July 5 The end of a wonderful adventure!

From Far East Russia we had travelled to the mysterious lands of the Caucasus – what an experience! Da svidaniya (Russian is still the language of the older generation in former Soviet countries).

Our thanks to Sundowners Overland www.sundownersoverland.com for a wonder-filled experience.  Would we do it again? Absolutely! Our favourite places? – just about everywhere!  And special thanks to Bev Edwards, our Personal Travel Manager, who managed so much of this whole wonderful trip for us so that our dreams came alive.  Contact her if you want to do something a little different but you have to have a dream! E: bev.edwards@travelmanagers.com.au 

July 3 - 4 Fortresses, Cave cities and the end of our journey

We spent the night in Akhaltsikhe before heading further south towards the border with Turkey from where many invading forces pushed north into the heart of Georgia – we were on our way to visit the medieval cave city of Vardzia.

The ground was a carpet of delicate flowers - an artist's palette

These are ancient lands 

The confluence of the Mtkvari and Paravani Rivers

The drive southeast from Akhaltsikhe took us through beautiful wilderness. The road followed the course of the Mtkvari River through narrow canyons and spectacular valleys full of lush green and carpets of wildflowers. On the way we stopped at the Khertvisi Fortress. Khertvisi derives from the Georgian word meaning the confluence of rivers. The fortress is situated on the high rocky hill in the narrow canyon at the confluence of the Mtkvari and Paravani Rivers.  Like other fortresses, it was strategically positioned to stop invading forces.  Not so successfully it seems.  During the Russo-Turkish War of the early 1800s, the Turks besieged the fortress and slaughtered the Armenian part of the population. Such a fierce and bloody past! The age of the fortress in indeterminate but according to a local legend, Khertvisi was once destroyed by Alexander the Great on his march eastward in the C4th BC and since then has been reconstructed and invaded numerous times over the centuries. The current structure was built in the C10-11.

We cross the Paravani River to reach the Khertvisi Fortress

The road we were taking south followed the course of the Mtkvari River (also known as the Kura River), through narrow canyons and spectacular valleys. This region close to the border with Turkey is, or was, one of the Black Sea routes of the Old Silk Road and along its length many medieval cave fortifications and dwellings existed. Georgia was a country invaded many times over the millennia. Archaeological excavations have shown that the region around Vardzia was inhabited during the Bronze Age and cave settlements near by date from at least C5 BC.

It was a glorious drive but then we rounded a bend in the river and there it was – the incredible medieval cave city of Vardzia excavated out of the slopes of Erusheti Mountain in the Lesser Caucasus.

King Giorgi III built the fortifications here in the C11 after 10,000 Turkish troops marched into Georgia. Happily, they were defeated by a bold Georgian army of just 2,000 men. His niece and successor, Queen Tamar, subsequently established a monastery that grew into a virtual holy city housing around 2000 monks. Tragically in C13, Vardzia suffered a major earthquake which sheared off the face of the mountain exposing this magnificent labyrinthine C11 cave city. 

We saw a number of caves which could have given access to the cave city

Vardzia at a distance - mind boggling

Sliding doors?! Sliding mountains - an amazing sight revealed!

It stretches over half a kilometre along the River Mtkvari and had up to 19 tiers which once contained ~3000 caves which served as refectories, pharmacies, dwellings, with many wine cellars along tunnels carved into the belly of the mountain.  The clever monks designed an intricate irrigation system to ensure the supply of clean drinking water into the city and to irrigate the terraced slopes of Erusheti Mountain overlying the city. Once it also housed thousands of troops as it was a huge defence point guarding the passage north as well as a defence against the Mongols. The access to this hidden city was through a concealed tunnel that had its entry near the banks of the river Mtkvari. In C16 the Georgian army was defeated by the Persians in a battle in the caves themselves and Vardzia was looted. 

Today Vardzia is again a working monastery, and some monks inhabit the caves. They have a flying fox to bring goods to the monastery.

We popped in and out of cave openings - remembering that there was a long drop down!

We climbed up from the valley floor and explored as much as we could. The monastery was off limited, but we visited the rather other-worldly Church of the Assumption. Once completely entombed by the mountain, now it projects into the light. It felt spiritual, quite mystical. The interior of the Church almost made me weep with its shadowy atmosphere where dust motes floated down the thin beams of watery light that filter through deep slots in the thick walls to highlight faded frescoes rich in history.

