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.

Kutaisi to Gori

A lazy start and a breakfast with real eggs, blintzes, dumplings, cherry compote, and walnut pastries began our day as we stepped off from the B&B for a walk up to the Bagarati Cathedral and the ruins of the old city walls and fortress.

Afterward we ventured into the local market for produce, supplies, and vodka. A fellow was selling "cha-cha" (Georgian fire water) so who could resist. Our livers will probably all explode!

We then hit the road and were on our way to Gori, birthplace of Stalin. Soon we were into the Caucasus Range and climbing fast. On a meadow overlooking a small valley we stopped to make lunch. Cows were grazing amongst us and along side the road. It was very peaceful under the blue sky.

Back on the road we started a chess match. The roads were a myriad of potholes and the going was slow. Soon we were in a canyon followed a meandering trout stream. The architecture changed and for a while I thought we were in Tennessee.

We arrived in Gori at sunset. Rainy and bleak, the city is a complex of rundown former USSR government buildings. Our hotel is on Stalin Ave. and was at one time the only hotel in Gori. Marble columns and chandeliers in the lobby, no furniture, and a stark marble stairwell to the third floor. The second floor was closed and had no lights. Flashlights were required to get further up. Surprisingly our rooms were quite nice with full baths and really comfy beds...AND...hot water for the first time in three days! Dinner was next door, included, and was a nice braised chicken breast with shroom sauce and a "few" glasses of wine! Can't stop thinking of that Beatles song, "back in the USSR."

We ended the night with a room party to sample the vodkas we has purchased earlier! Ugh....long night and an early start. LMAO!

Argo House in Kutaisi

Our stay has been at a really lovely B&B high on a hill overlooking the city. The hosts have a spotless twenty-room home and served an amazing included dinner and breakfast. The views from the marble tiled terrace were very nice.

Prometheus Cave

A leisure morning was wonderful. Slept in, did some sorting of my pack, shopped for some supplies and had lunch. Batumi was busy and not as pretty in daylight. We left around 1pm and drove across the huge coastal plain passing quaint villages and farms. The price of independence from soviet Russia was evident in the disrepair of buildings, homes, and roads. Georgia is still struggling economically.

We turned northeast and headed for the foothills of the Caucasus Mountains. Sasa wanted share us a Georgian natural wonder that not in our itinerary. There we enjoyed an unplanned visit to a recently discovered and opened cavern. We descended some 300 feet touring cavern hall after hall fill of magnificent formations and crystals. The cave was dramatically lit and piped in flute music serenaded us as went up and down hundreds of steps. It was great exercise after a bumpy four hours in the truck.

Our destination tonight was another hour to Kutaisi, an historical and cultural center. As we wove through the narrow streets and valleys we jogged under low power lines until being stalled by a huge open drainage manhole. It took some time to pass and then maneuver through the parked cars, often with less than inches to spare on each side of the truck. Dave and Frenchy are amazing drivers!

Georgian Night - What a delight!

We met our country host, Sasa, and were escorted through the brightly lit city past many new era buildings. They certainly like neon lights! The opera house was new, done in a neo-classical style. There were several ultra modern and uniquely designed high rises as well. The town square had a dancing waters fountain all cued to music.

We walked to the beach where we found our restaurant. Called "The Old Ship" it looked like a 1700s wooden sailing vessel fully equipped with masts, guidelines, decks, and the like. The dining room was two stories with the balcony overlooking the dance floor.

We chose to have Sasa, pronounced " Zha-Zha" as in "Gabor," order for us. What followed was course after course after course of appetizers and entrees. What stands out for me was the pickled flowers, I think dandelions, the chicken dumplings, and the braised liver-yes, I actually ate the liver! There was so much food that we finally had to ask for it stop coming out. We must have gone through the entire menu!

Wine was served by the two liter carafe and was delicious- so delicious that we drank and drank and drank. To say the ten of us went through at least nine carafes would not be an exaggeration! It is the custom of this region to offer numerous toasts during the meal and all around people were constantly standing and toasting each other. We followed in suit. It was great fun.

A trio of tenors sang and played local and popular songs and everyone was dancing. It is the custom for men to dance together, and for the first time we saw them with women as well. This is an emerging and Christian country.

With all the wine it did not take long until we were all on the dance floor having a great time imitating the local dance moves. Other tables began to buy us more wine and we returned the favor. We were openly welcomed and it was quite a party.

After midnight (yes, I actually was still awake) we called for the bill with a bit if trepidation. Double portions of 12 different dishes, nine full carafes of wine plus six more sent to other tables totaled a whopping 32 Lari, or yikes, all of $18 dollars per person! We could have eaten and drank more.....NOT!

A brisk walk in the fog and back to the hotel had us in bed after 1 am. Quite an outstanding welcome to Georgia! And, sorry, no photos as I left the iPhone at the hotel. Bummer.

