The Baltic States were the surprise destination for 20 Grays Thurrock Rotarians on their annual mystery trip. A great social occasion for Club Members after a hard year of raising funds for the local community.
The group arrived at Stansted and were presented with their boarding passes to take them to Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania for a two-day visit.
They were welcomed to the boutique Artagonist Hotel in the Old Town part of Europe’s greenest capital. The hotel featured original work by Lithuanian artists throughout and the team headed off to explore the Old Town with its many restaurants and bars and settled into Lokys – the oldest restaurant in Lithuania for a splendid selection of traditional dishes featuring beetroot, crayfish, wild boar, beaver and game sausages.
The second day saw members visiting the former KGB Headquarters in the city. Today it is known as the Museum of Occupation. With its tiny cells, and chambers of torture and execution it was a chilling event. Rooms that formerly held eavesdropping and details on residents were filled with photographs and statements that told the story of the occupation as the EU nation was controlled by Russia, Germany and finally the USSR before gaining freedom in the early 1990s.
Other cultural delights such as the Museum of Illusions, the famous Town Hall square and the Vilnius university and cathedral helped make this a memorable trip – finished off with drinks and lunch at the Artagonist.
The annual mystery trip where members are surprised by their secret destination is a key part of the club’s international fun activities.
Plans for next year’s event is already underway.
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