These things were like 15″ long and perfect. They made them like they made lavash in Armenia but with a different shape and different thickness/leavening. You roll out the dough and whack it against the side of that scorching hot brick oven. I saw people walking away with armloads.
Here’s my flat again, a sweet one-bedroom on the top floor. The stairs were narrow and steep so thankfully the ladies took up my bag.
I have to leave at 2:30am this very night. I asked the ladies to get me a taxi, so a known person would help me with the stairs. Turns out that was an excellent idea since at 2:30am it was pouring rain!
For the picture above I am standing at the gate of the park below. Wow, what a great park and just across the street. There were benches, crossing paths, and so many birds. What a pleasure.
In the center of the park.
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Today was my last chance to try the metro. A woman at one of the shops was very encouraging. “It’s good”, she said, and “everyone here uses it.” So yes, I want to use it too! This is the station nearest me, a five minute walk to Liberty Square.
It’s not a huge system, just one line, but bigger than Yerevan’s, and it does go to the suburbs.
Down down down.
Just a reminder that every subway system I’ve ever used includes English on the signs.
I was headed to the fancy street.
And fancy it was!
Back to my neighborhood early to eat what was left in the fridge, pack up, and try to sleep a little before my 2am alarm. Ahhh, a long long travel day ahead and then, time for Home Sweet Home.
The above photo is of a bracelet from The Treasury of the Georgian National Museum. The collection looked interesting and important so I got a private English speaking guide since they didn’t have an English language group tour that day. The guide was lovely and the information was detailed. I very much enjoyed the experience and remember very little.
This cameo was about the size of a quarter.
This guy was about two inches in length. One source says c. 2300-2000 BCE: and that Georgia’s got one of the oldest gold mines in the world, c. 3400 BCE. The guide told the story about how they believe this lion inspired the legend of “Jason and the Golden Fleece” because they would use a ram’s fleece to capture the last of the gold washed into a river and end up with a Golden Fleece.
Showing half the displays in The Treasury. Most of the items are in those windows.
There was also (among many others) a display called Museum of the Soviet Occupation, seemingly much more to the point than the adoration of Stalin at his museum in Gori.
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I decided to walk to a specific restaurant that the tour guide highly recommended as did the people where I was staying as did the guide books and online, so yes, let me go there. The walk took me on a fascinating bridge to get across the river. Looking up about this bridge now, 2 weeks later, I see that the traffic layer, above the pedestrian walkway, has some very cool statues that I didn’t see. Oh well, we can’t do Everything much as we wish we could.
Here at the pedestrian level of the Baratashvili Bridge are these amazing documentary photographs from the Kolga Tbilisi Photo Exhibition. All the pictures are particularly strong and have a decided political and/or social point of view. I wish I could find them on the internet but the website and facebook page only have a few and you can’t read the titles. The photos have faded and the plastic covering was reflecting like crazy.
As a reference to the Museum of the Soviet Occupation, the title of this photo reads “Forever alive: The Unwavering Devotion to Stalin in Gori.”
I saw these costumes many times throughout the day and more than once on the bridge.
Here’s a picture from the internet of the bridge at night.
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Making it to the neighborhood of the restaurant, I came to the exact point where google said I should find the restaurant. But I did not find the restaurant. So I asked in a near-by pizza place and the sweet woman there shook her head in a knowing way and said “follow me”. So I did. She led me through an unmarked door, down some poorly lit stairs, through a deserted hallway, and into the restaurant. Oh thank you thank you kind soul!
Down the hall to the restaurant on the left, and that’s the unisex bathroom on the right.
The name of the restaurant is Salobie Bia and what an exceptional treat. I got the semi-sweet Georgian clay-pot red wine, determined to develop a taste for at least one of the Georgian wines, and the absolute best chacha of the entire trip. I’d had the bean dish before but this one was better. The vegetables on the side were all lightly pickled and mixed with the beans, oh my mouth was happy. The bread was made with corn, so like some tasty corn bread to go with the beans. Perfect!
This picture was above my table. I haven’t figured it out entirely, but I like it!
I realized a little late in the game that tomorrow was my last full day and the ladies at the flat wanted me to pay in cash. I’ll take this opportunity to note again one of my favorite travel-tricks. If you need anything at all go to a fancy-schmancy hotel. They will speak English and they will help you. Guaranteed! I was able to safely get the cash here without the least problem.
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A few pictures from my walk home. You might remember this Chimney Cake that I first noticed at the wine festival. That line outside one of the shops is always there, always crowded. I wanted one, I had one, I don’t need another one.
This is a wishes tree, you tie a ribbon and make a wish. That guy in the chair told me all about it.
Yup.
So many of the streets are like this, so leafy green.
Below, here’s a view of part of the spa complex. The blue building on the right is the one I used, the fanciest (read most expensive) one according to the guide. The domed buildings to the left are each individual spas with different features. (I had better pictures of the domes on previous days.)
I took the deeelux package with a private room, a big private sauna, a hot and cold sulfur pool, and a bench for the scrub.
And below is the walk to the massage room arranged like a western-style massage. Yup, it was good. Better than the Korean spas in LA? I don’t think so really, more luxurious for sure, but not better. A joy nonetheless.
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You never know what you’re going to find when wandering around a capital city.
I thought I was going to the National Art Museum but somehow I ended up in the Georgian Museum of Fine Arts, a very different place! Here there were four or five floors all similarly laid out each room containing the work of one Georgian artist, none of them had I ever heard of before. It was interesting and I’m not sorry to have given it a go.
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Across the street from the museum is the Parliament Building where the protested have gathered almost every night these last couple weeks. People were starting to appear on the steps and police cars were parked along the side streets. I decided to leave the area.
You can see the Parliament Building in both these pictures which have been widely distributed on the internet.
The main statue in the center of Freedom/Liberty Square. Protestors have been marching from the Parliament Building into this square that is now being boarded off by municipal workers and the police.
I am a big fan of food dispensed from a window.
Here’s where I turn to get back to my flat. It makes me smile every time despite the broken hearts.
This morning I walked back to the old neighborhood to make a reservation for the spa and to walk up to the prominent Virgin Mary Assumption Church of Metekhi that I’d passed so many times before. In the above picture you can see more of the graduates that were out and about for the last few days, here taking advantage of the venue for photos.
Below is a picture from the church patio. I talked about all the EU flags before and how the demonstrations were against a law that would complicate Georgia’s acceptance by the EU, a controversial issue for the people and the government.
You’ve seen this building in the background of many photos. It’s the Presidential Palace and there are administrative offices in that oval building.
More flags large and small.
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The sign on the box says “Cats Arrived in June 2020” and I found several others in my new area but not further afield. You know I love it! The artist has a website and instagram. She’s gosha art and what a cutie.
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Heading into another kind of neighborhood approached from an underground tunnel. Check out those images.
I went into the door below, curious as to where it would lead.
And it led to a bar/lounge/art studio and a book that was the inspiration for all the tunnel paintings. I had a delightful visit with “the guy” in the bar who told me at some length about the great Georgian myth illustrated below.
