Our first stop in Armenia was Gyumri, the second-largest city in the country. It was terribly damaged in a 1988 earthquake in which an estimated 25,000 to 50,000 people died (out of a population of 200,000). There still are some buildings in ruins.
The main square
Monument to the victims of the 1988 earthquake
Typical streets in the old part of town
Sculpture in the city park
Fresh fruit and vegetables in the market
Nuts and dried fruit
Typical buildings in the old part of Gyumri
Russian Orthodox Church - the Russian army has a military base in Gyumri
Museum of National Architecture and Urban Life
Saturday 30 September 2017
Thursday 28 September 2017
Food in Georgia
Here are some of the dishes we tried and enjoyed (and remembered to photograph before eating) in Georgia.
Adjaruli Khachapuri - Georgia's national dish. Bread with melted cheese, a runny egg yolk, and a pat of butter. You stir the egg, butter, & cheese together and then dip pieces of the bread crust into the mix and eat!
Khinkali - large, juicy pockets filled with spicy ground pork and beef
Tomato, cucumber, onions & parsley salad with walnut dressing
Bread wrapped around cheese and roasted on a skewer
Fried cheese
Cheese in mushroom caps roasted in a clay dish
Megruli Khachapuri - baked flat bread stuffed with feta-like cheese and covered with more cheese
Beef kebab
Kubdari - bread with baked-in meat filling
Nadughi - cheese rolls stuffed with more cheese
Stewed vegetables
Adjaruli Khachapuri - Georgia's national dish. Bread with melted cheese, a runny egg yolk, and a pat of butter. You stir the egg, butter, & cheese together and then dip pieces of the bread crust into the mix and eat!
Khinkali - large, juicy pockets filled with spicy ground pork and beef
Tomato, cucumber, onions & parsley salad with walnut dressing
Same type of salad but without the walnuts
Appetizers - roasted peppers filled with cheese, pkhali (spinach or beet leaves with herbs and walnuts), roasted eggplant with walnut paste
Bread wrapped around cheese and roasted on a skewer
Fried cheese
Cheese in mushroom caps roasted in a clay dish
Megruli Khachapuri - baked flat bread stuffed with feta-like cheese and covered with more cheese
Kubdari - bread with baked-in meat filling
Nadughi - cheese rolls stuffed with more cheese
Stewed vegetables
Vardzia, Georgia
Vardzia is a cave monastery site in southern Georgia, built in the 12th century. Caves were carved into a hillside on several different levels, many just a single room, but several were multi-room and included inside passages from one level to the next.
This is our last stop in Georgia. From here we will drive into Armenia.
View along the road to Vardzia
The Vardzia site from a distance
Passageway from one level to another
Church built into the cliff
Front of church
Cafe at the bottom where we ate lunch
The hotel/guesthouse where we stayed for the night
This is our last stop in Georgia. From here we will drive into Armenia.
View along the road to Vardzia
The Vardzia site from a distance
Passageway from one level to another
Church built into the cliff
Front of church
Cafe at the bottom where we ate lunch
The hotel/guesthouse where we stayed for the night
Wednesday 27 September 2017
Borjomi, Georgia
We stayed in Borjomi for three nights. Borjomi is a resort town known for its mineral water. We have been drinking sparkling Borjomi water regularly since arriving here in Georgia.
During our stay we hiked a few trails in the area, and explored the town and "Mineral Water Park".
Our accommodation was a little cottage in the shadow of a Soviet style apartment block. It was fully equipped and very comfortable. Nice to do laundry in a real washing machine instead of the sink!
Street leading up to the Mineral Water Park
Around town
Old sanatorium (medical spa)
Train station and restaurant
Old mansion, now a hotel
A creek runs down the street to the park
Pavilion built over the original mineral water spring
Creek in the park
On a hike up a bluff overlooking the town
View from the top
Downtown park
Beside the creek at night
Our apartment
Inside our apartment
During our stay we hiked a few trails in the area, and explored the town and "Mineral Water Park".
Our accommodation was a little cottage in the shadow of a Soviet style apartment block. It was fully equipped and very comfortable. Nice to do laundry in a real washing machine instead of the sink!
Street leading up to the Mineral Water Park
Around town
Bridge into town
Old sanatorium (medical spa)
Train station and restaurant
Old mansion, now a hotel
A creek runs down the street to the park
Pavilion built over the original mineral water spring
Creek in the park
On a hike up a bluff overlooking the town
View from the top
Downtown park
Beside the creek at night
Our apartment
Inside our apartment
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