Jul 29, 2010
Rafting on River Aragvi, 26 July 2010
Monday Agnete, Mathias and I went on a rafting trip on the Pshavi’s Aragvi, a nice and not very difficult trip.
Eastern Georgia, 19 - 25 July 2010
Eastern Georgia, 19 - 25 July 2010
Agnete, Mathias, Doris and Knud, Lisbeth and I went on a one week trip to Eastern Georgia.
The main and most challenging part of the trip was a three days hike from Dartlo in Tusheti over Atsunda Pass (3400 meter) to Ardoti in Khevsureti.
The first day was dedicated to a visit Davit Gareja. Situated 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, semi desert landscape. We visited two of the key monasteries, Lavra (the only inhabited one today), and, just on the other side of the mountain ridge above it, Udabno, which has beautiful frescoes. Some Griffon Vultures were passed close by us when we were on the top of the mountain ridge.
From Davit Gareja we drove to Sighnaghi, where we stayed overnight. At the elevation of about 790 m above seal level, the town overlooks the Alazani Valley and faces the Greater Caucasus Mountains. 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.
Davit Gareja
The bird of the day,Griffon Vultures (Gyps fulvus), passed over our heads at the mountain ridge in David Gareda.
The Last Supper
Sighnaghi
On the second day we went for a hike to the waterfalls in Lagodekhi Protected Areas. Lagodekhi Protected Areas cover is situated along the border with Russia and Azerbaijan. From a historical perspective, this was the first nature reserve in Georgia, founded in 1912. The trail followed the Shoma River and enters the gorge as a foot-path and finishes at the waterfall. There were 5 kilometre to the waterfall, and it was a very nice walk in the untouched forest.
From Lagodekhi we went to Telavi the main city in the eastern region of Georgia: Kakheti. On the way we visited Gremi.
Gremi is a 16th-century architectural monument – the royal citadel and the Church of the Archangels. Gremi was the capital of the Kingdom of Kakheti in the 16th and 17th centuries.
Telavi - King Irakli II.
On day 3, we drove the very small and lousy way from Telavi to Omalo, the main village in Tusheti, in two 4WDs. It is a very breathtaking drive with beautiful views and very steep gorges on the side of the road nearly the whole way.
On day 4 the program specified visits to villages of Diklo, Shenako but due to heavy rain during the night, the dirt road had became to slippery for the drive, and we made a hike to the Dartlo where we stayed overnight.
On day 5 we should start the really serious part of our hiking by leaving Dartlo and walk to the foot of Atsunda Pass (3400 meter), and have the first of two overnights in tents. But it was raining very heavily this morning, and our guide said that the rain was probably to continue for next days – so it was time to make a plan B.
We decided to drive back to the lowlands, and go to a very interesting and hot nature reserve in Georgia: Vashlovani Protected Areas in the very Eastern part of Georgia surrounded by Azerbaijan. We spend the night in The Visitors' Centre of Vashlovani Protected Areas situated in the sleepy city of Dedoplistskaro 80 kilometres from Vashlovani.
Heavy rain in Dartlo and we decided to cancel our three days hike, and go to Vashlovani Protected Areas instead.
View from out hotel in the morning.
On our way back we got a flat tire and but it did not take many minutes to shift the tire. Few centimetres from the car it went several hundred meters down (as far as you could see in foggy weather).
The fire station in the sleepy town of Dedoplistskaro 80 kilometres from Vashlovani, where we stayed overnight.
On day 6 we drove to the Vashlovani Protected Areas. Vashlovani is famous for its bird and animal life, including bears and the famous leopard Noah (a young male caught on camera). On the way to reserve we observed a lot of interesting birds, including Imperial Eagle. We first visited the “Alesilebi” of Datvis Khevi (Brown bear gorge), with its famous fossilized shoulder blade of the Southern elephant. On our way back through the Brown bear gorge we observed a fresh footprint of a bear in the soft mud in the Gorge.
In the evening we took a short walk to enjoy the landscape on the impressive bird life including Bee-eaters, Golden Orioles, Hoopoe and blue-and-green Rollers.
The reserve had formerly been on the bottom of the sea.
Walking through the Bear Gorge
The fossilized shoulder blade of the Southern elephant
On the way back we observed a fresh footprint of bear on some soft soil in the Bear Gorge
The bird of the day: Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca)
On day 7 we started with a hike to a viewing point in the Protected Areas, and after that drove back to Tbilisi.
The bird of the day: Black Vulture (Aegypius monachus)
The turtle of the day
Part of the view from the viewing point.
It was a very hot day, and even the birds were resting.
Agnete, Mathias, Doris and Knud, Lisbeth and I went on a one week trip to Eastern Georgia.
The main and most challenging part of the trip was a three days hike from Dartlo in Tusheti over Atsunda Pass (3400 meter) to Ardoti in Khevsureti.
The first day was dedicated to a visit Davit Gareja. Situated 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, semi desert landscape. We visited two of the key monasteries, Lavra (the only inhabited one today), and, just on the other side of the mountain ridge above it, Udabno, which has beautiful frescoes. Some Griffon Vultures were passed close by us when we were on the top of the mountain ridge.