More from the tunnel.
And here we are.
A lot of the dogs just lie on the street waiting for someone to put food in front of their nose. Sometimes they’re just too full to notice even left-over steak. When they can rouse themselves they like to put their head against your leg. One of the tour ladies thought they must be sick, they were so lethargic. I tried to find out but failed.
My destination was this handsome pedestrian street (Agmashenebeli Street..if I remember, and that’s a big IF) full of halal restaurants, hookah bars, and music from Turkey and India and Iran pouring out of the open doors, although you can’t tell from this picture.
At the end of the several blocks that make up the pedestrianized zone, was this sweet little place run by a grandma who was entertaining her guests. She took 30-45 minutes to cook the best version of the eggplant appetizer yet, called nigvziani badrijani, and we’d had it almost every day of the tour. She also made the best version of the mushroom soup so YUM!
And then I took the long trek home to spend some time on tour pictures.
The tour is over, the group has dispersed, and I’m staying in Tbilisi for several nights on my own. Here is the story of the Intrepid Armenia and Georgia tour. I was also in Yerevan for five nights before the tour started. It’s been amazing and here I am catching up on Tbilisi 10 days after getting home from Georgia and heading right out to The Ranch. No doubt I’m going to be struggling to remember.
You might recall this was the time of the large demonstrations in Tbilisi over the “Russian Law” and Georgia’s hopes for admittance to the EU. Flags were going up around the city as you can see in the above picture.
Below is my new accommodation, a fine 1 bedroom flat on the top floor in a different neighborhood across the river from our tour hotel and in a perfect central neighborhood for a solo traveler. Absolutely everything was less than 20 minutes away by walking.
The neighborhood felt a little rough-and-tumble but not in the least, for even one moment, less than safe. The nicely refurbished buildings and the abandoned buildings lived side-by-side. This is an alley short-cut to my place and the mural I walked past often.
Merlyn and Hilda hadn’t left yet, they stayed one extra night, and we were out for a walk together when the skies opened and rain fell in buckets. We ducked into this place which turned out lucky for us because it was cozy and the food was delicious.
Continuing our walk after lunch and after the rain stopped, we went in search of a sweet treat and soon found ourselves in a large very nice enclosed mall with all the mall stores and plenty of sweet treats.
Cookies, my favorite, honey cake, Merlyn’s favorite, and tea, Hilda’s favorite. Everyone’s happy.
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We came upon a cool collection of murals in an underground passage, these plus plenty more.
And more from my new neighborhood.
Another view of the Peace Bridge from “this” side of the river.
And then I went shopping for coffee, milk, granola, fruit, and yogurt, which is all I really need to be happy. But also of course I bought some pastry delights because there they were, right on the street, hot and calling my name.
Tour Day 11: “With no activities planned for today, you are free to leave the accommodation at any time.”
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Thank You in Armenian and Thank You in Georgian. It’s so fun to see the two texts side by side, and no wonder why reading the street signs was.. not to be.. not to be for me anyway.. but I loved the writing, it made me smile!
Bon Voyage to all my friends old and new. ENJOY all that comes next.
Tour Day 10: “This morning, meet up with a local guide who will join you for the day’s explorations. Check out the local farmers market in Telavi before driving to the hilltop fortified town of Sighnaghi, which has been preserved to its original image and now offers visitors stunning views of the surrounding Caucasus Mountains.
“Visit the fourth century Bodbe Monastery, before making your way back to Tbilisi for some free time this afternoon. As you didn’t have much time previously, perhaps you’d like to book yourself in for a visit to the sulfur baths in town and learn what all the fuss is about with this ancient ritual. Tonight, why not get your travel crew together for a celebratory dinner – your group leader will know of some good spots to head to.”
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We’re back in Tbilisi for our last night, above is the view out my window. Everyone is moving on tomorrow except me. I’m staying in Tbilisi for a few days at a guest house in another part of town. M&H are heading home. Ray is going to meet his daughter in one of the Stans to kick around for a few weeks and sleep in a yurt. The Rhondas are going to Turkey. ooo Judy, and ooo F&A, I forget where they’re going but someone will tell me soon. Ksenia is going to do an 8 night food tour in Georgia, although we all agreed, any tour in Georgia is a food tour!
First stop, a farmers market in Telavi. Following are some pictures but my picture of the donut didn’t turn out. That donut was something a person would remember. They’re called Punchulas, not really donuts, rather a circle of fried dough stuffed with the most toothsome rich gorgeous custard. I got mine hot from the fryer. It was SIGH-worthy.
All the vendors reach across the counter “Try it! Try it!” and who am I to say no?
My OIL! The toasted sunflower seed oil from the winery!
And pickles, required to have a big selection on hand as they are the favored cure for hangovers.
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The van and our driver. He did a wonderful job under trying circumstances especially in the mountains with the trucks, torn-up roads, rain, snow, and tourists, not to forget tourists. It was very comfortable I think, as comfortable as I would have hoped since there were extra seats and an accommodating guide and driver.
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Here we are at the hilltop fortified town of Sighnaghi, also known as, we are told by the local guide, as The City of Love. Why? Because you can get married here anytime 24/7. It’s their signature thing!
Note the EU flag. They’ll be so many more as I spend more time in Tbilisi. Georgia is not in the EU yet, they are one of the nine Candidate Countries but one of the concerns causing the recent demonstrations is that the law that just passed will make their application less desirable to the EU, so all these flags are basically aspirational.
Lunch. Yum. And what a view.
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It’s graduation week and the streets were full of these graduates, signed-up like a yearbook, and full of protestors with flags. It was an interesting mix.
Tour Day 9: “Travel on to the Kakheti region, renowned for its wine-making and welcoming hospitality. Your drive today is quite scenic, so soak up all of the Georgian countryside and its myriad of greens, reds and browns.
“Arrive in the regional centre of Telavi, where you’ll take a visit to the historic Tsinandali – an old estate and vineyard-turned-museum welcoming guests to walk in the gardens and see the quaint house. Afterwards, it’s time to sample some of the local drops – visit a small private winery where our host will tell you all about the Georgian wine-making process and you’ll be able to sample their best wines.
“Tonight, you’ll stay nearby in a hotel run by another wine-making family. Enjoy a delicious traditional dinner at the hotel.”
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We left our accommodation, the Darchi Hotel in Kazbegi, in the rain and snow, heading back down to the green lands…
..of serious wine-making country.
We stopped here for a 20 minute pee break. I really liked it and barely made it to the purpose of our stop. Thank goodness for google lens getting the names of things without too much ordeal. This is Ananuri Fortress Complex.
That’s our John and Anthea making their way under the handsome trees.
In the oh-so-many churches and monasteries we’ve been visiting, most of the frescoes have been removed or faded out over the years so it’s always exciting to find them. Here you see the faces in the panel on the left are smudged out, commonly done by various Muslim invaders where showing faces is not allowed.
Merlyn’s picture – I missed getting over to this cool viewing opportunity.
Arriving at the town of Telavi for a visit to the historic Tsinandali wine estate.
