Georgia Map

 

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latest picture: July 30, 2013

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088  Panorama from the Nariqala Fortress

over the city of Tbilisi with its 1.2m people.

It has been the capital of Georgia for over

1’500 years. It extends along both sides

of the Mtkvari River and has a relaxed

atmosphere

089  With a sword in one and a cup of

wine in the other hand a 66ft. tall silvery

woman statue, called Kartlis Deda –

“Mother of Kartli“, reigns over the city.

The wine symbolizes the hospitality of

the Georgians and the sword the

readiness to fight the enemy

090  We make a souvenir photo above

Tbilisi where the first traders and camel

caravans stopped on their long journeys

along the Silk Road from Asia to Europe.

Since mid-2012 an aerial tramway makes

an easy access from Rike Park to the

Nariqala Fortress

 

6/23/2013: Returning from Azerbaijan before noon and after completing the fast and easy entry procedures of our second visit to Georgia at the Ikinci Sixli border post, both of us are longing just for one thing: A tasty „Khachaburi“ – a Georgian cheese speciality – and a huge beer. Are we eventually already addicted? However only mid-afternoon we are sitting in front of this favorite dish at a pizzeria close to our Hotel „Mkudro“ in Tbilisi where we got a room for 60 Lari (GEL) (US$37). Actually it is rather a homestay where we feel immediately at ease. Besides, at the entry there is an apricot tree, which provides us with sweet ripe fruits that constantly fall to the ground. They taste wonderfully.

 

Mid morning next day, Emil drives our LandCruiser through the busy city traffic of the capital to our embassy to finally collect our new passports. Again we are invited inside and offered a cup of coffee. This time, we have also the honor to meet our ambassador Mr. Bächler. Leaving the embassy, Mrs. Renggli, our consul, gives us the phone number of her driver Giorgi who has his day off today, but whose father has a garage. We might be able to let repair the front right main spring leaf of our Landcruiser which broke into two pieces in Azerbaijan. We pass by in the afternoon but cannot decide on leaving our LandCruiser there for two days. We postpone it to after our return from Armenia, hoping that the clamps will hold!

091  The Church of St. Nicholas stands

inside the Nariqala fortress walls. After

its destruction together with the fortress in

1827 by an explosion of a Russian munitions

storage (some say it was an earthquake),

it was rebuilt in 1990 .....

092  ..... a beautiful relief decorates

the inner court yard of the church –

looks like a cross stone (khachkar) .....

093  ..... the walls in the interior of the

St. Nicholas Church are covered from

floor to ceiling with brightly

colored frescoes

 

The sunny cloud-free day invites to explore the city with its 1.2m people. Tbilisi has been the capital of Georgia for over 1‘500 years and extends along both sides of the Mtkvari River. The city where the first traders and camel caravans rested on their long journeys along the silkroad from Asia to Europe has a relaxed atmosphere. We take the aerial tramway to the Nariqala Fortress which since mid 2012 runs from the Rike-Park.

 

In the 4th century the fortress still was a Persian citadel. Eyecatching is a 66ft. [20m] tall silvery woman statue, called „Kartlis Deda“ (Mother of Kartli). On Sololaki Hill she reigns over the city with a sword in one hand and a cup of wine in the other hand. The wine symbolizes the hospitality of the Georgians and the sword the readiness to fight the enemy.

094  Most of the present walls of the

Nariqala Fortress were built in the

7th and 8th century by Arab emirs, the

Umayyad dynasty, whose palace

was inside the fortress

095  Right through the center of Tbilisi flows

the Mtkvari River that comes as Kura River

from eastern Turkey and continues again as

Kura River to Azerbaijan, where it enters

finally the Caspian Sea. It separates the

historic Old Town from modern Tbilisi

096  View to the Nariqala Fortress from

the 17th century which existence goes back

to the Shuris-tsikhe (= “invidious fort”) in

the 4th century. Behind the bridge is the

scaffolded Armenian Cathedral St. George

 

The city panorama that extends below us is beautiful. Right to its center flows the Mtkvari River. Across the river, on Elia Hill, the Tsminda Sameba Cathedral with its golden dome rises above the roofs of the city. The wide sprawling cityscape is characterized by historic and modern, partly futuristic glass constructions. Eventually we break away from this wonderful view and wander together with many Russian speaking tour groups through the ruins of the fortress and to the site of the Church of St. Nicholas with its beautiful frescoes. After it was heavily damaged together with the fortress in 1827 by an explosion of a Russian munition storage, it was rebuilt in 1990.