From Davit Gareja we drove to Sighnaghi, where we stayed overnight. At the elevation of about 790 m above seal level, the town overlooks the Alazani Valley and faces the Greater Caucasus Mountains. 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.
Davit Gareja
The bird of the day,Griffon Vultures (Gyps fulvus), passed over our heads at the mountain ridge in David Gareda.
The Last Supper
Sighnaghi
On the second day we went for a hike to the waterfalls in Lagodekhi Protected Areas. Lagodekhi Protected Areas cover is situated along the border with Russia and Azerbaijan. From a historical perspective, this was the first nature reserve in Georgia, founded in 1912. The trail followed the Shoma River and enters the gorge as a foot-path and finishes at the waterfall. There were 5 kilometre to the waterfall, and it was a very nice walk in the untouched forest.
From Lagodekhi we went to Telavi the main city in the eastern region of Georgia: Kakheti. On the way we visited Gremi.
Gremi is a 16th-century architectural monument – the royal citadel and the Church of the Archangels. Gremi was the capital of the Kingdom of Kakheti in the 16th and 17th centuries.
Telavi - King Irakli II.
On day 3, we drove the very small and lousy way from Telavi to Omalo, the main village in Tusheti, in two 4WDs. It is a very breathtaking drive with beautiful views and very steep gorges on the side of the road nearly the whole way.
On day 4 the program specified visits to villages of Diklo, Shenako but due to heavy rain during the night, the dirt road had became to slippery for the drive, and we made a hike to the Dartlo where we stayed overnight.
On day 5 we should start the really serious part of our hiking by leaving Dartlo and walk to the foot of Atsunda Pass (3400 meter), and have the first of two overnights in tents. But it was raining very heavily this morning, and our guide said that the rain was probably to continue for next days – so it was time to make a plan B.
We decided to drive back to the lowlands, and go to a very interesting and hot nature reserve in Georgia: Vashlovani Protected Areas in the very Eastern part of Georgia surrounded by Azerbaijan. We spend the night in The Visitors' Centre of Vashlovani Protected Areas situated in the sleepy city of Dedoplistskaro 80 kilometres from Vashlovani.
Heavy rain in Dartlo and we decided to cancel our three days hike, and go to Vashlovani Protected Areas instead.
View from out hotel in the morning.
On our way back we got a flat tire and but it did not take many minutes to shift the tire. Few centimetres from the car it went several hundred meters down (as far as you could see in foggy weather).
The fire station in the sleepy town of Dedoplistskaro 80 kilometres from Vashlovani, where we stayed overnight.
On day 6 we drove to the Vashlovani Protected Areas. Vashlovani is famous for its bird and animal life, including bears and the famous leopard Noah (a young male caught on camera). On the way to reserve we observed a lot of interesting birds, including Imperial Eagle. We first visited the “Alesilebi” of Datvis Khevi (Brown bear gorge), with its famous fossilized shoulder blade of the Southern elephant. On our way back through the Brown bear gorge we observed a fresh footprint of a bear in the soft mud in the Gorge.
In the evening we took a short walk to enjoy the landscape on the impressive bird life including Bee-eaters, Golden Orioles, Hoopoe and blue-and-green Rollers.
The reserve had formerly been on the bottom of the sea.
Walking through the Bear Gorge
The fossilized shoulder blade of the Southern elephant
On the way back we observed a fresh footprint of bear on some soft soil in the Bear Gorge
The bird of the day: Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca)
On day 7 we started with a hike to a viewing point in the Protected Areas, and after that drove back to Tbilisi.
The bird of the day: Black Vulture (Aegypius monachus)
The turtle of the day
Part of the view from the viewing point.
It was a very hot day, and even the birds were resting.
Jul 9, 2010
Mtkvari and Ninotsminda, 26 - 27 June 2010 - Doukhobors
26 - 27 June we went on a week-end trip to the highland in the Lesser Caucasus, south-vest of Tbilisi.
The participants on the trip were Birthe, a colleague from Carl Bro, Daniel from the Spanish company Eptisa (who is the contractor on our Kura project), Eka, Vlado and I.
We drove up along the Kura River (or Mtkvari, as it is called in Georgian), all te way surrounded by a very beautiful landscape.
The headline of out trip was “Doukhobors”. The Doukhobors are a Christian group of Russian origin. They rejected secular government, the Russian Orthodox priests, icons, all church ritual (they have no churches), the Bible as the supreme source of divine revelation, and the divinity of Jesus. Instead they believe in God's presence in every human being. Their pacifist beliefs and desire to avoid government interference in their life resulted in them being harshly repressed in Imperial Russia. They were be resettled in Russia's recently acquired Transcaucasian provinces, in Akhalkalaki district Georgia between 1841 and 1845, under tsar Nicholas I. Doukhobor villages with Russian names appeared in the area: Gorelovka, Rodionovka, Yefremovka, Orlovka, Spasskoye, Troitskoye, and Bogdanovka (now renamed Ninotsminda).
