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Caption: Kakheti: East of Tbilisi Georgia
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Caption: Went East, old man: setting out from Tbilisi, over the Gombori Pass; reaching Gremi, the one-time stronghold of the kings of Kakheti, Georgia’s eastern most province; returning another day to the southern desert, home of Davit Gareja and its ancient monasteries; finding after all that an oasis.
This was my introduction to Georgia’s scenic splendour and ancient culture.
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Caption: Standing on the high ground of the Gombori pass, Kristo, founder and the energy source behind Ezo Tours, revels in the sheer pleasure of the imposing panorama.
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Caption: Gremi, Royal Palace, one-time seat of power of the Kings of Kakheti. Overrun for the last time by Shah Abbas in 1616, all that remains is the Church of the Archangels (1565) - and the wine cellar.
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Caption: Tools of the ancient wine trade in the royal cellar: sour plum tree bark for cleaning, and four- pointed forks for breaking up the cap of stems and skins, in the giant buried qvevri, clay pots, used for fermentation.
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Caption: From sixth century origins to current revival, a tale of
many monasteries. Davit Gareja
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Caption: Standing on the Azerbaijan border, somewhere near the top of the world, the sheer scale of this monument to remoteness and devotion is breathtaking.
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Caption: Watching for Georgia
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Caption: And just when you thought the day would pass without meaningful sustenance, after a breakdown scare, the marshrutka minibus of indeterminate age stops in the village of Obdano.
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Caption: This is The Oasis Club, 24/7 outpost of eccentricity, sustenance and hard partying, started by two Poles for reasons unexplained. Now a legend of its own making.
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Caption: This is the second of four stories from Georgia. Follow me here for the next chapter, Zangaura Picnic. And check out the first, Tales from Tbilisi!
Caption: #steller #stellerstories #stellerplaces #stellertravel #places #travel #georgia #kakheti #epiXtrip
Tour guide:
http://ezo.tours/
Website: jamescolledgephotography.com
Instagram:
@foodflorafaunaetc