The landscaping was really gorgeous. We all agreed… ooow, we could stay here! And btw there’s a Radisson hotel here too.
The way they do the brick and stone walls, exterior and interior, always attracts my attention.
One of the original buildings from the winery.
Playing around in the Radisson.
me, Ray, John, Merlyn, Judy, Anthea, Ksenia, Rhonda, Rhonda (you might have realized by now, we have two Rhondas. We call them The Rhondas, or R&R, or R2. Most frequently, from Ksenia, “where are The Rhondas?!”)
This place is the storeroom of the history of this winery plus gifts from other wineries for 100+ years. Our guide through the facility pointed out that none of these wines will ever be drunk. They’re labeled and catalogued though. During the tour we got again the story of Georgian wine (that they were the first to make wine, much earlier than those Armenians…who also have evidence that They were the first.) Both Armenia and Georgia point to their clay pots buried in ancient caves. There are pictures of the clay pots scattered around this story.
Our next stop, a pop and son operation and here is more about the clay pots some of them are so huge, taller even that the man who has to climb in to clean them.
He is showing what kind of wine you get out of the pot and at the very bottom is the chacha. Chacha is the Georgian version of grappa. Once I discovered chacha I started having one wherever it was offered, to see what it was like. Like grappa, some were better than others!
I am writing this 7 days behind and by now I know a little better how I feel about Georgian wine. For one, they are careful to tell you which wine is made in the traditional way, buried in clay pots, and wine made in the European way in vats. The clay pot wine is decidedly distinct, very different, and I think, an acquired taste. I remember acquiring a taste for retsina in Greece. After a week or two I was a fan. Am I a fan of clay pot wine? Not so much. The one kind that I might order is the semi-sweet red. It’s rich and wine-y and the odd taste seems to blend in with the other strong flavors. I like that one!
One of everyone’s highlights, our personal, at home, wine tasting. We got a white and a red and chacha. It was Very fun the best part being an introduction to Georgian toasted sunflower seed oil. They brought it to the table for the bread. I just kept pouring that oil on the bread until it was soaked through. Probably I should have just enjoyed the oil from a spoon. The cheese was nice soaked in oil too.
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Back at the hotel/winery this was the dining room, our table set up as it always was through the tour. Intrepid and Ksenia and our easy-going group made meal time a relaxing delight. So often it takes So Long to get through a group meal but preparations organized ahead and willingness to share made it trouble free.
Like moths to a flame, before long everyone was gathered around that fireplace.
Tour Day 8: “After breakfast you’ll take a two-hour hike through the beautiful valleys and woodlands to the Gergeti Trinity Church. Depending on the weather, you may even catch a glimpse of one of the highest glaciers in the Caucasus – Mt Kazbegi. Back in town you’ll enjoy a cooking class with a local family, learning to make khinkali, a popular Georgian dumpling. Enjoy a night to relax and catch up with your travel friends with an included dinner.”
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Today was the day we were supposed to take a two-hour hike up up up in the mountains. You can’t begin to see the mountains, and it was raining and then it was snowing. I took the chance, declined the activity, and since at the time I was a week+ behind in pictures, I enjoyed several hours with my good friend photoshop.
We did have our cooking class followed by another splendid meal.
This was the first course of lunch. The meat dishes weren’t here yet. And then later there was an included dinner at the hotel. Lordy.
And then we went up to the acclaimed ‘best hotel in town’ for a delightful Happy Hour and then back to our hotel for dinner. Our guide arranged for our driver to take us and bring us back.
Tour Day 7: “This morning, pay a visit to the ancient capital and religious centre of Mtskheta. Here you’ll be joined by a local guide to explore Mtskheta’s historical sites, including the sixth century Jvari Monastery 11th-century Svetitskhoveli Cathedral. Continue on to the town of Gori in the heart of Kartli region.
“With your local guide by your side, visit the ancient Uplistsikhe Cave Town – a rock-hewn dwelling where the Great Silk Road used to pass. Afterwards travel by Georgia’s most scenic road – the Military Highway to reach Stepantsminda, more commonly known to locals as Kazbegi. Enjoy the views of the Greater Caucasus range and get ready for some hiking tomorrow.”
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On the road again! Maybe we are at a stop waiting for the others?
Anthea, John, and the Rhondas
Lonely Planet again: “Between the 6th century BC and 1st century AD, Uplistsikhe developed into one of the chief political and religious centres of pre-Christian Kartli, with temples dedicated principally to the sun goddess. After the Arabs occupied Tbilisi in AD 645, Uplistsikhe became the residence of the Christian kings of Kartli and an important trade centre on a main caravan road from Asia to Europe.”
My shoes are holding up well (knock on wood!) and although I took every hand offered, I did make it to the top and back down without incident.
The local guide telling us about Uplistsikhe Cave Town. I’m writing this many days after our tour so I can say now Georgian local guides talk FAST. Every one of them and I have no idea why.
Inside the church. Faces lit by candlelight are irresistible.
Along the Mtkvari River.
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Next stop, the Stalin Museum in Gori, the town of his birth. I was worried about this place and sure enough I felt creeped out. Self-fullfilling prophecy? I don’t think so. Like who is it that is daily adorning this statue with large expensive bouquets?
Lonely Planet: “This impressively designed museum makes no serious attempt to present a balanced account of Stalin’s career or deeds. It remains, much as when it opened in 1957, a reverent homage to the Gori boy who became a key figure of 20th-century history…”
That inset picture was prominently displayed, huge, in an elaborately gilded frame.
They built a palace to protect his humble birth home.
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If you follow how the tour is described and how it turns out, you’ll see that the order gets changed often depending on the weather and other factors, traffic for example, that the guides take into account when moving from site to site. Our Ksenia has been doing a wonderful job.
This is Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, from the Georgian Travel Guide “the main patriarchal cathedral of the Georgian Orthodox Church, the Mother Cathedral of Georgia, the place of enthronement of the Georgian Catholicos, the burial site of many kings of Georgia.”
Oh look, there’s another one up there. I’ll bet we’re going to visit that one next…
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Yes, and it’s another good one. Actually, I’ve been loving that there are so many and we are seeing a good chunk of them. One after another, it builds up a real feeling for what they are like. Jvari Monestary, “Jvari is a rare case of an Early Medieval Georgian church that has survived to the present day almost unchanged.”
We’ve been seeing brides all day today. I see why too, the old monasteries are so scenic and historically meaningful.
Now the drive on to our accommodation at a ski resort town (Stepantsminda, commonly called Kazbegi, the Darchi Hotel) where it is, at the moment, snowing.
Tour Day 6: “Stock up on brekky and embark on a sightseeing tour of Tbilisi with a local guide. Tbilisi is a city of colour, of old and new, and your tour this morning will give you a glance at its history from the early centuries AD to now, through its sites and diverse architecture. You’ll also pass by the renowned 19th century houses of multicoloured balconies, synonymous with the Tbilisian skyline.