From near and far the views were spectacular!

The sides and roofs were blackened by centuries of flame torches

The Church of the assumption

The archways letting in light was covered in beautiful frescoes

'Outside' the Church of the Assumption

We ventured deep inside where the walls were blackened by centuries of flame torches

The remaining monastery was fenced off.

The views were absolutely spectacular! But having climbed up there, we had to descend! Two of the women in front of me were terrified going down to the valley floor but they made it with lots of nervous laughter. We all embraced once we were on level ground. They were part of a lovely Georgian family who, after the mandatory group photos, invited us to share their BBQ lunch. That would have been a wonderful finish to a rather spectacular day but we had to press on as we needed to be back in Tbilisi that evening.   

We descended to slopes though tunnels cut into the slopes

Sadly we turned our backs on Vardzia and headed east to Tbilisi travelling back along the river that Jason and the Argonauts sailed in search of the Golden Fleece and passing Paravani Lake, a volcanic lake located over 2,000 m above sea level. The lake is fed by snow, rain and underground springs and is frozen during winter when the ice can get to almost 1 m thick.  Thus ended a fantastic day. 

Back in Tbilisi we explored a little closer to our hotel - a creek and waterfall fed by mountain springs.  

The mineral baths

Sadly, the next day we were due to fly out heading for home. What an astonishing and breathtaking country! We had traversed the few coveted corridors that Georgia offers as passages between Asian to Europe, explored ancient sites of great religious and historic significance, clambered through shoulder high flowers and herbs to visit mountain villages and sample delicious wholesome foods, shared roads with cows, horses and pigs as we crisscrossed this stunningly beautiful country, sat down to eat with delightful, welcoming Georgians - and guzzled its delicious wine. What more could you ask for! Although a rather rushed 12 days, it was an epic journey and a fantastic adventure. We travelled about 2000 Km through Armenia and Georgia. 

Unfortunately, our planned trip to Istanbul and the Bosphorus, the Sea of Marmara and the exotics of the souk, mosques and ancient laneways was thwarted by a 'shooting incident' in Istanbul which left over 40 innocent people dead (and our plans in a mess!). It was a sad ending to our journey ..... but we will return once sanity returns to that old city. 

July 1 - 2 Prometheus, Kutaisi and Gelati

 

Mt Shkhara shrouded in cloud as we left Svaneti

As we drove through the valleys of the Greater and Lesser Caucasus mountains, we passed many fortresses and watchtowers, evidence of Georgia's key position as a major trade corridor in times past but also a reminder of invading forces that swept through these mountainous gorges. Today it is still a key land passage between Asia and Europe. More on that a little later. For now, I want to relive idyllic days travelling through wooded and craggy mountains where live four species of bear, deer, martens, wild pig, jackals, squirrels, countless species of birds - and glorious wildflowers and herbs! Everywhere along those roads, and through large towns as well, cows sauntered, some with bells tinkling as they grazed. If they bothered to look at us encased in our zappy 'jeep', it was but a casual glance as we maneuvred past them. No question of who had right of way!  We passed donkeys pulling laden carts as well as bicycle carts. Sleek horses and grizzled hairy pigs chomped their way through lush grasses, herbs and flowers. They were slightly more wary of us than the laconic cows, but only just.

We were heading for Tskaltubo and a visit to the natural grotto 'Prometheus Cave' nearby.  On the way we drove by the Rioni River - once called the Phasis River. 

The Riono River

This was the land of Jason and the Argonauts! Legend has it that around 1300 BC, the Argonauts accompanied Jason to Colchis, western Georgia through which we are travelling, to explore this river in search of the Golden Fleece.  It was an ancient practice to filter river water through fleece to trap alluvial gold. In Greek mythology, however, the Golden Fleece is the fleece of the golden-woolled winged ram, which was held in Colchis. The fleece is a symbol of authority and kingship.  Choose which ever story you like best but the practice of gold fleecing is still practiced in Svaneti. When we passed by the Rioni River, it was clogged with tree pieces washed down from the mountains.

