Author: billkralovec

We finished our Winter Break yesterday by Oliver and I seeing Tchaikovsky’s “Evgeniy Onegin” Opera performance at the Alisher Navoi State Academic Grand Theatre here in Tashkent. I was most excited sharing an opera experience with Oliver, his first experience. We were both impressed with the vocals of opera singers. It got me thinking about how many people can be opera singers. My vocal cords and lungs are not strong enough to project sound, and I am tone deaf. Most people are like me. Even people with good singing voices can’t necessarily be opera singers. It takes strong vocal cords, lungs, throat, etc. to get the volume needed for opera. It is amazing they can sing so loud that no microphones are needed. Opera singers also require many years of training to get to that level of performance. Only a small percentage of humans (1-5%) of people can become opera singers, and it takes so much hard work and decidation to become the best. I am in awe of their ability and swept away by the live music and performances. Oliver enjoyed the experience and was gracious enough to stay for at least the first act. I wanted to stay, but didn’t want to push it with him. I think it was a great introduction for him.

I have not read Pushkin’s verse novel. The performance is sung in Russian, and the theatre had subtitles in both Russian and English. I learned the word сосед – neighbor in Russian. It is a great night out for the $12 ticket price and free parking. Onegin is the story of a carefree bachelor who rejects the advances of a woman because he wants to stay single and fancy free. He later meets her when she is married to a prince and he regrets his youthful decision. It is a good lesson for Oliver that who you marry (or don’t marry) is the most important decision a person makes for a happy life.

One of the pleasures of winter is going to a Russian баня (Banya – Baths). The Bani is a large Russian spa here in Tashkent. I usually go with friends on Friday evening to kick-off the weekend. Oliver, my friend Aaron, and I went to the The Bani last night. It was Oliver’s first time as the place is only a couple of years old. It is located inside Central Park and features a restaurant, sauna, snow room, various cold temperature pools, and massage rooms. It felt good to warm up after my bicycle ride. Oliver loved the top-of-the-hour group sauna session where the banya master fans the hot air on the patrons. 50 guys in a huge sauna playing Russian rock music is hilarious!

A Russian banya differs from the Finnish sauna in that it has lower temperatures (140-176°F) and higher humidity levels. The Russians also use a веник (broom) of birch leaves. Banyas are also more social than the saunas, with multiple rounds of heating, cooling, eating, and drinking. The Russians also use a шапка, or felt hat to keep the head cool while in the sauna.

It was a beautiful, warm, sunny day yesterday! The air quality was also good, making for a great day for outdoor exercise. As I write this on Sunday morning, the air quality is back up to AQI 158 (Unhealthy). Nadia and I went shopping in the morning after working out in the TIS gymnasium. I always laugh that it is allowed for private vendors to sell goods out from of the super market. There are makeshift mini-markets all of the city. Almost any sidewalk is city has vendors.

Georgia is country #71 on my life list of countries I visited. We spent one full week of our Winter Break here, with 5 nights in the capital city of Tbilisi and 2 nights at a winery in the Kakheta Wine Region. The highlights for me were the beautiful mountain and valley views, the European feel to the city, and of course, the food and wine! I would like to come back again in the summer to do some hiking in the mountains and stay on the Black Sea coast. On a wider view, it was my first time in the Caucasus, the region between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea. I never thought of the Caspian Sea marking where Europe ends. Tashkent is east of the Caspian Sea and it doesn’t feel like Europe. Tbilisi felt like an Eastern European city to me.

Tbilisi reminded me of our beloved Belgrade, Serbia, a proud, distinct culture, a gritty city with a fun nightlife. It was a bit rougher than Belgrade I guess, due to the Russian influence for so long. The Georgians have an interesting look; some look Arab, and overall, they are light-skinned with dark hair. They were not overly friendly in a customer service kind of way, but they were not mean. We also noticed that they asked us not to speak Russian. We use Russian to get around Tashkent, but in Tbilisi, they prefer tourists speak English or Georgian. The city sits in the Mtkvari or Kura River valley that provides for dramatic scenery.

I read the New York Times How Georgia Went From the Vanguard of Democracy to the Front Lines of Autocracy that gave an in-depth analysis of the current political crisis and the history of the country. It is remarkable that the Georgians kept their culture and language intact after centuries of rule by larger foreign powers. The Persians (twice 400-600 AD & 1490-1750), Arabs (645-1122 AD), Mongols (1220-1330), Russians (1801-1918) and finally the Soviets from 1921 to 1991. I see why they cling so tightly to their Christian identity today. Just under 4 million people and about the size of the US state of West Virginia, Georgia is a small country near the larger powers of Turkey, Russia, and Iran. They are masters at navigating this, both historically and today. As in many countries today, the current government in power is conservative. I sensed most Georgians don’t like Russian interference in their country, especially after losing about 20% of it to the Russians post-independence. I also sense most citizens want European Union membership and an orientation towards the West. I think it will eventually play out this way; however, talking to expatriate friends who lived there previously, and went back during the Winter Break, the country is a lot less liberal and free, and has definitely swung more towards an autocracy. The Georgian Dream Party, led by reclusive oligarch Bidzina Ivanishvili, rigged the last elections and halted the EU application process. He made his fortune by purchasing state assets at bargain prices during the breakup of the Soviet Union. I don’t think he wants to be part of Russia, but he also does not want EU interference in his business empire or in how Georgia is governed.

