Archive for the ‘Central Asia’ Category
Jan 2, 13 • Azerbaijan, Georgia, Holland, Iran, Myanmar / Burma, Romania, Thailand, Travel experiences, Turkey, Ukraine, Uzbekistan • 2 Comments »
Year 2012 was very successful in terms of traveling and full of thrilling impressions and amazing discoveries. In 2012 I started my long term trip and spent exactly half of the year (July-December) traveling full time. First part of the year I...
Oct 7, 12 • Georgia • 1 Comment »
Wine is constant proof that God loves us & loves to see us happy. Benjamin Franklin There was no question where we should go to drink wine – Kacheti, the wine basket of Georgia. Moreover September is the harvest season when grapes are...
Sep 15, 12 • Georgia • No Comments »
The main means of transport in Georgia so far is so called marshrutka, a minibus. They are usually old and shattered. Drivers are grim and swearing. We took these minibuses all everywhere in Georgia: along the black coast, then to Kutaisi, survived...
Sep 13, 12 • Georgia • 1 Comment »
Borjomi is a small resort town in south-central Georgia very often overlooked by visitors to Georgia. Alternatively people spend only one night here. Just few come here to explore the town and the Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park. Borjomi is very...
Sep 12, 12 • Georgia • 4 Comments »
Swastika is an equilateral cross with four arms bent at right angles. This sigh is usually associated with World War 2 and the Nazi regime in Germany. At least in Europe and the North America. I knew that this sign is widely used in India and...
Sep 12, 12 • Georgia • 1 Comment »
On a rainy day in Tbilisi, we decided to visit the National Museum. Usually I kind of get bored in museums, however this one has caught my attention, as it was hosting an impressive collection of golden jewelries from the ancient kingdom of Colchis...
Sep 10, 12 • Georgia • 8 Comments »
After hiking in Svaneti we could not leave Georgia without going to Kazbegi. To be in Georgia and not visit Kazbegi is like visiting Prague and not seeing the Charles bridge. Besides the Georgia Military Highway which leads to Kazbegi and the...
Sep 7, 12 • Georgia • 5 Comments »
Shashlyk is a form of Shish kebab popular throughout the former Soviet Union, Eastern Europe, Pakistan, Iran, Mongolia, and Israel among other places. Shashlyk (meaning skewered meat) was originally made of lamb (in some extent pork or beef)....
Sep 6, 12 • Georgia • 2 Comments »
For some people cemeiteries are sad places. For people from a Romanian village Săpânţa the cemetery is a happy place. Traditionally in many countries pictures of deceased people are placed on tomb stones. In some – only a face or a bust,...
Aug 28, 12 • Georgia • 9 Comments »
After one day of rest and some small walks on the outskirts of Mestia it was time for a a big one. Time to hike to Koruldi lakes at the foot of Ushba mountain. Everybody calls it the Cross hike because first you have to climb through woods up to the...
Aug 25, 12 • Georgia • 1 Comment »
After settling down and exploring a bit of Mestia the previous evening we decided to wake up early and hike to Chalaadi glacier, the closest one to the village. With a map of hiking trails from the information office we made our way through the...
Aug 24, 12 • Georgia • No Comments »
After shaving fast through the Black coast we decided to go to the mountains of Svaneti. We chose Kutaisi as a base. Two days later and 6 hours of roller coaster ride from Kutaisi on a marshrutka(minibus) we safely arrived to Mestia, Svaneti. The...
Aug 21, 12 • Georgia • No Comments »
We were leaving Ayder in Kaskar mountains in hope for some sun, beach and swimming, and because it was rainy, foggy and cold, and because Mara was a bit sick and totally in no condition to hike really-good-Scottish-summer style. No one expected...
Jun 28, 12 • Uzbekistan • 1 Comment »
If you ask me to give three reasons to visit Uzbekistan, i will definitely answer: 1) Hospitality, 2) Food and 3) Architecture. Or 1)Food, 2) Hospitality and 3) Architecture. Or 1) Architecture….but you get the point, food is always one of...
Apr 17, 12 • Azerbaijan, Central Asia • 1 Comment »
When I was in Baku last month the capital of Azerbaijan was preparing for Novruz Bayrami. I had never heard of this holidays before. First my attention was attracted by decorations made of wheat sprouts. They are called semeni and an essential part...
Mar 27, 12 • Azerbaijan, Central Asia • 6 Comments »
Tandyr is a an oven on ground or dug into ground, usually built of clay. In different countries it is called – tundur, tunur, tanur, turn, Tandr, tendir, tandoori, tandyr, etc. This type of ovens is widespread in Turkey, Azerbaijan,...
Dec 29, 11 • Central Asia, Samarkand, Uzbekistan • 2 Comments »
One of the main attractions of Samarkand is Gur Emir mausoleum. It is the mausoleum of the conqueror Timur (also known as Tamerlane) where his tomb is located. The mausloleum is a part of Muhammad Sultan ensemble...
Dec 26, 11 • Central Asia, Samarkand, Uzbekistan • 4 Comments »
I have never really connected Smarkand with Uzbekistan. I knew it is there, but when i think of Uzbekistan, i think about the Soviet Socialistic Republic of Uzbekistan. While thinking of Samarkand, which was the capital of Tamerlane Empire,...
