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Our Armenian guide, Gagik, had come to the Erebuni Hotel in Yerevan to see us off.  The card of the gentleman he brought with him announced that he was a Pentecostal Pastor.  The Pastor agreed to get us to Tbilisi, the capital of the Republic of Georgia for $100.  This would include another payment at the border to another taxi driver who would deliver us to the Hotel Adjara in Tbilisi. We had obtained our Georgian visa two days earlier at the Georgian Embassy in Yeravan.  And so we set off through the hills of the Low Caucasus Range, an unbroken carpet of green strewn with white, yellow, purple and blue wild flowers with an occasional crescent of snow nestled like a stray sheep in mountaintop depressions.  In this biblical land, the first to accept Christianity as a state religion, it seemed natural to stop occasionally for a sheepherder and his flock. Around Lake Sevan fishermen with arms held a yard apart, suggesting the size of their fish, beckon motorists to stop and sample their wares.  We bought smoked trout for our parchment thin lavash bread, tomatoes sweet as cherries and soft cheese.  Not quite as long as the sellers' arms indicated, the trout was nevertheless delicious. Before the border we stopped to photograph a field of poppies beside an abandoned village.  The driver was clearly nervous and pointed across the road and whispered "Azerbaijanis".

A 12th  century watchtower stands sentinel along the Georgian Military Highway.

It was a jolly ride with our companions singing and sharing their raisins.  The women left us when we reached the out skirts of Tbilisi and the young man moved to the front seat.  Then something happened.  And it wasn't so much what happened that was so startling but our reaction to the incident.  Our taxi, slaloming around small craters, suddenly braked with a jolt as a black car screeched to a halt in front of us.   The drama unfolded as if in slow motion.  Three men in black exchanged words with our driver who was no longer jolly.  Then two of the men ordered the young passenger out of the car and muscled him into the black car.  Our driver jumped into the taxi, sped a block away and dumped our bags in the middle of the street beside another taxi.

Through the few minutes of what seemed like a sit-com, Carroll and I didn't speak, we just observed.  And even later we only speculated briefly that probably the driver had not paid protection money to the mob.  It really never occurred to us that we could have been in danger.
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The Russian Military Highway rumbles through the High Caucasus Mountains

We were more focused on our guidebook, "Georgia: The Bradt Travel Guide".  I scrambled to find the page with the hotel so we could show the new driver.  We had chosen the Adjara Hotel because of its central location.  The Bradt guide suggested hotel rooms might be scarce because of the Abkhazia refugees who had fled from the breakaway province of Abkhazia when it had declared itself a Republic in 1992.  This was one of the latest developments in Georgia's complicated historical tapestry woven from threads beginning even before Noah's great grandson, Karthlos gave his name to Georgia.  Georgians still call their country Sakartvelo.  There was none of the chaos I expected to find in a hotel inhabited by long term refugees.  Three of the 16 floors were reserved for tourists and tourist elevators stopped only on these floors and while we could hear children's voice as the elevator whizzed by we would not have been aware that this was predominately a refugee hotel.  Our corner room on the 16th floor was a typical soviet-era room with the usual spotty carpet, plenty of hot bath water and a nice view over the winding Mtkvari River as it cuts through the center of Tbilisi.  The only residents we saw were lively teenagers admiring themselves in the lobby mirrors.

