https://picasaweb.google.com/118279613107347865536/SmeltFestival?authkey=Gv1sRgCIyR76m3kNvMkwE
That's right. The delicate snow and cold weather hating flower spent a good part of the day at a fish festival in temperatures that started at 16 degrees F. and ended at 25 degrees F. with the wind chill being 12 degrees.
(I never got to the Peanut Festival or the Pork Festival in Va., but maybe I will, one day. Then I can sweat instead of shake.) When we got up, we thought we might just chuck the whole idea because it was so cold and snowing like crazy, but our colleague called to say that it was sunny in Palanga and we should still come. We bundled up and walked to the bus stop to go to the city bus station to catch a bus for the 30 minute ride to Palanga. Our friend met us at the station and we walked to the beginning of the festival which stretched for nearly a mile on either side of of the main street to the sea. It really reminded me of the sort of things we would see at festivals at home; some crafts were quite beautifully made, and some not so much. We also saw all sorts of breads, fancy candies, smoked pork products and fish. They had grilled fish, fried fish, fish soup. dried and smoked fish to buy, hot beer and on and on. People were sitting at tables out in that cold eating lunch.
Daiva suggested that we go to a nice fish restaurant where it was warm to have our lunch, and we hurridly agreed before she changed her mind. Her husband met us there and we had a wonderful time. We had fish soup and lightly fried stintas, or smelt, with a squirt of lemon . I think everyone in the restaurant was having the same thing. The soup was quite delicate. Chunks of cod, and a piece of potato in a fish broth that had only the mild flavor of fish - no onion, garlic or anything I could taste. A tiny bit of fresh dill had been snipped on top. We ate the fish with our fingers, bones and all. We topped it all off with hot black currant wine, Latvian style. Yummy!
We almost got to see the Polar Bear swim, but the pier was closed for renovation, and we couldn't see beyond the crowd. We did see a few wet people all bundled up in coats and sweat pants as they walked back from their dip. Bless their hearts. If I understood, they do it for fun, not for charity as niece Sarah and Miles did.
By then it was getting late, it was snowing again, and we were ready to head home. We walked back to the bus station where Daiva suggested we take a small private bus that was leaving before the regular bus. She was insistant that she would not leave until we were on our way, we agreed, but I really prefer the real bus. Somehow I figure they are safer, etc., but I slept most of the half hour home, so I must not have been too worried.
We got home safely and immediately made hot Nestles Quick. Believe me, it was not hot chocolate Yellow Submarine Pizza Style.
It was such a wonderful day, despite the cold. Now if only there are fireworks.
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