“Take a panoramic cable car ride from Rike Park up to the Narikala Fortress, then wander down to the sulfur baths, which are set on the thermal springs that give the Georgian capital its name. After your guided tour, have a free afternoon to relax, perhaps with a spa treatment!”
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OK, a city walking tour, Let’s Go! Here’s the local guide.
I’m going to put these in the order we walked in hopes of figuring out what’s what.
On the way down the hill from our KMM Hotel, passed by every day to get anywhere, the Virgin Mary Assumption Church of Metekhi.
Continuing down the hill, I like the look of these buildings.
Into Old Town Central.
The tamada, or toastmaster, an important role in Georgian social life.
This Sioni Cathedral, one of those churches that has been refurbished a number of times. (First built in the 6th–7th century, renovated in the 13th century, and again in the 17th–18th century. The belfry was added in 1812.)
Strolling down the pedestrianized Shardeni Street, packed with restaurants and shops.
This is the The Anchiskhati Basilica of St Mary, the oldest surviving church in Tbilisi.
Cool, right.
Copied from gabriadze.com “In 2010 Rezo Gabriadze built a unique clock tower next to the marionette theatre in Tbilisi old town. Every hour an angel comes out to ring the bell with a small hammer. There is a small mechanical puppet theatre inside the tower and twice a day at noon and at 7pm you can see the show – “The Circle of Life”. Rezo decorated the tower with hundreds of tiles which he designed himself and it instantly became a major architectural attraction of Tbilisi.”
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The group took the cable car ride from Rike Park. These are views in every direction.
At the top end of the cable car, when you disembark, on the left is the Narikala Fortress (currently closed) and the St Nicholas’s Orthodox Church. We didn’t go that way. Turning to the right is the Mother of Georgia, also on the right in this picture. On the left is Mother Armenia. Notice the differences. They are both poised to protect the homeland at any cost but Mother Georgia also holds a cup, of wine according the guide, to welcome guests.
And on our way to lunch we passed through an underground tunnel overflowing with Things. Our guide has an expression she uses because we have among us some serious shoppers. She says ‘now is not time for shopping, free time is for shopping, now is time for getting there’. It’s funny.
I don’t remember the name of the restaurant. Too bad about that because the food was great and the lighting and the wallpaper were cool.
Ksenia usually ordered the food and we shared. It was great because everyone was happy with the arrangement. This is the Georgian specialty, Khinkali, available in most restaurants. Here they are in three slightly different shapes because each shape is different. We have cheese, mushroom, and meatball. This is my first chichi of the trip, a kind of grappa, made in many flavors. I like it.
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After lunch Merlyn and I caught the funicular for a ride up to the Natural Wine Festival Zero Compromise. Hilda wanted to do something else and didn’t join this time. There’s a whole amusement park up there but the wine festival was so gigantic we didn’t even think about looking around.
They fill these cinnamon and sugar delights with ice cream and various other treats. I better get one before I leave Georgia.
Notice the umbrellas on the right are the wine pavilions where they will pour all the wine you want to drink. On the left of the walkway are other things no one wants when there’s free wine to be had. The guy in the second picture was a real charmer. We stood around visiting for long while and learned a lot about his winery.
I have that toothpick in my mouth because I was using it to pick up the bits of bread, cheese, olive, dried fruit, etc that were also on offer in the wine booths.
Oh the intoxicating smell. We decided to have some food up here.
Here was a large table for sharing and this sweet family was so kind and generous. We had a great time.
And then we took the funicular down and walked the 20-30 minutes back.
Later that night, at the hotel I was hearing this crowd outside my window and noise that went on and on, so I got up. Oh Look! The demonstrators (I learned this later) were on their way to the metro stop. All the 10s of thousands were passing under my window! It went on for hours.
Interestingly not one family member or friend or even a friend of a friend asked me about the demonstrations even though so so many people know I’m in Tbilisi. What does this say about our connection to the world, I don’t know, probably nothing, being such a small sample…
Here’s a youtube from Radio Free Europe that has some good pictures.
Tour Day 5: “Say goodbye to Armenia this morning as you board a public bus to Tbilisi, the capital city of Georgia. On arrival, you’ll have time for your own discoveries of this vibrant city. You may like to wander the old districts, which are structured like terraces, take a walk along the river, visit the Tbilisi Concert Hall and Public Service Hall, or grab a great coffee and check out the artist pop ups at Fabrika.”
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That’s right…we rode a public bus from Dilijan across the Armenia-Georgia border and on to Tbilisi. Here we are starting to gather after the trek up the hill with our baggage to load into said public bus.
The border crossing went smoothly and although the bus was more crowded than our previous bus, all in all it wasn’t bad. (Hilda’s picture)
A thing along most roads we traveled in both Armenia and Georgia.
And trucks, oh my goodness. There’s an interesting and controversial story about the Chinese building a massive tunnel to alleviate some of the congestion on the Georgia Military Highway. The trucks tear up the roads so terribly that all the other vehicles are paying the price.
The tour hotel was up the hill past that church and statue. The river, the Kura, I heard was dirty from the muddy flow and that the river rides were not worth it, but I might throw advice to the wind and do it anyway.
The Tree of Life installed in 2016. One website said the locals call it The Tree of Wishes because you can leave coins in the base of the tree. You’ll see more of the train car later.
Those domes are Georgian spas – sulfur soaks, hammam style scrubs, and even massage. Oh you know it, that’s for ME!
The Bridge of Peace, opened in 2010, designed by the Italian architect Michele De Lucchi, transported from Italy in 200 trucks, “a message in Morse code “that renders the periodic table of elements goes across two parapets every hour. The lights designer Martinaud considers this communication celebration of “life and peace between people”.”
I’m liking the look of Tbilisi.
Merlyn, Hilda, and I came out for a very light dinner having eaten and eaten until we thought it was impossible to eat again. But no. It was possible.
A balloon ride rising like the moon above a bar and snack place on the river.
I’m going to be doing this! That’s the Bridge of Peace in the lower left.
Tour Day 4: “This morning, head to the Geghard Monastery, a magnificent and unique structure partially carved out of rock. Interestingly, Armenia was the first to adopt Christianity as a state religion, and these medieval churches and monasteries have stood the test of time to show the country’s deep religious history. Today, you will also visit the Hellenistic Garni Temple and the medieval Sevanavank Monastery, set on the banks of the pristine Lake Sevan.
“From here, travel to Fioletovo, a village that’s home to the Molokan religious sect. Join a Molokan family for lunch to learn about their beliefs and traditions and taste their Russian-influenced cuisine, including borscht, pirozhki (pie) and tea from a samovar.
“Then, travel to the picturesque town of Dilijan, where you will be spending the night. On arrival, join your leader for an orientation walk to take in the town’s charming buildings and traditional craft workshops. Your accommodation tonight is a restored 19th century building filled with antique furniture and original architecture.”
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Heading to our last night in Armenia, it’s temples and monasteries all day long. First stop – Garni Temple, “the only standing Greco-Roman colonaded building in Armenia.”
Waiting our turn for a shot getting anxious because those two kept the scene to themselves for a very long time. And a cat!
On the right is the ceiling under the colonnade.