 

The descent we tackle by foot and then treat ourselves in a garden restaurant with our favorite food „Khatchaburi“ and beer – what else? before we head to the cathedral „Tsminda Sameba“ on Elia Hill with its 346 ft. [105.5m] high golden dome, built between 1995 and 2004. It is the biggest symbol of Georgia’s post-Soviet religious revival. Impressing is its imposing size and the ample space in the interior. The five ailes are open and rise vertically up to the 276 ft. [84m] high dome. Worthshippers illuminate candles and pray in front of their saint images and a Georgian orthodox priest takes the vows of a wedding couple. Can a sightseeing tour end lovlier? It is rushhour when we drive back to our hotel.

097  Behind the baths sits Tbilisi's only

mosque, a Sunny, built in 1895. The Shiite’s

one was destroyed in 1950 due to the

construction of the Metekhi bridge. Very

unusually, Shiite and Sunni Muslims

pray now together there

098  On Elia Hill high above Tbilisi rises

the “Tsminda Sameba Cathedral” (Holy

Trinity Cathedral), built between 1995

and 2004. Its golden dome is 346 ft. high.

It is the biggest symbol of Georgia's

post-Soviet religious revival .....

099  ..... in the central aisle a

Georgian Orthodox Priest takes

the vows of a wedding couple

 

After Emil has processed our visa application for Abkhazia via internet the following morning, we actually would be ready to continue our journey to Armenia, but then all of a sudden my laptop gets inoperative. The screen turns black and all efforts to revive it are in vain. After three years, it has irrevocably stopped working. Coincidentally, also Emil’s four years old Lenovo rattles badly already since quite some time. Therefore we now need time to put in action the new Lenovo laptop that our friends Ursula and Marco brought us to Oman in February. It is not an easy task and Emil is not happy at all changing from Windows XP to Windows 8. At least, in the evening he has managed to install most of the programs. But for whatever mishap his whole work of 12 hours is gone again. When he wants to restart, the laptop does not recognize the password anymore and deletes everything. Frustrated we go to sleep.

100  The free standing bell-tower of

the “Tsminda Sameba Cathedral” is

an attraction in itself

101  At the construction of the

“Tsminda Sameba Cathedral” traditional

Georgian architectural forms in concrete,

brick, granite and marble were used .....

102  ..... the five aisles are open

and rise vertically to the 276 ft. high

central dome what gives a feeling

of space and brightness

 

We start everything from scratch and this while outside a bright sunny day with blue skies lures. But finally we get there and our departure day comes closer. Emil still greases the long overdue nippels of the LandCruiser and realises that only one jack is still working. Thus, apart of new reading glasses for Emil, safety jackets, stretching straps, grease, distilled water, engine oil we now also need to look for a new jack. As last function before our onward journey we cut each others hair like we have done it for the past 29 years!

103  The Freedom Monument

(St. George Statue) – built 2006 –

on Freedom Square is dedicated

to Georgia’s independence

104  Church towers rise everywhere

from Tbilisi's rooftops. In front the “Tbilisi

Sioni Cathedral“ with its bright dome; just to

the right its three-story bell-tower; exactly

behind it the “Norashen Armenia Church“

with a dark dome; in the far back the

“Jvaris Mama Church“; and on the left

side the “St. George Cathedral“

105  One of the still existing and inhabited

ugly buildings from the Soviet era at the

northern outskirts of Tbilisi (Vashlijvari

Settlement). The rendering is fading

away everywhere

 

On the day when we were supposed to leave it happens as it often did during our epic journey: I have almost finished to pack everything into our LandCruiser; Emil is still sitting at his laptop when he says: „I think we should leave only tomorrow. I need to prepare myself better for Armenia via the internet.“ Not again! It is always the same. „Why can you not tell me that before I start packing“ I exclaim upset“. But it is final!