The next morning we caught a cab to the National Museum.  In dimly lit exhibits we learned that wheat has been sown and viticulture practiced for 9000 years.  We spent most of our time in the "Gold" room mesmerized by cases of delicate jewelry dating from 2,600 BC. More recent relics of history were bullet holes in the museum's exterior.  This reminder of the '92 civil war resulted in the replacement of the president, Gamsakhurdia, by the former communist official Shevardnadze.
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That afternoon another cab whisked us up to the commanding perch of the Sheraton Hotel where we had hoped to find a tourist agency.  We did manage to find a brochure but no agency in the vast atrium lobby, empty except for two corpulent men in black firmly planted in oversized leather chairs.  Descending several flights of steps back down to the main road we found a grizzled but kindly looking gentleman in a battered white Lada who called to us with his entire arsenal of English, "taxi?"   With the help of a calculator and our newly acquired brochure we agreed on $15 for the city tour. The tour included churches, of course, as Georgia was the second country to accept Christianity as a state religion.  But we also visited a mosque and a synagogue as well as a sulfurous underground bath complex.  The most interesting relic (replica) we saw was in the Sioni Cathedral,  the seat of the Catholicos of Georgia.  A cross, made of two grapevines was given to Nino, a Cappadocia slave, by Mary.  St. Nino saved the life of Queen Nana who gratefully converted to Christianity and the drooping cross became symbolic of Georgia.  Winding up the left side of the river past merchant villas now used as embassy residences we arrived at the restored Metekhi church built in 1278 on a site occupied since the fifth century. The original church was destroyed by the Persians in 1795.  In front of the church the imposing statue of Vakhtang Gorgasali (446-502) commands a view of the city he founded when, according to one legend, a stag he wounded became miraculously cured by the warm springs. The word for warm is tbili hence the name of his new city, "Tbilisi".

Metekhi Church is Tbilisi's postcard landmark.  Perched on a bluff above the Mtkvari River, it has served as a theater and soviet prison and is now a church again.

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After our tour, Gudja, our guide, came to the hotel with us where the English-speaking receptionist helped plan our tour for the next day.  We would repeat this performance for the next three days.

We were anxious to get out of Tbilisi and see the countryside so we choose a trip to the rock-cut monastery complex of David-Gareja located in a semi-desert just across the border from the Autonomous Republic of Azerbaijan.  We passed through several small towns and the largely abandoned industrial complex of Rustavi.
Our road eventually turned into a narrow dirt trail leading to what was once the center of religious study as well as the arts of Georgia.  Sixth century David Gareja is a complex of 12 monasteries, carved into and tumbling over the hillside.  We visited only Lavra monastery where an American priest who had been in residence for two years cautioned us to be careful of snakes.  Taking the snake warning to heart, we skipped the climb behind the monastery, which would have led to the well-preserved frescos in Udabno monastery. 

The next day we decided to visit Stalin's hometown of Gori where we found a larger than life statue of Stalin standing proudly in the town square.    After centuries of invasion by Persians, Turks, Khazars and Arabs the Georgian Monarchy was dissolved in 1911 when Georgia became part of Russia. Georgia enjoyed a brief independence before the czar was overthrown in 1917.  In 1921 Stalin and Trotsky were instrumental in crushing Georgia and incorporating it in the USSR.  Responsible for the death and deportation of millions, Stalin is remembered as the most famous or possibly infamous Georgian. His modest home is preserved under a marble edifice and the stately museum is filled with memorabilia and many photos.
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In Gori, where electricity was in short supply at the Stalin Museum, a docent illumines a bust of Stalin. Our guide, Gudja, at the 6th century monastery of David Gareja.

School children visit Uplistsikhe, the city carved from rock around 1,000 BC.

