On to a new country today! It was a 2 hour drive to the border, then it was a bit of a hassle to cross. There’s land border is closed to entry for people, and has been since the pandemic;. We can exit by land but you can only enter by plane.  There’s been no official reason given but Azerbaijanis believe it’s to stop migrants from entering the country.

It took about an hour to cross – passport check, 200 yard uphill walk (dragged suitcases) to the Azerbaijani security screening and immigration, then a 300 yard uphill walk and across a bridge to the Georgian entry.

Finally we hopped into our new Georgian minibus for the hour ride to our local lunch stop in Kvareli. We visited the home of an ex-music teacher who now has a side business of providing tour groups with some homestyle Georgian hospitality. She and her husband created an amazingly abundant and delicious meal for us including homemade wine and grappa.

Back to the sightseeing! Georgia is an Orthodox Christian country and we will be visiting a lot of churches and monasteries. Number One: Gremi.

Although it had pre-Christian roots, Gremi’s short heyday was as a glorious royal capital rich from Silk Road trading, and dating 1466-1616, or until the Persians came in and destroyed it with utter abandon. “All buildings, people and animals” said the bad Shah Abbas I.

However this church and its twin tower remain. The church is known for its incredible frescoes, it’s surprising they’ve lasted as well as they’ve had.

And then another short bus ride to Telavi, our destination for tonight. Nothing really stuck in my memory as to any historical or cultural importance to this town. We did have an enjoyable stroll down the main street before arriving to our hotel for the evening.