June 1
Breakfast again with the kittens and served by the Ukrainian hostess who seemed very distracted. The breakfast was mediocre.
We packed up and set out according to a plan to visit the villages and countryside in a vast circle around Telavi. The GPS was not working, but we had a good local map which proved to be very effective since we did not get lost anytime during the day. Our first stop was the Ikalto Monastery, about 8km northwest of Telavi. Easy to find, about 2km off the main road and up a hill on a dirt, but smooth road. The monastery was founded in the 6th century by a Syrian Christian and 600 years later it was converted to an academy by King David (the Georgian, not the Goliath slayer). The main church was in good shape and had an 19th century cupola. The academy was ravaged by the Persians and is now roofless. Behind all this were a large collection of clay vessels in which wine was produced.
We got back on the road and drove to the Alaverdi Cathedral. This was gigantic. It is 50m high and was the tallest cathedral in Georgia for 1000 years after it was built in the 11th century. The outside wall was encased by a colorful rose garden. To me the cathedral looked like what a cathedral should look like. Its exterior is classically proportioned with rounded arches, but minimal decorations. Inside it was very spacious and much better lighted than most European cathedrals by a large 16 windowed cupola. The interior also contained many frescoes in varying stages of decay. As we saw throughout Georgia, there was a St. George and dragon over the main entrance. It is a working monastery. I had to put on long pants to enter and they are still producing wine here. After the visit to the monastery we went across the street and had a cold yogurt dish.
Next on the tour was the Gremi Citadel. It is a very impressive structure.For 250 years from 1466 Gremi was the capital of the Kakheti state and the brick citadel guarded the town. But the Persians under Shah Abbas came through and reduced the town to ruins. As part of that conquest the Persians tortured Queen Ketevan to death for refusing to renounce Christianity. Seems that things have not changed in this area of the world in the last 500 years. The Citadel was well preserved and in the process of climbing into and through its bell tower it afforded great views of the river and surrounding countryside.
It was getting late so we skipped a couple of destinations and drove back toward Telavi to go to the Chavhavadze family estate in Tsinandali. This estate was built by a Georgian aristocrat whose father was Georgia's first ambassador to Russia and a godson of Catherine the Great. Alas in the mid 19th century some marauding tribesmen from Dagestan ransacked the estate and kidnapped 23 women and children. The builder's son had to mortgage the estate to ransom the family. He could not pay back the loan so the Czar scouped in to pay of the loan and ended up with the place. Most of the family is now in France. The house is now a museum, and like most places in Georgia has a vineyard and winery on the premises. For 20 Lari we got to sample several wines and thus walked around the grand grounds very happy.
We then pointed the car back to Tbilisi. It was a straightforward, but exciting drive going over the 5000 ft Gombori pass. Fortunately there were lots and lots of switchbacks so the car slowly made it.
We cruised back into Tbilisi and checked back into the Renaissance hotel for the third time. We walked over to old town through a park at the base of the hill where our hotel was located and had dinner in an organic restaurant, albeit with lots of meat. After dinner we walked back over the Peace Bridge and entered a park. It was 10:00 pm but there were lots of young families there and vendors selling all sorts of food. We had some sweets and frozen dessert.
Breakfast again with the kittens and served by the Ukrainian hostess who seemed very distracted. The breakfast was mediocre.
We packed up and set out according to a plan to visit the villages and countryside in a vast circle around Telavi. The GPS was not working, but we had a good local map which proved to be very effective since we did not get lost anytime during the day. Our first stop was the Ikalto Monastery, about 8km northwest of Telavi. Easy to find, about 2km off the main road and up a hill on a dirt, but smooth road. The monastery was founded in the 6th century by a Syrian Christian and 600 years later it was converted to an academy by King David (the Georgian, not the Goliath slayer). The main church was in good shape and had an 19th century cupola. The academy was ravaged by the Persians and is now roofless. Behind all this were a large collection of clay vessels in which wine was produced.
We got back on the road and drove to the Alaverdi Cathedral. This was gigantic. It is 50m high and was the tallest cathedral in Georgia for 1000 years after it was built in the 11th century. The outside wall was encased by a colorful rose garden. To me the cathedral looked like what a cathedral should look like. Its exterior is classically proportioned with rounded arches, but minimal decorations. Inside it was very spacious and much better lighted than most European cathedrals by a large 16 windowed cupola. The interior also contained many frescoes in varying stages of decay. As we saw throughout Georgia, there was a St. George and dragon over the main entrance. It is a working monastery. I had to put on long pants to enter and they are still producing wine here. After the visit to the monastery we went across the street and had a cold yogurt dish.
Next on the tour was the Gremi Citadel. It is a very impressive structure.For 250 years from 1466 Gremi was the capital of the Kakheti state and the brick citadel guarded the town. But the Persians under Shah Abbas came through and reduced the town to ruins. As part of that conquest the Persians tortured Queen Ketevan to death for refusing to renounce Christianity. Seems that things have not changed in this area of the world in the last 500 years. The Citadel was well preserved and in the process of climbing into and through its bell tower it afforded great views of the river and surrounding countryside.
It was getting late so we skipped a couple of destinations and drove back toward Telavi to go to the Chavhavadze family estate in Tsinandali. This estate was built by a Georgian aristocrat whose father was Georgia's first ambassador to Russia and a godson of Catherine the Great. Alas in the mid 19th century some marauding tribesmen from Dagestan ransacked the estate and kidnapped 23 women and children. The builder's son had to mortgage the estate to ransom the family. He could not pay back the loan so the Czar scouped in to pay of the loan and ended up with the place. Most of the family is now in France. The house is now a museum, and like most places in Georgia has a vineyard and winery on the premises. For 20 Lari we got to sample several wines and thus walked around the grand grounds very happy.
We then pointed the car back to Tbilisi. It was a straightforward, but exciting drive going over the 5000 ft Gombori pass. Fortunately there were lots and lots of switchbacks so the car slowly made it.
We cruised back into Tbilisi and checked back into the Renaissance hotel for the third time. We walked over to old town through a park at the base of the hill where our hotel was located and had dinner in an organic restaurant, albeit with lots of meat. After dinner we walked back over the Peace Bridge and entered a park. It was 10:00 pm but there were lots of young families there and vendors selling all sorts of food. We had some sweets and frozen dessert.
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