Lithuania

Juodkrante is a seaside resort town located on Curonian Spit in Lithuania some 20km from Klaipeda. To get on to the Curonian Spit you will need to take a ferry at Smiltyine terminal at first. I was really surprised of different architecture I seen here on Juodkrante and Curonian Spit. I you have ever been close to the Netherlands, you will find some similarities with Dutch architecture here, thus, most probably the architecture here is kept from times when Curonian Spit was part of Germany (…

Klaipėda city is separated from Curonian Spitby Curonian Lagoon. For connection of two shores across the Curonian Lagoon,  Smiltynė Ferry Terminal is operating. Taking a ferry from Klaipėda to Curonian Spit is always full of joy short journey where passengers can smell the Curonian Lagoon, watch the white seagulls and terns flying closely around the ferry and indulge them with the windy fresh air. There is no doubt that Smiltynė Ferry Terminal is one of the main transportation companies in…

Chili Pizza is a popular Lithuanian pizzeria chain. Today we paid a visit to one located in Lithuanian beach town of Palanga.  Chili Pizza in Palanga, Lithuania Located in multi storey building on lively walking street in Palanga, very close to the Sea Bridge, this place serves traditional Lithuanian cuisine, which is pretty European, thus there are few Lithuanian specialties you should try once in Lithuania. For example big stuffed dumpling called cepelinai or  didžkukuliai, no, it's not…

Sea bridge in Palanga is probably the most popular tourist attraction in Lithuanian beach resort town of Palanga. It reaches into the sea for 407 metres and is shaped in the form of letter L. The pier provides a chance to see the shore from a different perspective while going for a walk, at the same time, it is still opened for small tourist ships in summer. Sea bridge in Palanga Palanga Pier was first constructed in 1884, in order to revive the Palanga port. The steamship that was also…

Palanga is a nice little beach resort town in Lithuania. The city features a walking street, with many cafes and restaurants, local art and craft and so on. Unfortunately I didn't figure out what name does this street wears, so lets call it just Walking street in Palanga. Turns out, this is the first geo - tagged post from Lithuania at this blog, thus I have visited Lithuania countless time prior, including Palanga.  We arrived to Palanga from Liepāja, straight from Royal Fontaine hotel. One…

There have been some positive improvements for raising the minimum wage in all three Baltic states (Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania) in recent years. And there are more to come. In 2016 minimum wage is set to rise in all Baltic states. Estonia will have a minimum wage of EUR 430; Latvia - EUR 370 and Lithuania - EUR 350. Update: Minimum Wage Set to Rise in the Baltic States in 2018 Here are my previous articles about minimum wage in Baltic states: Minimum wage in the Baltic States 2013 and…

<p>January 1st, 2015 is a historic day for a Baltic nation - Lithuania is changing it currency to Euro, following Latvia (2014) and Estonia (2011).</p><p>Starting today - there are 19 countries in Euro zone.&nbsp;</p><p>Here is the article I found on <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-30635826">BBC by&nbsp;Zivile Kropaite</a></p><p><span>Some Lithuanians fear price rises, but opinion polls point to growing…

The Baltic States, which include Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, have been recognized as one of the fastest-growing regions in the European Union. The region has experienced significant economic development, attracting foreign investment, and becoming a hub for technology, finance, and other sectors. One crucial aspect of this growth is the regulation of minimum wages. In 2015, the minimum wages in the Baltic States were as follows: Estonia - The minimum wage in Estonia was €390 per month…

A while ago I already compared Baltic nations with Caucasian nation by GDP (that time I was comparing data for 2012). Since it's second half of 2014 already, I decided to compare how 6 independent states looks alike in 2013 (Most recent data we can get from World Bank) Some might argue - why I'm comparing those regions? Well - why not?  Baltic states and South Caucasus GDP 2013/2012 Country 2012 ($bln) 2013 ($bln) Growth ($bln) Azerbaijan 68.73 73.56  4.83 Lithuania…

It has been six months since I last analyzed the minimum wages in the former Soviet Union. Although it is not a major factor in economic growth, the minimum wage is still a relevant indicator in understanding a country's economic status. In my previous research in 2013, I found that Estonia had the highest minimum wage of $427, while Kyrgyzstan had the lowest at just $17 per month. In this updated analysis for 2014, the highest minimum wage is still in Estonia, with an increase to $480, and…