We eventually reached the Cave of Prometheus which was carved out by an underground river. According to legend, Prometheus, the Titan, was chained to a rock (or pillar) near here and Zeus sent an eagle to eat his liver. In the gory horror of legends, the liver re-grew every night and the eagle returned each day to perpetually torment Prometheus.  This was Prometheus’s punishment for stealing fire from Olympus and giving it to humans. Fortunately, he was rescued by Hercules.  

The entrance to the caves was long and dark

Georgia really is a mysterious place with a magical mythical history that reaches back to a very distant past. But to return to now and the cave, we walked for a very long way through dripping caves adorned with weird and wonderful shapes. That night we were entertained by a very talented group of performers in national costume, playing traditional instruments, singing and dancing. The Georgians have a unique singing and dancing style.

Nino with the leader of the dance troupe

Next day we arrived at Kutaisi. After the silence of the mountains, Kutaisi seemed a big crowded city. We were here to visit more ancient churches but first we wandered through a Saturday morning market where we were assailed by delicious smells and tastes - local cheeses, honey and spices and even chacha - that fiery Georgian brandy/vodka which is powerful enough to cure everything from toothache to ingrown toenails! At 10 in the morning! it gets your heart galloping and ready to take on the world which in this case was simply a stroll in a delightful city park, nodding to the local Saturday morning crowd leisurely drinking coffee, reading the paper, strolling with dogs and children. 

A wonderful fountain in Kutsaisi city centre

Gelati Cathedral

Kutaisi is one of the main religious, cultural and intellectual centres in Georgia and is home to the Gelati Monastery and Cathedral built in 1106 by King David the Builder. The monastery was one of the largest Orthodox monasteries in medieval Georgia. The church and monastery complex boasted a place of learning, an Academy which attracted some of the most celebrated Georgian and international scientists, theologians and philosophers. According to medieval chroniclers, the academy became a second Jerusalem for learning all that is of value, and a second Athens for the teaching of knowledge. The whole monastery complex is being restored using original methods.

These excavations uncovered ancient qvevri (wine vats) which I believe were used to hide important documents  

The Academy almost restored

King David who built this cathedral and academy was considered to be the greatest and most successful Georgian ruler in history (C12th). He succeeded in driving the Seljuk Turks out of the country and his reforms enabled him to reunite the country and bring most of the lands of the Caucasus under Georgia’s control. David chose to be buried under the stone inside the main gatehouse of the Gelati Monastery so that anyone coming to his beloved Gelati Academy stepped on his tomb first, a humble gesture for a great man. The symbols on the gate talk about King David. The Georgian letters are quite beautiful. Like Armenia, Georgia has its own unique alphabet with 33 letters and is thought to be related to the Aramaic spoken in the time of Jesus. 

The bronze South Gate

Inside the cathedral was magnificent and the frescoes, many of which had been restored, were simply breathtaking. 

We also visited the C11th Bagrati Cathedral which, along with the Gelati Cathedral, was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Bagrati had suffered heavy damage throughout centuries and was reconstructed to its present state over many decades. As a result of those major reconstructions the cathedral was removed from the World Heritage listing.  

Bagrati Cathedral

The newly reconstructed parts of the cathedral complax stand in stark contrast to the old buildings

Part of the old fortificaitons

June 29 - 30 Svaneti in Georgia's northwest

 

Mountainous Svaneti

From the mountainous northeast of Georgia, today we journeyed to Georgia’s northwest, the Svaneti region which is home to the highest mountains and glaciers in the Caucasus. It is also home to some of the most enduring ancient traditions. The people of this region, the Svans, have their own unwritten language largely unintelligible to other Georgians. They are fiery people with a history of bloody family feuds and live mainly from farming cattle and pigs – and more recently tourism. It was here gold was fleeced – more on that later. It is a place where time seems irrelevant. The whole Upper Svaneti region is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

We are entering the Greater Caucasus

The rivers are raging torrents

At 5068m Mt Shkhara is the highest mountain in Georgia 

It was a long drive but the scenery was wonderful.  As we headed higher into the mountains, some of the roads were washed out or there had been landslides but that all added to the thrill. Driving there was not for the fainthearted. Steep valleys mean the rivers barrel along at such a pace that the waters of merging rivers retain their original colour for long stretches. 

