Kazbegi, Georgia

We're on the Georgian Military Highway passing through the Great Caucasus Mountains.  This is the Zhinvali Reservoir-

Our first stop was the Fortress of Ananuri which dates from the 16th-17th centuries, a time of feudal disunity in Georgia.  

Marianne is just leaving the church.  I love the detail around the door-

There are many frescoes inside the church-

Here is the altar-

We saw some fantastic scenery during today's drive-

Construction workers-

A bee keeper-

Herds seem to run wild-

A man using a scythe to cut the hay in his front yard-

We stopped at a look-out-

It was very nicely decorated-

And this was the view-

Our final destination for the day is Kazbegi, now known as Stepantsminda.  It's a small town at 1750 m, 15 km from the Russian border.  The Tsminda Sameba Church is 6.4 km up a mountain and is on tomorrow's agenda, via taxi I hope!

Tblisi, Georgia

This is the Holy Trinity Cathedral.  It was constructed between 1995-2004 and is the third tallest Eastern Orthodox Church in the world-

Here's a full on view of the Bridge of Peace.  It crosses the  Kura (Mtkvari) River.

These domes are part of sulphur baths.  It is said that the sulphuric water is why Tblisi was built on this spot.  For 2 lari, or $1.25, I entered a communal changeroom and got naked.  The next room had 10 showers and 12 naked women of all shapes, sizes and ages scrubbing and shampooing and lathering.  For another 10 lari, or $6.25, I had a 10 minute massage on a fairly hard table in the corner of the shower room.  It was a very local Georgian experience-

A delicious waffle/ice-cream/chocolate dessert-

The view of the castle.  The blue lights are on the gondola cars-

In the morning we're off on the Military highway to Kazbegi which is in a mountain range close to the Russian border.  

Tblisi, Georgia

Tblisi is the capital of Georgia.  Here is the view from the Narikala Fortress-

This is the Peace Bridge, also known as the Always bridge because it looks like a sanitary pad-

The gondola only cost about 40 cents to ride one way-

The Clock Tower looks like it's an old structure but was just recently finished-

The Sioni Cathedral is a Georgian Orthodox Church-

The murals are interesting-

I had this great snack.  It's called a churchxela and is walnuts wrapped in a grape fruit roll-up-

Since 1958, Mother Georgia stands watch over the city.  She is 20 m tall, dressed in Georgian national dress with a bowl of wine to greet those who come as friends in her left hand and in her right is a sword for those who come as enemies-

Haghpat, Armenia, Tblisi, Georgia

Our first stop today was a UNESCO World Heritage Site at Haghpat.  Haghartsin Monastery was built between the 10th and 13th centuries and was important as a place of learning and a manuscript center.  Today it is a conglomeration of 3 churches and other buildings-

The Gavit-  Notice the carving around the door-

And on the exterior walls-

This is Saint Astvazazin Church, or Holy Mother of God-

The interior of the Hamazasp-

A carving in the Hamazasp-

The Bellfry-

Carving on the exterior of the Bellfry-

Supper tonight in Tblisi was a doner kebab.  It's a Turkish dish made of meat cooked on a vertical rotisserie, normally lamb but also a mixture of veal or beef.  Once sliced, it's put into a wrap with raw vegetables.  It was delicious!

Of course I couldn't resist the baklava for dessert-

Yerevan, Lake Sevan, Armenia

Last night we went to Caucasus Tavern for a traditional Armenian meal.  We started with a few hors d'oeuvres such as a variety of cheese-

3 different kinds of meat-

salad-

caviar, salmon and another kind of fish-

This plate was the most interesting:  cilantro and a bit of lettuce with a very hot pepper-

Then came the main course: dumplings-

and of course, khachapuri -

Every evening, Republic Square is the setting for fountains dancing to music-

There were a lot of people enjoying the show-

This morning our first stop is the Khor Virap Monastery.  The Pagan King Trdat III imprisoned St. Gregory the Illuminator here in a well for 12 years.  Christian women secretly fed him to keep him alive.  Later, the King went mad and St. Gregory cured him so was released.  King Trdat III became a Christian, possibly because the country was becoming Christian and St. Gregory became the first Catholicos of the Armenian Apostolic Church.  He built many Christian churches on pagan sites.

Khor Virap Monastery with Mount Ararat in the distance-

The present church, Surp Astvatsatsin, dates from the 17th century-

The interior-

As Khor Virap is an important pilgrimage site, people often come here after a baptism or wedding to perform a matagh, (a sacrifice) usually of a chicken or goat.  Here is a group just finishing the deed-

The left over hide-

This appeared to be an anniversary celebration in the cemetery close to the monastery.  The white and red flowers are made of paper but the green leaves are fresh.

There were many fresh wreaths around this particular grave-

Continuing our Madventure, we passed through Tukh Manuk Pass.  The landscape was quite desolate-

We stopped for lunch at a lovely spot where I had tabouleh, probably the best I've ever had-

and yogourt soup - probably the worst soup I've ever had.  I guess you can't win them all! The soup had barley or maybe bulghur wheat in it.  It's a speciality here, apparently!

Next stop was Noravank, founded in 1105.  It's a masterpiece for its archictecture and location.  There are 2 churches on the site-

This is Surp Astvatsatsin Church, built in 1339, with cantilever stairs leading to the second floor-

Next to it is the smaller Surp Karapet Church built in 1227.  Apparently a piece of the True Cross, stained with Jesus' blood was here at one time-

There were tombs in the floor-

Here are 3 large khachkars (stone crosses) from the 14th century-

Travelling through the Selim pass, 7940 feet, this was the view almost from the top-

Near the top of the pass, was the Selim Caravanserai which was rebuilt in the 50s.  It's a replica of a hotel for travellers and their camels along the Silk Road during the 1300s.

This is the hotel part for the travellers-

Outside the Caravanserai, this couple was selling honey-

Back down in the valley, they were busy moving cattle-

The farmers put hay in piles by hand, and then bale the piles.  It is a very labour intensive process-

We're bush camping by Lake Sevan tonight, and then it's off to Tbilisi, Georgia tomorrow.