A view of the surrounding landscape.
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Geghard Monastery, another UNESCO World Heritage Site, “while the main chapel was built in 1215, the monastery complex was founded in the 4th century by Gregory the Illuminator at the site of a sacredspring inside a cave.”
In Armenia we didn’t have to wear headscarves in the churches unlike in Georgia where headscarves were provided.
A chapel carved into the rock.
“Some of the churches within the monastery complex are entirely dug out of the cliff rocks, others are little more than caves, while others are elaborate structures, with both architecturally complex walled sections and rooms deep inside the cliff.” And more of those very cool water fountains.
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Here is Sevanavank Monastery located on a peninsula on the banks of Lake Sevan.
Wikipedia: “According to an inscription in one of the churches, the monastery of Sevanavank was founded in 874 by Princess Mariam, the daughter of Ashot (who became a king a decade later). At the time, Armenia was still struggling to free itself from Arab rule.”
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Time for a late lunch at the home of a Molokan family in the community of Fioletovo.
Luba, Rhonda, Rhonda, me, Merlyn, Judy, John, Anthea, Hilda, Ray
The local guide, Anna, on the left and our hosts, mother Luba and daughter Eliana, on the right. (Judi’s picture.)
The hosts had converted the first log building into a museum and told us the story of their family.
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Hotel pictures from The Internet. We’re not here in fall!
Our hotel is on the right and the restaurant is on the left. It was lovely and everyone reported sleeping so well because I think of the cold air and heavy blankets.
A 50th Anniversary of Soviet Armenia monument. You might remember there was another one back in Yerevan too.
Our farewell Armenia dinner of wine and snacks. YUM. We didn’t get to spend any real time in Dilijan because we arrived at nearly dark and left at nearly dawn to make the long run into Georgia.
Tour Day 3: “After breakfast, meet a local guide for a tour of the Kond neighbourhood, one of the oldest quarters of Yerevan. Kond is often overlooked by tourists, but offers up a wealth of history and character. Explore the labyrinth of narrow alleys as your local guide shares the stories of the neighbourhood. Lunch today is extra special – be welcomed into the home of a local family, living in a 300-year-old house, making it one of the oldest in Yerevan. As you dine with the family you’ll hear how they’ve lived in Kond for three generations, and try some of Armenia’s famous lavash bread.
“After lunch, check out a handmade rug factory – the designs are beautifully intricate. The rest of the day is free for your own discoveries. You may like to pay a visit to the Khor Virap and Zvartnots religious sites.”
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We took an early morning quick buzz through the market across the street from the hotel. That’s our hotel below center, and I took the picture from the pedestrian bridge crossing the big street.
Samples samples every vendor reaches out to offer samples, oh yeah.
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We had a very interesting visit to the Megerian rug-making facility. Rugs, it turns out, are made by knotting and carpets are made by weaving. The size is not part of the equation, only the technique of making the rug or carpet.
They had 20 looms here, and all the workers are making rugs.
Ksenia on the left and the local guide for the rug facility on the right.
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We are now entering the Kond district of Tbilisi where the oldest buildings are still in use. Below, a funeral for a prominent citizen.
Several murals are here on this street designed, according to the guide, to welcome tourists to the area. Notice on the right, that’s the most important image in Armenia, the two peaks of Mt Ararat. We’ve been chasing that view for days. That’s the local guide below, Anahit, who spoke Russian and Ksenia translated which made the tour longer than necessary, but I enjoyed it anyway especially because I did, admittedly, wander off a little.
I wandered away briefly for a different angle and ran into these guys who wanted to know where I was from and if I liked Armenia and etc so after our little chat I asked for this photo and I like it.
Here kitty kitty. All the street cats seem so well-fed and friendly and more surprisingly the same is true of the dogs, they are well-fed and friendly too.
What a splendid treat. So much delicious food and you know I have to try everything. Even my 13,000 step average is not going to make a dent…
This is Anahit’s husband Aram who sang a patriotic song about missing the homeland.
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Hilda found this driver to take us to two UNESCO sites in the area that I was particularly interested to see.
This is Etchmiadzin Cathedral, also called the Mother See, the headquarters of the Armenian Apostolic Church. It isn’t possible to see the inside because of ongoing renovations but I wanted to feel for it anyway. There are many buildings in the complex. “The cathedral, part of the monastery of the same name, is surrounded by walls which enclose a series of structures. They include the palace of the Catholicos, a seminary, museum, refectory, synod house, library, printing house, monks’ cells, and other auxiliary buildings.”
The grounds were quite lovely too.
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We continued on to Zvartnots Cathedral. Both these sites, Etchmiadzin and Zvartnots have centuries long histories with both being reconstructed a number of times. The inset picture is from the internet because I didn’t get this view, Mt Ararat in the background.
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On the way back to Yerevan finally we could see the whole shape of Ararat, almost…
Sunset from my hotel room. This is our last night in Yerevan. Tomorrow we head out for a long drive to Dilijan stopping along the way for temples and monasteries all day long.
Tour Day 2: “Today, join a local guide for an insightful city tour of Yerevan. Armenia’s vibrant capital has a great mix of ancient culture and tradition with a contemporary feel. Begin at Republic Square, and then head to the Cafesjian Center – an open-air museum of modern art. Continue on to Freedom Square – a lively city hub with its ornate Opera House sitting at the centre.
“You’ll have lunch at a traditional museum-café built by Lusik Aguletsi – a lover of Armenian antiques and all things local and handmade. Here you’ll have the chance to try some local favourites, like tomatoes with goats cheese and gata (Armenian coffee cake). Take a look around to see exhibits of national costumes, carpets and rugs and other traditional Armenian wares, then enjoy an afternoon at leisure. You may like to head out for a local brandy tasting – ask your leader for recommendations.”
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Above the local guide on the left and our tour guide, Ksenia, on the right.
According to Wikipedia 98.1% of the population of Armenia is ethnically Armenian and 97% of them are members of the Armenian Apostolic Church. This is something to keep in mind, the homogeneity being like so few places these days.
This church is relatively new, Saint Gregory The Illuminator Cathedral.
You can hardly see the small red cups in the hanging lights above, but these guys took them out to refill and relight them.
On the grounds of the church this is a basalt stone statue of Andranik Ozmanyan, also known as Andranik Pasha.
A theater built “in Soviet times” now used as a market I think? Every guide uses this expression constantly..”in Soviet times”…
At the foot of Cascade Park, this is Alexander Tamanian (1878-1936), acknowledged by all to be the architect of modern Yerevan. The Wikipedia article is surprisingly concise so have a look if you’re interested.
“Lusik Aguletsi, a well-known artist, cultural figure, and collector, along with her husband, sculptor Yuri Samvelyan, transformed their family home into a unique cultural hub where everyone feels at home.” So many things.
We moved out of our condo today and made our way over to the hotel where we would meet the Intrepid Armenia and Georgia tour. Helpfully, our rooms were ready early so we could get settled and then head out for lunch. Hilda wanted borscht so she asked at a small shop where the woman pointed down the street to this place, the epitome of down-home local. And Hilda got borscht directly from the kitchen above.
