The Meaning of Private Tour

 October 16, 2021

So when the description says "private mountain tour" you need to read the fine print (if you can find it!) I assumed that there would be a bus or van with the advertised wifi, a driver and a guide (English speaking) Georgian wine, a bottle of water, and free pickup at your hotel. That's what it said. And that's what it usually means. What it meant was that Georgi would pick me up in his private car and be my personal driver for the entire day!  No one else was coming and there was no fluent English-speaking guide to accompany us.

Georgi is delightful.  He's a superb driver, with years of experience as a tour escort, and in this country that is extremely important.  Watching the road too closely as a passenger will give you a heart attack. And he does have a bit of English. He loves his country and is quite earnest in his efforts to communicate.  That said, it's a good thing I did a bit of reading about the sights we would see today.  He was sure to point out the best photo ops and that counts quite a bit as I might have missed some of them!  He doesn't have to point out the snowcapped mountains!!  I'm in heaven!

He's here promptly at eight, texting me on WhatsApp that he is out front, and away we go.  It isn't until we come to the first stop that I fully realize what the day will be like.  It's all good;  I'm content to roam about merrily shooting away and when I'm finished at each place, we're off again.  When I look like I want to shot something while we're driving he slows down for me to get the shot.  And his choice of music is fascinating, covering many genres, from Georgian folk to "Hotel California" to "Phantom of the Opera" to that Germany band that Stu loves!

First Stop Jvari Monastery:  The Church of the Holy Cross dates back to the fourth century and marks the spot where St. Nino erected a wooden cross.  It's location is still marked inside the church.  The main structure was built in the eleventh century.

Every where you look there are old fortresses and other ancient structures.
This one is just along the side of the road.

It's FALL!

First sighting, through the windshield of Giorgi's Hyundai.

They're everywhere!

The monastery overlooks the city of Mtskheta and the confluence of the
Aragvi and Kura Rivers.  As you can see, it was still overcast, but lovely anyway!

As I said, they're everywhere!

Next, the Zhinvali Dam and reservoir and the Aragvi River where the Black and White Aragvis join - 

So many monuments!

The gorgeous water behind the dam.  I believe Giorgi said it is used for hydroelectric power.

On, now, to the Ananuri Fortified Castle, built in the seventeenth century.

Several ladies were sampling this fruit.  It looks a bit like a blueberry.
It's nothing like a blueberry!  About eighty percent of the fruit is seeds!  Yuck!

There is actually a beach where people apparently swim and sun themselves!  Not today!

Out building

The two men came galloping up the road on horseback!

I didn't get the pigs on the other side!

Giorgi enjoying sunflower seeds and waiting patiently!

Fun with effects - artsy fartsy!

Next there's a cute little waterfall, some very different topography, and FALL!

OMG!  We see this several times.  There are more than a hundred semis parked by the 
side of the road!  There may even be two hundred! Giorgi didn't seem surprised, so I guess it's a "thing"!

This never surprises him, either!

Wherever there's an attraction, like the little waterfall, there is a shop.

When we get to the Russia-Georgia Friendship Monument I realize that we have been on the Georgian Military Road that connects Georgia and Russia and that has been a traditional trade route throughout the ages!

The ski resort, Gudauri, is expanding to accommodate more tourist.

Oh! Oh! Oh! Snow!! My day is complete!!

The Russia-Georgia Friendship Monument

Especially popular with paragliding fools!

And if you don't want to be that high off the ground, you can go horseback riding!

A panorama, so you can get an idea of all the design.

Someday I may learn how to do this!

Interesting construction method

And if you turn around, this is what you see!

Lots of parking and vendors at the base

Oh my goodness!  Look at the sheep running along the side of the mountain!!  Well, ever mind that!  Look at the cows and the horses and sheep in the road!!

More trucks!

From here we only have Gergeti Trinity Church and Mount Kazbek left to enjoy today.  The church was built during the fourteenth century, is at an elevation of more than 7,000 feet (explains my shortness of breath!) and from there you can see Kazbegi (now knows as Stepantsminda) nestled in the valley below.  The ride up the mountain to the church is nothing less than harrowing!  We transfer to a four-wheel drive vehicle and the bouncing and jouncing is far greater than that you experience on either an elephant or a camel!  At least you assume the animals know what they're doing;  it's harder to trust a inanimate object, even when there's a human at the controls! But we make it!  The most exciting parts are when we meet another one - or two - intrepid drivers coming the other way!

Our four-wheel drive chariot!  What a beating it takes!

Skirts and scarfs required

A nice young man offered to take these after seeing me attempting a selfie!

We finally stop for lunch (linner?) around three and I have my new favorite, Adjarian Khatchapuri.  He orders the other most-traditional dish, Khinkali, those lovely twisted dumplings, and he lets me have one.  It's way different from the ones we had the first night in the city, and he tells me that mountain Khinkali are different, and far superior.  And he's very right!  And he teaches me the correct way to eat one! And the local beer, dark Argo, is truly grand.  I'm not driving, so it's okay that the bottles are 0.5 liters!

They look like they've been dusting with powered sugar!

Oh my goodness!  They're still at it!

We are heading home and I've finally had wifi to let Ammar know I haven't been kidnapped!  I didn't realize how far from home we were!  We don't roll in until after seven!!  Ammar's been shopping and comes home a little after I do.  I'm too exhausted to go out for dinner - and still to full! - so he goes downstairs and has a hamburger and brings me a cappuccino, since they don't have hot chocolate (?)

I'm even too tired to blog, so this is now being written the next morning!