50 years later most of them moved to Canada. After the breakdown of the Soviet Union and first years of independence dominated by Georgian nationalism many left and are still leaving for Russia, so only 200 families are left.
We also visited Sapara Monastery, Khertvisi fortress and Vardzia cave monastery.
Sapara Monastery is situated in Lesser Caucasus in the south-western part of Georgia, nearby Akhaltsikhe town. The monastery was built in the 10th or 11th century.
The monastery starts to deteriorate in the 19th century when Georgia becomes a part of Russia. It was taken over by the Orthodox Church. The monastery was used for a summer piano camp during the Soviet era. Recently, it has been restored and several monks live in the complex, in cave dwellings.
Some fine frescoes have been preserved in the church interior.
The dominating building of the monastery grounds is St. Sabas´s Church that dates back to 13th and 14th centuries
A model of a church on top of the small church
The Smaller Caucasus in the area where the monastery is situated
Khertvisi fortress is one of the oldest fortresses in Georgia and was functional throughout the Georgian feudal period. The fortress was first build in the 2nd century BC. Khertvisi fortress is situated on the high rocky hill in the narrow canyon at the confluence of the Mtkvari and Paravani Rivers.
The nature and agricultural activity in the Doukhobors area were very fauvorable for storcks
A nice little girl in the Doukhobor village, we visited. The village showed clear sin of people moving – a lot of houses were in ruins
Typical Doukhobor house
We visited the house of an old Doukhobor teacher. Here we are informed about the traditional clothing of the Doukhobors
The highlands where the Doukhobor lived – and the few remaining still lives
Vardzia is a cave monastery dug into the side of the Erusheli Mountain. It was founded by Queen Tamar in 1185.
The monastery was constructed as protection from the Mongols, and consisted of over six thousand apartments in a thirteen story complex. The city included a church, a throne room, and a complex irrigation system watering terraced farmlands. The only access to the complex was through some well hidden tunnels near the Mtkvari River.
Fresco of Queen Tamar in the cave church
View over Mtkvari River from the cave town
The participants on the trip were Birthe, a colleague from Carl Bro, Daniel from the Spanish company Eptisa (who is the contractor on our Kura project), Eka, Vlado and I.
We drove up along the Kura River (or Mtkvari, as it is called in Georgian), all te way surrounded by a very beautiful landscape.
The headline of out trip was “Doukhobors”. The Doukhobors are a Christian group of Russian origin. They rejected secular government, the Russian Orthodox priests, icons, all church ritual (they have no churches), the Bible as the supreme source of divine revelation, and the divinity of Jesus. Instead they believe in God's presence in every human being. Their pacifist beliefs and desire to avoid government interference in their life resulted in them being harshly repressed in Imperial Russia. They were be resettled in Russia's recently acquired Transcaucasian provinces, in Akhalkalaki district Georgia between 1841 and 1845, under tsar Nicholas I. Doukhobor villages with Russian names appeared in the area: Gorelovka, Rodionovka, Yefremovka, Orlovka, Spasskoye, Troitskoye, and Bogdanovka (now renamed Ninotsminda).
50 years later most of them moved to Canada. After the breakdown of the Soviet Union and first years of independence dominated by Georgian nationalism many left and are still leaving for Russia, so only 200 families are left.
We also visited Sapara Monastery, Khertvisi fortress and Vardzia cave monastery.
Sapara Monastery is situated in Lesser Caucasus in the south-western part of Georgia, nearby Akhaltsikhe town. The monastery was built in the 10th or 11th century.
The monastery starts to deteriorate in the 19th century when Georgia becomes a part of Russia. It was taken over by the Orthodox Church. The monastery was used for a summer piano camp during the Soviet era. Recently, it has been restored and several monks live in the complex, in cave dwellings.
Some fine frescoes have been preserved in the church interior.
The dominating building of the monastery grounds is St. Sabas´s Church that dates back to 13th and 14th centuries
A model of a church on top of the small church
The Smaller Caucasus in the area where the monastery is situated
Khertvisi fortress is one of the oldest fortresses in Georgia and was functional throughout the Georgian feudal period. The fortress was first build in the 2nd century BC. Khertvisi fortress is situated on the high rocky hill in the narrow canyon at the confluence of the Mtkvari and Paravani Rivers.
The nature and agricultural activity in the Doukhobors area were very fauvorable for storcks
A nice little girl in the Doukhobor village, we visited. The village showed clear sin of people moving – a lot of houses were in ruins
Typical Doukhobor house
We visited the house of an old Doukhobor teacher. Here we are informed about the traditional clothing of the Doukhobors
The highlands where the Doukhobor lived – and the few remaining still lives
Vardzia is a cave monastery dug into the side of the Erusheli Mountain. It was founded by Queen Tamar in 1185.
The monastery was constructed as protection from the Mongols, and consisted of over six thousand apartments in a thirteen story complex. The city included a church, a throne room, and a complex irrigation system watering terraced farmlands. The only access to the complex was through some well hidden tunnels near the Mtkvari River.
Fresco of Queen Tamar in the cave church
View over Mtkvari River from the cave town
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)