Turkey

The last week of the trip as we cross the border at Sarp into Turkey on Sunday 25th November, we travel along the black sea coast on our way to Trabzon. I love being by the sea whatever the season (there's always something to see), the water is grey in parts turning in places to brown from the sand being churned up by waves splashing up onto the banks. Such a contrast in the weather today, it hasn't stopped raining since last night! So pleased not to be camping out in that!

We stop for lunch at Atatürk Alanı in Trazon. This is in the modern part of town which is up the hill and overlooks the port. My first kiymali pide for a few months and was most enjoyable!

That afternoon a visit to Sumela Monastery (monastery of the Virgin Mary), Greek orthodox used until 1923. Walked the easier 3km route uphill to reach this monastery which is cut into a sheer rock face, with the stream gushing down the mountain, the rain and mists swirling around the tops of the trees, this is quite a spooky place. Inside there are some amazing frescoes in the main chapel and sadly lots of graffiti! Went for the short route back, the path bends down the steep mountain for 1.4km.

Our bed for the night was at a motel in Cosandere, Maçka. A comfortable bed, hot showers and wonderful local cuisine, I had the lentil soup even though cabbage soup is the norm here (cabbages are sold by the road on the route along the black sea). The fish was good as you would expect close to the coast and mmm rice pudding (not at all like those school dinners!)

Travelling west along the black sea, it's a bitterly cold day. We turn inland at Giresun through the Kackar mountains and the pass 'Egribel Geçidi' on the way towards Sivas. Going through the pass it's snowing and the mountains are covered in the lovely white stuff! Some houses along the route look as if they've been shut up for the winter months, a few have smoke spiralling out from the chimney pots. It's lunch time and I'm beginning to yearn for our usual salad (tomatoes, cucumber, lettuce and onion) and bread but it's a little cold at the top of the pass at altitude of 2,200m so we continue driving to the foothills which are a blaze of green and brown from the recently cultivated land, we pass by trout farms and an Hydro dam.

Bush camping tonight is gonna be cold! We're looking for our camp for the night and it is getting dark very quickly now so around 4 pm we stop off to set up our last bush camp, ironically a few feet from a cemetery but no rubbish in sight. All our timber was used for the blazing log fire and to cook Alison's South African dish 'Babotie! which was very tasty (must get the recipe!) followed by 'Brucie's self-saucing choc pudd'. We had a couple of visitors stop by our camp, trying to converse with my limited Turkish was fun, the gist of the men with the van 'do we want fish?' and the lovely farmer and his wife who came by on their tractor who bade us well!

The next morning a bowl of porridge and a cuppa to warm us up before we continue on our way passing through Sivas.

Before we leave though I am told I have to lift the last tent onto the roof of the truck (now I have been up once already!) I think an honour as this is the last tent to be loaded on this trip!

A stop at a service station on the way which was not yet opened other than the toilets and the workmen kindly gave us çay!

We follow the route through Kayseri into Ürgüp where we'll stay for the next 3 nights. The backdrop is the snow capped Mt Erciyes (Erciyes Dagı) 3916m high.

Up at 5am on Wednesday 28th November and I can hear the early morning call to prayer but I'm off to Goreme Valley to take a trip in a hot air balloon. I've been looking forward to this so much and the flight didn't disappoint. The weather conditions were perfect and we were up in the air in time to see the sun rise. Our pilot steered us expertly up high (5,000 ft above sea level) over the amazing lunar like landscape with the fairy chimney pots and caves below and dropping low to get a closer view in amongst the rock formations. I didn't expect there to be as many balloons in the air as there was (about 50 apparently) being near the end of the season now. Sailed for nearly an hour over lovers valley and many fairy chimney pots. Definitely a trip highlight and one of the best experiences ever and I have a certificate to show for it (oh plus lots of pics!).

Later that day we went to Kaymakli underground city, the widest troglodyte cave city in the area, 8 levels deep with low, narrow and sloping passages (not good for the head or back!) with stables, churches, kitchens, wineries and an 80m deep vertical ventilation shaft. More fairy chimneys at Rose valley, Monk Valley, Imagination valley and pigeon valley and Uchisar castle, the highest point in Cappodocia.

Went to a demonstration of traditional Pottery making at Avalon. A family business using Red clay from red river for decorative items or white clay for general use. The potter demonstrated his skill on the traditional wheel before mama Ann took a turn, her face said it all when she exclaimed it feels like snot! Decorations were hand painted by artists before we were taken to their show room (funny that). I was particularly keen on their wine jugs but at those prices even the hard sell wasn't gonna make me part with my cash!

Declined the offer of a visit to a carpet factory even with a free lunch thrown in - been there, done it, didn't get the t-shirt!

Our last night in Ürgüp, we celebrated our epic adventure and Norm's birthday at Han Ciragan restaurant set in a cave where it was quite fitting to have the local speciality 'Testi Kebab' meat and veg cooked in a clay pot sealed with bread dough, broken then served. Pre-dinner drinks at the hotel, a photo slide show of our journey and people's highs and lows all made for a great night.

