I took a running jump from the wooden platform jutting out over Lake Balžis, and for the split second I was in the air, everything seemed to pause. I took in the pristine forests, the cloudless sky, the dragonflies hovering and the beautifully clear water I was about to plunge into.
The stillness enveloped me. As I emerged from the cool lake, I thought about how many European cities would kill for such a paradise so close to their centre. I was at Green Lakes, a 15-minute bus ride from the bustle of Vilnius, but it felt like a different world. The water, the parkland and the beach with imported sand were so clean and appealing.
