Stalin Museum and into the High Caucasus Mtns

It's a long one today.....We had a great sleep after having been totally inebriated the night before. Breakfast was a Georgian banquet of cold cuts, pastries, and the all too familiar boiled hot dog. We went to the local market to shop for lunch supplies. This is fast becoming one of my favorite things to do. The produce is amazing, the cheeses superb and the best part is meeting and talking with the locals. They are always so pleasant-especially when you are buying their goods!

We walked through a renovated section of town. It was so perfect that it looked like a movie set. At the Stalin Museum we met our guide who toured us through numerous photos, artifacts, books and letters. We viewed his death mask and then his childhood home. Afterward we had a special treat as she unlocked the railroad car and we were allowed to see the inside. This was his fortress, offices, living quarters, and communication station as he wandered all over Russia and Siberia spreading his special level of contempt for humanity. I had mixed feelings about the level of reverence given to this awful tyrant. However it was a piece if history, we were in his home town, and who am I to judge what should be displayed and not. Sorry, but the battery died so no photos of the museum and railcar. Google it!

Sura, now fully stocked and loaded began today's journey into the High Caucasus range. Today our destination is 7500 feet up into the snow where we will stay at a university dormitory, have a cooking class and get ready for tomorrow's big trek.

The drive was beautiful. We stopped at a fortress and church overlooking a huge reservoir. We had mufalata sandwiches with WONDERFUL sliced pork. Yummy!

Our climb into the mountains took us within view of the Russian occupied South Ossetia border. The military presence was vividly apparent. We stopped often to take in the amazing views as we switched back and forth to the summit and snow fields.

Halfway to the summit (yes, these photos are only halfway up) we visited the bicentennial monument and then got out and walked a way ahead of Sura. Even I could keep ahead of her with all the mud and ruts. Ten feet of snow flanked the road. The warm sun was great!

We made the summit six hours into our drive today and had only traveled 110 miles. Another hour, 25 more miles, and we arrived in Kazbegi. Our destination for today.