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Hidden Europe: The eye-opening spots you've never heard of

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  • Hidden Europe: The eye-opening spots you've never heard of

    Sydney Morning Herald, Australia
    July 30 2014

    Hidden Europe: The eye-opening spots you've never heard of

    Travel
    DateJuly 29, 2014



    Expect the unexpected when you venture to the ancient Caucasus, writes
    Isobel King.

    I stare at the wizened old leather shoe in the history museum in
    Yerevan and lean in again to double check the date: 3500BC. I do the
    sums - that's more than 5500 years old. I was taken by the
    mint-condition clay vessels that are 4000 years old and the fully
    intact wagons and chariots dug up from the shores of Lake Sevan.

    But this little moccasin, sewn from one piece of leather, has me
    mesmerised. It's a lasting reminder of just how ancient, yet
    relatively little known, this part of the world is.

    Haydar Aliyev Cultural Centre in Baku, Azerbaijan. Photo: Getty Images

    For me, it's the final day of an eye-opening tour through Azerbaijan,
    Georgia and Armenia, former Soviet republics that are part of a region
    known as the Caucasus.


    Peregrine Adventures spent a year putting together the 17-day
    itinerary and we are on the maiden tour. It's a group of 13, including
    two spirited women in their 70s, and we represent seven different
    countries between us, not including Bob, our Russian guide, proving
    curiosity has no barriers.

    The capital of Baku is the base for most of our four days in
    Azerbaijan, where the expedition begins. It's a city dripping in oil
    wealth, with a mishmash of architectural styles that's oddly
    compelling.

    Peasant woman sitting on road with dog in Georgia. Photo: Getty Images

    There are the majestic buildings dating from Azerbaijan's days under
    the Russian tsars, just blocks away from drab Soviet towers awaiting
    "beautification". The inventive approach is to dress their facades in
    stone, attach ornate balconies - et voila, as good as old.

    Wandering around the cobbled streets of Baku's mediaeval walled
    centre, taking in the Palace of the Shirvanshahs and other historic
    sites, the Dubai-like glass Flame Towers beyond the walls lend the
    perspective a science-fiction quality.

    The newly completed Heydar Aliyev Cultural Centre is a showstopper, an
    astounding piece of modern architecture designed by famous Iraqi-born
    British architect Zaha Hadid. It's like a white serpent rising from a
    grassy knoll that suddenly livens up the trip in from the airport.

    Tsminda Sameba Church. Photo: iStock

    Life on the streets of Baku feels similar to a modern city anywhere.
    Islamic Azerbaijan is a historically tolerant society. Cafes,
    restaurants and shops are buzzing, and in the boulevards and parks by
    the waterfront, adjoining the Caspian Sea, the world's biggest salt
    lake, burqa-clad women can be seen strolling alongside young things in
    the latest fashion. At night, the city is beautifully lit, reminiscent
    at times of strolling around Paris. Hence its name, Paris of the East.

    Well, not quite.

    We take the hour's trip to Qobustan, past endless oil rigs, and
    clamber up a rocky path in the heat to inspect ancient rock engravings
    in nooks and crannies everywhere.

    Vardzia cave city, Samtskhe-Javakheti, Georgia. Photo: Getty Images

    Civilisation in this UNESCO-protected region has been traced back
    40,000 years, and the fascinating on-site museum captures slabs of it
    in highly informative and interactive displays. At the foot of the
    hill, I stop at a fenced-off rock engraving made by a passing Roman
    officer. It dates from AD90. Graffiti spans all the centuries.

    On the road north-west to Georgia, as we watch the amazing transition
    from dry, salty plains to the first few sprigs of green inland, to the
    incredibly lush countryside that abruptly springs from nowhere all in
    a matter of hours, we stop in Sheki, visiting the 18th-century Shaki
    Khan Palace.

    It's a marked departure from the elaborate mosques and stone tombs
    seen earlier. This was the summer palace of the local ruling Shaki
    Khans. Its intricate, timber-framed stained-glass windows, still
    hand-crafted locally, are apparently popular with wealthy sheiks.
    Inside, every room is lined with vibrantly coloured frescoes.

    Mtkvari River as it runs through Tbilisi. Photo: Getty Images

    The palace and Baku's mediaeval city are Azerbaijan's historical
    highlights for me.

    In our seven days in Georgia, it seems as if we have criss-crossed its
    entire 70,000 square kilometres in our little minibus, when in reality
    we have managed a select grab bag of highlights, including half a
    dozen or so UNESCO World Heritage sites. Georgians adopted
    Christianity in the early 4th century, so historic churches and
    monasteries are regular stops.

    The whole country feels freshly renovated, from cities, to roads, to
    hotels, to tourist attractions. Scaffolding and road works are as
    etched in my memory as the mountains, rivers, fields of wild flowers
    and endless green vistas that have accompanied our travels.

