In Lithuania, there are different ways of dyeing eggs. Many use a thick needle and hot wax to make patterns, including blossoms,

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17116469876042464166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6692796761165866699.post-34090244088289782007-07-21T20:48:00.001+02:002007-07-22T13:00:14.730+02:00

Due to circumstances, I was forced to look for a new apartment. Since 15th arrondissement where I lived previously was not very "happening" it was time to experience another neighborhood of Paris which would be more exciting. The first time I saw the lovely apartment in Quarter Latin with a view of Pantheon I knew that this was it. Now I feel very Parisian living in this ancient bohemian

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17116469876042464166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6692796761165866699.post-9315055616389104462007-07-21T20:21:00.001+02:002007-07-22T13:17:19.882+02:00

My husband's Valentine's Day present to me was a necklace from Portugal and mine to him – a trip to the Fontenbleau forest 40 minutes away from Paris. He loves nature and outdoor activities so was very happy to escape from the city. Dinner at an expensive restaurant is not his idea of a romantic time together. There was also another occasion to celebrate – the Lithuanian Independence Day on the

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17116469876042464166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6692796761165866699.post-66981563077723239422007-07-21T20:12:00.001+02:002007-07-21T20:23:07.115+02:00

The concert of Nympheales was an unexpectedly pleasant surprise to a large audience gathered at a church in the 16th arrondisment of Paris. Nympheales is an unusual instrumental trio: harpist (French Cecile), soprano (Colombian Marcela) and mezzo-soprano (Lithuanian Birute). Following the classical baroque singing, more impressive was the second part – original interpretation of the Baltic

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17116469876042464166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6692796761165866699.post-63172091373169552182007-07-21T20:00:00.001+02:002007-07-21T20:26:01.927+02:00

I went to Lithuania for winter holidays and was keen on celebrating the New Year in Vilnius by watching a bright spectrum of fireworks. However, New Year festivities in the Lithuanian countryside ended up being much more enjoyable. At first, celebrating in a traditional summer house with no central heating and water but only a well and a fireplace did not seem very tempting. While warming up in

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17116469876042464166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6692796761165866699.post-51138149235648295042007-07-21T19:46:00.001+02:002007-07-21T19:47:57.685+02:00

Bollywood style show Bharati is very successful in Paris even though Parisians are spoiled with high-class entertainment. This music, dance and traditional extravaganza about India is one of typical love stories, which India is famous for depicting in movies. Nevertheless, what makes it especially entertaining is that hundreds of experienced performers and changing amazing stage decorations and

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17116469876042464166noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6692796761165866699.post-50087719748056888702007-07-21T18:25:00.001+02:002007-07-29T21:45:47.894+02:00

One of my friends is giving me a tour of gastronomic Paris. It is her passion to discover best restaurants and write about them in a blog "Luxeat" where she reviews unique experiences in various eating establishments. She introduced me to Laduree, a historical French dessert bakery since 1862, where I fell in love with macarons, light meringue cookies that melt in the mouth. Macarons appeared in

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17116469876042464166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6692796761165866699.post-3166533751280654492007-07-21T17:12:00.001+02:002007-07-21T18:45:01.518+02:00

While attending the High Level Group Meeting on Education for All in Cairo, I caught a glimpse of the ancient culture but will definitely have to come back to have a deeper experience. The main highlights in Cairo were: the traditional dinner in the colorful market of Khan-Khalili, Nile dinner cruise with a belly dancer and excursion to Giza pyramids. The masses of tourists everywhere were

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17116469876042464166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6692796761165866699.post-15908345207390341722007-07-21T16:46:00.001+02:002007-07-21T16:46:53.870+02:00

Attending a performance at the Opera Garnier is a beautiful experience. The building inside and out is a piece of art. While watching ballet from a balcony covered in red and gold, one gets easily carried into the past. Having a glass of real champagne over the break makes the whole experience even more complete. Just do not watch any performances from the very top rows since the seats there are

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17116469876042464166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6692796761165866699.post-92160354237325215582007-07-21T16:39:00.001+02:002007-07-21T18:44:00.159+02:00

Moscow Symphony Orchestra's concert at UNESCO to mark the 100th Anniversary of Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975) was a rare treat. It was not well advertised and the audience came with invitations so as a result the sale was half empty. A pity since some Frenchmen would have paid a tidy sum to be able to listen to this homage to the renowned composer performed by the world class orchestra. The

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17116469876042464166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6692796761165866699.post-85689911437502906912007-07-21T15:20:00.001+02:002007-07-21T16:16:12.384+02:00

Since there is a short and inexpensive flight from Paris to Nice, we decided to take an advantage of this one weekend. A lot of tourists spend all their holidays in Nice but I do not see where the attraction lies. Nice seems to be just a big city with a lot of traffic and conveyer food in uniform restaurants for many middle-class tourists outside of France. In order to have a more authentic

