2024 Georgia

 

Kvetera fortress church

Sitting inside the Kvetera fortress church.  What an astonishing masterpiece.  Its form, with the four main apses linked by smaller infills.  The shocking blue of the tiled roof.  And inside, the porous, almost edible stone makes the whole surface alive.  

The stone of Kvetera fortress church

The columns have wonderful capitals – with square elements in the upper corners, and semicircles in the lower parts.  Amazingly original, you wonder what the architect/stonemason was thinking when they came up with it…

Inside Kvetera fortress church

A recent trip to Georgia, mostly spent in the wine-making region of Kakheti.  Surrounded by the Caucasus, and bordered by Chechnya and Dagestan, it is home to some amazing churches and much more. With photos...

2024 Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan

High in the mountains, at the heart of Kyrgyzstan

Thanks to the driver, we reach the pass at 3,400 metres - very cold, but we did arrive.  The view on the other side just staggering - the mountains behind Bishkek, seen from the south.  To the west, Kyzart.  Then a deep rut in the mud caused us to skid, with the car at an angle to the road, and tipping upwards at what seems 45 degrees, wheels spinning hopelessly.  We had to gather from the surrounding fields suitably big but flat stones and put them under the wheel to provide some grip.  Got out finally, but road still really bad… 

This year's big trip was to Kyrgyzstan, via Almaty in Kazakhstan.  Wonderful unspoilt landscapes, including the huge and improbable Issyk-Kul Lake, looking like a pale blue sea ringed by snow-capped mountains, on one side of which lay China's Xinjiang...

The shipping containers of Dordoy bazaar

2023 Tajikistan

The entrance to the Yaghnob valley

At the last fork in the road for us: up to Margib, down to the Yaghnob valley.  Two huge peaks lour over the village here, green follows the river.  Just stunning.  The road here long, long, long, but worth it.  Not met anyone else along this stretch.  Before we got to Anzob, a few lorries, some carrying coal.  Turns out my driver has a water melon to deliver, so we follow the road to another part of Margib village.  Fine by me, but means we will get to Dushanbe late…

This year's big trip, to Tajikistan, little-known but evidently developing rapidly.  Come for the mountains, stay for the friendly people and the, er, mountains.

2023 Bilbao

The Guggenheim Bilbao by night

By the cathedral in the old town.  The smell of drains, and a light rain falling.  A characteristic feature of the houses in this district is the glassed-in balconies – like Turkey and Georgia.  Strange to see them here.

My latest trip, to this fascinating and little-known Basque city, home of the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, the "Spanish Mozart", Arriaga, and the extremely drinkable txakoli...