Early start the next morning and 13 hours later we arrived in Istanbul, having left sunny skies, it hasn't stopped raining. Glad to be out of trekking gear, I hit the shops and strolled around Sultanahmet, far too many tourists for my liking, think I'll leave sightseeing until next week. It's Saturday 1st December, our last night of the trip, where has the last 12 weeks gone?

I've had an absolute blast, have met some great people and had some amazing experiences along the way, so many thanks to all those that made this trip so special.

Georgia - Tbilisi, Kartli & Adjara Regions

Crossing the border back into Georgia was the quickest yet and we arrived in Tbilisi in time for lunch, a quick browse around the shops before settling into a local's cafe drinking carafes of the house wine.

The next day most of the group went off on a walking tour of the capital. Feeling a bit touristic weary and slightly under the weather, I opted for some me time and a bit of girly pampering. Found a small local hairdresser and had my hair done, neither of us speaking English ended up with a shorter cut than expected!
Took a taxi into the old town later that night where there are lots of cafés and bars in the cobbled pedestrianised streets, had a beer or two followed by a curry!

All too soon it was time to leave the city (think I may just have to come back here) as we made our way towards Gori, the town where Stalin was born. Here is the 'Stalin museum' which details his childhood, poetry, revolutionary activities and involvement with Lenin whilst glossing over the terrors he inflicted even over his own people. Stalin's death mask, train carriage and house he lived in when born are also on display.

Uplistsikhe is one of the oldest places of settlement in the Caucasus founded around 1,000 BC and is impressive, a cave city once inhabited by the Kings of Kartli includes theatres, temples and a 10th century Church. Climbing up over the caves, the way back down was through an emergency escape tunnel running towards the river which may have been used to transport water. The derelict village at the bottom of this city was inhabited until 1969!

Travelling the scenic route between Gori and Kutaisi, we're on a bumpy road, rolling hills, green forests, snow capped Caucasus mountains in the distance and pigs rubbing themselves against trees to add to the usual herds of cows and flocks of sheep,shepherds and their dogs.

We stopped to look up at Katskhi Pillar, where 2 churches are built on top of a 40 metre high cliff and can only be reached by way of a metal ladder. Lunched on top of a cliff, a little chilly in the wind and the usual rubbish lying around! Plastic, a lot to answer for but cast your eyes a little further and the views are great!

Kutaisi is Georgia's second largest city and after a quick look in the town went to our home stay up the hill, a lovely place with good views. A good meal was had by all followed by an evening of entertainment with some bad karaoke style singing, poetry and just a lot of fun!

Next morning I went to Bagrati Cathedral, today is National Day and obviously someone important is due to arrive here, there's an abundance of military and police surrounding the place, I was stopped and my camera checked before being allowed to enter.

A visit to Prometheus Cave, many amazing forms of stalagmites and stalactites looking like a film set in parts, a path 1200m long and then a boat trip on the underground lake.

Night on the beach camping near Kobuleti overlooking the black sea, watching the sun set.

Next stop Batumi, a seaside resort town, we are out of season now, a sole swimmer in the sea, the beachside huts are closed, it's a hot sunny day and I would just love an ice-cream! Walking along the boulevard, young boys riding their bikes, a mother pushing a pram, I can imagine how busy this place would be in the height of season. The Carousel is closed and the alphabet tower dwarfs the lighthouse. A park beside the promenade, a small pier, no fishing but some tacky music is playing in the background, the playground area occupied not by children but a couple of adults having their daily exercise? Interesting architecture surrounds including a business park with it's own mini carousel and some are just hotels! Plenty of high rise buildings with lots more construction going on here as this resort becomes more popular.

Our last night was certainly a Georgian Feast, the wine flowed and the food kept coming, we dressed up for the occasion, danced and said our farewells to ZaZa our guide for the last 2 weeks.

I've had a great time in Georgia and hope to come again when the weather is a little warmer to visit the Caucasus mountains.

Armenia

Arrived in Armenia after a straightforward border crossing, our quickest yet, even our truck got through before we did.

It was a long boring day in the truck as we skirted the Azerbaijan border which was to the left of the road we were travelling on, the views were great though and in the far distance we could see the mountains in the Nagorno region. Some of the villages and towns along the way had some hideous soviet factories in the middle (very typical of their time) and also unfinished buildings when the soviets left.

Staying near Dilijan, our campsite that night for 9 of us ended up being on a pig farm!  It was dark setting up camp and the next morning we could see where we had stayed, at least the farmer put the pigs inside whilst we were there!  The area itself is known locally as the Switzerland of Armenia due to it's Alpine views.

Friday 16th November and our next stop for the next 2 nights is in Yerevan, the capital city. Staying at 'Envoy Hostel' in a dorm and I have top bunk! (let's hope I don't fall out). A lazy afternoon, a hot shower and some washing sorted before 13 of us  went out for an 'Armenian Feast'. The food was very good, the wine was okay and 7 of us ended up in a bar 'Wild West' where we drank and danced and the locals did break dancing.  A good night was had and somehow I managed to climb up to my bed and crashed about 1:30 am.

