Traveling for the first time in my life. Part 1
Day 1-2!!! Worth it!!!
We set sail from the Southern Railway in Kharkov at 8:30 and already at 11:15 we approached the border post in Volchansk. And at 11:50 Kyivstar greeted me in Russia. A stern-looking, but very kind Russian border guard told in detail where to go, so that there would be no problems. There were no problems, everything about everything took even less than an hour. Although, in general, we braked quite often on the Russian road, but the purity of our passports and the innocence in our eyes were convincing. The journey continued along Russian roads.
At 18:12 we drove to the Moscow-Rostov highway and the road became more fun. At least we didn't have to be bored with our fellow travelers. To the great pleasure of our driver Arsen (a handsome man and a very careful driver), the company was selected purely feminine and very cheerful.
At 22:50, we stopped at the night lights in Rostov, where our ranks thinned out by exactly 3 people, who were carefully taken to the railway station. Personally, I was impressed by the old bus station (just opposite the railway). You can get into it by the bridge through the semblance of a moat with water. In the best traditions of medieval castles).
We left Rostov at 23:40 and at 2:30 we got up for the night. We woke up at 5:10, the driver constantly called Upper Lars - the pass was closed until 7 in the morning, so we allowed ourselves to take our time.
At 10:35, Elbrus appeared on the horizon to the right, and a couple of shadows from the Caucasus Range also loomed on the horizon. While we were driving off the track to have breakfast, we admired him from all the windows of the car. In a cafe near the highway, the amenities are not even "euro", but the attention was distracted by the swallows in the nest under a canopy and very helpful hosts, who took into account all the wishes of our picky driver for the morning meal. Full and awake, we moved to Pyatigorsk.
At the checkpoint at the entrance to North Ossetia our luggage received close attention from unsmiling people in military uniform and charming Bim with a black ear. We were asked to get out of the car to check in. Meanwhile, the service dog carefully examined our belongings. We were released quickly and without complaints, thanks to the dog)
We arrived in Vladikavkaz at 16:20. The city is being actively built and pleases with the smell of pines and mountains. Separately pleased LLC "Cleared" and a copy of the Kharkov Mirror Stream in one of the squares. And then beauty began... there are simply not enough words to describe, so see the photo. The posts of Upper Lars were over in half an hour and at 17:30 welcome to Georgia!!!
We arrived at the hostel before 22:00 Georgian time, but we didn't manage to go to bed, bypassing the set table. Homemade wine wonderfully went with national lobio, Georgian and Armenian cheeses and quite international wings and fried potatoes with Georgian flavor.
After dinner I go to fulfill my childhood dream - to sleep on the top bunk bed. Tomorrow I will share my impressions) Good night!
View of the mountains from Vladikavkaz
Road to Georgia
Russian border in Upper Lars
Neutral zone between Russia and Georgia
Terek Gorge
Fog in the Caucasus mountains
A herd on a cliff
Kazbek in the clouds
Day 3. Hello, Tbilisi!!!
We had a great rest, we slept just great: clean linen on comfortable beds does its job. The morning for each member of the team began at its own pace, for me personally at 9 o'clock.
We stopped at the train station to get tickets to Ureki right after we got acquainted with the Georgian bazaar. While we were inhaling the smell of dry adjika and tasting Svan salt (familiar table salt with the addition of spices and herbs - a universal seasoning for any dish), the husband of the hostel hostel organized a tasting of suluguni pancakes stuffed with unleavened soft cheese - in contrast to the salty suluguni the curd inside seems almost sweet.
Exactly at noon, we entered the territory of the ethno-park near Turtle Lake. I will say right away that we did not go to the lake, but we saw so many interesting things: almost all of Georgia is in miniature. The entrance cost us 3 lari and for this money we learned about the life of Georgians from various regions of the country. The park turned out to be extremely thoughtful: in each house, illustrating the life of some region of Georgia, there was a guide who was ready to tell in detail in several languages the history of a particular house and yard. Some were very animated when they found out where our company was from, and tried their best to make us enjoy the tour. And, although my shoulders banally burned down on the descent to the city (about 20 minutes on foot along the serpentine), familiarization with the history and culture of Georgia successfully set me up for a complete immersion in the life of this vibrant country.
