The other day I watched a TV contest in which a participant with a coin as an amulet, sent home with empty pockets to one who carried a lucky goblin of his daughter to give him luck. This could be nonsense, but I found it somewhat sad that, once again, the coins won over the elves.
I don’t want to talk about the big problems of humanity, but we live in a world where what really matters doesn’t really matter. This is a spot where the days pass and we still do not see that family member that we have not seen for a long time and for whom we will cry at an upcoming funeral. A place where we are ashamed to share a table with strangers for a simple coffee, where we laugh at those who dance just by listening to a couple of chords.
But there is a different place. In this world, but at the same time, very far from it. Its name is Uzupis and you can find it in the capital of Lithuania. Vilnius; a beautiful city, bright and elegant, that hides a hippie legend on the other side of the Vilnele river: the place I want to tell you about, declared an Independent Republic in 1997. Take this information with caution since if you see it as something serious they will tell you it’s a joke, but if you don’t take it thoughtfully, they will soon make you see that it is, in fact, very serious.
Uzupis celebrates its Independence Day on Lithuanian April Fool’s Day, and has a pacifist army that does not reach twenty units; plus a Constitution revered throughout the area. The history of this small republic took a turn after the Holocaust, going from being the Jewish quarter to being an abandoned neighborhood where homeless people and [word redacted] took refuge. That panorama was conducive to certain artists who had no place to take shelter in winter, so they borrowed the houses tragically abandoned by their predecessors. And so, until today, when Uzupis is the epicenter of Lithuanian art and bohemia. And of joy.
As soon as you cross the “border”, a mermaid welcomes you, and you already notice that everything is different. The signs not only warn you of the speed at which vehicles must drive, but also remind you that it is time to flex the muscles at the ends of your mouth. One of the access bridges to the Republic follows the fashion started by the Roman Milvio bridge, and is riddled with padlocks as an eternal symbol of love, friendship or anything else worth remembering forever; and among them, that of a server and his companions.
“The other side of the river”, as the place would be called in English, is a very special place. Like Montmartre or Candem, it has an authentic flavor that cannot be perceived in the rest of the city. But above the Parisian and Londoner neighborhoods, Uzupis is a different place, marked by a sense of community and governed by laws that can draw a smile on your face, even if they were not created for that (remember: this is VERY serious).
The Constitution includes some duties, such as “never surrender”, but also obligations such as “not sharing what is not owned”. There are also prohibitions, for example, on exercising violence; as well as infinite rights: to love, to not take care of one’s tasks from time to time, to be happy or unhappy according to personal choice, to cry, to make mistakes … And as an atypical Constitution it also collects suggestions. My favorites are “Everyone should share their possessions” and “Everyone should remember their name”.
Anyway, I highly recommend visiting the city of Vilnius, either on the way or as the main destination because I think it is worth it. But do not forget to enter Uzupis with a smile; even if it is feigned, because surely something will happen to make it real.
Uzupis is in all of us. Because, although actual, it is a dream. And there will always be someone to concede a seat on the train. An affectionate memory for a loved one or a sign of respect with a stranger. We will arrive at bars without enough tables for everyone, ready to be shared. There will always be dreams that cannot be crushed with bulldozers.
