July 14, 2006
Hiking to Gori Jvari
This Sunday we did the hike to Gori Jvari (Gori's Cross). Our host Father and Brother Beka went with us. It is about a three hour hike round trip with the majority of it being rather steep one way or the other. Our host father told us that the church is 666 years old, but it was actually burned down in the 12th century by the Turks,rebuilt and then wiped out by an earthquake in 1920. It was most recently rebuilt in the 1980s (according to Lonely Planet Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan 2004). Anyway you look at it, it's still a REALLY old church.
Here are some pictures:
Photo of Gori Jvari from about halfway up the slope. We had the most beautiful day for the trip as it's been rainy alot lately. Today, as you can see, the sky was a beautiful blue.
Photo of the only snow capped mountain we've seen so far. It's a little hard to pick out so here are the directions: It's very close to the top of the picture, a little left of center. There is a line where the clouds stop and it's above that. We aren't quite sure, but we think that this peak is somewhere in South Ossetia (not quite Russia) and definately part of the North Caucaus Range.
Finally, as promised, more pictures of our smiling faces. From right to left, Amy, Beka, Nugzar, Tom and then some random person who was there at the time.
Comments
Wow! What beautiful pictures! How neat to be in a country with such history. We certainly don't have buidlings that are 600+ years old in the states.
Since it's been a few weeks now, has the new/exciting feeling started to wear off and the real culture shock set in?
Pictures are beautiful. I bet it would be even prettier if we were standing there with you. I love the mountains, and love you. Mom
What beautiful scenery! Its been raining a lot here too. We finally have had almost a week of dry weather but it immediately got very hot (90 + degrees). We have used the pool a lot.
Dad