Earthlooping and Mount Ushba
3 days spent in the High Caucasus and a couple of trekkings in the area to be sure that this is one of the best mountanious landscapes in Europe.
In the last post we were going to Mestia from Zugdidi. It was a 3 hour trip by Marshrutka driving through a really impressive road. As you were getting inside the Svan land and the road was twisting, your eyes were enjoying the High Caucasus. High mountains, snow and to the left an ice-blue river flowing through the mountains that reminded me to the Norwegian fjords. Everything a pleasure for the eyes.
We had one stop on the road to eat a bit. We had Kachapuri, a kind of round bread filled with cheese or meat. In there we could also prove that Svan people are really friendly, as a guy invited to a couple of glasses of Cha Cha. Cha Cha is the Georgian equivalent of Italian grappa. And it really were two full glasses that you had to drink at once. It was a nice introduction to the Svan country: getting drunk before even getting to the destination.
We had one stop on the road to eat a bit. We had Kachapuri, a kind of round bread filled with cheese or meat. In there we could also prove that Svan people are really friendly, as a guy invited to a couple of glasses of Cha Cha. Cha Cha is the Georgian equivalent of Italian grappa. And it really were two full glasses that you had to drink at once. It was a nice introduction to the Svan country: getting drunk before even getting to the destination.
Anyway somehow we made it to Mestia. There, there were again problems to find the accomodation we had previously booked, but after a few questions to the locals one guy took us to the place, which was a simple but cute guesthouse. There we met Evangelus, an American guy who is teaching English in the village and expects to stay there for a year.
Mestia is the main hub of Svaneti. In spite of this, it is really small, quiet, full with Svan towers and at this time of the year you see more animals on the street than people. Cows, pigs and especially dogs are the kings of Mestia right now. You see them everywhere and dogs must be quite bored as they attach to you wherever you go. As to people, there's not much movement in town: shops open late (if they open at all), if they're open sometimes the shopkeeper is away adn the same applies to bars and restaurants. Anyway, I think I prefer it to summertime, when it looks like Mestia must be full of tourists according to all guesthouses and activities offered there.
Mestia is the main hub of Svaneti. In spite of this, it is really small, quiet, full with Svan towers and at this time of the year you see more animals on the street than people. Cows, pigs and especially dogs are the kings of Mestia right now. You see them everywhere and dogs must be quite bored as they attach to you wherever you go. As to people, there's not much movement in town: shops open late (if they open at all), if they're open sometimes the shopkeeper is away adn the same applies to bars and restaurants. Anyway, I think I prefer it to summertime, when it looks like Mestia must be full of tourists according to all guesthouses and activities offered there.
View of Mestia and the surroundings
The first hours spent in Mestia were just to check that there's only one place with available Internet, to have a beer and go to bed. Arriving in town in the evening doesn't let you do much more (it's cold, dark and most of places are closed). But next morning the Sun was shining, the temperature was nice and Mestia had a bit more of life, and after a video conference with Centre d'Estudis Prat in Barcelona, we headed to the ski slopes. You cannot ski right now (there's still not enough snow) but if you go up there the views are really impressive. It's a 8km walk but some nice guy gave us a ride halfway on the road and the same on the way back.
View from the way to the ski slopes
It's really a reccomendable place to go. When you finish the road you get to the ski lift. Even if we tried to pay, they said it was for free and when you are on the lift it feels like you are really flying over the Caucasus. Awesome. On the top there's a restaurant and the ski slopes, but the best thing is the views you get over the whole thing.
Once back in Mestia it was quite late and dark again, so back to Laila's (the nice restaurant with wi-fi and a nice waitress) for some beer and something to eat and back to the guesthouse. Next morning it was the trekking to the Chalaadi glacier, especially reccomended by Evangelus.
Once back in Mestia it was quite late and dark again, so back to Laila's (the nice restaurant with wi-fi and a nice waitress) for some beer and something to eat and back to the guesthouse. Next morning it was the trekking to the Chalaadi glacier, especially reccomended by Evangelus.
On the way to the Glacier
At 10 in the morning we started walking. The trekking was 24 km both ways and it was done in 7 hours. To be honest it was a bit disappointing. You walk through nice landscape and when you get to the glacier it is really nice, but I don't think is worth the effort. Not being really fit and used to walking, it is quite tiring in the end and possibly there are better and nicer options of trekking in Svaneti.
Anyway, all the walk goes next to a river, at some point you cross a suspension bridge and you get to a wooden cabin where there are two Georgian border guards there (the glacier is right next to Russia so the cabin is like the border post). The guards were really nice and even invited us into the cabin for some tea and bread.
Trekking finished after 7 hours walking (last couple of km were by car as some othe nice guys gave us a ride to Mestia) and being quite destroyed was time to go back to Laila's and straight to bed. Some four or five dogs accompanied us home, of course.
Anyway, all the walk goes next to a river, at some point you cross a suspension bridge and you get to a wooden cabin where there are two Georgian border guards there (the glacier is right next to Russia so the cabin is like the border post). The guards were really nice and even invited us into the cabin for some tea and bread.
Trekking finished after 7 hours walking (last couple of km were by car as some othe nice guys gave us a ride to Mestia) and being quite destroyed was time to go back to Laila's and straight to bed. Some four or five dogs accompanied us home, of course.
Svan towers facing Svaneti landscape
Straight to bed because of being tired but also because next morning a Marshrutka was leaving to Tbilisi, the next destination, supposedly at 6 in the morning. So there we were, at 6 waiting for the marshrutka, which was waiting in the middle of town, but of course didn't depart until one hour later. The journey to Tbilisi lasted for 8 hours and luckily we got there safe and sound, which is quite a thing considering marshrutka drivers drive like totally crazy.
All in all, the Svaneti experience was really beautiful. Landscapes are breathtaking, the few people there are nice, you make friends with all the dogs in town and you have the opportunity to go on really nice trekkings. Really reccomendable if you are looking for some relax in the mountains.
See you in the next post!
All in all, the Svaneti experience was really beautiful. Landscapes are breathtaking, the few people there are nice, you make friends with all the dogs in town and you have the opportunity to go on really nice trekkings. Really reccomendable if you are looking for some relax in the mountains.
See you in the next post!
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