    Gobustan mud volcanoes. Photo: Getty Images

    The 10-year presidency of pro-western Mikheil Saakashvili, which ended
    with the elections last November, has marked the country's economic
    rejuvenation after a decade of chaos.

    We have driven through winemaking regions in Georgia's south and had
    our first introduction to chacha, the local rocket fuel, courtesy of
    farmer Simon and his family entourage.

    In their purpose-built stone cellar in the small town of Sighnaghi, a
    stone's throw from the Azerbaijan border, we are shown a contraption
    that looks positively mediaeval. It's the chacha maker, the "grape
    vodka" found everywhere. It's wincingly potent and sets the mood for a
    lively cellar feast. That lunch was our first introduction to
    khachapuri, the devilishly moreish flat cheese bread that's on every
    menu.

    Wine lovers should note: Georgia's winemaking tradition goes back 8000
    years. An official wine map reveals snaking trails everywhere and a
    baffling 437 different grape varieties. If in doubt, the ever-popular
    Saperavi reds and Rkatsiteli whites are sound bets.

    We have gone north and climbed into the heart of Europe's highest
    mountain range - the snow-capped Greater Caucasus. It stretches for
    1200 kilometres, forming the border with Russia to the north.

    Our destination for two nights is the remote ski resort of Gudauri,
    heaving with skiiers in winter apparently, but a desolate spot in
    summer: a scattering of buildings on austere, grassy slopes. The lone
    supermarket proves the main social hub on our visit.

    At 2196 metres, Gudauri is the highest village on the famous Georgian
    Military Highway, an ancient north-south trading route that has been
    recently upgraded into a flawless stretch of road.

    It's the launch pad for a day trip to nearby Kazbegi, where a one-hour
    hike up the steep, rocky foothills (jeep optional) is rewarded with
    hauntingly beautiful views from the remote 14th-century Gergeti
    Trinity Church. No invader was going to take this prize easily.

    The clouds clear to offer a perfect view of Mount Kazbeg, at 5047
    metres, one of the higher glaciers in the Caucasus.

    We have gone west as far as Kutaisi, the country's second largest
    city, stopping on the way at Stalin's birthplace in Gori. His humble
    family home lies in the grounds of the Stalin Museum, where rooms of
    black-and-white photographs, news clippings and memorabilia document
    not just the rise of a dictator, but graphic examples of hardships and
    horrors.

    And, of course, we have spent time in the charming capital of Tbilisi,
    an easily walkable city of 1.2 million divided by the Mtkvari River.
    It's in the final throes of an extensive renovation.

    The UNESCO-protected old district has had most of the buildings'
    crumbling facades replaced. They contrast with contemporary structures
    nearby.

    It's a laid-back city, where most of the action centres around the
    main thoroughfare, Rustaveli Avenue and the lively network of streets
    in the old town.

    The pace has been fast and furious, with a couple of 10-hour days on
    the road. Framed by the bus window are watchtowers and forts,
    crumbling stone houses and defunct old factories, new buildings with
    shiny tin roofs, and the drab, grey apartment blocks that dot the
    landscape everywhere in this part of the world, legacies of the Soviet
    era.

    I'm still prizing the grit out of my hair from a visit to the
    12th-century cave city of Vardzia, in the south-west. I conclude that
    tunnels, perilously steep steps, low rock ceilings and a power
    blackout are not a good combination. The city was carved into a
    mountain, stretching across 500 metres, a feat of human endeavour.

    Nino, our bubbly Georgian guide, succinctly sums up her country's
    history: "So many times, occupied, destroyed, rebuilt . . . occupied,
    destroyed, rebuilt". She may as well have been talking about any of
    the countries we visit. Preserving their architecture against the
    constant onslaught has been challenging. Mongols, Persians, Russians
    and Ottomans have all fancied their chance in this strategic
    crossroads of Europe and Asia. Many of the historic sites we visit
    have been rebuilt from ruins.

    I have seen so many monasteries and churches that they have merged
    into a glorious pastiche of soaring stone structures, frescoes,
    brightly coloured icons and priests in black robes going about their
    business, seemingly impervious to the coachloads of tourists.

    Mostly I tend to remember them by their locations: behind protective
    walls, such as the magnificent Svetitskhoveli Cathedral in the centre
    of historic Mtskheta, where Christ's robe is allegedly buried; on
    remote hilltops, such as the 6th century Jvari Church peering down
    over Mtskheta; and in Kutaisi, the collection of beautiful stone
    buildings that make up Gelati Monastery, where of one of the greatest
    Georgian kings, David the Builder, has his tomb.

    The trio of countries was part of the Soviet Union up until their
    independence in 1991. The itinerary has been carefully mapped to avoid
    any potential hot spots (see trip notes). For us, everywhere we travel
    feels safe and welcoming.