Despite the electronic scoreboard at the bus stop, which accurately indicated the time before the arrival of the bus we needed (satellite communication, after all), by chance, the men who ended up at the same stop in a unified impulse to help representatives of the fraternal Ukrainian people stopped each bus, applying maximum efforts so that we reach our destination quickly and comfortably - Freedom Square. In the end, they promised to bring us almost to the place on route 34 (passage 50 tetri) and tell us where to get off. We arrived, yes, but how... it seemed that we got the most dashing driver in all of Tbilisi, but in fact it’s just a local driving style: as they explained to us in the hostel, even with such non-compliance with traffic rules, the number of accidents is very modest - just everything mutually polite on the road)
At 15:30 we walked along Chavchavadze Street from the Tbilisi Philharmonic. The city lives and rages, young people differ little from ours, maybe a little more black in clothes. Khachapuri is sold at every step for 2.50 GEL and more, but it’s tastier than in our hostel so far). The attention to detail pleases the eye: street figurines, drinking fountains and all that. Freedom Square with the gilded George the Victorious crowning the column turned out to be a very comfortable place to relax in the shade of trees near a large fountain.
On the way to the old part of the city, we stopped by a fellow countrywoman in an art cafe, where we were served Turkish coffee. The air in the city changes at every step: either the wind from the mountains, or the aroma of coffee, or the smell of sulfur baths, but even on the busiest street, such a familiar exhaust gas is not felt. The area of sulfur baths is one of the key places for the locals - a wedding cortege drove off in front of us and photography of graduates was in full swing. I completely agree with them, the places are colorful.
We also decided to return home to the hostel on our own along the embankment. The square on the arrow in Kharkov was not even close to what was arranged near the new bridge - a place of rest for every generation: from a playground with a special coating for the smallest to a piano in the bushes). Our girls still mastered the Trinity Church, but I went to the hostel to write a diary.
The second part of our company arrived at half past eleven at night by plane, but we did not go to bed, despite being tired, because the owners were preparing a real Georgian barbecue))) amazingly tender meat! The feast was buzzing until 4 in the morning. What will happen tomorrow? ). . .
Ethno-Park on Turtle lake
Ukrainian Art Cafe
On the streets of Tbilisi
Sameba at night
Georgian hospitality)
Day 4. Good morning. . . sometimes!!!
We got up around 7:30 a. m. to leave at 9.00Today we decided together to give in to the persuasion of the hostel hostel’s husband and exchange the program in Tbilisi for a trip to Kakheti (a region in eastern Georgia ). So, at 9:00 a. m. we left the hostel in the amount of 9 people + the driver, he is our guide, he is also the husband of the hostess, he is just a wonderful person).
We drove through a very hot deserted steppe towards the border with Azerbaijan (in one place we approached it at a distance of 3 meters). On the horizon loomed a military base and a group of people in uniform, apparently on exercises. They showed no increased interest in us, and our path was not interrupted until the very monastery of David Gareji. The area is deserted, so with all her beauty she tried to impress us. Honestly?... look at the pictures))
On the way to Kakheti through the Gareji Ridge, we did not see the local inhabitants (turtles). Apparently they are ninjas here. We drove past a ghost town and half-empty villages - an ambiguous sight, but I was very impressed. As our guide explained, people move to cities, there is nothing to do on the periphery.
At 12:30, having moved over the ridge, we ended up in Kakheti - and the landscape around us changed dramatically. The road went either through almost a forest, or past vineyards, or past the ruins of another defensive tower - as one of us accurately noted, evidence of inhabited lands. Kakhetians are a simple people, they live peacefully and with humor, they are mainly engaged in agriculture. We were taken to try one of his achievements - salty cheese. Of the three offered, one was from mutton's milk, two from cow's. The first one is very tart and salty, this is rarely offered to tourists, mostly they cook for themselves. The other two are much softer and even softer in texture. We ate cheese with shots only from the oven (long pita bread) and even took a couple of pieces with us on the road. The generous Georgian was so fascinated by our company that he gave each of us roses from his garden. It was almost 2 pm and after such an impromptu snack, we did not miss the opportunity to try natural Georgian lemonade.
