Our first stop was at Ananauri, a 17thC fortified church which has some fine carved stone decorations on the external walls but the interior was largely white washed by the Russians. We carried onto Gudauri, a ski resort. The mountain scenery was spectacular although the erosion from overgrazing by sheep is a worry (We saw several flocks of sheep on the road.The dogs are terrific - keeping the flock together and standing guard against predators.)
Eventually we reached Kazbegi - close to the Russian border. Bill and Jaba our guide hiked the 500m up to the Gergeti church. (I went by 4 wheel drive taxi - a very rough ride!)
Tuesday we drove back down the Georgian Military Highway and then turned west to Gori. Near Gori is the cave city of Uplistkhe which dates back into antiquity. I only read the guidebook tonight and it says access is for the fit and able. It was a scramble but I got there. After lunch we toured the Stalin museum. Gori was his birthplace. The museum is in a monumental Italianate building. We liked his chess set and were surprised he had a slide rule!
Tonight we are staying in Kutaisi in the Rcheuli Palace hotel where our room is at least 6m square with a 4m ceiling. We found some shops nearby and bought ourselves Georgian hot dogs for about 75 cents and they were excellent with a bottle of Georgian wine.
English is not widely spoken but we manage. The cars are a fascinating mixture. Mostly LHD but some RHD. Murad's Mercedes which we are in, is LHD but the speedo is in miles. Mercedes are very common. I find the International secondhand car market fascinating
We spent Wednesday touring around Kutaisi. This is the area where Jason came looking for the Golden Fleece and where much of the archeological finds of archaic gold objects have been found
The Rcheuli hotel in Kutaisi
The hotel is in one end of an huge derelict building which stretches along a whole block.
The fortified church of Ananauri
Some of the stone carvings on Ananuari church.
Charming unusual angels on Ananauri church.
One of many flocks of sheep and assorted animals on the road to Kazbegi.
Snow covered peaks near Gudauri - a ski resort.
A Soviet mural celebrating 200 years since the Treaty of Gurgievsk. Mother Russia has the child Georgia between her knees.
A beer sign in Kazbegi.
I wondered if this sheep outside the restaurant where we had lunch was destined for the cooking pot.
You can just see the Gergeti Trinity church on the hill 500m above Kazbegi.
You might have realised I have a soft spot for old stone carvings
Lots of wildflowers but I don't know their names.
A view of Uplistike cave city. It was a trading city by at least the 5thC BC. Later it prospered as it lay on the silk road. But earthquakes and wars took their toll over the centuries and it is hard to imagine 20,000 people living here..
Inside the 9th-10th C church which survived the Mongol raids although 5000 monks were killed.
A modern icon in the church at Uplistsikhe.
Gori, the birthplace of Stalin seems to forgiven him more than other places.
The stove in Stalin's railway carriage - he did not like flying.
The church at Gelati where David the Builder is buried. He was a great king in the 12thC.
Some of the old frescoes at Gelati. I love the long beard on the left figure. .
A priest in Gelati church.
The famous mosaic in Gelati. Only the top half survived a major eathquake so the bottom half is now painted.
Modern frescoes at Motsameta. David and Constantine (on the right) were brothers killed by the Arabs in the 720s for refusing to convert to Islam.
Green plums, strawberries and raspberries in Kutaisi market The raspberries were ~$2/kg.
Georgian food is very tasty and there were lots of spices for sale in the market.
Buying lunch in an excellent kebab cafe
The Cave of Prometheus is well set up with tasteful lighting and a good route past some spectacular formations. Not everyone agrees this is the site of the legend but it is a great cave.