 

In the afternoon I lament again about my lost text during my computer crash while Emil tries to remove the harddisk before we dispose the crashed laptop. It is not as easy, also using force does not help. Enervated he reassembles everything again. Suddenly I hear him saying „I don't believe it, now it is working again“ He does it the same unemotional way he did way back in April 1990 in African Guinea Bissau, when in the backyard of a mission a snake slithered between our camping table and our stove while we were having lunch. Of course I am very excited: „Please copy firstly of all my text“ I beg him. No sooner said than done. One would not believe it: As soon as Emil finished with it, the thing is dead again. If this wasn't luck!

106  In a restaurant along the Mtkvari

River at the Akaki Beliashvili Street in

northern Tbilisi a brewery is integrated

107  7/2/2013: En route to Sadakhlo

and Bagratashen, the border villages of

Georgia and Armenia, it gets rural:

On a field, carrots are harvested

and packed into big bags .....

108  ..... and shortly before the border

sunflowers are blooming, almost as

far as the eye can see

 

Before noon the next day it is time: We set off towards Bagratashen, Georgias border post to Armenia. The young guy at the immigration booth does not understand that we give him a brand new passport and that Georgia’s entry stamp is still in the old one, now full to the brim. He calls his boss who gives him directions and then puts the exit stamp on the last page of our new passport. Are these new methods? The exit customs waves us through with a smile. With it, our second visit to Georgia ends, but Georgia #3 will arrive for sure (further below)!

On July 2nd, 2013, we end after 8 days our second visit of Georgia – mainly Tbilisi –

and explore our 175^th country Armenia for the first time. We return after 12 days in Armenia and 8 days in

Nagorno Karabakh from Armenia’s the 2^nd part on July 22^nd, to our 3^rd visit of Georgia

109  7/22/2013: Coming from Armenia,

shortly after the Georgian border post at

Ninotsminda, the rural, nostalgic charm is

greeting us again

110  In the little village of Zhdanovi along

“Mada” Lake we spot a stork’s nest high

on a pole and stop below .....

111  ..... who is more curious? The ones

looking up, or the ones looking down?

 

Coming from the costly Armenian exit border (!), our third entry to Georgia at Bavra was a nice surprice due to its free and easy handling. No roadtax and no other fees as in the previous country. Right after the border, in Zhodanovi, we are greeted by rural charm again. High up on pylons stork’s nests with their offspring surprise us. What a lovely reception! It is already 4pm when we branch off at Ninotsminda to the new road to the east towards the capital Tbilisi – a region where three lakes are marked on the map. At the first lake "Tha Saghamo" – the smallest and most natural one – we find an idyllic camping spot. A herdsman is guiding his cattle down to the water. Then there is complete silence.

112  Shortly after Ninotsminda we take a

right turn to a renewed road leading to Tbilisi

and find an idyllic night spot at the small

"Saghamo" lake, the first one of three

lakes in a row .....

113  ..... a herdsman guides his cattle

down to the water, then it gets quiet

114  Morning mist still hangs over the

village of Tambovka across lake "Paravani"

between Ninotsminda and Tbilisi

 

Morning mist engulfs us when we get up. It's wet and cold. We take breakfast in the car and continue our ride on the new road towards the capital, passing through typical Georgian rural villages. Mist, rain and drizzle are our constant companion during most of the time. We again check into the hotel „Mkudro“, the same hotel as before on June 23rd, about 12 miles [20km] outside the city center.

115  Bees are attracted by the strong

pink of a blooming “musk or nodding thistle”

(Carduus nutans)

116  Funny white "cups" grow on the

roadside out of thin branches .....

117  ..... detail of the funny "cups"

 

The handy is ringing. It is Tomas from Spain, who is on tour for a few months with his wife Beatrix and with his 3 years old LandCruiser. Today, coming from Armenia, he also reached Tiflis. He wants to take a room in the old city. Therefore we agree to meet next morning at 11am at the aerial tramway leading to the Nariqala Fortress.

118  A typical Georgian rural village:

Paravani along the same-named lake,

located between Ninotsminda and Tbilisi

119  Rain made mushrooms sprout. Egg

mushroom are sold in baskets along the road.

