Day 2: Mtshekta & Kazbegi

Day 2: Mtshekta & Kazbegi

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The second day of our visit to Georgia, we decided first to go up to Mtskheta which is an ancient town located about 20km from Tbilisi. This town is very important to the Georgian nation due to its high importance in Georgian history and Orthodox Christianity. Mtskheta was the site of Georgia’s adoption of Christianity.

The tour started with a drive to Mtskheta Church of Holly Cross, which was one of the greatest religious sites and a center of pilgrimage for Christian nations of the Caucasus. The view from the top was spectacular and green.

View from the Holly Cross
Mtshekta, Georgia
Hind Al Ameri

After this point, we were en-route to Kazbegi, which is located on the banks of the Thergi River and is about 157 km north of Tbilisi. We went through what is called the Georgian Military Road. The Georgian Military Road is the historic name for a major route through the Caucasus from Georgia to Russia. Our first stop in this road was the Ananuri Fortress. This fortress is about 72 KM from Tbilisi. 

History fact (Ananuri Fortress): Ananuri was a castle and seat of the Dukes of Aragvi, a feudal dynasty that ruled the area from the 13th century. The castle was the scene of numerous battles. The fortress remained in use until the beginning of the 19th century. In 2007, the complex has been on the tentative list for inclusion into the UNESCO World Heritage Site program. 

Anunari Fortress
Mtshekta, Georgia
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Demitrit told us that we could go up the fortress by foot. I was hesitant at first but then thought why not. It was a very narrow staircase and a lot of ruined parts as well. At the top all you can see is the sky above you and if you peak in through the gun holes you could see the picture below.

Military tower, Anunari Fortress
Mtshekta, Georgia
Hind Al Ameri

View from the gun hole, Anunari Fortress
Mtshekta, Georgia
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We went down and continued our tour to Kazbegi. On our way we stopped to what is a natural fountain of pure drinking water. I didn’t try it due to its high concentration of Sulphur, but apparently its good and refreshing.

Fresh water
En-route Kazbegi, Georgia
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After a few turns and up roads, we reached Stepantsminda, which is the foot of Kazbegi mountain. I was too tired to take any photos. The weather is cooler and the mountain views are amazing. Kazbegi mountain is known to be a ski destination to many people around the world. In Stepantsminda you could enjoy a walk along the local shops, eat, paraglide (which my father did not let me do), or go further up to Tsminda Sameba.  Going up to the church you would need to rent a 4-wheel drive with a skilled driver. These could be found all over the town.

Tsminda Sambea
Kazbegi, Georgia
www.pbase.com

Local shops
Kazbegi, Georgia
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Local shops
En-route Kazbegi, Georgia
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The ride back to Tbilisi was right after lunch at Café 5047m. Which we again enjoyed the lovely Kachapori dish and a salad. On our way back my mother mentioned to Demitrit that she would love to see some folklore. He immediately made a reservation at 8 pm for dinner and a show. 

We left the hotel by 7:30 and reached at the place before time. The restaurant is called Mravaljamieri. It included dinner and about a 30-min Georgian folklore/traditional dance, we really enjoyed it!

Part of the traditional dancing at Mravaljamieri
Tblisi, Georgia
Hind Al Ameri

End of day 2.

Hind's Travel Advice:

Never say I am too lazy to go to a certain place while traveling, you might never visit that country again!

Happy traveling!

Hind

Day 1: Tbilisi City Tour (Cont'd)

Opening note: I am sorry for not updating my blog for a while, I was still adjusting back to my routine after Ramadan and Eid.

Day 1: Tbilisi City Tour (Cont’d)

After reaching to the end of the track down from the fort, we headed over to a pathway that leads to a waterfall.  Little drinks of the fresh water and we headed back to go have our first Georgian lunch. Demitrit suggested to have lunch at a place called Bread House on 7 Gorgasali St.  We had the famous Khachapori, which is the traditional bread, usually with cheese.  We also had some sort chicken stew with veggies that I do not recall the traditional name for.  For drinks we had the famous Natakhtari, which is a fizzy local lemonade drink that should not be missed; the drink comes in different flavors, I personally preferred the pear.   

