When I told people that we were planning to visit Georgia most people knew very little about the place. Many people asked why go there, most didn't know where it was and some even asked me if I meant the American state of Georgia. So here's why, where and of course "whither".
First off - where. Georgia is a country in the Causasus region (named for the large mountain range) sandwiched between Russia to the north and Turkey, Armenia and Azerbaijan to the south. It's a small country, about half the size of the American state that shares it's name and a little smaller than the Republic of Ireland. Despite its diminutive size, Georgia hosts a diverse range of landscapes and climates, form alpine meadows, marshes, swamps and temperate rainforests to snowy mountains, glaciers that never melt and even some semi arid desert like land down near the border with Azerbaijan. Being in the Caucasus, Georgia is a mountainous country and it is these many mountain ranges that give it such diversity.
Georgia is one of the 3 countries, along with Armenia and Azerbaijan, that make up the Caucasus region.
Georgia's capital city is Tbilisi, a city with a little over a million people. Georgia is actually called Sakartvelo by the Georgians and it has its own unique language and beautiful, curly alphabet that looks fantastic but is really hard work to learn. It has been invaded and occupied by several powerful empires over the years including the Persians and the Russians and has a turbulent history to say the least. The country has only been independent since 1991 when it finally managed to break away from the Soviet Union.
The last time it was really on the news across the world was in 2008 when it was invaded by Russia and there was a short war between the two countries. That's all calmed down now but relations with Russia are still frosty and two regions of Georgia have broken away and are basically now under Russian control again, namely Abkhazia and South Ossetia. It is not easy or advisable to visit these two regions from Georgia so we won't be going there. Unexploded ordnance, the threat of kidnapping and banditry and the virtual impossibility of getting visas while in Georgia put paid to that idea. Despite the recent troubles Georgia is a safe country to visit apparently as long as you don't wander off into one of the separatist regions.
Russian tanks surging in to South Ossetia during the war with Georgia in 2008.
So enough geography and history. Why Georgia? Well, I studied English literature and Russian history and culture at university, really useful I know! As part of my course I learned about Russia's ongoing conflicts with the peoples of the Caucasus mountain region which includes parts of Georgia. This is where I first started to get interested in the region. I saw a Russian film called "Prisoner of the Mountains" made in 1996 and based on a 19th century novella Leo Tolstoy. That film was shot in Dagestan, a semi autonomous region in Russia that shares a border with Georgia. The whole film is available on YouTube and is really good so click this link to watch it.
Also, I have visited Russia 3 times with my friend Sarah and every time we ended up going to a Georgian restaurant for food as Russian food can get a bit much after a few days and every time it was awesome. Going to one of those restaurants became the highlight of our trips out there! Georgian food is big and hearty and the best thing is the cheesy bread pies, called khachapuri. It comes in all different shapes and sizes, from round and flat to boat shaped, some filled with just cheese and others with an egg on top. They are delicious and a perfect way to ruin your health and your waistline but for a good cause.
Boat shaped khachapuri filled with melting cheese.
Of course Georgian cuisine consists of more than just cheese filled bread but that's the most important part! Oh, Georgian wine is also very good and apparently wine originated there, probably. My other reasons for wanting to go to Georgia included the incredibly beautiful pictures I'd seen of the countryside dotted with its many ancient churches, the famed freindliness and hospitality of the Georgian people and the traditional music. I love listening to all kinds of music and always try to listen to some of the traditional folk music of whatever country I'm going to visit to get a feel for the place (and for what crazy traditional instruments I might buy for my weird collection!) Georgian traditional music is amazing, especially the singing. Apparently, the earliest polyphonic vocal tradition came from Georgia and polyphonic singing is still widely practiced all over Georgia today.
Georgian traditional folk song called "Shenma survilma damlia" with picures of the country.
Another traditional song with added big beards and mustaches!
So, that's why I wanted to go to Georgia. Cheese, bread, music and mustaches. That should just about do it!
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