I would definitely live in Georgia, and the Caucasuses are similar to the Balkans. The Balkans, being part of Europe, are more Western in their orientation and lifestyle. The Georgians are an “in-between” of Slavic and Persian people, and it makes for a fascinating mix. The scenic beauty of the region, access to water (Black and Caspian Seas), snow-capped mountains, and fertile valleys make it a delightful place to visit and live. It is definitely on the list of places I could live (Balkans, Mediterranean, Upper Peninsula of Michigan, eastern Bolivia).

We awoke to an overcast day in Tbilisi as we finished our packing and headed to the airport. The breakfast at Rooms Hotel Tbilisi was delicious. Both Oliver’s and my Airalo data expired (7 days means Friday, January 2 to Thursday, January 8), which created a situation where we didn’t know exactly how to get to the airport. Thankfully, Tbilisi has free wifi all over the center of the city, and we were able to lock the Tbilisi International Airport into Yandex Maps to show us an efficient route.

I loved looking over at Oliver, Ocean, and Nadia in the seats across the aisle from me. I don’t know how many more times we will be travelling with two of our children together. The three-hour flight went quickly, returning to Tashkent around sunset. I unpacked our luggage and started the laundry while Nadia prepared a delicious dinner for us. It was nice to be in our home again after a week away. It was the perfect getaway to refresh ourselves before we start again at school next week.

The family loved staying at the Rooms Tbilisi / Stamba Hotel in downtown Tbilisi. I wanted to treat Nadia at the designer hotel that is in a renovated State Printing Press from the Soviet era. She hung out in the chic lobby bar and restaurant, watching Homeland while the kids and I explored a bit more of the city. We had a delicious meal at the restaurant, and of course, we needed to sample a bit more of the fine Georgian wines. I think Nadia and I now that we are entering our empty-nest stage will be staying at more of these designer hotels. They offer a unique experience instead of the typical Marriot/Hilton, etc. that I usually stay at for work. We are taking care of and pampering Oliver on this trip, so we made him get a haircut at the barbershop in the hotel.

We drove back to Tbilisi yesterday. I watched the Georgian traditional Christmas Alilo Parade that was close to our hotel on Shota Rustavelti Avenue. Like many things here in Georgia, the traditional procession dates back to the 400s AD as a way for people to express their faith and the joy of the season. The name comes from the ancient form of “alleluia” that was sung in a Georgian Christmas Carol. Loudspeakers on a truck played Georgian polyphony music, a UNESCO-recognized tradition. This was banned during the Soviet era and came back in earnest in the year 2000, where it was made a national event. The parade today is a fundraiser for charity and is led by the church.

Nadia loves the Rooms Tbilisi Hotel / Stamba Hotel, where we are staying for our final two nights in Georgia. Developers renovated the old state printing press and transformed it into a hip, retro vibe hotel and office workspace with several cafes, restaurants, bars, and shops. She spent the afternoon watching Netflix on the couch in the lobby. After the parade, Oliver, Ocean, and I went to the Galeria Tbilisi and bought him a PlayStation 6 at Game Zone. The salesman said they sold 50 units on the first day they arrived at the store, with people coming from Turkey to purchase them. He didn’t have the special anniversary edition of the console, which is going for up to $2000 on the black market. Oliver was very happy, but he can’t play it until I collect the 18% refund on the Value Added Tax tomorrow at the airport. They are hard to find in the USA because of the demand, and the price is actually lower here in Georgia for the unit. He was over the moon with happiness.

We had a cozy two-night stay at Schuchmann Wine Chateau, located in the Kakheti Valley just outside the town of Telavi, Georgia. We had a lot of family laughs playing UNO: Show’em No Mercy card game and enjoying their fine wines and French fries. Nadia and I worked out in the adequate gym in the morning before we left to explore more of the area. Housekeeping and reception took good care of us and the rooms were comfortable with beautiful balcony views of the snow-capped mountains. I highly recommend staying here if you are visiting the area.

In the afternoon, we drove to the tourist town of Sighnaghi. It is located on a steep hill overlooking the Alazani Valley in the heart of Georgia’s wine-growing region. King Heraclius II of Georgia commissioned a fortress on this high ground in 1762 to protect the town from marauding Dagestani tribesmen coming over the beautiful Caucasus Mountains. The town is probably nicer in the summer. It was cold and muddy, but we did have an exquisite meal at the Pheasant’s Tears Winery.

