Dilijan, Armenia, June 1st

Last Thursday 30th May we left Kudaisi for the long drive to Vardzia. On the way we drove through Borjomi famous as a spa town - where the Romanovs built themselves a palace. We took the cable car across the valley and also tried the famous water. The town is in the largest National Park in Georgia and there is some nice forest, but as we drove on towards Vardzia the country became more rugged and drier. As it is and has been a border region there are no shortages of Fortresses on the hilltops. Our hotel in Vardizia was a bit different. Health and Safety would have a field day but the water was hot, the lighting was good and the alfresco dining room was very convivial. Apart from jugs of red wine we had whole barbequed trout served on skewers. A Dutchman was celebrating his birthday and shared a delicious strawberry sponge birthday cake.

On Friday morning Bill, Jaba and a local guide went for a hike/scramble to the Tmogvi fort. In the mean time I did a Sudoko with Murad our driver. After lunch we explored a bit of Vardzia an extraordinary cave complex, which was once completely hidden and only accessed by tunnels, but an earthquake caused a portion of the cliff to collapse and so you can more easily access some of it.

Today we were to meet our Armenian guide at Bavra, but Susanna went to the Sadakho crossing - three hours away. However we filled in time with an excellent lunch in a very grand hotel with a huge granite staircase in the foyer and an elegant dining room where we ate in solitary splendour. It was in Gyumri and I think was the Araks hotel which in a former life was the KGB headquarters!

As we drove towards Dilijan there was fresh snow on the hills and although it is the first day of summer it is cold. Now a few last photos from Georgia.

 View from the cable car at Borjomi.

 In the background the Romanov palace in Bonjomi a spa town which is now surrounded by a huge National Park. The water is bottled and exported from Georgia.

 More unidentified wildflowers.

 The fortress of Khertvisi. There have been fortifications here since 2ndC B.C, but these are much later. the towers were built by Queen Tamar in12thC A.D.

 Jaba and new friend at Khervitse.

 Our first view of Vardzia. This extraordinary cave city was inhabited by 2000 monks and others before an earthquake partially destroyed it in 1283. Prior to that none of the caves were visible and it was only accessed by secret tunnels.

 Another view of Vardizia. You can see some of the stairs which initially connected the 13 levels.

 The famous fresco of Queen Tamar and her father George III which can be positively dated to 1184 - 1186. The inscriptions are the clue.

 Some insects enjoy the wild poppies.

The Tmogvi fort near Vardzia.

More wild flowers

 The local guide on the walk/scramble to Timogvi fort.

 A snake was an unexpected hazard near the Timogvi fort.

 Alfresco lunch at the Vardzia cafe.

 Entrance sign to our 'hotel' in Vardzia.

 Our room opened onto the balcony. Just as well we don't sleep walk!

 Grand entrance to our rooms.

Fresh grilled trout for dinner.