This is what did it!

I`ve wanted for so long to make time to write again, I can`t believe how much I actually like to write.

So I`m in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania.  Why am I am I in Vilnius the Capital of Lithuania?  Many reasons 1) Why not be in Vilnius the capital of Lithuania, 2) I`ve been to the 2 other Baltic countries and I loved it and .... 3).... 3) and most of all 3) my old coach, Vaida Kubliene, a lady who was (and is) and renowned coach from the Soviet era, who coaches champions and.....and once coached a group of girls in a little club in Montreal called Questo.

Yup I`m going to have lunch with my old coach who I haven`t seen in 15 years (i hope she doesn`t think I`m fat... who am I kidding.... of course she`s going to think I"m fat!).

But this, as lovely as it may be, in itself is not the reason I"m typing away in my little hotel in Vilnius (the capital of Lithuania).

Let me tell you about my evening.

So, it being Halloween weekend, I decide I wanted to go on a ghost tour of old Vilnius, yes I like ghost tours and needless to say Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, as popular as it might sound, is not so popular this time of year, and thus I got my own private tour with a lovely girl called Indra.  So we're touring, we're ghosting, we're freezing our $%^&^%$;* off and after 2 hours she recommends a place for me to have dinner.

I go, I sit down and for some reason it doesn't feel quite right, I'm travelling on my own, I want to have a long dinner with wine and read my fantastic book.... so a little guide consulting, a little trip advisor and five minutes later I'm off to a little typical restaurant, set in a vaulted medieval building, to have venison.

I walk in, they're playing Joni Mitchel, I've found my place.  I take a table but I'm eyeing the table near the window, I see another lonely traveler about to finish his meal.  15 minutes later he's gone, and I'm having wine and venison near the window staring outside at the alleyway across from the restaurant, an alleyway which use to lead to the grand synagogue of Vilnius (the capital of Lithuania).  It's a little alleyway in the old Jewish quarter, the area sets the perfect mood for an autumn night on the eve of hallow's eve.  I'm reading my book, a great book,

The waitress:  Is everything ok, do you want anything else?
Me: no everything is perfect..... or maybe a little more wine....
Waitress: of course

5 minutes later

Waitress: would to you like to see the desert menu?
Me: No i'm just going to drink my wine slowly and continue reading
Waitress: what are you reading?
Me: The Idiot.
Waitress: Oh, I love Dostoevsky, I"m reading Crime and punishment now!
Me: Oh that's an incredible book

We both smile like we've discovered a new bond between us :)

20-30 minutes later

Waitress: Is everything ok?
Me:  yes perfect!
Waitress: are you here on holiday?
Me: It's a bit complicated, I'm here for the long weekend, I live in Brussels but I'm from Canada and I'm here to see my old gymnastics coach.
Waitress: You did rhythmic Gymnastics?
Me: YES!
Waitress: I did rhythmic gymnastics for 12 years!
Me:.....no.... and who was  your coach?
Waitress: in the begining Vaida Kubliene and then she went to Canada so I was coached by her daughter Sigita.

And that's how the world works!  Vaida stayed in Canada almost 4 years and went back and forth for many years, Sigita, her daughter stayed one summer in my house when I was 10 and tomorrow I'm seeing them for lunch.

Vaida must have been a part of thousands of girls' lives, I still can't believe how random and crazy this meeting was, as if I was meant to be there.... the tour.... the first restaurant.....the waitress asking me why I was in Vilnius (the capital of....).

I sometimes wonder if life is just circumstantial or if someone is having a great time watching over all of this.

So this is me and 20 year-old Victoria who stopped gymnastics last year when she started university.

And then:
Waitress: So do you want desert?
Me: well I"m seeing Vaida tomorrow and she's already going to think that I'm fat....
Waitress: I completely understand, i'll get you some tea!

:)

Comments

  1. I love this story!!! Small world encounters are the best!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. great story... just one question, when di you hair get so long? ;-)

    ReplyDelete

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