This week’s photo challenge State of Mind is not one that I find easy. I can’t literally photograph my inner world. I can’t capture on camera the kaleidoscope of images in my mind. The girl in the picture below looks as though she is considering what to shoot next, a position I often find myself in.
My mind is often a weird mix of stuff like at Drybridge Market below.
4:21 pm (Tbilisi)
Located at 1700metres above sea level in the Caucasus Mountains, Bakuriani is one of three ski resorts in Georgia (the others being Gudauri and Mestia). I don’t ski but went with Khato and her colleagues to see some snow and breathe the pine fresh air.
our group
Nine of us went from Tbilisi, including the driver Dato. We went in a Mitsubishi Delica, ideal transport for nine in areas where 4 x 4 is a boon. We arrived on Friday evening and in Georgian style we began our stay with a supra (Georgian feast).
Friday Night Supra
On Saturday morning we went to the slopes in town, where Ana had fun sledding.
Ana sledding
Tamuna had a go at skiing.
Tamuna on skis
Khato drove a snowmobile, an experience she described as “magaria” (Great). After a circuit with her instructor, she took me around riding pillion.
Khato drives a snowmobile
In the afternoon we ventured higher, where it was Ana’s turn to ride a snowmobile.
Ana rides a snowmobile
The snow was deep, it was a pity we didn’t have rackets on our boots.
Trudging through deep snow
We took a cable car up to yet higher slopes, where there was a cafe and a great view.
mountain view
We could also watch the experts descending the slopes speedily on their skis.
ski slopes
The day finished with the inevitable supra. The following day it was snowing.
Our group in the snow
Ana was ready for some more experiences and had a ride in a snow buggy driven by Tamuna and then a ride on horseback.
Then it was time to venture downhill to the monastery at Timotesubani.
Khato in front of Timotesubani Church
Timotesubani Church was constructed during the “Golden Age” of medieval Georgia under Queen Tamar (1184-1213). Unfortunately the church was closed.
Ana, Oxana, Tamuna and Khato at the bells of Timotesubani Church
From Timotesubani it is a short trip to Borjomi, where we tried the famous waters. The Borjomi springs were discovered by the Imperial Russian military in the 1820s. They were made famous throughout the Russian Empire, making Borjomi a popular tourist destination. The history of the brand is closely associated with the Russian imperial dynasty of Romanov. By the 1890s, Borjomi was bottled in the Georgian estates of Grand Duke Mikhail of Russia. After the Russian Revolution of 1917 and subsequent Soviet takeover of Georgia, the Borjomi enterprise was nationalized and the water was made into a top Soviet export. It was Stalin’s favourite mineral water.
Drinking “Vahkhtanguri” Style
Before heading back to Tbilisi we found a restaurant for an over-long supra, where we met some Filipino tourists. They had seen snow for the first time in their lives earlier that day and were excited like small children seeing snow for the first time.
This week’s challenge is Time
branches across the moon
We have used the moon’s cycles since ancient times to mark time.
Ana blows out her candles
Candles on a birthday cake counting the years.
some games: Georgian language vocab games My high score : 32 (june 2016 my high score is now 392, progress as been made). (August 2016: high score 831)
You have a word and some pictures and you have to choose the correct picture for the word. ბამბა is cotton. (there are 285 words in the Georgian game).
ბამბა
As the game progresses there are more pictures to choose from.
Master Any language : Georgian
These links are for me to find (yes, I know I could bookmark them) but if you are interested in testing your Georgian feel free to click on them.
Georgian one of the four hardest languages to learn
Why is Georgian so hard to learn?
February, a time to redo New Year’s Resolutions kind of New Year’s Resolutions version 1.2.
3 May 2017… still struggling
jim holroyd 365 