From my diary. 11th July 2005.
Photos for those who don't like to read.
After arriving in Klaipeda from Siauliai (Hill of Crosses) at about 10 in the evening, we found our HI Hostel, thankfully not far from the train station. After checking in we inquired about the tours for the Missile Base that we had read about in the Lonely Planet. Apparently the woman who normally did the tours was away, but the woman at the hostel thought she might be able to arrange something for us. Cool. We would sort it in the morning.
Next morning the woman said she knew someone who could take us if we were still interested. Yep. The guide arrived at about 11, a young Lithuanian guy who was home from studying in Vilnius (I.T.). We dumped our backpacks in his red Nissand (just fitted), jumped in and off we went. It was to be about an hours drive to the site.
After about an hour we turned off the main road onto a gravel road in to Zemaitija National Park. People swimming in lakes surrounded by forest. Followed the signs to Military Exposition (in Lithuanian..) and finally we were there, pulling up in front of a large barbed wire gate. There were a couple of other cars and a rangers booth, all deserted. Could see the top of the missile base, four concrete domes and a stage in the middle. There was already a tour happening so we had to wait 15 minutes or so. While waiting our guide told us more about the base. When it was built the Russians covered it with plastic trees to hide it from satellite photos. According to the Americans, it didn't work.
The ranger came out from the site, bringing out the previous tour group of three. A discussion followed in Lithuanian between the ranger and our guide, the gist of which I thought was "no dice"!. But it turned out that the ranger was happy to unlock the place and let our guide show us around while the ranger took another group which had arrived while we were waiting.
Through the gate we walked over to one of the four missile domes which covered the missle silos. Rusty metal and flakin ....
Oh man. I just finished writing this entry and somehow when I went to post it I lost everything from here on. Aaaarrrh. Hmmm. I think it may be lost forever. Enjoy the photos .....
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