Four Seasons in Georgia

Text a foto Markéta Kousalová

A country full of contrasts. Wherever you land at any of Georgia’s international airports – Tbilisi, Kutaisi or Batumi, you will be welcomed by a modern building, in front of which you will be “ambushed” by stray dogs, and you will often be transported from here in a taxi that would have been scrapped long ago by our contemporary standards. Your driver will probably make a somewhat inaccessible and grim impression, but as soon as you pull out the Georgian greeting “Gamarjoba, rogor khar?” (Hello, how are you?), the first signs of melting appear. And if you can speak Russian, you will probably have a decent conversation. A lot of older natives surprised me at first with their knowledge and positive opinion of the Czech Republic. Or rather Czechoslovakia – it eventually turned out that they mostly “visited” us in 1968. Nevertheless, I always score points for my nationality.

The nature of Georgians perfectly reflects the turbulent history of their homeland. They can be as fiery and proud as the wild mountains that surround them. On the other hand, they can also adopt you completely, because they are used to helping each other in difficult situations. People from the mountains have been cut off from the outside world for centuries, and to this day, they are more conservative and stick to their traditions and customs more fiercely than the more modern-minded inhabitants of the bigger cities at lower elevations. Most of my late-Millennial contemporaries here grew up in a general lack of electricity, basic commodities and educational opportunities, and have experienced two wars. Maybe that’s why they live more in the present and are upset by precious little. Family is the alpha and omega to Georgians. It is your family whom you can rely on, not the social support of the state. Georgians are highly idiosyncratic, but also genuine people who have won over my heart in the three years of my work there. I first arrived in Georgia in January 2021 at the time of the waning Covid-19 pandemic. The contract of our company was initially supposed to last just three months, but we ended up staying and remaining to this day. This gave me the opportunity to discover, little by little, corners of the country like scenes from adventure novels or, on the contrary, from memories of holidays at my grandmother’s place.

I started as one does in the mountains and in winter. The closest to our base near the historic town of Mtskheta is the Gudauri ski resort, located on the main and actually only pass running from south to north along the border with Russia. The winding road rising and falling through the mountain passes is full of potholes and trucks from all sorts of Asian countries. Due to the extreme weather, the passage of trucks is usually regulated, and especially in winter, drivers can easily spend several days lined up in a queue in the middle of sheer wasteland. Ultimately though, you always get to Gudauri one way or another by off-road vehicle only to be rewarded by kilometers of wide, well-groomed slopes with modern lifts and a very affordable ski pass, comfortable lodging in new hotels, numerous ski rental shops and refreshments featuring scrumptious Georgian specialties. The most popular are khachapuri (something like pizza full of delicious local sulguni cheese), lobiani (a version made with beans), spicy (like beef goulash), and you can wash it all down with fresh pomegranate juice and, if you prefer, warm up with authentic Georgian cognac.

Having already started the topic of gastronomy, we must definitely pause at Georgian wine. Every native here will tell you that Georgia is the cradle of viticulture. Traditional wine is produced, inter alia, in the Kakheti region by aging in huge earthenware vessels called qvevri, which are buried in the ground fermenting the wine berries with seeds and bits of stems included. Thanks to this, the wine produced in this way has a very specific taste and color. If it is a white wine, the resulting hue will be golden to amber. My favorite, however, is red wine; I would especially recommend the Kindzmarauli variety. You should definitely not miss a tasting at one of the local wine producers when traveling around Georgia.

Springtime tends to be windy. From the Black Sea towards the Azerbaijani border, the entire country runs through a valley, seemingly “stretching” along. After the winter, it looks as if the whole country has been dipped into fifty shades of beige. That is why you will meet the least tourists in the spring...but even this season has its specific charm. Against the backdrop of a shabby and bare landscape, a pink flower announces a promising change. The spring wind blew me into the rock-hewn town of Uplistsikhe. The settlement from the 6th century CE carved into the rock is located near the town of Gori – the birthplace of the infamous Joseph Vissarionovich Jughashvili, aka Joseph Stalin. In Gori, you can even find its somewhat controversial museum, selling cups and magnets with a portrait of the dictator. But back to rock. There are several similar complexes in Georgia, including Vardzia near the Turkish border or the David Gareji monastery in the half-desert near Azerbaijan. Georgia was one of the earliest centers of Orthodox Christianity. That is why you will find countless churches and chapels, as well as still-functioning monasteries. Due to constant raids by Muslims from Azerbaijan, Turkey and Iran, Georgians built their churches and monasteries in inaccessible places. They were often fortified and thus also served as a refuge. The genius loci is indescribable, especially since even a church from the 10th century is often used without a break to this day, with only minor modifications. The darkness, the golden icons, the fragrance of incense and wax candles, and if you are lucky, the polyphonic singing of monks, are a guarantee of getting goosebumps. These places retain their authenticity despite their ages, even by the fact that they are still active, not just attractions for tourists. Georgians are deeply religious people and the church has great influence in the country.

