Georgia/საქართველო - Part 1
After falling head over heels for the country when we visited in 2009 (very recently after the war with Russia - that write up starts here: http://caro7.livejournal.com/2009/04/27/ ), we visited Georgia again. This time was even more beautiful - also exceptionally hot, in sharp contrast to our previous trip where we’d had to abandon our plans due to an avalanche over the Georgian Military Highway. Going up it this time, the only danger was of brain damage - the infrastructure outside the capital Tbilisi and the seaside resort of Batumi is still extremely primitive, especially where the roads are concerned. As the main mode of transport around the country is by minivan (called marshrutkas - no scheduled departures, they just leave when they’re full), this can occasionally make for a harrowing journey as bodies, possessions and all manner of objects are crammed Tetris-style into any available vehicle space.
Arriving and departing, we stayed at a basic but very friendly hostel in Tbilisi: the owner - having already 'friended' me on Facebook - whisked us from the airport up George Bush Avenue (really) blasting out Balkan turbofolk, straight to a wine tasting session with his friends...immediately we knew it was going to be a great trip. Georgian hospitality is legendary, with the enormously refreshing advantage that the men are so comfortable to be around - never once on either trip were we asked anything personal. Even the currency exchange bureaus round your change *up*!
Tbilisi is my second favourite capital (after Budapest), but when any city hits 40 degrees it's time to get the hell out: in our case to Kazbegi, on the border with Chechnya in the mountains. The standard accommodation option there is with an old lady who you pay a little extra to provide all your meals; always widowed. We shared only a few emergency words of Russian with our hostess, which was only a problem when it came to trying to establish how to refill the bucket that served as the sole water supply (many houses there are not equipped with running water - in winter, you pay extra to have the ice on the bucket cracked!)
The first hike was a 6-7 km upward slog to the Gergeti church. The Russians had installed a cable car but the villagers destroyed it in disgust, which says something about the great seriousness with which the country holds its religion. The camaraderie on the way up was striking; people offering to help if you needed a hand or directions. At one point as villagers collected flowers in the meadows, some on horseback, it felt like being in another century…idyllic. We stayed in these quiet mountains almost 4 days, seeing so much that was beautiful, intensely resourceful, and - of course - surreal. One example encounter in a scene straight out of 'Black Cat White Cat': we were walking along a quiet meadow when a disintegrating red Lada bounced past us, stopped, reversed, and drew alongside us. Its occupants - a toothless old man waving a bottle, and someone I assumed to be his son - pondered us, and the younger suddenly launched into some impassioned invective, beating his breast. Assuming he was raising the universal subject of football, I shouted 'Arsenal! Arsenal!' back at him. The old man grinned toothlessly and waved his bottle, the young man looked bemused, and they lurched off. We returned to find a pig yowling to be let in.
The pictures tell most of our story here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mal1/sets/72157627056330145/
Shall I do a Part 2? I don't know if anyone still reads LJ...
Arriving and departing, we stayed at a basic but very friendly hostel in Tbilisi: the owner - having already 'friended' me on Facebook - whisked us from the airport up George Bush Avenue (really) blasting out Balkan turbofolk, straight to a wine tasting session with his friends...immediately we knew it was going to be a great trip. Georgian hospitality is legendary, with the enormously refreshing advantage that the men are so comfortable to be around - never once on either trip were we asked anything personal. Even the currency exchange bureaus round your change *up*!
Tbilisi is my second favourite capital (after Budapest), but when any city hits 40 degrees it's time to get the hell out: in our case to Kazbegi, on the border with Chechnya in the mountains. The standard accommodation option there is with an old lady who you pay a little extra to provide all your meals; always widowed. We shared only a few emergency words of Russian with our hostess, which was only a problem when it came to trying to establish how to refill the bucket that served as the sole water supply (many houses there are not equipped with running water - in winter, you pay extra to have the ice on the bucket cracked!)
The first hike was a 6-7 km upward slog to the Gergeti church. The Russians had installed a cable car but the villagers destroyed it in disgust, which says something about the great seriousness with which the country holds its religion. The camaraderie on the way up was striking; people offering to help if you needed a hand or directions. At one point as villagers collected flowers in the meadows, some on horseback, it felt like being in another century…idyllic. We stayed in these quiet mountains almost 4 days, seeing so much that was beautiful, intensely resourceful, and - of course - surreal. One example encounter in a scene straight out of 'Black Cat White Cat': we were walking along a quiet meadow when a disintegrating red Lada bounced past us, stopped, reversed, and drew alongside us. Its occupants - a toothless old man waving a bottle, and someone I assumed to be his son - pondered us, and the younger suddenly launched into some impassioned invective, beating his breast. Assuming he was raising the universal subject of football, I shouted 'Arsenal! Arsenal!' back at him. The old man grinned toothlessly and waved his bottle, the young man looked bemused, and they lurched off. We returned to find a pig yowling to be let in.
The pictures tell most of our story here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mal1/sets/72157627056330145/
Shall I do a Part 2? I don't know if anyone still reads LJ...