Natakhtari - 3 flavors
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Khachapori
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The Chicken Stew
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After that wonderful Georgian meal experience, we headed over to the Georgian National Museum on Rustaveli Ave.  Georgian National Museum was established at the end of 2004 and preserving the nation's rich, authentic content of cultural heritage provides learning experiences for everyone.  It is again a lovely experience to those who like to get into the deep historical aspects of Georgia. 

Gold Earrings
Georgian National Museum
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Gold Necklace
Georgian National Museum
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This was were the end of Tbilisi city tour was.

I will be posting day two activities soon.

Hind's Travels Advice:

Make sure that you have a small First Aid kit packed, you never know.

Day 1: Tbilisi City Tour

The travel days are never part of the trip regardless of the time you arrive at your destination, which is why when planning a person should always, in my point of view, not count those days as part of the trip unless it was something simple like dinner or lunch at a certain place.

After a long night rest, a warm shower, and a healthy breakfast, we decided that this day would be best spent around the city of Tbilisi.  After heading down to the lobby to meet my parents, my father already booked a private tour for four adults.  Demitrit (I am still searching for his business card and will post it once I find it) showed up about 30 minutes later greeting and welcoming us to Georgia.  He then started his tour.  The thing about Georgia is that it has a long history so most of our visits were historical.

The tour started of with a visit to the Holy Trinity Cathedral of Tbilisi commonly known as Sameba. It is the main Cathedral of the Georgian Orthodox Church located in Tbilisi. The Sameba Cathedral is constructed on the Elia Hill, which rises above the left bank of the Kura River (Mtkvari) in the historic neighborhood of Avlabari in Old Tbilisi. (no entrance fee)

General Fact: Sameba is a synthesis of traditional styles dominating the Georgian church architecture at various stages in history and has some Byzantine undertones. 

Holy Trinity Cathedral
Tbilisi, Georgia
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Holy Trinity Cathedral
Tbilisi, Georgia
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After the Holy Trinity Cathedral, we went to see the statue of the founder of Tbilisi, King Vakhtang I Gorgasali,  which is next to Metekhi church. Metekhi is a church and a fort which served also as a king’s residence; hence comes the name Metekhi which dates back to the 12th century and literally means “the area around the palace”. 

Statue of King Vakhtang I Gorgasali
Hind Al Ameri

We then moved down to the cable car so we could go up to the fortress. The cable car is very easy to use, you just buy a public transport card (which our guide already had) and add credit to it (we added 3 GEL to our card for 3 people), and the views from the cars of the city are very nice. It moves quickly and the ride is short but it is worth it. The cars themselves are well maintained and safe.  

Cable car
www.inyourpocket.com

The view from the cable car
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At the end of the ride is Narikala; which is an ancient fortress overlooking Tbilisi and the Kura River. The fortress is on a steep hill between the sulphur baths and the botanical gardens of Tbilisi. 

History fact (Narikala): Also called the mother fortress of Tbilisi, Narikala is an ancient symbol of Tbilisi’s defence. The fortress was established in the 4th century, around the period when the city itself was founded. It was then known as Shuris-tsikhe ("Invidious Fort"). The name Narikala is said to derive from a Persian word for citadel, but another theory says was the name that Mongols used, meaning “little fortress”. It was expanded considerably by the Arabs during the 7th and 8th centuries. The Arabs built the Emir’s palace within its walls.

Narikala Fortress
www.tripomatic.com

The view from the top
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Instead of taking the cable car back down we decided to walk down the steps passing by a odd looking tree (see picture below).  As you may notice that the tree is covered with plastic-bag-strings all tied up along the stems of the tree.  This is a “wish tree”; same idea as a wishing well or coin drop at a fountain.

Wish Tree
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This is not the end of day 1 tour, but until next time.

Hind's Travels Advice:

For UAE Nationals: It is always advised to register on Twajudi, which is provided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, when traveling to enable the UAE embassy to contact you in case of any emergency.

"UAE MOFA" is now available through your smartphone, you may download it through the AppStore/Google Play, or register on Twajudi online.

Happy traveling!

Hind