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You can lose everything, but nobody will take away what you saw and what you experienced...
............ 
Oct 31, 2005 07:00 PM Batumi - on the Black Sea
There was still darkness - 7 am when I disembarked train at the Batumi station. The station is located few kilometres out of town. Yes, taxi drivers will wait for you, but say: -Thank you! (Spasibo!) Frequent minibus no 101 - it will take you to the center for just 60 tetri... I decided to stay at Piramid Hotel conveniently located in the centre - they charge 10 USD for the room with bath. The highlight of Batumi is St Mary's church - once catholic, now orthodox. Along the sea coast there is nice, clean boulevard. Dissapointment: the beach is not sandy... There are little stones only... In the past there were interesting aquarium with dolphins in Batumi. I found it... run-down but still exist thanks to the enthusiastic staff. The entry will cost you 1 lari... On the road to the Turkisch border there is old bizantine fortress with imposing walls - but nothing to see inside...
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Oct 30, 2005 07:00 PM Third attempt to Jvari Pass!
I spent a night in the inexpensive Lion Hotel in the center of Kazbegi - they charge 15 lari for bed and breakfast. Shared facilities, cold water only but you can see the traffic movement throuh the window: is there anybody coming from the open pass???
At 11 am we decided to try to cross the pass for the trird time. The check point was open. Climbing up to the culmination we overtook about a dozen lorries and smaller cars not strong enough to manage diffucult conditions of the road... Good luck boys! Thanks to the high skills of our driver at midday we reached the pass and started the descent to the valley enjoying beautiful views... We passed picturesque 16th century fortress at Ananuri - overlooking the river. We reached Tbilisi in the late afternoon. No snow here but it is raining... I decided to take night train to Batumi on the coast of the Black Sea trying to escape the bad weather. The sleeper cost just 11 lari... We will see...
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Oct 29, 2005 02:00 PM Caucasus - locked up by avalanche...
Winter in October... It was snowing whole night... I have not winter clothes or boots with me... Friendly Peace Corp's workers offered me lift out in their car. That's what I need! We started to climb to Jvari Pass at 9 am. The road was difficult but passable. There is police check-point at Kobi - just before accent to the pass. Bad news: the avalanche blocked this only road to Tbilisi. They do not know when the road will be passable. - Go to Kazbegi and wait! Back in Kazbegi we were waiting in the hotel lobby. At 3 pm somebody informed that the road is cleared. We went back to the Kobi check- point. More then 20 cars were waiting there in the winter conditions, we joined the line hoping that we will be able to cross the pass before dusk. No, at 5.30 pm checkpoint staff informed that it is to risky to open the pass. Some vehicles decided to stay there in the snow overnight but we decided to come back to Kazbegi... It is still snowing. How many days shall we wait?
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Oct 28, 2005 02:00 PM On the Georgian Military Highway...
This is the only road north from Tbilisi - the ancient passage through the Great Caucasus to Russia. I found "marshutka" minibus going to Kazbegi at Tbilisi Didube bus station. Transport is not expensive in poor Georgia - for 3 hours non-stop travel through the mountains they charge 10 lari and your backpack travels for free...
The scenery is spectacular: there are ruins of old churches and castles, herds of sheeps and cattle blocking the road and artificial Zhinval lake at the bottom of the fall-colored slopes...
Jvari Pass - over 3000 m is the highest point of the road. There were some snow when passing bu it was OK and the views were excellent.
In Kazbegi I found accommodation at private house of Vano - they charge only 10 lari for the bed and full board. In the afternoon I climbed to the 14th century Monastery of Holy Trinity - visible high in the mountain from Kazbegi. It takes 1.5 hour up and 1 hour down. The monastery is one of the symbols of Georgia. Can you imagine? - the monks were singing there in the dark interior in front of stoney ikonostas only for two locals when I reached the place... Unforgettable!
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Oct 27, 2005 02:00 PM Georgia - far in the mountains... in the rain...
It was raining in Tbilisi in the morning but I anyway decided to go south of the town - to the famous cave monastery Davit Gareja. There is few places klike this in Georgia. The monastery is located close to the Azerbaijan border - far from the settlements so going there you are forced to take the taxi or hire the car. I took the minibus from didube terminal to Gardabani. Then I bargain for the round-trip taxi ride - 40 lari was the final price. It should be 4WD car - the 30 km road is almost all gravel road and bumpy - but they use regular cars to go there - it is real challenge! We reached monastery after 1.5 hour slow ride through steppy hills.
