Blown away by the scenery

Today was on the programme as a hike day. Well there was never a chance that I would be doing any uphill hike and once, Ani, our tour leader stressed to me that the descent was hard going that settled it. No hiking for me. I was happy to have a day hanging out in the guest house. 

Ani had a better idea. We would go with the driver to the start of the hike and he would drive Ani and I to the top of the hill, where the hiker, Bob, would go with his guide. 

Perfect. 

The drive to Gudauri yesterday was through beautiful green countryside often frequented by flocks of sheep, until we arrived close to Gudauri where the rolling hills became mountain slopes sprinkled in snow. The township is essentially home to many hotels and restaurants catering to the skiers who head to the nearby slopes in the winter. 

Yesterday’s scenery did nothing to prepare me for today. Within a short time of leaving Gudauri following the Tergi River we were in wide open valleys surrounded on all sides by towering mountains the tops of which were covered in snow and the lower slopes slithers of snow cascading into torrents of water. The mountain peaks pierced the clouds above and through the gaps we could see pristine blue sky.  
We stopped at the Friendship Memorial a stuuning structure on the edge of a cliff built to commemorate the then friendship between Georgia and Russia. Now that the friendship has disolved there have been calls to remove it but the consensus say leave it as part of the history. The memorial is in the shape of a half circle, each half is painted to depict historical events of each country. Teally impressive with stunning views of the countryside. 
We carry on our way and the views just kept getting better and my jaw was dropping more. I’m not often overwhelmed by views when travelling as I maintain NZ’s views are the best ever. But boy what I am seeing today is amazing. 

It was magical. As if that wasn’t enough the road took us up to the top of a hill to see the magnificent Gergeti Trinity Church. This 14th-century church sits at the base of the second-highest volcanic summit in the Caucasus - Mt Kazgbegi (5047 m). The image of the pointed spires of the isolated church against the mountains is breathtaking. 

But seeing it up close is just as dramatic.  Sadly photo’s are not allowed inside the church but the icons and frescoes were beautiful. 

We followed the road down to the town of Stepansminda where we sat on the terrace of a hotel and enjoyed a coffee gazing in awe at the sights around us.  I was blown away. Sure it doesn’t have the same drama as Queenstown with the lake but here we have the towering spires all around us and I felt like a tiny speck on the landscape. Magnificent. The hotel itself was quite amazing with massive lounge areas filled with books for guests to borrow. 

Lunch was next and again it was traditional Georgian food. Ani and I shared a meal of Ojakhuri a chicken dish with potatoes, onions, capsicum and a sprinkling of pomegranates. On the side we had a divine chili type paste/sauce. Again the food left me drooling and wanting more. 
They aren’t wrong when they say the Georgian food is so good. The Azerbaijani food was also great very closely linked to Middle Eastern food but this is all quite different, very tasty, a bit of heat and very complex flavours. I can’t wait for my day of eating in Tsiblisi, although looking at the tour description I have already tried a lot of the main treats. 

Back to the hotel for free time. There’s not much to do in Gudauri but keeping warm in my cosy bed is not a bad way to spend an afternoon. 

Dinner was in the guest house served again by the cheerful bubbly Mr Zezva. He remembered that I wanted last nights left over dolma, which were again divine, and also bought out a veal dish with chopped veal, onions and mushrooms, baked in a clay pot smothered in mashed potato and cheese. That too was delicious. 
Bob, a vegetarian got to try a version of the Georgian khachapuri - dough either stuffed with filling or spread with filling. The best known version is where the dough is shaped into something that looks like a boat and the hollow filled with cheese and baked. A raw egg is then mixed into the cheese. Bobs version was basically a cheese stuffed bread but still looked great. 

I’m amazed by the meals at the two guest houses we have stayed at. Both times we have been the only visitors and each of the places have catered to our different food fetishes and cook separate meals for rach of us. Amazing.