It is tempting, but we do not trust them

120  The new road from Tsalka via

Marneuli to Tbilisi runs through

a lovely forested area

 

On our almost 29 years of traveling we have not often met travelers we only know per email. We therefore are really excited to get to know now Beatriz and Tomas personally. Both are speaking good English. They earn a living with book translations from Spanish into English and French.

121  At the clock tower in Tbilisi's Old

Quarter each hour a golden door opens

on the upper balcony. An angel appears

and marks with 12 strokes of the gong

the full hour .....

122  ..... the clock tower itself looks like

something out of a fairy tale – leaning and

cobbled together, built 2011 by Rezo

Gabriadze. In the back a puppet theater is

“concealed”. Beatriz and Tomas from Spain

pose for a picture together with Liliana

123  Below the clock another screen

opens after the stroke of the gong. The

puppets that appear show five circles of

life: Boy meets girl; marriage; childbirth;

old age and funeral

 

Together we explore the little alleys of the old quarter in Tbilisi and are standing in front of the clock tower, built 2011 by Rezo Gabriadze. Exactly at 12am on the upper balcony a golden door opens and an angel appears and marks with 12 strokes of the gong the full hour. Below the clock another screen opens and a puppet shows appears, showing five cycles of life: Boy meets girl, marriage, childbirth, old age and funeral. It is a bit like in a fairy tale.

124  After a couple of emails it worked

out: In Tbilisi we meet Beatriz and Tomas

from Spain with their 3-years young

LandCruiser. Their 8-months journey through

Central Asia will soon come to an end .....

125  ..... together we enjoy at the Meidan

Square in Dzveli district the Georgian dish

"Khachapuri" – a cheese pie that comes in

different variations

126  Liliana enjoys the view from the

Hotel Tamarindi in Mtskheta, about

12 miles north of Tbilisi, of the Svetitskhoveli

Cathedral in the old city. It was the most

important church in Georgia until the

construction of the “Tsminda Sameba

Cathedral” in Tbilisi (pict. #98+101)

 

After that, the aerial tramway carries us up to the Nariqala Fortress. It is the second time that we enjoy the rambling view over the attractive capital with its meandering river, its bridges and church towers raising above the city roofs everywhere. With beer and „Khachaburi“ – Georgia’s cheese cake speciality and Emil’s favorite dish – our lovely and interesting traveler meeting comes to an end.

127  The “Svetitskhoveli Cathedral” of

Mtskheta dates from the 11th century. Some

say that the original church was built on the

site of a former Zoroastrian temple and thus

marks Georgia's conversion to Christianity,

others that St. Nino chose the place in the

4th century at the confluence of the rivers

Mtkvari (Kura) and Aragvi

In the interior of the “Svetitskhoveli Cathedral” the walls show some beautiful

and extraordinary frescoes. The cathedral is a UNESCO world heritage site

128  Access to the main altar

129  These frescoes show the zodiac

sign (circle) as well as the “Beast of the

Apocalypse” (middle left) what is

rather unusual in a Christian church

 

Travelers often have the same needs what shopping is concerned. Yesterday we talked to Beatriz and Tomas about the French supermarket Carrefour at the northern peripherie of the capital. And who is arriving dead on time like us? Our new traveling buddies. Both are replenishing groceries and both want to drive on the "Georgian Military Highway" to Kazbegi into the mountains – a very scenic mountain pass leading to Russia, the only traffic axis between the two countries. With an appropriate Russian visa the border crossing is now open since some time to everybody.

