eMisja Gruzja - eMission Georgia: 2015

Day 6. Tuesday, 26th May 2015

The view from the highest point in the village on the beautiful Mount Kazbek at sunrise!

And as a proof I was there and I got up indeed! :)

After breakfast we go to ... have lunch :D

It was easy to SAY " just a little for breakfast" when Nana prepared such delicious and fresh food! (we were totally full) and then " try at least one khinkali" (read: three)

Waiting for original homemade khinkali - our morning lunch -

with the view over Gergeti and Kazbek

The views were actually the same, however, always something new appeared...

A floak of sheep, a horse in the tunnel...

It was funny but also sentimentally. Enchanted with the views we felt sad that we were leaving this amazing region... What's more, in the radio there was very calm music as for saying goodbye...

More pictures from the village...

fot. our friend Justyna Kochańska

fot. our friend Justyna Kochańska (more: Justyna Kochanska: Photography with Passion)

- "Churchele"

- "Whaat!?"

- "CHURCH- CHELE"

- Klaudia: "I know! like an English word church and Hele, 1 Hela ( a name), two Hele (plural) next to a church" Voila! We have another mnemonics to remember a Georgian word Churchele, churchele!

-"Chinka-li and chur'chele! Ha! the Georgian words acquired for ever! Amen!"

Day 5. 25.05.2015 A lucky five? So much lucky!

Mtscheta - a tiny village in the picturesque valley, 10 km from Tbilisi, Georgia's first capital. There is a great monastery of XI century surrounded by walls and on a hill over the village there is a small church with stunning views of the entire valley where two rivers merge into one. Very original view!

You cannot get enough. You can sit there on the wall and keep watching the views all the time.

Huge monastery in the village..

and a small church on the hill over Mtscheta.

The main entrance to the church and next to it, behind the walls...

Amazing, original view...

The village at the river is Mtscheta.

Klaudia is afraid of height but she was brave enough to climb and stand at the edge to pose to the picture!

"And I want a picture here!"

And all together!

Ananuri fortress - a fortress at the river Aragvi, from the XVI-XVII century. The high stone towers, belfry and a tiny church with stunning views of the blue-green surface of the water.

Another breathtaking view in Georgia - and I mean literally breath-taking!

No comments... ;)

Mighty walls of the fortress Ananuri.

Such view from the road...

Later this one:

And later this one:

Now winding road up and behind us the velvet green colour of the mountains... " Wooooooow!!!"

Here Johny stopped the car to take us the picture:

( To prove that the pictures are not downloaded from the graphics online, we need to be there too! ;)

The monument of Georgian - Russian friendship.

After 4 p.m we arrived to our destination - the village Stepantsminda, former name - Kazbegi.

When in a hostel in Tbilisi I spoke with other Poles, I told one that I had heard that Kazbegi is like our polish Zakopane. (Zakopane - polish winter resort, which name means literally "burried") He said: "Zakopane, but in the other direction, "burried" indeed.

In fact, it is a small, poor village surrounded by mighty mountains. Its center is a large car park with numerous buses - taxis - mostly off-road cars like Mitsubishi Delica which take visitors to the top of Gergeti. Besides, there are one large restaurant, two - three bars and a souvenir shop.

The view from the "main square" over the Gergeti church and Kazbeg.

Hostel " HQ of Nove Suajashvili", very good conditions and lovely hosts.

Ideal place for a morning coffee... with the view over the village and the mountains,

which are so close as if you could touch them!

Ah, such wonderful and welcoming people with genuinely friendly attitude. After about 15 minutes we went to the kitchen, and there was a large wooden table full of Georgian homemade specialties. There were pancakes, cheese, omelettes with jam, coffee and tea. Yummy! All warm and so fresh! Delicious!

Bellies full, ready for off-road !

Driving a car lasted 30 minutes, the road was muddy, bumpy and some turns were very winding. But it was real fun! To distract our attention "Dad" told us interesting stories; the legend of the church, the story of the village and others. He had great sense of humor!

We enjoyed it so much, especially as we repeated his name - hilarious combination of Polish with English.

- "Tato ("Dad") how long will it take?"

- "Tato ("Dad"), so why you came back here ..?

- "Tato, ("Dad") tell me where did you learn English so well? You speak great!"

- "Tato, ("Dad") and what do people live here on?" - Yes, it's my favorite question. I always enquire what the local people of the region live on.

We arrived... "Dad" stopped. - "Well, now you come here alone ..."

He could pull up to the gate near the church, but the best effect and the best view were just there...

We jumped out of the car and could not believe our eyes!

A few dozen of meters ahead there was this famous small church - the picture from the guidebook of Georgia, an icon, a gem, a miracle!

- "Aaaaaaaaaah we are here !

"So many months of expectations and now we see it with our own eyes !!! Aaaaa !!!"

Cheers, jumps, a big common hug! What a joyful moment!!!