From the Mediterranean Sea to the Pacific Ocean, this is my first "round-the-world" tour and the first time I am traveling alone. It's also the first time I am NOT the leader of the group. This will be a huge adventure for me, one that tests my patience (smile), stamina and my ability to adapt. I can't wait!
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Burr-r-r-r
Ah, nothing like WET cold rain! We're at 3,000 feet and it's cold AND raining. This lovely homestay is also NOT heated! So we've dug out out sleeping bags and woollies for a cold night indoors! Gotta love overlanding. Ha-ha.
A free morning and departure to Telavi
A long lazy morning and a short visit to the Georgian State Museum rewarded us by viewing gold and silver finds from 2000BC grave sites, an exposition of the Russian occupation and holocaust 1921-1991, and a unique collection of Persian and Tibetan art. Sorry no photos.
We loaded up Sura, were joined by our new family member, Val from Roma (photo below) and departed for the wine country and the town of Telavi. All of us have now had a cold, some worse than others...and a few have had "revenge of the road." For once I have only had the sore throat thing. I have been VERY careful about what goes in so I am not inconvenienced by what comes out!
The highway out of town carried a familiar name, "the George W. Bush Highway." OMG! I wonder what we invested in to have this "honor"?
We drove into the hills. It was a cloudy and cool day. The hills were green and the fruit and nut trees covered in blossoms. The road varied from pavement to gravel and dirt and it took about three hours to reach our destination.
The small village of Telavi, on the Lesser Caucasus foothills welcomed us with a brisk temperature. Our rooms tonight are on a large family home with charming carved wood stairs and antiques. Laundry facilities were arranged and we settled in for a relaxing evening and a home cooked meal.
We loaded up Sura, were joined by our new family member, Val from Roma (photo below) and departed for the wine country and the town of Telavi. All of us have now had a cold, some worse than others...and a few have had "revenge of the road." For once I have only had the sore throat thing. I have been VERY careful about what goes in so I am not inconvenienced by what comes out!
The highway out of town carried a familiar name, "the George W. Bush Highway." OMG! I wonder what we invested in to have this "honor"?
We drove into the hills. It was a cloudy and cool day. The hills were green and the fruit and nut trees covered in blossoms. The road varied from pavement to gravel and dirt and it took about three hours to reach our destination.
The small village of Telavi, on the Lesser Caucasus foothills welcomed us with a brisk temperature. Our rooms tonight are on a large family home with charming carved wood stairs and antiques. Laundry facilities were arranged and we settled in for a relaxing evening and a home cooked meal.
Monday, April 15, 2013
Falling in love with Tblisi
Got in late afternoon and settled into a REALLY nice hotel. I got a king bed room all to myself. We went out for dinner in a cellar restaurant and enjoyed another Georgian banquet and entertainment. Great fun!
A lazy and late morning was followed by a grand walking tour of the old city. Hammans, churches, castles, amazing views, and some wild modern architecture. This is a happening town. We toured some of the old quarter as well with grand old stained glass windows and finely detailed carved wooden screens. The city is alive with sounds and color.
We stopped for lunch before breaking up and wandering around on our own. We discovered a flea market of art, Russian military memorabilia, and art. That kept us busy for a couple of hours and I found a couple cool items. Next I went in search if a good pillow-it's gonna be a long 110 more days without one. Tonight will be Italian night and we are in search of pasta!
A lazy and late morning was followed by a grand walking tour of the old city. Hammans, churches, castles, amazing views, and some wild modern architecture. This is a happening town. We toured some of the old quarter as well with grand old stained glass windows and finely detailed carved wooden screens. The city is alive with sounds and color.
We stopped for lunch before breaking up and wandering around on our own. We discovered a flea market of art, Russian military memorabilia, and art. That kept us busy for a couple of hours and I found a couple cool items. Next I went in search if a good pillow-it's gonna be a long 110 more days without one. Tonight will be Italian night and we are in search of pasta!
Sunday, April 14, 2013
Dumplings!
Back in the village we visited a private home for a cooking class. Lelia and her mother taught us how to make both meat and potato dumplings.
A simple dough of flour, water, shortening and salt was rolled and cut into circles. Then each circle was rolled out again and filled. The meat was a combination of pork, beef, onion, sage, and rosemary. Boiled potatoes and cheese filled others.
The dough with filling was then pleated and pinched to form round and crescent shapes. Boiled in salted water, it was served with VODKA and several toasts. It was a very fun event!
A drive back over the summit, once again through the narrow tunnels and muddy potholes. and then down into the plains found us in Tblisi, the Georgian capitol, by sunset.
Tonight we say goodbye to Justin and Clyttie, who travel back to Australia, and meet our new family member, Valeria.
A simple dough of flour, water, shortening and salt was rolled and cut into circles. Then each circle was rolled out again and filled. The meat was a combination of pork, beef, onion, sage, and rosemary. Boiled potatoes and cheese filled others.
The dough with filling was then pleated and pinched to form round and crescent shapes. Boiled in salted water, it was served with VODKA and several toasts. It was a very fun event!
A drive back over the summit, once again through the narrow tunnels and muddy potholes. and then down into the plains found us in Tblisi, the Georgian capitol, by sunset.
Tonight we say goodbye to Justin and Clyttie, who travel back to Australia, and meet our new family member, Valeria.
Holy Trinity Church - a hike to the top of the mountain
This morning most everyone in the group is sniffling and sneezing and a cold has spread quickly. Cold tablets came out in scores. Our early day started with another terrific Georgian breakfast and then departure by 4x4s to the trailhead, some 2000 feet above the valley floor. From there it was a hike up another 1500 feet to the top of the mountain and the famous church. Gergiti Holy Trinity is one of Georgia's most visited sites, a pilgrimage for the faithful and a destination for tourists all over the world. Perched high above the valley floor the views were commanding. The location was chosen by its builders for privacy and security and it has survived many wars and invasions.
The current church was built in the 1600s however the site had been established centuries earlier. We toured the site for an hour before heading back down the mountain and on to our next activity. .
The current church was built in the 1600s however the site had been established centuries earlier. We toured the site for an hour before heading back down the mountain and on to our next activity. .
Saturday, April 13, 2013
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.
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.
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