Georgia - 2013

Jvaris Mama church, Tbilisi.

The old town below, with the controversial modern “Peace Bridge” crossing the Mtkvari river. It has been nicknamed the “Always Bridge” due to looking a little like a hygiene product.

Tbilisi has hot sulphur springs. The domes on the left are the vents over the private baths, the Royal Baths. We spent an hour soaking in the hot (almost too hot) sulphurous waters in one of those private baths. Considering the day was overcast, chilly, and drizzling a bit, it was a great way to warm up and feel a little special at the same time. The tiled building in the back is another set of baths, the Orbeliani Baths. They have communal pools as well as private baths.

On the roof of a church, built in to the walls of Signaghi. Looking down over the town, and St Georges church. Behind that, the plains stretch out, the fertile grape growing region of eastern Georgia. And suddenly, in the distance, the snow-capped Caucasus Mountains rise up. This is so perfect.

In Signaghi, looking north.

Spring is coming, and the first blossoms are breaking forth. Near the border of Azerbaijan, the semi arid desert can still support flocks of sheep and goats, though fairly sparsely. The interesting striated rocks that you can see here run in perfect parallels, stretching for a dozen or more kilometres out.

Abandoned during the Soviet Era, and now recently re-inhabited by a small group of monks and priests who are ensuring it will continue to be a place of holiness as it has been for over a millennium already.

The view in to Lavra Monastery as we ascended the hill rising behind it.

This ridge defines part of the border between Georgia and Azerbaijan. An ancient tower looks down to the plains that are unseen in this picture but are laid out to the left of our point of view. The mountains and ridges to the right, behind the tower, are in Georgia.

The frescoes here date from the 11th century, although the caves were used as part of the monastery complex for many centuries before that. These are part of the Udabno cave monastery, part of Davit Gareja. Monks would eat here, kneeling at the long stone benches.

This shot takes in a lot of the Georgian side, and is an attempt to capture a bit of the amazing geology and geography that is evident on that side of the border.

Another angle on this beautiful monastery. The little caves running up the back are where the monks live.

In the cellar of the Chavchavadze family estate in Tsinandali.

We found this little winery in Tsinandali. We walked to it, and asked if they do tastings. The lady spoke reasonably good English, and said they did. 5 lari for wine tasting, and 10 lari for wine with some food. (That's about $3 and $6 respectively). So we decided to get some food as we had not eaten any lunch yet. After bringing out a stew, and a variety of salads and pickles, and a basket of home made bread, she brought out the wine for us to taste. One litre of white, and one litre of red! Oh, and there was some spirit called tchatcha (like grappa) to wash it all down with! Lucky we were walking!

After wine tasting, we were invited to have a look at how they bake their bread.

Always friendly, some Georgians greet us to their country as they pass by.

Gremi, close to Telavi in Georgia. It used to be the capital of the region known as Kakheti, from the 15th to 17th centuries.

These large clay pots are buried in the ground, and the wine is fermented in them. These lie scattered near an old church. Apparently, families bring them and leave them when they are unable to fulfil commitments they may have made.