Caves and culture in Armenia & Georgia

We last left the story of our journey from Kathmandu to Istanbul in Yerevan, Armenia. It was here that some of us had a great night out, starting with a feast of Armenian dishes washed down with Armenian wine, and then heading to a local bar for drinks, dancing and socialising with the locals.

Andrew E, Jacq, Simon, Nigel H, Teresa & Al

Armenian feast

Jacq & Ann S

Teresa & Al

Armenia is a new location to Odyssey this year and hasn’t disappointed, providing stunning scenery, good night life and culture to boot.

Genocide museum, Yerevan

On the walking tour of Yerevan

Yay for Yerevan!

We left Yerevan to head back to Georgia through the Kasagh Gorge, stumbling upon a livestock market en route to Haghpat monastery. The monastery is a Unesco world heritage site and is steeped in history and its evolution is visible in its architecture. We found a nearby farmer’s field to camp in for the night, with a great view of the valley below, and a good spot for Norm to declare that ‘he felt fine, but his legs unstable’.. (After a little to drink).

Georgian scenery, simply stunning

Jacq at the livestock market

Paul S

Calypso at Haghpat monastery

Lunch at the monastery

View from the bushcamp, we were camped a bit further back from the edge though!

Teresa

Ann S

In Georgia once more, after a speedy border crossing, quickest yet at 45 minutes and also the smartest, with clean toilets and a cafe serving tea and coffee!

We spent 2 nights in Tbilisi, where most of the group went on an insightful walking tour with Zaza where we saw the new and old parts of the city.  It was a day of culture and history as we went around the art gallery and Georgian National museum where there was an interesting exhibit on the history of Georgia’s Soviet occupation. Here also Toby, Paul S, Jill and Fraser went to town (well actually to a steak house) with outfits picked up and improvised from some of the local charity shops.

Toby, Fraser & Paul S

Toby, Paul S, Fraser & Jill

Then it was on to Gori which is home to the Stalin museum as it is the place of his birth. The tour guide Comrade Svetlana had an interesting take on his history with much of the dictator’s actions being overlooked, and many details of his younger years. 

Stalin's death mask

Cathy and Mignon in Stalin's train carriage

Comrade Svetlana giving the tour

Outside Stalin's childhood home

From here we headed to Uplisticke, which is an ancient ‘cave city’,  dating back to 2000 BC. The best way to describe the site is a little piece of Petra. The whole site is hewn from natural sandstone, and of its remains we saw what would have been a pharmacy, bread making areas, prisons, and a more recently-built church. Also various different Halls.

Al and Nigel C

Al doing an Ann H photo pose

Ann H

Carolyn, Al, Paul O and Teresa

Teresa

On tour in Uplistsicke

Simon

Nice (Phil) Hall

That evening we camped in the shadows of this amazing ancient site in a meadow by the river, not far from an abandoned settlement which was only left in the mid 60’s due to a massive flood.

We had another great Georgian home-stay experience in Kutaisi, Georgia’s second city. This was more like a guesthouse than a home-stay – but no complaints there! Wining and dining with Georgian home-cooking, and Georgian wine that comes cheap by the litre. After we’d had our fill, the evening continued with Toby starting the entertainment off by reciting a poem he’d written about our trip and the expedition members. You may be able to check it out on facebook. That was followed by more poetry, singing and dancing, as well as some acrobatics: a new way of using a broom – illustrated by Al and attempted by others, notably Andrew E. (He did get a sneak preview and attempt at the bushcamp the previous night.)

Bagrati Cathedral

Kutaisi by night

Andrew E doing the broom trick

Phil attempting the broom trick

In the homestay

The next site of interest was another first for Odyssey. The Prometheus caves were only recently discovered, in 1983, and only opened to the public in May this year. The cave system open to visitors is 1.4 km long and the total underground system covers a distance in the region of 21km. The sightseeing path in the caves has been very well done with subtle lighting making the most of the impressive stalacmites, -tites and curtains. As one group member put it “it’s like a fairy land”. Coupled with the optional boat ride out at the end (yes, there is an underground lake) made for a very memorable experience.

Coming out of the caves

Phil & Annie

Just around the corner was  another site with more caves and Georgia’s very own dinosaur footprints.

Dinosaur footprints

From here just a couple of hours drive put us camped on the shores of the Black Sea which enticed a few for a quick dip as the sun set over the hills a magical experience and not as cold as you may think once over the initial shock upon entering!

Andrew E in the black sea

Camping on the Black Sea coast

Norm, Simon, Toby & Al

And that is just about as far as we have got –  in anticipation of our final Georgian feast in Batumi tonight (details to follow in the next instalment).

Paul S

Phil

Batumi

Jacq