Next to the last day, because Gudja had to take his wife to the doctor in the afternoon, we visited the nearby Cathedral of Sveti-tskhoveli where the history of Georgia can be traced from the first church in the fourth century through its destruction by Tamerlane in the fourteenth century to the present building begun in 1010. Although the church was under renovation, we were able to peer at frescos through doorways. Returning to Tbilisi, Gudja left us at The Bread House.  Here, in a former bakery, we had a wonderful meal of shashlik, eggplant and rice and then caught a cab to the extensive Vake Park, the site of the Museum of Georgian Folk Architecture.  In a leafy, park-like setting, a lively guide showed us through several of the 70 houses in typical Georgian style.  The last day we finally traveled the Georgian Military Highway, one of the lures that had brought us to Georgia. The road began as a track used by invaders since the first century.  Later, as a part of the Silk Road, it was an important link between Europe and Asia before becoming the main link with Russia.  Following the Aragvi River as it cut deep chasms through 5000 m peaks we entered the ancient land of Colchis where, according to Greek mythology, Jason and his 50 Argonauts rowed up the Black Sea to slay the dragon and capture the golden fleece.  However, the road to romance was bumpy due to the Russian exodus with all their road building and maintenance equipment in 1992.  After a brief stop at the church of Sioni we were soon passing enormous 12th century stone watchtowers and an occasional anti aircraft gun emplacement.  The scenery was stunning with emerald gorges backed by snow tipped mountains.  At Kazbegi, a village dwarfed by snowcapped Mt Kazbek we visited the Kazbegi Church then enjoyed a hearty lamb stew in a small restaurant before bumping back to Tbilisi in time to catch the eight o'clock train for the overnight trip to Batumi.

Our trip had begun with abduction and had ended with a royal farewell from a courtly gentleman.  Tomorrow we would wake up in Batumi, the semi tropical Black Sea port marking the end of the Trans-Caucasian railroad.  The Baku oil line that begins in the Autonomous Republic of Azerbaijan also ends here.  But that's another story that you can check out on the web by entering "Republic of Georgia".  ("Republic of" was dropped in 1995 but this will avoid all those US entries.)  You'll also learn about the new President, Mikhail Saakashvili, who took power in January 2004, in what has been dubbed, "The Rose Revolution."

Georgia - Planning Your Trip

Visa

We got our visa in Armenia but the rules have changed. Check the web (Republic of Georiga+Visa) for the latest information.

Safety

Check the web (US Consular Information+Republic of Georgia) and of course avoid any troubled areas such as Abkhazia, Ossetia, etc.  Get a driver as you wouldn't want to drive on the terrible roads. We were stopped once by the police but our driver was quickly waved on.

Money

The Bank of Georgia changed traveler's checks into dollars.  Kiosk across from the Adjara changed dollars to lari.

Hotels

The Adjara (1 Constitution Square - tel:369822)was just OK but was only $45.  The Classic Hotel, a guesthouse in a former home is very nice at around $60.  Full board can be arranged.  American Embassy types stay here.  English speaking taxi driver is the son of the owner.  Double check all price quotes for lodging, meals and taxi.

SAK-Tours, a German-Georgian venture has a small hotel, Kartli (Barnovis 32, email kartli@sakhotel.com.ge), with a leafy beer garden and small spartan rooms for $100. Usual tours + treks and climbing expeditions.

Sheraton Metechi Palace Hotel (Telavi 20. Tel:958220)  Atrium lobby, glass elevators. $150.

Marriott Hotel (13 Rustaveli Ave. Tel: 1 800 228-9290) $155.

Food 

We snacked on chicken and deli items near the hotels after outings. Memorable meals were at The Breadhouse, the old national bakery complex, that also had a few dark rooms for rent.  Rainer's Café, near and associated with Sak Tours (also near Classic Hotel)is also good. 

Tours 

Levon Travel, Los Angeles, CA(tel: 800 445- 3866, email:levontravl@aol.com) has tours to Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan.

MIR, Seattle, (800-424-7289) leads a Trans-Caucasus Tour to Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan, also a tour to Georgia:Treasures of the Trans-Caucasus.

Reading List

"Lord of the Panther Skin" by Shota Rustaveli (SUNY  Press 1977)
"The Literature of Georgia" a history by D Rayfield (Clarendon 1994) 
For an interesting take on the history of Georgia Google: Rustaveli+spiritualmission

The following are other articles that Dorothy has written for the magazine:

Cancun Night Out - Where To Go
Armenian Odyssey - Discovering The Soul Of Armenia
Highlights Of Thailand: Bangkok, Chiang Mai And Phuket - From Day One With My Digital Camera

To contact Dorothy Click Here
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