Summer is marked by high temperatures around the capital Tbilisi, reaching even 36 °C. That is why this period is the perfect time to visit the Svaneti high mountain region, which offers countless treks of different lengths and difficulties. The route between the center of the area, the town of Mestia, and the village of Ushguli, which the locals proudly refer to as “the highest-elevated village in Europe”, is one of the most popular. You can hike to Ushguli in four days without having to drag along an abundance of food supplies or a tent. You can sleep and eat in the villages along the way. There are also glaciers in the area, which you can literally walk right up to. The crackling and rumbling sounds of melting ice will be your constant companion. If you are not a skilled hiker, you can also arrange a car ride with the locals. The experience is adventurous to say the least. But don’t be afraid to bargain (hard) over the price! Impressive peaks reaching a height of about 4,000 meters ASL, there are centuries-old koshki stone towers, wolves and bears, chacha wine brandy… Unforgettable experiences guaranteed!

The Svaneti region is connected to the capital by an airline operating – wonderfully – Czech aircraft from the Kunovice production plant - the L-410 Turbolet. However, it is really hard to get a ticket because this link constantly sells out. Another alternative is represented by a so-called “marshrutka”. A marshrutka is basically any smaller truck domestically converted into a utility minibus with essentially unlimited passenger capacity. These vehicles provide cheap transport across the country, but especially in the mountains, it is an adrenaline ride.

I saved autumn for the end, because it’s my favorite time of year. The colorful coat that Georgia can wrap itself in is absolutely incredible. I’ll take you with me on one more trip to the mountains. This time, together, we will herd horses from the mountain pastures of the Tusheti region. In Georgia, you can still encounter traditional nomadic pastoralism, involving sheep, cows or horses. In summer, the animals graze on alpine meadows and at the beginning of October, there is a large migration of herds towards wintering grounds in the valleys. I’m saddled on a smaller, stocky brown horse named Sheitan with a scar on his nose. These horses will not impress you by their beauty or pedigree, but by their unreal endurance, tenacity and perseverance. This horse takes me steadily through the dreaded Abano Pass (2,826 m ASL) and further along the road referred to as one of the most dangerous in the world. It’s raining heavily and my quality membrane boots and outdoor raincoat have long since lost their battle. My teeth chatter as I shiver, and yet I see a Georgian shepherd in canvas shoes and torn pants walking slowly forward with his sheep seemingly unaffected by the inclement weather. These people are as tough as the landscape that is their home. In the valleys, we drive the herd through the villages, the cars honk, the general traffic situation can only be described as utter and complete chaos, and yet I am the only one who looks upset. Our destination is the endless plains of Vashlovani National Park. After six days and about 260 km of riding in the Cossack saddle, we catch a view of the unique Vashlovani ecosystem, which in some places resembles the American prairies or canyons of the old Wild West. Yet another face of “planet” Georgia.

There are still numerous places I haven’t mentioned, although they are absolutely magical. But alas, it is time to say goodbye, and we will do so in the capital Tbilisi. Here, the remnants of oriental influence blend perfectly with Georgian traditions. There are sulfur baths allegedly as old as the city itself, countless Orthodox churches, characteristic houses with beautifully carved balconies, contrasting with the shabby melancholy of ordinary residential districts and Soviet prefabs with all sorts of extensions and annexes. And all this is seen from the Sololaki Hill above the medieval Narikala Fortress, with a statue of Mother Georgia holding wine in one hand to welcome friends and a sword in the other to threaten everyone else.

Nakhvamdis Sakartvelo! Farewell, Georgia!