Sumela Monastary and on to Georgia

A chilly morning and a full breakfast in our lovely camp park was followed by a bit later departure. Our first stop this morning was at the Sumela Monastery. Started in 385 AD, it was added to and modified until completion of its current configuration in the 1300s. Abandoned and damaged by war in 1923, it was reoccupied in 1930 and hidden relics retrieved.

Another steep, narrow and winding one-lane road to the top greeted us. It took Sura almost 20 minutes to climb the 1.5 miles! Then we climbed stone steps to the site. It was quite foggy. Our group was the only ones there. We toured this Greek Orthodox monastery for an hour before driving to the Black Sea coastline.

The sea was calm with small waves breaking on the rocky and beach-less shore. There were no good picnic spots so we stopped for lunch at a bus stop along the highway. It was raining so we made and ate lunch inside Sura.

Two hours later we were at the Georgian border. Customs and immigration took 2 1/2 hours, mainly because of Sura who drew quite a bit a attention from the officials. An hour further we crossed a time zone, lost an hour, and were in Batumi looking forward to a hot shower, good meal, and a glass of famous Georgian wine!

Up before dawn and it's snowing!

A busy day started with breaking camp before dawn. Snow flurries greeted us as we hurriedly stowed Sura and readied her for the road. Breakfast would come after we have covered several miles in daylight.

We continued north and over the pass winding once again through beautiful canyons laced with fast running streams. Along the shore of a reservoir we stopped for "brekky" (camp-speak for breakfast). While there we spotted a fish farm and decided to give it a try. We'll be having fresh trout for dinner (still flopping out of there water pens) and we paid $1.75 a pound!!!!!

Down into a lush green valley and the up high again over another range, we stopped in a sweet, neat, and bustling mountain village to shop the producesrket for supplies. The looks a people's faces as Sura passes by are priceless. Dropped jaws and inquisitive stares often precede a hand wave and a smile.

So...our driver saw a side road on the map that might save us some time. He confirmed that the road would get us where we needed to be. The "road" soon became a less than one lane dirt track over a 6,090 ft pass. For those who went to Machu Pichu, think that ascent road, only steeper, narrower, and more interesting. This is Overlanding! Yahoo!

We stopped on grassy knoll overlooking a creek and had lunch-leftover Spaghetti Bolognese from last night. You can't go wrong with pasta two times in a row.!

Mountain roads and a late arrival found us in camp at the base of the Sumela Monastery. Grilled fish and lentil soup. Tom is cooking tonight!

In a northeastern direction

Packed up and on the road by 8:30am we headed north east toward the Black Sea. We're about halfway across Turkey now-it'll take three more days to reach Georgia. Our destination today is to wild camp near the town of Erzincan. For lunch we stopped at a closed cold spring resort and set up a picnic. It was really windy, there was still labor of snow. The sun was warm Zmd the winter park attendants were friendly and accommodating.

Another two hours east and we took a scenic byway to look for a wild campsite. There was a river through canyon we were traveling. We passed many grassy fields that I thought would be perfect. Then we came upon a one Kane dirt road that crossed a stone bridge. Dave turned the truck and we headed up the canyon walk switch backing to the top, barely enough room on each side to pass... And we kept going looking for the perfect spot. All I could think during our ascent was how my regular traveling friends would be reacting at that very moment. The photos don't lie! With no luck at to top, yikes, WE CAME BACK DOWN.

Back on the main road we drove higher up into the valley and closer to the SNOW covered slopes. Another side road proved narrow and with downed power lines crossing the road. Onward.

Eventually we came across a gravel pit and roadwork staging area. Off to the back there was a grassy area and some trees away from the road. Home for the night! We set up camp next to the rushing stream, lit a fire, and got real cosy.

Cappadocia -Day 2

Today was a full day tour to the underground city. We drove an hour to the site and the toured the first eight levels down to 125 feet. There are thirty levels more below. The site was 2,000 years old and a hideout for Hitites and Christians from marauding Hund, Romans, and other invaders. From there we visited the Ihlara Valley, Ainu Grand Canyon and the worlds second longest natural canyon. Descending 500 feet to the floor we followed a swiftly running river for about five miles. The rock formations and cave dwelling were stunning.

Lunch was included at a quaint restaurant alongside the river were I enjoyed fresh trout. Yum! Next up was the monastery at Semili, location for the original Star Wars Mewok Village. It was an arduous climb to view massive rooms carved out of solid rock. A drive back to Goreme ended out day. Tonight I have to scout for firewood and water (my assigned daily chore) before we head out tomorrow morning. We'll be bush camping for the next few days. Stay tuned and enjoy these photos.

Turkish Night

This evening we went to a tourist dinner show and had a great time watching traditional dancing, belly dancers, and whirling dervishes. Unlimited alcohol added to the festivities as one by one we were dragged into the "show" and embarrassed.