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17116469876042464166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6692796761165866699.post-14528995272213569882007-07-21T01:06:00.001+02:002007-09-30T20:31:56.758+02:00

A perfect weekend trip from Paris is to rent a car and visit famous Chartres cathedral and Loire Valley, both of which are UNESCO heritage sites. An original way to escape crowds of tourists was to stay in roulottes, old style travel wagons with modern equipment, located by the stream in a tranquil countryside, conveniently close to Loire castles.A weekend is too short to visit all the castles in

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17116469876042464166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6692796761165866699.post-41109942392811502992007-07-21T00:10:00.001+02:002007-09-21T16:52:01.628+02:00

I paid double price for tickets to Madonna's concert in Paris but I do not regret it. It was the most amazing show I have seen! I have seen her performing on an American Life Tour in Washington, DC but her Confessions Tour was way better. No other performer puts up such a show. Everyone held their breath and hearts started beating faster when we saw a disco ball falling into the center of the

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17116469876042464166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6692796761165866699.post-44599872958259154302007-07-05T23:01:00.001+02:002007-07-22T16:12:11.235+02:00

When Paris becomes deserted in August, excepted for tourists, listening to free jazz concerts in Parc Floral in Bois de Vincennes and relaxing at Paris Plage are good ways to spend a Sunday afternoon. While listening to music, you can enjoy a picnic surrounded by exotic flowers in Parc Floral.Paris Plage is a strange idea of the Municipality of Paris for the people that cannot escape Paris to go

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17116469876042464166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6692796761165866699.post-8910265542022434702007-07-05T22:37:00.001+02:002007-07-22T16:11:03.620+02:00

Watching the World Cup on TV in a bar in Paris was something that I have not experienced before. Since a national game in Lithuania is basketball, this is the only sport that I have been sometimes following. However, in Paris I was drawn into cheering during many games by supporting teams of my international friends. At first, the game seemed boring to me since I have been used to constant

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17116469876042464166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6692796761165866699.post-82415931383385979382007-07-05T22:26:00.001+02:002007-07-22T16:13:34.401+02:00

A pleasant escape from Paris in July is to go to Versaille to see Les Grand Eaux Nocturnes, baroque evening entertainment to evoke the splendor of Versailles during the reign of the Sun-King. As one walks through gardens one enjoys theater, concerts, ballet and admires playing fountains bathed in light, all set in groves adorned with marble, bronze and gold. The festivities are concluded with

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17116469876042464166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6692796761165866699.post-5565330291487782932007-07-05T21:39:00.001+02:002007-09-23T14:34:08.685+02:00

We went to Champs de Mars two hours before fireworks were about to start to reserve a place and have a picnic. Already at that time, the whole area was so crowded that we had trouble finding space. Since the grass area was occupied we sat on one of the paths crisscrossing Champs de Mars and leant against the fence. However, as we were having a lovely picnic with cheese and wine people started

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17116469876042464166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6692796761165866699.post-15416724630691399642007-07-05T20:52:00.001+02:002007-09-22T21:25:32.789+02:00

The first Sunday of the month is free to get in Louvre so I used an opportunity to see celebrated Mona Lisa for the first time. Waiting in a long line while strong sun was shining on us and struggling among other tourists to see Mona Lisa was not exactly a pleasant experience. It is difficult to understand why this small picture with a bad looking woman became so famous that some people even

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17116469876042464166noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6692796761165866699.post-7269086522772746802007-07-02T23:21:00.001+02:002007-09-23T14:31:55.075+02:00

Back in Paris, I enjoyed quite a few picnics by the Eiffel Tour. Waiting for Eiffel Tour lights to come up is quite a special way to spend a romantic evening with someone special or have a nice time with friends. You can see birthday parties, bachelor parties and even weddings around you. Here is a wedding party and a Bachelor party right besides each other in this photo…. One can find amazing

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17116469876042464166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6692796761165866699.post-74607732998828722402007-06-28T22:59:00.000+02:002007-09-23T14:48:36.304+02:00

I flew back to Lithuania to get married to my Lithuanian fiancé I met three years ago in Washington, DC. The unusual way we met…. At that time I was working at the Lithuanian Embassy and was asked to represent Lithuania at a Cherry Blossom Festival. My role as a cherry blossom princess was to participate in week-long social and cultural events with other cherry blossom princesses: young talented

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17116469876042464166noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6692796761165866699.post-20630446091545153742007-06-05T22:05:00.000+02:002007-09-22T21:03:44.524+02:00

Having grown up in Lithuania, studied and worked for nine years in Kentucky, Ohio and Washington, DC, as well as traveled to a number of other places around the World, I became quite worldly exposed. A move to Paris to work at UNESCO provided me with another opportunity to enjoy international environment and life to the fullest or like French say – profiter de la vie. Many days present unexpected

Linahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17116469876042464166noreply@blogger.com1