The next morning after breakfast, the hostel provided a free walking tour around the main sites including 'Republic Square' which is home to government buildings and the History museum.

There is a delightful small church called St Zoravor which is hidden amongst some ugly soviet apartment buildings. This is the main church used for weddings but mostly people worship at St Sargis Cathedral.

There is only one mosque in the city 'Blue Mosque' as the rest were destroyed during soviet rule.

Went to the flea market later that afternoon, browsed the stalls and looked at the art on display.  Bought another bracelet to add to my travel collection!

Walked through the square where the opera house is avoiding the young lads on skateboards.

Climbed up the cascades for views of the city and Mount Ararat as the sun began to set.

A quiet night, an early start the next morning as we head to the Northern region. 

Not before long as we travel on the main route north (M6!), we come across a Sunday livestock market  on the side of the road, not particularly big but a wonderful spot to trade at with snow capped mountains the backdrop. 

Driving through 'Debed Canyon',  the scenery here is spectacular, the river running through, forested glades, villages only marred in some parts by soviet infrastructure including the railway line along the way and the ugly copper mining town 'Alaverdi'. 

The 'Haghpat Monastry' has great architecture and views of the canyon (shame about the mist) founded in 1st Century and at one point home to 500 monks . 

We then set up our bush camp  on a farm nearby, my turn to cook and the cottage pie was not too bad!

The next morning we head back to Georgia and Tbilisi.

Georgia & Wine Tasting

The border crossing was very straightforward, the quickest yet and no visas required.




Our first night was bush camping in Kakheti region which is Georgia's wine country. Our location was quite scenic by a river with a monastery on top of the hill.  A shame about the rain tho!. Set up camp, a chicken curry for dinner and a couple of drinks before heading off to our tents for the night, somehow I ended up with 2 dogs guarding my tent, nice but kept me awake with their barking if anyone dared venture too close!



Next morning was not so much fun with wet tents to be packed up and loaded in the roof of the truck (I'm on tent duty so ended up muddy and wet!). But worst of all was wet sleeping bags etc... most of us were not too happy and asked for home stay options.

A visit to Alaverdi cathedral, built  initially  in 11th century  still operational and the main spiritual centre of the area, inside the church are some great frescos including George and the Dragon.

There is a nunnery and a monastery at this site, a full wine cellar after the recent harvest of the grape vines but alas, unfortunately we couldn't enter!

Ikalto monastery, this was founded in the 6th century and in a lovely setting although very misty and was a famous Georgian academy,no longer producing any wine but renovation works have uncovered underground wine cellar,the barrels used for storage and baths for pressing the grapes with tree trunks.

Next night we stayed in Telavi  the largest town in this region,  not too much to do here but glad for a home stay even though there's no heating in the rooms, at least it's dry and the shower was hot.



The food was great with many regional favourites including the Georgian cheese pie 'Khachapuri' and 'Dolma' (rice and meat parcels wrapped in vine leaves)

Time for some wine tasting the next day at

Nodari's wine cellar, traditional wine making at a family home. Vats in the underground wine cellar, tested out some 2 year old white, a 13 year old red and the local fire water  chacha!  Not bad but a little sweet for my liking. Great bread and cheese too!

Next stop another winery, a bit more modern  and producing 200 ,000 litres of wine per year (2 white, 1 red) and 5,000 litres of grappa a year. The dry red was very good, got talking to the old lady of the house who was partial to the un-skinned white!  Couldn't leave without a purchase or two and an impromptu English lesson to 2 local 10 year olds!  Time to get the party started with music and dancing on truck!  Our truck was given a new name too!

That night 13 of us deserted the truck for a home stay, 3 of our group had left earlier that morning leaving just 8 to camp including the crew and guide.

 


We stayed in a pretty walled town called Sighnaghi which is in a spectacular setting with views of the valley below, the Caucasus mountains and the 19th century St George's church.  The lady who owned the hotel called Nana's was lovely and served up a scrumptious breakfast including Khachapuri, fried eggs and Khinkali (peppered mutton dumplings).

Nearby is the Bodbe Convent & St Niño grave, in an area with tall cypresses, the murals here are 19th century Russian style.

 

Driving up through the mountains to Davit  Gareja on border of Azerbaijan, there are 15 old monasteries in the area, scenery is amazing but strong winds are blowing and did so all night!  The Lavra monastery is the only one we saw, this is set on 3 levels and 5 monks live here now on the upper level, the caves of Davit on lower level. The Soviets used the area for military exercises and shooting which is just too shameful! 













So glad not to be camping that night, the 13 of us deserters went to stay with a family nearby, the hospitality was great and the owners and their young children made us very welcome and we enjoyed some fabulous borsch, Khachapuri and meat pies with some home made wine













A lot of jollity was had by us over dinner at both the restaurant in Sighnaghi and the family home near Davit Gareja, a round of songs, poetry and dancing, our  impromptu version of  Georgian dining customs.




Leaving now for a short visit to Armenia, looking forward to returning to Georgia in a few days
.