Georgia: From Bakuriani to Zugdidi
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During Soviet times, Bakuriani was apparently a hip and happening ski town, so much so that it was an Olympic host bidder.More recently, after the fall of the Soviet Union, Bakuriani has fallen into a state of disrepair. It is now being rebuilt, even bigger, even better. Construction sites are everywhere and trucks from Turkey loaded with construction materials rule the roads. Read about Georgian sights and our visit to Georgia.
Bakuriani, Georgia - a small skiing village and one-time Olympic game host hopeful sports Adidas, in a rusted, Soviet hangover style.www.uncorneredmarket.com/2007/08/georgian-site-round-up/2/
A happy cow in the hills above Bakuriani makes bag. His friendly owner asked if we wanted to help him milk the cows. As tempted as we were, we kindly declined.www.uncorneredmarket.com/2007/08/georgian-site-round-up/2/
The van in the background of the photo shuttled construction workers up and down the slopes of Bakuriani all day.On its last pass, it stopped, a door opened, and the driver handed Audrey a bouquet of red plastic flowers and drove off.Who said macho Georgian men don't have a soft spot?www.uncorneredmarket.com/2007/08/georgian-site-round-up/2/
Part of the walled old town of Akhaltsikhe is home to a mosque and historical museum. A policeman walked around with us while we were there, acting as an impromptu guide.www.uncorneredmarket.com/2007/08/georgian-site-round-up/4/
A confident vendor at the Akhaltsikhe market.Read more about Georgian Food and our visit to Georgia.
We're not quite sure what type of fish this was, but its skeletal structure was asymmetric and yielded what seemed like 1000s of tiny bones that forked at the end. During our meal, Audrey and Dan had the chance to brush up on the Heimlich maneuver.www.uncorneredmarket.com/2007/08/georgian-site-round-up/4/
This castle just appears out of nowhere on the road from Akhaltsikhe to Vardzia.www.uncorneredmarket.com/2007/08/georgian-site-round-up/4/
Thousands of caves and tunnels make up the 1000-year old monastic complex at Vardzia. It's still possible to crawl through some of the tunnels near the church (note: ask the priest to turn on the lights - it makes it MUCH easier.)Similar to Cappadocia in central Turkey, but without the moon landscape.www.uncorneredmarket.com/2007/08/georgian-site-round-up/4/
This old Soviet car was perched on a cliff in Vardzia. We're not sure how it got there...or where it's going. www.uncorneredmarket.com/2007/08/georgian-site-round-up/4/
The 1000-year old monastic complex of Vardzia in southwestern Georgia is home to all this...and a full-time resident monk. www.uncorneredmarket.com/2007/08/georgian-site-round-up/4/
Dan got a kick out of the donkeys on the road to Vardzia...and the driver got a kick out of Dan. www.uncorneredmarket.com/2007/08/georgian-site-round-up/4/
Georgians are all about their healthy water. Every trip includes at least one stop at a water tap.Everyone hops out of the car and fills up empty beer and soda containers and chugs a few gulps. The logic here seems to be that you can smoke and drink alcohol as much as you want, so long as you take a few swigs of healthy water to wash away the toxins.www.uncorneredmarket.com/2007/08/georgian-site-round-up/4/
Large fields of wildflowers separate farmlands and mark the drive up to Sapara monastery from Akhaltsikhe.www.uncorneredmarket.com/2007/08/georgian-site-round-up/4/
Sapara monastery is nestled into the hills, completely surrounded by forest. It's one of the most peaceful places we visited in Georgia.www.uncorneredmarket.com/2007/08/georgian-site-round-up/4/
Churches of different sizes from the 9th to 15th century make up the beautiful monastic complex at Sapara.We were given a friendly tour by an English-speaking novice monk named George. During Soviet times, the complex was used as a piano camp...enough said. www.uncorneredmarket.com/2007/08/georgian-site-round-up/4/
Not quite 900 years old...but rather nine years old. The tower still captures the spirit of Svaneti. The brothers who built it - Koba and Kakha - are a good source of information on Svaneti. Stop by, climb the tower, check out the pigeons in the roof, and have a chat.www.uncorneredmarket.com/2007/06/a-surprising-feast-in-zu...
Spice stand in the Zugdidi market. www.uncorneredmarket.com/2007/06/a-surprising-feast-in-zu...
Cheese as far as the eye can see.Piles and piles of fresh and smoked cheese at the Zugdidi main market. Wallace (of Wallace and Gromit fame) would be in heaven here! Read more about Georgian Food and our Surprising feast in Zugdidi.
More cheese piles at the Zugdidi main market.Read more about Georgian Food and our Surprising feast in Zugdidi.
Leila, the one in the middle, was our host at the market. She managed to find lobio and put together a feast for us in minutes. Astonishing hospitality!Read more about Georgian Food and our Surprising feast in Zugdidi.
Just what our bodies were craving. We couldn't find it at restaurants so we asked the women from the Zugdidi market and they found a secret source for us.www.uncorneredmarket.com/2007/06/a-surprising-feast-in-zu...
Dan is surrounded by the instant feast presented to us at the market in Zugdidi - lobio (Georgian beans), vegetables, bread, cheese, followed by yogurt mixed with honey and turkish coffee. Such a surprise. Such a treat.www.uncorneredmarket.com/2007/06/a-surprising-feast-in-zu...
