Gruzie: od pobřeží Černého moře po vrcholky Kavkazu / Georgia – From the Shores of the Black Sea to the Peaks of the Caucasus
Author: Albina Iskandarova
Published: 1 May 2021
When I travelled to Georgia for the first time this year, I had no idea what to expect. In the end, Georgia utterly captivated me – with its kind-hearted people, delicious cuisine, coastline and mountains. Twenty-one days was far too little to experience everything this country has to offer. The best and most affordable connection from Prague is a flight to the city of Kutaisi, one of western Georgia’s historical and economic centres. I stepped out of a rather dated airport, and the first thing that surprised me was the presence of stray dogs. Now, I can hardly imagine Georgia without them. The issue of street animals is dealt with humanely – the dogs are sterilised and tagged with chips.
At first, I spoke English with Georgians, but I soon realised it wasn’t necessary – all the older people I met understood and spoke Russian. With younger Georgians, English posed no problem. As a Russian speaker, I never once encountered any issues despite the tense relationship between Russia and Georgia.
The capital of Georgia is Tbilisi. Although the country is only slightly smaller than the Czech Republic, it has a population of just 4.6 million. The largest ethnic groups are Georgians, Azeris, Armenians, Ossetians, and Russians.
The people of Georgia strongly consider themselves European. This may be partly due to the fact that the geographical boundary between Europe and Asia in this region is somewhat ambiguous and interpreted differently. Georgians look to the European Union with admiration – flags of Georgia and the EU are displayed side by side in many places. This reflects their aspiration to join the EU, though it remains an unfulfilled goal for now.
Adjara
Adjara is an autonomous republic located in southwestern Georgia. It is bordered by the Black Sea and lies at the foot of the Lesser Caucasus Mountains. Its capital is the port city of Batumi, once one of the premier tourist destinations of the former Soviet Union. Today, Batumi remains one of Georgia’s main tourist centres. Interestingly, it holds the record for the highest annual rainfall of all the cities in the former USSR.
Just ten kilometres from bustling Batumi, I found myself in untouched, pristine landscapes where civilisation had barely left a mark. Mountains, subtropical forests, and the sea – this is the unique protected region of mountainous Adjara. Here I marvelled at nature, visited the Makhuntseti Waterfall, and crossed the Queen Tamar Bridge. Queen Tamar remains the most revered figure in Georgian history. She ruled the Kingdom of Georgia from 1184 to 1213, and her name is associated with one of the nation’s golden ages.
But the most unforgettable experience was visiting an Adjarian family. Georgian hospitality is legendary. There’s a saying in Georgia: “A guest is a gift from God.” And from my own experience, I can confirm that Georgians are among the most hospitable people I have ever met.
Figure 1 – A woman in traditional Adjarian dress, source: personal photo
Our hostess prepared authentic Adjarian home-cooked dishes, while our host treated us to a tasting of homemade Adjarian wine and traditional chacha – a strong Georgian spirit. Georgians take pride in the fact that wine was first invented in their land. The entire feast unfolded to the sound of live music and Georgian national dances. No Georgian gathering is complete without a traditional toast. The host delivers a heartfelt speech, sharing personal philosophy and life lessons, and wishing good health, happiness, and love to all present. Before the evening ended, all the women changed into traditional costumes, and the hosts taught us Georgian folk dances. Men and women dance separately – a custom rooted in the deep respect Georgians have always shown for women. Here, women are expected to be modest, seen as the gentler sex – in the most honourable sense of the word.
This visit marked the beginning of my deep affection for this country.
Figure 2 – Acharuli Khachapuri from Adjara, source: personal photo
Svaneti
Figure 3 – The town of Mestia, source: personal photo
I then visited the mountainous region of Georgia known as Svaneti – a wild and beautiful land inhabited by the Svans. My main reason for coming here was to see the snow-capped peaks of the Caucasus rising above picturesque valleys, rushing mountain rivers, and alpine meadows.
Figure 4 – Livestock in Svaneti, source: personal photo
The journey began at the main station in Batumi, from where I travelled to Zugdidi. We used a marshrutka – a type of shared minibus that remains a common mode of transport across the former Soviet Union and the Balkans.
Continuing from Zugdidi to Mestia by public transport is not easy, as the marshrutka only departs once full. For that reason, hiring a taxi is a better option. Unlike Adjara, Russian is barely spoken in this area. However, due to tourism, communication in English is generally possible.
The main goal of the trip was the village of Ushguli – a permanent high-mountain settlement located at an altitude of 2,200 metres. If we consider Georgia part of Europe, then Ushguli is the highest permanently inhabited village on the continent. Around seventy families of the South Caucasian Svan ethnic group live here today.
Figure 5 – Ushguli village, source: personal photo
Svaneti is generally a harsh place – cold for much of the year – and Ushguli is often cut off from the outside world by deep snow during the winter months. Because of the altitude and climate, grapes cannot grow here, and so the Svans do not produce wine. Instead, they drink their own spirit, arak’i, made from apples or honey.
Ushguli is considered the most remote inhabited part of Svaneti, and reaching it from Mestia is no easy task. There is no proper road in the conventional sense – only a rough mountain track. The 46-kilometre distance took us nearly three hours by car.
But it was worth every minute. The view of Mount Shkhara – Georgia’s highest peak at 5,201 metres – was absolutely breathtaking.
Figure 6 – Riders in Ushguli, source: personal photo
The Svans
The inhabitants of Ushguli – the Svans – are often tall, fair-haired, and blue-eyed, which is rather unusual among Georgians. According to one theory, the Svans are descendants of European knights who once served the Georgian kings.
The Svans are Orthodox Christians, yet they have retained many pre-Christian, pagan customs. For instance, the ancient festival of Lamproba involves a procession of men carrying flaming torches through the night.
Some traditional customs such as blood feuds have also survived. If a man is murdered, his male relatives are expected to exact brutal revenge on all the men of the killer’s clan.
The symbol of the region is the Svan tower – tall stone structures, many of which are centuries old. These are one of the main attractions that bring visitors to Svaneti.
The towers typically have three to five floors. The ground floor – windowless and secure – houses livestock. The second floor is used for living quarters. The third serves as a defensive space, where families would retreat during attacks. Some towers are residential, others were built for defence or storage.
Today, a few of these towers have been converted into tourist restaurants – offering guests the chance to dine on the rooftop and admire the surrounding scenery.
Figure 7 – A Svan tower, source: personal photo
There is surprisingly little information about the Svans available online. They are a unique people, with distinct traditions and a way of life that feels like a world apart. As soon as I returned to Prague from Georgia, I knew that I would one day go back – above all, to Svaneti and its extraordinary people.