Trakai castle, May 2004

A trip to Trakai castle just outside of Vilnius
Family eating in Trakai
Trakai is a small town near Vilnius, known for its big, renovated gothic castle situated on an island in a lake. It’s also known for its Karaim cuisine restaurants. Karaim, or Crimean Karaites, were an ethnic minority in Lithuania that had settled around the town of Trakai in the late 14th century and continued to preserve their culture and speak their own language. Today their cuisine is mostly known for kibinai, or meat-filled pastries. So, we made a day trip to Trakai to explore the castle and to eat some kibinai. Clockwise from the left: S, I, my sister’s boyfriend P, my sister M, my brother’s wife E, their son D, and my brother J.
Trakai castle in the background
With the Trakai castle in the background, left to right: S, I, my sister M and her boyfriend P
Me in Trakai castle courtyard
p368 Me in Trakai castle courtyard
On the bridge to Trakai castle
p371 Me, my sister’s boyfriend P, my sister M and my mom on the bridge to Trakai castle