In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “Victory.”
“Pobeda” = Victory
The Soviet car in the picture is called a “Pobeda”, the Russian word for “Victory”. Originally intended to be called Rodina (Homeland), the name Pobeda (Victory) was a back-up, but was preferred by Stalin.
GAZ M20 “Pobeda”
This week’s challenge is entitled “Close Up” (click on the link to see other interpretations). I notice many other bloggers have submitted stunning photos of bees, flowers, butterflies and dewdrops. I like to be different.
My image is a close up of a candle on the verge of dying. This was taken in an Orthodox Church, where candles are bought and lit and put in sand receptacles as prayers are said. The second image is to give some context to the first.
The symbolism of candles in the Orthodox Church is described in this blogpost: The Use of Candles in the Orthodox Church by John Sanidopoulos
The two principal tourist draws for Georgia are its natural wonders like the caves and mountains and its old churches. Georgia boasts being the second country to convert to Christianity (Armenia was first), today most Georgians are Orthodox, despite the efforts of their most famous son (Stalin) to turn them to atheism.
group photo
This is the second part of my post about our trip to Kutaisi on 7 June 2015 and features some of Georgia’s most important religious monuments.
Kutaisi is Georgia’s second city, to many it seems just like a large village.
Our planned itinerary for the day was :
We had to cancel our planned visit to Sataplia Cave, because the site was overbooked by school parties, who were visiting the same day as us. Prometheus Cave is bigger but lacks the famous dinosaur footprints found at Sataplia Cave. Ah well, we will have something to see next time.
Bagrati Cathedral is one of the distinct landmarks of Kutaisi, an impressive building that was officially rebuilt in 2012 after heavy damage. The original Cathedral was built in the 11th Century. UNESCO was not impressed and considered the rebuilding damaged “the integrity and authenticity of the site”.
Bagrati Cathedral
This is an image from the Wikipedia of Bagrati Cathedral under construction in 2009.
Bagrati Cathedral under construction in 2009. (from Wikipedia contributor: “Kober”)
Inside Bagrati Cathedral
Georgian Cathedrals have a lot of interesting stone carvings on the walls.
stone carvings
After Bagrati we headed out of Kutaisi to Gelati Monastery. The Gelati monastic complex near Kutaisi contains the Church of the Virgin founded by the King of Georgia David the Builder in 1106, and the 13th-century churches of St George and St Nicholas. Gelati Monastery was eulogised as the “New Athens” and the “Second Jerusalem”, and was one of the most important historical and cultural centres in the Middle Ages.
Gelati Monastery
Gelati monastery, church of Virgin Mary the Blessed. Mural of Christ Pantokrator on ceiling of the central dome (12th century)
We visited the church at the time a wedding was being performed, a lot of weddings were scheduled for 7 June as it is the day before the fast for St Peter and St Paul, which lasts until mid July.
Wedding in the church
One of the main attractions for me, was an old GAZ M20 Pobeda in the grounds.
GAZ M20 “Pobeda”
Maka liked the “Pobeda”, too. “Pobeda” means victory, Stalin preferred the name to “Rodina” meaning Motherland
“Pobeda” = Victory
Also there were plenty of birds to admire of the feathered kind, like these ravens.
ravens
A lot of construction work is ongoing at Gelati.
(re)construction
Our final sight was Little Motsameta Monastery, which sits on a spectacular clifftop promontory.
Little Motsameta Monastery sits on a spectacular clifftop promontory
The monastery sits above a bend of the Tskhaltsitela River. The name “Red River” refers to an 8th century Arab massacre.
cliffs
looks like we crashed another wedding…
Brothers Davit and Konstantin Mkheidze were among the victims of the 8th Century Massacre.
At the car park I find another delightful old Soviet car, a Zaporozhets 968M.
Zaporozhets 968M
Finally in the tradition of these trips we ended with a Supra (Georgian Feast), we convened at the Old Imereti Restaurant in Kutaisi, where my batteries died. Maybe just as well with the dancing in the minibus on the way home to Tbilisi.
Old Imereti
Inside Prometheus Cave, Tsakhaltubo
This is the third trip I have made with my wife, Khato’s lovely colleagues. (Previous trips: Davit Gareja and Vardzia Cave City)
Kutaisi was the furthest we’ve ventured with this group. We had planned to leave from Didube Bus Station in Tbilisi at 6am, usually we arrive on time and wait around for the others. This time they were waiting for us. It was going to be a long day.
Map of Georgia with Tbilisi, Kutaisi and Tsakhaltubo highlighted.
There were fifteen of us and the minibus driver, Levan.
rest break en route
Sundays in June aren’t the best time to visit the Prometheus and Sataplia Caves, as there are several school excursions with the same idea. When we reached the Prometheus Cave Complex the car park was full of minibuses and we were told we would have to wait at least an hour before our group could enter the caves.
We hung around in the lush green vegetation around the caves taking photos of each other.
The wait was worth it, the caves were incredible. The caves can be seen from a 1420m long walkway which goes through 17 “rooms”. You can only enter the caves in groups with a guide. The caves were only discovered in 1984 and are full of stalactites, stalagmites (the mites go up and the tights come down), curtains and petrified waterfalls. At the end of the walkway visitors can take a boat out of the caves.
The caves were fabulous, aided by clever lighting. (click on an image to see the gallery bigger)
Our planned itinerary for the day was :
Because of high visitor numbers we had to cancel plans for Satuplia Cave, we were told they were fully booked until 6pm, so we proceeded to our third destination Bagrati Cathedral….which I will cover in the second part of this post…
jim holroyd 365 