A Tour of Vilnius

"Vilnius is the modern European city with a remarkable old town and friendly people."

Friendly people. Just remember not to bare your teeth.

The Howling Wolf

Lithuanian legend maintains that an iron wolf howled in Grand Duke Gediminas's dream. An interpreter told the Grand Duke the dream was a sign that Gediminas should build a castle on a hill, and that a great city would arise around the site. The city grew into Lithuania's capital, Vilnius.

Wolf imagery remains ubiquitous in Lithuania. Here, a howling wolf guards the entryway to a beauty salon ("dalės salonas"):

Lithuania, August 2011. The door-stop wolf is a typical example of folk-art woodcarving.

Thanks to my Toronto Cousin for making this photo available to us.