Georgian Dancing, Saturday 28 November 2009

Vlado invited us for with a performance traditional Georgian dances in a modern arrangement at the main newly refurbished theatre.

It was a very impressive performance, and very popular event, every seat in the theatre were occupied.

Davit Gareja, Sunday 22 November 2009

On the border with Azerbaijan, Davit Gareja comprises about 15 old monasteries spread over a large, remote area, its uniqueness is heightened by a lunar, semidesert landscape. We visited two of the key monasteries, Lavra (the only inhabited one today), and, on the hill above it, Udabno, which has beautiful frescoes.

Lavra, the first monastery here, was founded by Davit Gareja, one of the 13 ascetic ‘Syrian fathers’ who returned from the Middle East to spread Christianity in Georgia in the 6th century. The religious complex grew until there were monasteries spread over a wide area. Here manuscripts were translated and copied, and a celebrated Georgian school of fresco painting developed. The monasteries were destroyed by the Mongols in 1265, revived in the early 14th century by Giorgi V the Brilliant, sacked by Timur and then suffered their worst moment of all on Easter night 1615 when Persian Shah Abbas’ soldiers killed 6000 monks and destroyed most of their artistic treasures. In 1675 King Archil initiated some restoration and gave stipends to the monks. The monasteries never regained their former importance but remained working until the end of the 19th century.

During the Soviet era the area was used for military exercises, and some of the first demonstrations of the perestroika period in Tbilisi were protests against this vandalism. Ironically, the Georgian army then used the area for training in the mid-1990s. These manoeuvres were stopped when protesters camped in the firing range.

To get to Udabno, we had to climb to the mountain ridge. The plains and low hills on the other side of the mountain ridge were in Azerbaijan, and the caves alongside and above the path along the ridge were the Udabno monastery. Some of the caves were churches or chapels or rooms, and their inner walls still bear frescoes painted by the renowned fresco school that flourished here between the 10th and 13th centuries.

From Sighnaghi to Tbilisi, Saturday 21 November 2009

On our way back we spotted a brown bear in a very small cage just beside the road. It has probably been installed there as an attraction for visitors to nearby shop and a restaurant. It seemed that the main attraction was to feed it with some fluid (fruit juice?), which it could drink from the plastic bottle in a very human way. The fact that the brown bear is an endangered species strictly protected in Georgia did not seem to having gained understanding all over Georgia.

Being in the wine distinct we decided to buy som locally produced wine. We drove to a small village where we spotted an old man transporting some firewood home on his donkey. We asked him where to buy some local wine and he offered his. We went to his house nearby, and were invited to taste the wine together with cheese and bread. The old man (86) lived in very well maintained house together with his wife (78), so their wine must be very healthy. I have now 10 litres in my flat which will keep me healthy for a long time. When we had socialised for some time the donkey felt that it also should join the party and hammered on the door to the yard where we were enjoying our cheese, wine and bread. It was let into the yard and relaxed. The old couple told that they were very happy for the money, as they were going to a wedding next day and it was custom to give some money. It seemed that it was not every day they had money in their hands.

Sighnaghi, Saturday 21 November 2009

Sighnaghi is a town in Georgia's easternmost region of Kakheti. Sighnaghi has recently undergone a fundamental reconstruction program and has become an important centre of Georgia's tourist industry.

At the elevation of about 790 m above seal level, the town overlooks the Alazani Valley and faces the Greater Caucasus Mountains. On the day when visited the place it was nice and very clear weather with fantastic views of the white mountain peaks of Caucasus.

The town has a well preserved defensive wall around a big area. The wall was build of the settlements in the valley, so people could seek shelter when invaders came.

The picture of the communist monument at the entrance to the town shows the focus of Georgian culture: Wein vieb und gesang (Wine, Women and Song - op. 333 is a waltz by Johann Strauss II).

And cabbage seems to be an important part of the local diet.