The Alazani Valley appeared before us in all its splendor at 14:45 Georgian time on the Yora Range. From there we saw Sighnaghi, the city of lovers. We drove up to it after visiting the grave of St. Nino. In Signagi itself, we walked along the fortress wall, on which the Alazani valley and the Caucasian ridge melting in the haze did not let go of our attention. Why? Judge for yourself)))
By 16:00 we were at the Aktala sanatorium with therapeutic mud. They bubbling cool, but none of us dared to climb there))
The next point of the program was the Kinzmarauli factory, where we were not only given an excursion on the technical process of wine production, but also had a tasting, where for dear guests (us, that is), instead of the prescribed 4 wines, they were given 5 wines to try: Rkatsiteli, Kisi, Saperavi, awarded with medals, is classic Kinzmarauli, and the fifth wine was dessert 16 by 16. Prices at the factory, of course, are lower than store prices: instead of 28-35 GEL per bottle (depending on the brand), here 7-12, and draft is even cheaper.
At 18:00, cheered up, we went to Kvareli Lake for good luck - and we were lucky: there were no high-ranking vacationers there, so the guards calmly let us through. I understand these vacationers - the place is really special, I didn’t want to leave, but after taking a general photo, we moved on. We looked at the Gremi fortress from the bridge, we were assured that this is the best view in the whole area.
Without staying longer than necessary, we drove to Telavi, the capital of Kakheti, where a real Georgian farmer was already waiting for us in the company of fresh churchkhela. What I tried before deserves comparison with well-dried vobla, because fresh churchkhela is an incredibly soft and tasty thing. The owner of the house treated us to homemade wine, it is richer and heavier than factory wine, but our wine list would be incomplete without it)
Leaving Telavi at 19:45, we headed for Gombori. Pass Gombori at an altitude of 1800 meters above sea level, we moved already at half past nine. Fatigue made itself felt only at the entrance to the hostel (it was not yet ten in the evening). The owner of the hostel was already laying the table when we crawled in exhausted, but with a lot of impressions!! ! I think that I will sleep without hind legs... until tomorrow)
On the border with Azerbaijan
David Gareji Monastery Complex
Natural Georgian Lemonade
Alazani Valley
Sighnaghi Fortress and Alazani Valley
Kindzmarauli Plant
Tasting at the Kindzmarauli factory
Lake Kvareli
Gremi Fortress
Gombori Pass
Day 5. With renewed vigor we conquer Georgia)))
Despite the decision to sleep off after yesterday'smarching, we got up around 8 am. I almost forgot to show our hostel! We crushed pancakes with yoghurt for breakfast and already at 10:10 we left the hostel for Mtskheta, the ancient capital of Georgia. It turned out to be very close - by 11:00 we set foot on the holy land for every Georgian - the Jvari Monastery. Here the view is breathtaking, and the monastery itself strikes with calmness and simplicity. Without stopping for more than half an hour, we went down to Mtskheta itself. The city is calm, very clean, tuned in for tourists. And we continued our tour of the spiritual centers of the country - next in line is the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral. I will not delve into the architectural nuances (because for a long time... very much), everything is in the photo.
But culture is culture, and no one has canceled urgent needs - we headed for the real khinkali. Under the strict guidance of the husband of the hostel hostel, we mastered the art of eating khinkali at the highest level). Lunch was accompanied by a tasting of 5 types of Zedazeni lemonade - well, a very tasty thing).
In Tbilisi we returned at 13:30 and immediately headed to Mount Mtatsminda, the highest point in Tbilisi (past the village of Kordoba, like our Koncha Zaspa, and Disneyland) - panorama of Tbilisi attached). The descent along the old streets set up for shopping and at 14:30 we stopped at a proven place for souvenirs to spend our hard-earned money). Our voluntary guide had to literally drag us out of the store by the ears, where he naively sent us, citing wholesale prices. But even this did not prevent us from returning to the hostel to pack our things and be at the station in time to take the train to Ureki (Tbilisi-Makhinzhauri fast train, 18 GEL ticket). At the station, for a symbolic "how much you give" our luggage was taken to the train and helped to load. A very comfortable train brought us to the place by 22:39.
Light dinner dragged on for 2 hours, and we got to the pillows after midnight. How it is in a new place - I'll tell you tomorrow) Good night!
Jvari Monastery
On the background of Mtskheta
Svetitskhoveli Cathedral
View of Tbilisi from Mtatsminda
