The new Paris

Tempted as I am to keep an entire city exclusively to myself, I must -- as a matter of record -- talk about Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania.

I was there this last weekend for the AITO conference, and like most I suppose, had no real idea of what I was flying into: a drab, Eastern bloc capital maybe? 

Actually, it's a very pretty little city -- yes, yes there are still some ugly buildings from the Soviet years, and some ugly buildiings from the post-Soviet years too -- but the Old Town has a whiff of Paris about it somehow: narrow cobbled streets, bars, restaurants, boutiques, street-art and monuments at every turn it seems...

They say it is a Northern city with Southern way of life and I can see what they mean: the people were very friendly, the culture and joie de vivre very much in evidence over the Solstice celebrations. And Jeremy Irons loves the place too, which is a tick in my book. Just hope the stags and hens don't find it.