    Russian is the de-facto second language and English can be patchy
    outside the capitals, so although independent travel is possible, I
    imagine it could be tricky, once the complication of visas and long
    border crossings are taken into account.

    On day 11, Armenia greets us across the Bavra border crossing from
    Georgia late afternoon with rough roads, thunderous black clouds and
    the bleak, barely habitable landscape of this northern region. It's a
    fittingly atmospheric entry to a country that lies in the shadow of
    Mount Ararat, where Noah's Ark is said to have come to rest after the
    flood.

    En route to the capital, we stop at Gyumri, the country's
    second-largest city, which was devastated by an earthquake in 1988 and
    is still struggling to get rebuilt. We park in the main square and
    wander through the back streets, past half-crumbling stone buildings
    that are still beautiful, but just skeletons now. Some have been
    rebuilt, but there's a long way to go.

    The gritty capital of Yerevan, on the other hand, is bristling with
    energy and artistic life, with signs of progress everywhere. The
    transition from the relative stability of the Soviet period to now has
    been rocky. The country isn't flush with funds, but the large Armenian
    diaspora is generous.

    The Armenian Genocide Museum is closed until April 2015 for an
    extensive renovation. A new mall in the city centre is almost
    finished. There are sculptures and statues everywhere, many recent,
    that salute famous Armenians.

    Edgy bars and restaurants all over the city are packed with chatty,
    locals fluent in English, eager to exchange stories.

    We take the 20-kikometre trip to see Etchmiadzin Cathedral, Armenia's
    answer to Vatican city. Armenia was the first country to adopt
    Christianity as its official religion, in 301AD, and this is its
    expansive headquarters: clipped lawns, trees and newly laid paths
    leading to an assortment of buildings. The central Mother Cathedral is
    covered with scaffolding on our June visit.

    Inside, through an arch, we visit the small museum, which houses
    sacred relics, including the lance that supposedly pierced the side of
    Christ and a petrified splinter of Noah's Ark. Whether myth or fact,
    I'm again enthralled by random fragments of history.

    For me, the trip ended in Yerevan, leaving the posse to take the
    overnight trip to the mediaeval town of Goris. I would have loved to
    explore Armenia more, but this trip has been an absorbing introduction
    to a trio of countries geographically close but unique, and all
    embracing the tourist wave. I felt lucky to beat the hordes.

    The writer was a guest of Peregrine Adventures.

    FIVE MORE SIGHTS TO SEE IN THE CAUCASUS

    ATESHGAH FIRE TEMPLE, BAKU

    A short drive along the Absheron Peninsula, this recently restored
    open temple, complete with mannequins recreating temple life, sheds
    light on how the fire-worshipping Zoroastrians lived. An
    English-speaking guide is essential, as there's little information on
    site.

    YANAR DAG (FIRE MOUNTAIN), BAKU

    Nor far from the fire temple is this intriguing natural phenomenon.
    Even when the snow falls, natural gases from the earth keep these
    flickering flames alive.

    UPLISTSIKHE CAVE CITY, GEORGIA

    A series of caves cut into a mountain are what remain of this small
    3000-year-old complex. It's interesting to scramble around and picture
    life as it was then. The museum below is well worth visiting for its
    archaeological finds and information.

    FINE ARTS MUSEUM, TBILISI

    The Treasury section of this small museum holds one of the finest
    collections of Georgian icons and crosses, retrieved from churches and
    monasteries everywhere.

    MASHTOTS MATENADARAN, YEREVAN

    This ancient manuscripts museum contains room after room of sublimely
    intricate and richly coloured manuscripts, including a whopper
    weighing in at 27 kilograms. There's also maps and other historical
    documents to inspect.

    TRIP NOTES

    GETTING THERE

    >From Australia, one option is to fly Emirates to Dubai from where it's
    under three hours to Baku or Yerevan, the start/end points of the
    featured trip. Azerbaijan Airlines has regular flights to Dubai-Baku.
    Fly Dubai has regular flights to Yerevan-Dubai.

    See emirates.com; azal.az.

    TOURING THERE

    Peregrine Adventures has five departures for the 17-day Azerbaijan,
    Georgia and Armenia tour in 2015, the first is on May 10. Tours start
    from $3575 a person including a local tour leader, arrival transfer,
    transportation, accommodation, some meals and activities.

    Phone 1300 854 445; see peregrineadventures.com.

    TRAVELLING THERE

    Australians require visas for Armenia and Azerbaijan, which can be
    applied for online. As there are ongoing tensions in the border region
    between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the Australian government advises
    travellers to avoid Nagorno-Karabakh and the military occupied area
    surrounding it. In Georgia, the government cautions against visiting
    the disputed regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, as well as Pankisi
    Gorge north of Akhmeta.

    View photos at
    http://www.smh.com.au/travel/hidden-europe-the-eyeopening-spots-youve-never-heard-of-20140723-3cen5.html

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