130  On the Georgian Military Highway

to Kazbegi Liliana enjoys the turquoise

Zhinvali Reservoir. The border to Russia

– now open since June 2012 also to

international tourists – is only about

10 miles from Kazbegi

131  A small break along the touristy

Georgian Military Highway and the Aragvi

river. We encounter people from Germany,

France, Armenia, Ukraine with cars, motor-

bikes and bicycles, but mostly Russians

 from home or back home

132  The Zhinvali Reservoir is surrounded

by a beautiful forested landscape. The

biggest part of Tbilisi’s drinking water

is caught here and channeled in a

18 ft. Ø tunnel to the city

 

Traveling together however doesn't work out. Black skies are developing in the Caucasus mountains promising rain. We decide to wait until the weather improves, but the Spaniards have a tight time schedule. They want to be back home in Spain already in September 2013 (now we have July 25th). They hit the road and we take a room at the Tamarindi Hotel in Mtskheta, the next town, 12 miles [20 km] northwest of Tbilisi. It sits in the historic old city right opposite the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral. From its terrace we have a superb view to the church complex and the never ending flow of tourists strolling past our parked LandCruiser. Many pause to admire our „freedom machine“.

133  The Ananuri Fortress dating from

the 17th century, 41 miles north of Tbilisi,

enchants by its classic Georgian architecture

and its beautiful location. It made it to the

front cover of the 4th edition of the

Lonely Planet Guidebook of June 2012

134  The Church of the Assumption

within the Ananuri Fortress has a

wonderfully carved grapevine

cross on its south side .....

135  ..... and in the churches interior

fine icons at the altar

 

Next morning the tourist flow hasn't yet begun when we marvel at the beautiful frescoes and carvings of the Mtskheta‘s Svetitskhoveli Cathedral. For the Georgian-Orthodox this cathedral is one of the most revered places of worship. It is said that here the coat of Jesus Christ lies burried. Currently it is also the seat of the archbishop of Mtskheta and Tbilisi who at the same time is also the catholic patriarch of the whole of Georgia.

136  A ruin of an old chapel stands a bit

lost on the shore of the Zhinvali Reservoir

below the Ananuri Fortress

137  A remembrance picture with Emil at

the small "pavilion" at the shore of the Zhin-

vali Reservoir below the Ananuri Fortress

138  Who does not yet have a warm beanie,

can buy one along the Georgian Military

Highway leading to Kazbegi and Russia

 

At 11am we are off to Kazbegi. It turns out to be a beautiful ride along the Zhinvali dam on which bank the Ananuri Fortress is situated. (Its picture decorates the cover of our current Lonely Planet guidebook). Once more we admire delicate carvings and icons before continuing along the green narrow valley of the „Georgian Military Highway" towards the pass. It is quite touristy. We encounter Germans, French, Armenians, Ukrainians with cars. motorbikes and motorcycles. But most of the people are Russians who either are returning home or coming from home.

The Georgian Military Highway leads us through diverse and beautiful mountain scenery

139  The ruin of a fortress that sticks out

of the forest green – about 5 miles before

the switchback ascent to Gudauri

140  A place for a future holiday house?

An open little plateau with a couple of

trees, caught by the sun

141  A lovely valley at Kvesheti with

the tiny church of Sepe and a few

houses along the river

 

After Gudauri, the ski resort, road construction work is scarring badly the landscape. When the road deteriorates massively and a German guy crossing us confirms that until Kazbegi it will remain like that, we suddenly run out of steam to struggle for further 15 miles [25km] the more that darkness is also creeping in. We return shortly after the 7'792 ft. [2'395m] high Jvari Pass and find soon a wonderfully quiet night spot on one of the big empty ski lift parkings. We are on an altitude of 7'218 ft. [2'200m].

142  The ski resort of Gudauri is located at

the heart of the Caucasus with 10 miles of

slopes of different difficulty grades and a

chairlift rising from 6'530 ft. to 10’730 ft.

Skiing season is from December to mid-April

143  A little church near Gudauri

impresses by its setting against the

backdrop of a towering mountain slope

144  Morning mist sails along the mountain

peaks above Gudauri when we crawl early

morning out of our LandCruiser at the

parking of the ski lift station. We are at

an altitude of 7’220 ft.

 

The night in our warm sleeping bags was relaxing. Mist is creeping over the mountains when we get up. It is cold. We take our breakfast in the LandCruiser and then start our way back. A sulfurous fountain in the middle of nowhere seduces us to wash our car. Was it a good idea? Not so sure: A white dull coat is now covering our otherwise shiny LandCruiser. We are eager to find a fresh water source, which in the mountainous area of the former Soviet Union do exist here and there. There we thoroughly treat the whole body with fresh mountain water and are stunned by the result: It now shines even more intensively than before.

