Since I learnt of the Hill of Crosses near Siauliai in Lithuania some months ago, I tried to imagine the experience of actually seeing them. I visualised several thousand (perhaps even tens of thousands) crosses made of iron, wood and stone on an open hill resembling some kind of cemetery. When making my own photographic pilgrimage (travelling 500km in one day for the return trip from Vilnius), nothing could quite prepare me for the breathtaking sight of literally hundreds of thousands of crosses and crucifixes of all shapes and sizes, colours and materials hanging from each other--even crosses hanging from crosses hanging from crosses--smothering a tiny double hillock, all having found their way there since 1954. My latest Typepad photo album contains my personal perspective.

So here I am at last, still in Stockholm, at the very end of my month-long trip of many highs and lows and intriguing discoverings, posting my very last entry from Europe. Tomorrow I catch a mid-morning flight to Moscow on my way back to Tokyo and I'm not exactly looking forward to the experience, given my past two encounters with Moscow Airport on the way to and from Biskhkek. After a 2 1/2 hour flight from Stockholm, I have a 5 hour layover in Moscow followed by a second flight (10 1/2 hours) with Aeroflot, arriving in Tokyo at 9:30am on Thursday morning. Let me just add that Aeroflot are pretty much the worst airline I have ever flown with...one to be avoided at all costs unless you are desperate to pinch pennies!

Regular esthet-style blogging of interesting photography discoveries should resume after the weekend, so check back then if you're interested in seeing some good global photography eyecandy. For those of you who have written to me over the past month or two suggesting links and offering helpful comments, rest assured I have kept all of your recommendations and will begin posting those shortly. See you back in Tokyo!