Remember strawberries are everywhere including here in front of the restaurant, a guy selling strawberries out of his trunk.
I can’t remember if we walked or called yandex for a ride to our one activity of the day, a visit to the Sergey Parajanov (1924-1990) Museum. I reeeally liked it. He’s most well known as a film director but this museum was about his life and the collages he made during a time when, in Soviet times, he was forbidden from making films. You can check out this link if you want to see more of the Parajanov Museum. (gurrr The music on the site is annoying!)
This building offers an opportunity to talk about the material called tuff and pronounced toof. It’s made from volcanic ash, unlike lava made from volcanic flow, and comes in all those lovely colors. You might remember that all the buildings in Republic Square are made of these blocks.
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Tour Day 1: “Barheev! Welcome to Armenia. This evening, there will be an important welcome meeting at 6 pm, where you’ll meet your group leader and fellow travellers. After the meeting, why not ask your leader where you can find some traditional Armenian food, like khoravat (Armenian barbecue) or basturma (cured beef).”
Introducing the tour group!
We are two Brits, two Aussies, one Kiwi, one Canuck, and we three. The tour company originates in Australia. The guide is Russian(!) because, she said, the tour company decided going to both Armenia and Georgia, Russian is the most common language. She is lovely, everyone is lovely actually. So many photos to follow in days to come.
After the get-together the group was going to go eat at a place we had already been to so we decided to try a new place and it was quite YUM too. We have definitely been enjoying the food. The restaurant picture is from the internet and the scraps of food is what was left when I thought to take a picture.
Above is the subway entrance from Republic Square. ‘They’ say the subway isn’t fancy like some but it’s clean and nicer than others. We ran out of time to give it a try. It’s not a very big system, only 10 stations, but then Yerevan isn’t a very big city at around one million residents.
We decided to have a lazy morning and it was easy to hang around the condo, eat snacks and leftovers, drink coffee, take deep breaths. We were headed to the flea market, close enough to the condo to walk, and we passed through the pedestrian shopping street, a shopping opportunity with the opposite vibe of the flea market, all high-end shops with international brands.
Our destination for the day was the flea market Vernissage, the most well-known in Yerevan. The second we got even close I started sneezing and it did not stop. WHAT? What was going on?! I couldn’t stay, my eyes were swollen and tears and snot filled my face. I later learned all those trees that covered the market, the wind swirling the fallen pods, were cottonwoods and cause a lot of people trouble. All around the tables of the flea market people were sneezing. It was crazy!
We met up with Sevak and Ida for lunch. It poured rain the whole time we were eating and then stopped for us to leave.
The rain has been very accommodating.
Merlyn, Ida, Sevak, Hilda
After lunch we went to the History Museum of Armenia where we got to see the actual shoe from Areni Cave and there’s a picture of the cave below.
There was s special exhibit of carpets “from the collection of James Tufenkian, displayed ‘in dialogue’ with a collection of archival photographs from the early 20th century…and studio portraits from photographer Dimitri Yermakov.”
A quote from the exhibit: “In an era when the statehoods of Armenia and Artsakh are under attack from their violent neighbors – who, in parallel to territorial claims and an ongoing blockade, engage in politics of cultural appropriation and erasure while the world plays blind – Armenian carpets stand as bold statements of statehood. Let the individual stories of each carpet from James Tufenkian’s private collection unfold with their own voice. United, they form a collective narrative bringing forth Armenians’ fundamental contribution to the history of carpet making.”
I put this here so you can get some idea why. There so much to say and I want to add a map but I needed to move on for now.
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Above photo from Hayk’s website.
We’re headed to Khor Virap, you can see it in the middle left and behind that is Mt Ararat, or so they say. We’ve been unsuccessfully chasing a view for days.
((Put the map here with short description of the borders.))
But first, snacks! She was baking the bread on a hot stone to her left and filled with delicious herbs I wish I could duplicate. Thanks Hayk for the treat.
Dried fruits, Hilda’s first purchase of the day. YUM!
More views. I’ve noticed the yellow of the Armenian flag frequently fades to a darker color when flown outside. Hayk says the yellow is often called apricot for one of the most important and beloved fruits here.
((Look up about the cross-stones.)) Note the pigeon in the niche. You can buy a pigeon before the big walk up to the monastery, to release with a hope they will fly to Mt Ararat but actually, not surprisingly, they fly back to their owner to be sold again.
As usual, you can read about this place at length, but here’s a short wiki note: “Khor Virap’s notability as a monastery and pilgrimage site is attributed to the fact that Gregory the Illuminator was initially imprisoned here for 13 years.” Gregory was eventually released and “King Tiridates, who had embraced Christianity as his religion following the miraculous cure effected by Gregory’s divine intervention, proclaimed Christianity as the state religion of Armenia in 301 AD.”
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We did a short visit to a village well-known for all all the storks. Merlyn got a picture of one of them feeding a baby which I’ll get from him soon.
After enjoying the storks we got to enjoy another snack – a fried puff pastry filled with potato, and Armenian coffee too, Not to be confused with Turkish coffee, oh no.
Stopping for a photo-op of village scenery. The scenery photo didn’t turn out so well for me, but I loved this guy.
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On our way through Noravank canyon heading to the Noravank Monastery, note the stream here that turns into a fast-running river along the way.
And the lovely spring flowers.
Hayk has a big comfortable SUV with a full-sized sunroof and we were so lucky that it wasn’t raining because he drove slowly through the canyon, played local music, opened the sunroof, and then..
..let everyone stand up, Merlyn here making a video. The music, the sounds of the river, the fresh air, the beautiful sight, what a highlight!
What a sight.
These three pictures are all from different sides of the building.
There were a number of buildings on this site. Mostly due to earthquakes many of the monastery structures we’ll see have been rebuilt at some point but usually on the same site with the same kind of materials.
((Tell the story of these candles, donations, and collecting wax.))
He was chanting and the sound was quite remarkable.
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Next stop, Areni caves, again, copied: “In 2008, Armenian PhD student and archeologist Diana Zardaryan of the country’s Institute of Archaeology discovered the earliest known shoe at the site. In January 2011, the earliest known winery in the world was uncovered in the cave. Later, in 2011, the discovery of a straw skirt dating to 3,900 years BCE was reported. In 2009, the oldest humanoid brain was discovered in the cave.” Remember about the shoe because we later saw it at the museum.
Our cave guide, her daughter, and Hilda.
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Hayk asked us if we wanted to have a quick lunch at a food court or a more leisurely lunch at a place that has the best lamb in all of Armenia. You can certainly guess my vote. So here it is, right on the river with various covered patios for eating..
..we’re here, where we had the best lamb in all of Armenia. It was indeed delicious as was the rice dish.
Today was the first day of on and off rain predicted to continue in that vein for several days. It never got bad although we’d have to wait out the occasional thunderstorm. We made a detour through this park to admire the Statue of Komitas Vardapet, founder of the Armenian national school of music and a place Hilda remembered visiting with her mom.
