Zhibiani, Georgia Jul 11, 2018 The waning rays of the sun burnish the snow-capped tips of the Shkara massif, making them glow. An enormous sow grunts as it waddles up the dirt lane with several piglets in tow. A calf lows in the paddock next door and a horse whinnies somewhere nearby. A conversation between … More In a Village in Ushguli
Ushguli, Georgia Jul 9, 2018 The green-clad hills around the village of Ushguli simply beg to be explored and there are many trails and treks to wander in. The trek to the Shkara Glacier is one of the more popular ones, as it follows the Enguri river to its source. Brilliant sunshine, meadows and mountain … More Walking Amid Wildflowers
Mestia, Georgia Jul 5, 2018 Once considered remote and impregnable, the Svaneti region of Georgia’s far northwest is very much on the tourist radar these days. This year with the introduction of a host of budget flights on Wizzair from a variety of European cities, the tiny town of Mestia is bursting at the seams. … More Gateway to Svaneti
Vani, Georgia Jul 1, 2018 Ever since seeing the burial finds in the museum in Tbilisi, I couldn’t wait to go to Vani, the ancient capital of the Colchis kingdom. I had read of the on-going excavations and concocted elaborate plans to worm myself into the digs. In Kutaisi, to my dismay, I heard that … More Treasures of Colchis
Vardzia, Georgia Jun 29, 2018 Tamar is a name shared by many women and girls in Georgia, all of them named after Queen Tamar of Georgia’s golden age. The unification of rival tribes and expansion of territories that began with David the Builder, culminated into Georgia’s greatest years during the reign of his great-granddaughter. Although … More The Golden Age
Arthana, Georgia Jun 25, 2018 It all started with a bottle of home-made wine offered in welcome. As I sat in the flower-lined patio of the guesthouse sipping the delicious vintage, my host came with a platter of nuts. “From my village” said Soso, “we have a small vineyard and fruits and nuts also”. My … More In a Kakheti Village
Sighnaghi, Georgia Jun 21, 2018 High above the Alazani valley, looking north to the Caucasian foothills is a hill with multiple ridges, and the small town atop is Sighnaghi. The surrounding areas have roots that go back three or four millenia, as shown by the finds in kurgans. Settled since Paleolithic times, bronze-age pottery, ornaments, … More Snapshot of Sighnaghi
Mtskheta, Georgia Jun 4, 2018 From the 3rd century BC, for almost thousand years Mtskheta was the capital of Georgia, or Kartli as is was then called. It was only in the 5th century that the capital moved to Tbilisi. As long ago as 337 AD, it was here that Christianity was declared the state … More Where Royals come to Wed
Tbilisi, Georgia Jun 3, 2018 It was the unusually large throng of people milling around the Sioni Cathedral that piqued my curiosity. Wandering in, I found it crowded with mostly women with a few men scattered in. There were some nuns and monks in their black robes. Priests dressed in flowing brocade robes, with heavy … More Your Heart is Orthodox
Tbilisi, Georgia Jun 2, 2018 Supposedly taking place in 1300 BC, the tale of Jason and the Golden Fleece has been told and re-told over some three thousand years. Appearing in a written form during Homer’s time around 800 BC, it is a legend peppered with revenge and jealousy, treachery and heroic feats, sorcery and … More The Tale of the Golden Fleece
ITCHY FEET TRAVELS 