In the distance we could see Mt Shkhara (5068m) the highest mountain in Georgia – I was lucky to get a photo of it looming up out of the other peaks (it is often shrouded with cloud). The Svaneti is beautiful, wild and dotted with strings of medieval and still-inhabited stone towers, koshki, built in 9-13C. The Svans lived in these watchtowers along with their cattle which were housed downstairs. Many of the towers have survived thousands of years of earthquakes that continue to shake this huge mountain range almost daily.

Our first night was in a guesthouse in Mestia. The food was delicious and always accompanied by fresh tomato and cucumber salad as well as fresh yogurt and kefir (a fermented milk made overnight).

The first koshki we sighted

Old and new stand side by side

Outside Mestia before heading further north

The summer flowers were glorious

Next morning we set off north again. We were heading for Ushguli, the highest permanent settlement in Europe. Along the way we stopped at a beautiful old koshki, Lover's Tower. It is perched over a raging torrent and set amongst a field of glorious wildflowers.  The story tells that this is where a young woman waited for her soldier lover to return from the north where he had been sent to fight in the mountains. Sadly he never returned.  Lindsay and Nino climbed the ladder to have a look inside while I wandered amongst the wildflowers. I had a 'chat' with the man guarding the place and came away with a small piece of crystal quartz from the river.

A rather poignant and romantic spot

Lindsay and Nino climbed the different levels inside this tower 

Two happy lovers outside Lover's Tower

It was a delightful three-hour drive to reach Ushguli which is at the end of the road at the head of the Enguri Gorge near the foot of Mt Shkhara, the highest summit of the Greater Caucasus mountains. Ushguli is a community of four small villages of about 70 families (about 200 people), enough to support a small school. The area is snow-covered for 6 months of the year, and often the road to Mestia, its nearest neighbour 50 Km away, is impassable. Typically Svaneti defensive tower houses are found throughout the villages as well as other areas in Svaneti. 

Approaching Ushguli

One of the communities of Ushguli

On the outskirts of Ushguli, under the protection of a towering hill, stands the ancient Lamaria Church.  Christianity and paganism sit side by side in Georgian history.  The belief is that the name Lamaria was derived from the Christian, Mary mother of Jesus.  However, Lamaria was a goddess in Georgian mythology, specifically of the Svans. She was goddess of the hearth, protector of cattle, women, and the fertility of a village's grain fields.  It was a special place and its isolation added to the magic. 

The Lamaria Church 

There was only one priest there that day

Strange symbols adorn metal doors and statues

Frescoes worn with age

Ancient frescoes still adorn some of the walls and ceilings. Some are worn or have been burnt and there is even evidence of graffiti. The priests are a dusty black silent presence and engender a feeling of reverence.  It was a special experience to visit this tranquil church deep in the mountains. Gia our driver had never visited this place and so it was a special experience for him as well.  We felt pleased to have been able to share it with him.  

We wandered through one of the village settlements which was undergoing some repairs.  They have little in the way of services, but the region is growing in popularity.  The current public toilet is a bench drop over the stream - it was not particularly 'comfortable'! Maybe something that could do with a wee bit of 'upgrading'. But many of the old watch towers are being renovated as more and more tourists come into the region each year. Yet still you walk between houses along with the cattle over rough stones and through mud. A romantic, charming albeit rugged setting.

Visiting another of the Ushguli communities

Nino stopped for a chat with a local

We picked our way through rubble, cows and chooks

We said a sad farewell to Ushguli

What goes up must eventually come down and it was time for us to make tracks back to Mestia. The upper Svaneti offers amazing walking and climbing opportunities and on the way back we passed quite a number of people either walking or cycling, heading up into the high peaks and subalpine meadows to trek, bike or horse ride.  

I loved this region! On the way back to Mestia where we were staying for the night, we stopped by the side of the road for a picnic which the hotel had prepared for us. It was a simple salad and cheese but tasted just so delicious in the open air with mountains staring down on us.  The Georgian food - the cheeses and breads - are so delicious. We ate yogurt each morning made fresh each day and sampled wonderful fresh cheeses. Gebzhalia, my favourite, is an ancient dish from this western region made from sulguni cheese, a brined Georgian cheese, and served swimming in warm sour cream or milk with mint. And Khachapuri is to die for!  This is a traditional Georgian dish of cheese-filled bread and is served both in restaurants and as street food and as an indication of its popularity, it is included in the list of the intangible cultural heritage of Georgia.