We were on our way back to the Cafesjian to finally get into the galleries and to see it with water running in the fountains.
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Hilda had been supporting a group home for disabled adults here in Yerevan and she took this opportunity to visit there while Merlyn and I had lunch at Santafe where we lounged around for a while in the rain and it was comfy and tasty too. (internet photos)
Strawberries are for sale everywhere and I bought a big bucket of them from a guy on the street back on day 2. They were fabulous and as I write this on day 6 we will have the last few this morning, and they are still fabulous.
I put this mural here to note how little there is of street art, just a few murals like this one is all I’ve seen so far.
We visited the Martiros Sarian House Museum, a favorite artist of Hilda’s and the founder of the modern Armenian national school of painting. He died in 1972 at age 92 having lived a long and productive life. This is from their website since there were no photos allowed inside the house.
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We enjoyed another very good meal at another one of the high-end restaurants, of which there are many. This place is called Seasons where they have the restaurant with a nice combo playing light jazz, a lounge area, and a cafe ‘across the way’.
Recording the entertainment to share.
Moving on to Republic Square where later in May music will play and the fountains will dance.
Copied from “Discover Armenia” online: “According to ((the architect)) Tamanyan’s design, the construction of the square began with the building of the Government House in 1926. All the buildings of the square were completed in the 1950s, except for the National Gallery building, which was completed in 1977. In Soviet times, the Republic Square was named after Lenin and his monument was erected there in 1940 and dismantled in 1991, prior to the independence of Armenia.”
And here in Republic Square are the most famous of the drinking fountains in Yerevan called “Yot Ahpyur” meaning “Seven Springs” in Armenian.
Merlyn and Hilda moved on, it was 10pm, to join Sevak, Ida, and Shakeh at a music club. I went home. They got home after 2am…
This morning, based on bogus internet ‘information’ we went first to the Cafesjian museum and couldn’t get in until Fri-Sat-Sun but we did wander around the entertaining grounds again.
Not being able to get into the museum at Cafesjian, we stopped off at Limone Cafe for a beverage break.
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From there we walked in a round-about way to the must-see not-to-miss Matenadaran, also called the Mesrop Mashtots Institute of Ancient Manuscripts, and here is Hilda, a seeker, humbled in the presence of the renowned Mesrop Mashtots, creator of the Armenian alphabet.
The entrance hall. We were able to get an excellent English speaking guide, Lilit Hakobyan, who talked to us for almost two hours. It would have been a 20 minute buzz-by without a guide to tell us what we were looking at.
You can definitely understand why this place is a national treasure.
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After the museum we took a stroll, looking for lunch..
..and decided to give Gustav a try. It was ‘hidden’ in a side alley, the food was lovely, and after Hilda visited with the owner and promised a 5* review they brought us a tasty tiramisu on the house. Having declined dessert, we then ate it all.
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And then after lunch we went back to the condo for a little rest and to get ready for a big night out.
Around 5:45 we were off to walk to Sevak and Ida’s. These drinking fountains are a prominent feature around town providing tasty water and gladly used by one and all.
Sevak and Ida offered us a fine selection of welcome snacks including these little packets of cheese. Everything is cheese, the wrapper, the tie, and the treat inside, all cheese, you just eat it, tasty and fun.
Our destination for the evening, Tavern Yerevan. This is what the main room looked like when we arrived..
..and at the time this table of lovelies was already in full-throated song to the joys of Armenia. All I learned was that they were Armenians from France here to sing and dance.
And sing and dance they did.
Come on come on dance with us!
I slipped out for a few minutes to check in with the Lavash Ladies, making traditional bread in the traditional way.
They roll out the dough super-thin, stretch it on the linen form, and then whack the form against the side of the brick oven. The dough sticks to the bricks and cooks right up in a second.
Sevak and Ida treated us all to this amazing evening.
Merlyn, Hilda, Sevak, Ida, Shakeh
I’ll just write here the dishes missing photos…Two kinds of eggplant appetizer, crispy fried potatoes, baskets of three kinds of bread, and a wonderful sweet cream dessert. Thank you thank you guys!
We had arranged for a driver with a sign to meet us at the airport and take us to our condo. It was 4AM and we knew we wouldn’t want to fuss. Everything went smoothly and by 8am we were unpacked and took a small walk to the grocery store for coffee, milk, and snacks. I took a shower, rubbed my eyes, brushed my teeth, and we gathered to plan out the day, after 30+ hours and catnaps on the plane, we set about staying up until 9pm.
First stop, lunch at a restaurant recommended by everyone who recommended restaurants: Lavash. It was three blocks from our condo so super-easy to go there. It turns out we have landed in the Restaurant World of Yerevan. So many restaurants on every block surrounded this condo.
After lunch we walked up to the meeting place for the HOHO bus, but this one was really just HO. You could Hop On but Hop Off was not an option. It was more like a little city tour that ran only three times a day.
Merlyn took this sweet picture of his sweetie. Hi Hilda!
Following are samples of the kinds of things we saw.
Traffic squares with statues.
Parks with statues.
Btw, all the statues of Russians, of which there used to be many, are all gone in favor of the Armenian heros of culture, politics, and the military.
Hilltop statues.
Cuties catching a smooch.
And Merlyn and Hilda, returning from a viewing opportunity.
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After the tour we walked around a little before heading home. This is the Cafesjian Center for the Arts and I’m very much looking forward to seeing inside but for tonight we just walked around the grounds.
The everywhere-everyone shot of this place. The building is called The Cascade Complex and you can see why. Above, at the top of the complex, is the Memorial to the 50th Anniversary of October Revolution and also called the Monument to 50 Years of Soviet Armenia. Interesting that it has survived after December 26, 1991 and the establishment of the Republic of Armenia.
A couple pictures of the public art on the grounds of the museum.
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And THEN Sevak and Ida joined us at the condo and we went to see some of their favorite places, but First, a beer garden!
I took the subway home. You might lose track for a minute and think you are in just another city and then, Bam, it’s the hammer and cycle and you ask yourself, where am I..what year Is this?
I wanted to do a spin on the Hop On Hop Off bus which they don’t have in Minsk. There’s a similar bus that runs one 1 1/2 hour route 4 times per day, so I Hopped On. You can’t hop off though.
I was hungry and I felt like a salad. Here’s what happened, a chicken salad with vegetables. Grapes with seeds, lettuce completely limp, but the vegetables were crisp and tasty and the chicken wasn’t dry so YAY for the best dinner I had in Belarus, which says something about the food I ran across in Belarus.
((St Petersburg spa-CEE-ba As marvelous as you would imagine but oh the HORDES so if possible go when the cruise ships are gone.
TAH-ln a-ee-tahh A fairy tale old town, upper and lower, and the best food.
Riga PAL-dee-es Art Nouveau to beat the band w/Tim.
Vilnius ah-CHeU More spread out, Simona, the Baltic Way, and Trakai.
Minsk spa-CEE-ba Back in time to the not-so-long-ago past.