145  Around Kazbegi the Caucasus offers

wild high mountain scenery: Below the

Aragvi river, and behind the mountains

in direction southwest lies the breakaway

province of South Ossetia

146  The Georgian Military Highway

offers a diversified mountain drive through

all kind of terrain – here the ascent by

switchbacks to Gudauri

147  The view of the upper northerly

Aragvi valley

 

Mid-afternoon the skies darken again and it starts to rain. We book once more into the Tamarindi Hotel in Mtskheta and are sorry for the brides who have their wedding photos taken in the cold and rain in front of the cathedral. We wash some clothes, watch TV, read newspapers in the internet, write the diary and update statistics.

148  Colorful motifs decorate the viewing

platform, called Soviet-Georgian Friendship-

Monument, nearly on the top of the Jvari-,

Cross- or Dzhvris Ughelt-Pass. Like the

names of this crossing differ, the indication

of its height vary too: 7'858 ft. [2'395m];

7'805 ft. or even 9'695 ft. [2'955m]

149  Across the Aragvi River small

settlements with neat houses and gardens

are greeting. Thanks to the Georgian

Military Highway people are not totally

cut off from the rest of the world

150  A lovely animal roundabout in

Kutaisi, Georgia's second largest city

(200’000 people) after Tbilisi. It is

situated halfway to the

Black Sea in the west

 

Next morning we take off on the monotonous M1 road from Mtskheta to the west towards the Black Sea. Along the road potteries, basketwork and especially mushroms are on sale. „Stop! Do they fill up gas containers here?“ I ask Emil. He backtracks and indeed a private person is selling gas out of a small tank. We pay 10 Lari for our 1 gallon [2¼kg] gas cooker which just showed to be empty two days ago. That was luck!

151  Four miles from Kutaisi within lush

green hills sits the little Motsameta

Monastery on an impressive

promontory .....

152  ..... it offers a spectacular view to

a bend of the Tskhaltsitela River, which is

surrounded by a jungle-like vegetation

153  The Motsameta Monastery is a jewel

of an old dignified monastery where bearded

monks in black robes glide along the garden

path and where monastery life can be

comprehended

 

Last time in Oman, we only succeeded because Lara, our nice Swiss host in Muscat, knew the gas man well, who helped us out and even sold us a new gas container made in China! Filling up cooking gas can be quite nerve-wracking. The longer the more the empty bottles are only exchanged for full ones. Together with our Brasilian gas bottle, which up to now could not be refilled anywhere, we carry along three of them. In the evening we reach Kutaisi and book into the Argo Palace for 50 Lari.

Every inch of the Motsameta Monastery is covered with beautiful frescoes.

Because in 1923 a fire destroyed everything, they had to be completely restored

154

155

156

 

A beautiful sight with view to the bend of the Tskhaltsitela River (red water) surprises us 3¾ miles [6km] outside of Kutaisi. We are standing on a shoulder of rock in front of the small Motsameta Monastery embedded into a jungle scenery. It is a gem of an old, venerable monastery with beautiful frescoes, where bearded monks silently scurry around. A short walk leads from the parking through a forested area with mosses, mushroms, blackberries and pomegranates.

157  The region around Kutaisi is blessed

with many churches. Here the Bagrati

Cathedral in Kutaisi itself – a UNESCO

World Heritage Site – called also

“Cathedral of the Dormition”

158  6 miles northeast of Kutaisi the

towers of the rather commercialized

Gelati Monastery complex rise from a

wooded hillside. It’s another UNESCO

World Heritage Site .....

159  ..... it contains the "Cathedral of

the Virgin", the smaller "Church of

St. Nicholas" and the Academy, where

philosophy, theology, sciences and

painting were studied

 

What is especially nice is that it's less commercialized and that the real monastery life can still be felt. The contrary is the case at the „Cathedral of the Virgin“, 5½ miles [9km] northeast of Kutaisi. There we are greeted by the omnipresent souvenir shops. Despite of it, the splendor of frescoes, built between the 12th and 18th century is well worth the visit.