It is still alive: monks still live there far from the noise of the world. There are two churches in the caves on different levels and plenty of cells in the rock. Unfortunately it started raining during my visit and the pictures will not be good. Bad luck!
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Oct 26, 2005 02:00 PM Mtskheta - the first capital of Georgia....
It is only 25 km from Tbilisi - the junk bus from Didube bus station will take you there in just half an hour. The ticket cost 0,70 lari (USD=1.79 lari). Going upstream of the river you will see first impressive Jvari (Cross) Monastery located on the hill dominating the junction of two rivers. Then there is old part of the city with fortified cathedral and the ruins of the old fortress on the other end of the old town. I climbed the fortress first - for the view of the valley. Then the bacpackers without own transport should cross the river by the tiny footbridge and climb the hill to the Jvari Monastery... Uff, it took me 40 minutes but it was worth. The VI century monastery - according the legend is the place where St Nino started to convert Georgians to Christianity. It is very old... An the view from the terrace is fantastic... I met there Nicolas - friendly Georgian who offered me a lift down to the cathedral (very interesting place - there are tombs of Georgian kings) and invited for the evening meal with a choice of national food. It was lovely evening... Thanks a lot Nicolas!
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Oct 25, 2005 02:00 PM Tbilisi - Georgia - like in the song...
Now I know - it is the most beautiful capital city I visited during this voyage. Located along Mtkwari river, with hills around. Full of old buildings: churches, baths, museums... Towered by the old fortress and the monument of Mother Georgia - both places give fantastic views over the city...
Well - I have serious problem: hospitable Georgians use only their own script (worms-like) to mark streets, subway stations, institutions etc.... I am often in trouble... I know Russian - it helps a lot - I ask people, I ask , I ask...
Anyway - Tbilisi is lovely place... Just like in the old song about Tbiliso...
But hotels are expensive here - I can recommend the last expensive I found: PATARA KHILBI (former "Tela") at Ghamsahurdia St 44. Take a subway to the Medical Institute Station and... good luck! It is small family - like hotel and they charge 33 lari per night in the double without bath. The have only 6 rooms so it is worth book ahead: phone: 37 94 21...
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Oct 24, 2005 02:00 PM Crossing the border to Georgia...
It was easy: at 10 am I took minibus (7000 manats) from Shaki to Balakan. Orange trees and mountain views on the way... In Balakan big, old red bus was waiting for the people going to the border - 15 km away... When full it departed to Georgia... I paid 3000 manats and changed at the bus stop the tiny rest of my Azeri money...
On the Azerbaijan side the formalities were quick and simple: they even did not ask what I have in my backpack. Then I crossed border bridge on foot. Welcome to Georgia! Yes, I visited more then 200 countries but it never happened before: after formalities the customs officer took me in his car to the first village - Lagodekhi helping me to find onward transport...
What a people!
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Oct 23, 2005 02:00 PM Sleeping in the caravansarai...
It was frosty in the early morning when I walked cobbled-stone street of Lahic going to the public bus... The ride down the valley to the nearest town of Ismaila cost 3000 manats and gives you a chance to travel in the crowd of local people... Real adventure... From Ismaila I took shared taxi to Shaki - once capital of the khanate. I took my chance - there is hotel in Shaki located in authentic, old caravansarai... Its beautiful courtyard looks more like monastery.... I got last expensive cell for 30000 manats... What a experience!
There is Khans's Palace to see in Shaki fortress - beautifully restored just year ago. They charge 4000 m for entry but it is worth much more! The paintings on the inside walls are very impressive and there is even English-speaking guide!
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Oct 22, 2005 02:00 PM In the sunny mountains of Azerbaijan...
Main bus station in Baku is located just 200 m downhill from "20 January" subway station. No timetable on display but if you know Russian it is simple: just ask any driver - they will direct you to your minibus. I took one going to Qebele (15000 manats) - they left me at the Lahic crossroad. Then I hitchhiked up the beautiful mountain valley.
Lahic lies about 2000 m above sea level. The 20-km gravel road up the valley is very picturesque with snowy peaks on the horizon. In the village you will find houses made of stone, coppersmith workshops, carpet makers and interesting museum in the former mosque. People are nice - they offer accommodation in the private homes for just 20 000 manats. Breakfast is included... For me it was one of the most interesting places in Azerbaijan...
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