I put this here so I could remember how every single, without exception, eating place through the ENTIRE trip has this exact napkin holder, these exact napkins, folded in this exact way.
I’m off for an all day tour out-of-town to Mir and Nesvizh, two small towns home to “impossibly romantic 16th-century castles, which are considered to be pearls of Belarusian architecture. They were once owned by the powerful Radziwill magnate family. The castles are under UNESCO protection for their unique style and history, and are considered world heritage sites.”
Nevizh Palace is on a small island and here we’re walking along a causeway leading to the castle.
It wasn’t very good, and actually of all the places I’ve visited this trip, I’ve found the least to tell about, food wise, here. I’ve tried all my tricks – street food, pub food, expensive food, to little success. Oh well.
Several people, including the sweet Cat Museum lady, said that I should visit ‘the shopping center’. I can’t imagine myself at a shopping center, but I took the name and looked it up.
The shopping center is actually a department store, GUM, built in the Socialist Realist style in 1951 located on Independence Avenue (Praspiekt Niezaliežnasci). It’s also called the State Department Store.
Wikipedia says WWII destroyed as much as 85% of the buildings in Minsk and all the infrastructure.
When the Soviets took control they scraped it all away and started fresh with these grand boulevards and heroic buildings and apartment building complexes to hold all the Russians who would re-populate the city.
On one corner is McDonald’s, of course, and on the opposite corner is TGI Friday.
You cannot walk across the boulevards for the most part, which is good for traffic, and in every couple of very long blocks there are pedestrian tunnels so it’s good to plan ahead on which side of the street you need to be! You can see the crossing tunnels there on the corners.
Mai Dantsig, 1930-2017
My City, Ancient and Young, 1972
That church is my church in Upper Town, my hotel is behind it, and the construction is for the new Metro that marked an important turning point for Minsk.
This picture looks so peaceful, fruit from the trees, flowers from the garden, a barefoot boy and a soccer ball. Not what we think of as 1966 in Belarus. I can’t find any information on this guy.
Getting in to Belarus was complicated by their visa rules. If a US passport holder is going to stay more than 30 days you have to have a visa and these are time consuming to get and costly too.
If a US passport holder is going to stay less than 30 days you can fly into the International Airport in Minsk and not have to get a visa. If you are coming in any other way then you do need a visa.
So to avoid the visa acquisition process I took a 25 minute flight from Vilnius to Minsk. It was less expense than getting a visa and cut out having to send my passport to yet another embassy as I had to do to visit St Petersburg.
Also as a side note, for a US passport holder to travel directly between Belarus and Russia you must have visas for both Belarus and Russia and you must arrive and depart from Minsk International Airport.
Here are St Petersburg-Tallinn-Riga-Vilnius-Minsk. Take note of Belarus’s position in the mix – landlocked, flat, and lands that have been occupied by all its neighbors.
All according to Wikipedia, it’s politics-wise about the exact opposite of Estonia here. Check it out if you don’t remember Estonia because it’s super-interesting, to me anyway:
“Alexander Lukashenko has served as the country’s first (and only) president since 1994. Belarus has been labeled “Europe’s last dictatorship” by some Western journalists, on account of Lukashenko’s self-described authoritarian style of government .. and according to many countries and organizations, political opposition has been violently suppressed.”
“Belarus’s Democracy Index rating is the lowest in Europe, the country is labelled as “not free” by Freedom House, as “repressed” in the Index of Economic Freedom, and is rated as by far the worst country for press freedom in Europe in the 2013-14 Press Freedom Index published by Reporters Without Borders, which ranks Belarus 157th out of 180 nations.”
Uncomfortable reading!
I’m staying in a small enclave of an Old Town mostly occupied by churches, City Hall, and a few hotels and restaurants.
..more of Minsk which was devastated in WWII and rebuilt during Soviet times.
More most discomforting words from wiki:
“Lukashenko announced a new law in 2014 that will prohibit kolkhoz (=farm) workers, around 9% of the total work force, from leaving their jobs at will – a change of job and living location will require permission from governors. The law was compared with serfdom by Lukashenko himself. Similar regulations were introduced for the forestry industry in 2012.”
UPDATE: The tour guide said this was hooey, she said farm workers are absolutely free to leave at will. I tried to find it on Wikipedia View History but I lost patience.
It does feel like the most foreign country I’ve visited in a long time.
I must not be worried about Minsk though since I’m writing all this from my hotel here, and I’ve signed into a dozen open internet connections already.
Yakub Kolas Square (Yakuba Kolasa Square), in 1956 named in honor of the folk poet and one of the founders of the classic Belarusian literature – Yakub Kolas and in 1972 they installed the monument. The bird and medallion is from somewhere else.
From the tour website: “Would you love to go off the beaten track and dive into the vibrant underground culture of the city? Then it’s high time to experience Minsk as a true local and join this tour, where you will get to know:
❋The history of Minsk’s street art & graffiti scene,
❋The Belarusian youth lifestyle,
❋What Brazil and Belarus have in common.
“We will visit a local market, explore «Osmolovka» — an old cozy township hidden in greenery in the center of Minsk, and visit abandoned factories that have become the latest hipster hangouts.”
The idea, according to the guide, was to show that Minsk was a vibrant, modern, European city and no longer the Soviet city as it has been known. I was not convinced.
This is the Soviet era market, Minskiy Komarovskiy Market, still busy and regularly used by the local people.
The building is memorable, according to the guide, because there are no pillars holding up that roof.
“Street art in Minsk. It is quite a new thing because it only started in 2014 when the first international street art festival Vulica Brazil took place.
“The organizer of the festivals for three consecutive years has been the embassy of Brazil in Minsk. During this time, artists have come up with impressive pieces of street art for different parts of Minsk, largely accumulated on Oktjabrskaja (Kastrinickaja) street.”
“There’s the black and white one by Brazilian artist Speto, a beautiful bird by L7M from Brazil and a mural in the manner of fantasy surrealism by Belarussian artist Bazinato.”
There are many other murals but the idea that the city has turned around, I don’t know. You’ll see the massive Soviet era developments in tomorrow’s pictures and some of them are quite remarkable.
That’s a cat up there. Tomorrow I’m not going to miss The Cat Museum!
See how young they are? They walk Fast like young people do, not like ME. When I go on these walking tours, as I have in every city, I wear my trail shoes with laces and trot along in my best effort to keep up.
At the end my feet are feelin’ it for sure, so the next day I tootle along in my flips, at my pace, and it’s so Peaceful.
Tomorrow I’m off to Minsk and will probably do nothing. The flight is late-afternoon and I want to finish all of Vilnius before I leave. Looks like I’m going to miss the Gates of Dawn.
This internet picture shows some of the Vilnius downtown. I saw none of it never having left the Old Town except to take the bus out to the country.
Trakai, the island, the town, the castle. It’s a 30 minute bus ride from Vilnius and a bus runs every 10-15 minutes so locals often pop over on a weekend when the weather is welcoming. So did I.
They had plenty of crafts – here they’re making paper, and there was a clay place, and jewelry, face painting, all the things you’d expect just on a more modest scale.