The churches contain a whole range of wonderful frescoes, painted between the 12th and 18th century

160

161

162

 

After these two special sights we continue our drive direction west. Short of Zugdidi at the Abkhazian border we stop at a little meadow next to the road for a lunch break and I start to cook. It does not take long until we get visitors: The police in a civil car. „Tourist Schwitzaria“ (Швейцария) we explain like we always do. But the two policemen remain persistently in our vicinity and start to phone. They get on our nerves because now we do not dare to drink a second beer. May be they just wait for it in order to snatch us!

163  Residence of His Holiness and

Beatitude, Catholicos Patriarch of All

Georgia, Ilia II, also Archbishop of

Mtskheta-Tbilisi near Zugdidi at Munchia,

2½ miles northwest of Khobi (between

Senaki and Zugdidi in the west of Georgia)

164  The pomegranate (Punica

granatum) grows also in the Caucasus.

At first the fruit is green and then

changes into orange-red

165  In Zugdidi (80’000 people),

the border town to Abkhazia and starting

point to the "Svaneti high mountain" region,

the setting sun puts the sky in flame

 

We are already washing our dishes when a car marked „Police“ arrives to replace the two guys. What’s going on? Are they supervising us? It parks beneath a shady tree along the road. But nothing happens. We just can imagine that they clarified in between if we are in the country legally. Soon after we reach Zugdidi, the starting point to the mountainous „Svaneti“ region, and check into the Hotel Zugdidi for 50 Lari. The sky darkens and it starts raining like hell once more. We are happy to be comfortable and dry.

 

The "Greater"-Middle East trip 2012/13:

Sharjah/Dubai/1st Traveler's Festival/Emirates National Auto Museum - UAE with car Nov. 2012 to Jan. 2013 - part 1

Western UAE - Liwa - United Arab Emirates  with car in January 2013 - part 2

Oman 2013 - Part 1 - February 2013: Musandam Peninsula

Oman 2013 - Part 2 - February 2013: Sohar - Muscat - Rustaq - Nizwa

Oman 2013 - Part 3 - March 2013: Sur - East Coast - Island of Masirah - Dhofar

Oman 2013 - Part 4 - March 2013: Salalah & Surroundings (Dhofar) - Nizwa

Oman 2013 - Part 5 - March 2013: Western Hajar Mountains

Al Ain, Eastcoast & Ras al Khaima - United Arab Emirates with our car in April 2013 - part 3

Iran - Ppart 1: Ferry Port Bandar Abbas-Shiraz-Persepolis-Pasargad (between Persepolis and Yazd) – May 2013

Iran - Part 2: Pasargad (excl.)-Yazd-Esfahan – May 2013

Iran - Part 3: Esfahan (excl.)-Chelgerd-Hamadan-Sanandaj-Orumiyeh-Turkey Border – May 2013

Turkey: Iran Border-Esendere-Hakkari-Van-Doğubayazıt-Kars-Ardahan-Hopa-Georgia Border – May/June 2013

Georgia - Part 1: Turkey Border-Ajaria-Gori-Tbilisi-Kakheti-Azerbaijan Border – June 2013

Azerbaijan: Georgia Border-Balakən-Şəki-Lahıç-Baku-Xınalıq-Quba-Laza-Baku-Gəncə-Georgia Border – June 2013

Armenia - Part 1: Georgia Border-Haghpat-Dilijan-Sevan-Tatev-Goris-Nagorno Karabakh – July 2013

Nagorno-Karabakh: Armenia-Stepanakert-Gandzasar-Martakert-Tigranakert-Tnjri-Shoushi-Armenia – July

Armenia - Part 2: Nagorno Karabakh-Goris-Tatev-Noravank-Khor Virap-Echmiadzin-Yerewan-Geghard-Gyumri-Georgia Border – July 2013

Georgia - Part 3a: Zugdidi-Swaneti-Zugdidi-Abkhazia Border – July/August 2013

Abkhazia: Georgia-Sukhumi-Tsebelda-Novyy Aton-Lake Ritsa-Gagra-Pitsunda-Georgia – August 2013

Georgia - Part 3b: Abkhazia Border-Poti-Ferry to Ilyichevsk/Ukraine – August 2013