The KGB and Our First Parental Pop-Quiz

Today we went to the Holocaust Museum and KGB Genocide Museum. We had originally thought to visit this place while the girls were at the orphanage, but needing something to do we tried it today. Audrone does like history so we weren't too worried about her getting bored. We walked around trying to find the museum, but the online map we had checked had it in the wrong location! So helpful. At one point there was another couple looking around and I decided to ask them if they were looking for the museum as well. I was 98% sure that they spoke English ... the reason? They were both wearing running shoes! Ha ha! My hunch worked ... they were English speaking Scots in search of the museum. I thought we could join forces, but they didn't seem like they wanted to so off we went. We walked through a park because the map had the museum right smack in the middle of a green space, but no luck. Finally we asked a man who was reading on a park bench. I'm pretty sure he didn't have any teeth. He directed us to the other side of the major road we had just come from and said to look for the green sign. The green sign ended up being the tourist information center. That worked! Apparently the two museums have been combined into one and is located on the backside of the courthouse where we were yesterday! Go figure.

The museum was quite interesting. They had two floors of displays and a lower level contained the KGB prison. The displays were very well done with photos and personal effects both from the Soviets and Lithuanians. It was sad to see all the families who were deported to Siberia and knowing that some of them were still alive! I find it so crazy that this was not that long ago! Anyway, the creepiest part was the prison/torture/execution floor. There were several small cells with metal cots and a couple of tiny solitary confinement cells (see photo above). There was a padded room used for torture and for those who had gone crazy from the torture. There was also a couple of rooms that the Soviets would flood with ice-cold water, then make the prisoner stand on a small raised platform ... when they lost their balance they would fall into the icy water. A couple of times I lingered a little too long and when I looked around I was all alone. It was not a good feeling and I thought how scary it would be to be in there after dark. All in all, it was very interesting and we were glad that we went.

We picked up the mugs that we had painted today (they turned out quite well) and returned to the apartment. The girls' friend Samantha (that's not really her name, but it sounds pretty darn close) was in town today. We weren't sure what the plan was, but it turned out really well. They showed Samantha the Blink game we had brought (thanks Kim S! They really like the fast pace of that game!) and stayed at the apartment for a little while. As they were leaving to go walk around (which we had already told them was okay with us), KC asked Audruta if they were going to eat dinner and gave her some litas (Lithuanian currency). I think she really appreciated that and they both gave us hugs on their way out. KC and I realize that these girls are pretty independent and used to hanging out with their friends around their home town, so we were really not too worried. KC and I went to the Rimi (small grocery store nearby) and then had dinner at the Double Coffee. It was strange not to have the girls with us, but also easier in that I wasn't constantly wondering if they were bored, hungry, happy, etc, etc ... etc.

Well, they just returned and Samantha said good bye. They said they would be gone 2 hours and they came back 15 minutes early. It was a good testing ground for all of us ... I think we were all happy with the results.

I think I will go watch some Lith TV with the girls before bedtime! :) Thanks for all your prayers and comments! We love knowing that there are so many people out their supporting us!

Viso!
Michele