We finished our tour by visiting the Badbe Monastery. It is the burial site of Saint Nino, who died between 338 and 340 CE. King Mirian III built a monastery on the site. Georgian kings chose the site for coronations during the medieval period. The atheist government of the Soviets converted it to a hospital. It has been restored since independence and is a tourist and pilgrimage site today. It looked to be a functioning monastery with brothers and sisters living, working, and praying on the grounds. We made it there near sunset in time for lighing perfect for photography.

We are staying two days in Kakheti, the “Napa Valley” or main wine-producing region of Georgia. We discovered Georgian wines in Tashkent. Georgia has one of the oldest wine cultures in the world, some people say the longest. The Soviets took advantage of this and converted Georgia into the “industrial” or “factory” wine production area for the USSR. Georgia still sells wine to all former Soviet Republics. Post independence, wineries are rediscovering their traditional methods and individuality. Georgian wines are now shipped all over the world, and wine production is coming into its own. We did a wine tasting here at the Schuchmann Winery last night, and I read Lisa Granik’s “The Wines of Georgia. Below is my description of what makes Georgian wines distinct from other wine regions around the world.

Georgia is different from other wine-producing countries for two main reasons:

1. Many wine producers use the traditional Georgian method of fermenting, aging, and storing grapes in huge (1,000 – 2,000 liters) egg-shaped clay vessels called qvevri buried in the ground and lined with beeswax.
2. There are 400 different endemic Georgian grape varieties and 18 appellations in Georgia, 15 here in the Kakheti Region. (An appellation means the wine is named after the region it was grown in, and not the grape variety, for example, Champagne.)

These provide challenges for Georgian winemakers. Making wine in a clay vessel is difficult. It takes hours to clean qvevri because the clay surface is prone to bacterial growth, and too many minerals from the clay seep into the wine. Qvevri are difficult to make and maintain as they are prone to cracking and leakage. Georgian grape varieties are difficult for foreigners to pronounce. A delicious, semi-sweet, red grape variety we discovered at the Ambrosiano Restaurant in Tbilisi is called “Qindzmarauli”. Say that quickly 3 times and try to market that variety to the world. The other challenge is climate change. Less snow cover in the winter (high of 13 C today) and more rain in the spring promote fungal diseases.

To simplify it for me, I summarize Georgian wines below:

1. SAPERAVI: It is the most common red grape variety, accounting for 40%+ of the vineyard land in Kakheti and 10%+ of all plantings in the country. It is an ancient variety and means “to color with” or “to dye” in English. Both traditional and European methods (steel – oak casks) are used to produce it. Lisa Granik writes, “its varietal character is distinctive, speaking loudly and clearly even when produced in mass-market quantities.” Saperavi is the signature red grape and is the equivalent to other countries’ Cabernet Sauvignon.
2. QVEVRI AMBER WINES: I never heard of “amber” wines before this trip to Georgia. White grapes are squeezed and then fermented and stored with the skins and stems, producing an orange or amber color. Combine fermentation and aging with the skins/stems and doing it in a clay vessel, it makes for a Georgia-only wine experience.
3. Rkatsiteli: This is the signature white grape variety in the country and accounts for 45% of all grape planting in Georgian vineyards. Granik calls is “Georgia’s greatest and most noble variety. The name means “red stem” which comes from what it looks like in the vineyard. It is another ancient variety, dating back to the first few centuries CE/AD.

We tried three Georgian wines in our tasting session last night.

• 2022 Schuchmann Tsinandali – This appellation is from a royal estate in the Kakheti region. It is a white wine blend of Rkatsiteli (85%) and Mtsvane (15%) and was produced using European methods. We scored it an average of 7.95.
• 2022 Vinoterra Mtsvane – Vinoterra is the brand used by Schuchmann when they produce the wine in qvevri. This was my favorite wine of the three we tasted. The amber wine had a complex taste, including being stored in an oak barrel after being produced in the clay vessel. We scored it an average of 8.35.
• 2023 Schuchmann Mukuzani – The appellation uses Saperavi and is aged in oak. We scored it a 7.90.

We had a great day yesterday. We stopped at the Ujarma Fortress as we drove from Tbilisi to the Kakheti Valley. Ocean and I toured the ruins of the fortress that dates back to 500 CE. We also stopped halfway on the two-hour+ drive at the Gombori Pass and soaked in the views of the Caucasus. Beautiful! I love family road trips.

I am interested in how Georgia became an unlikely Christian nation. It shares borders with several Islamic cultures, including Turkey, Azerbaijan, Dagestan, and Chechnya. From what I read, the answer is that it became Christian before Islam started and the Georgians identified with religion, even while being ruled by foreign powers (Persians, Mongols, and Arabs). It is amazing that they held on to the Orthodox Church through over 1,300 years of rule by non-Christian empires. The Orthodox Christian Church has been the official religion of Georgia since King Mirian announced it in 337 CE (AD). Why did he do this? Since this happened 1,689 years ago and with no records, it is, of course, a legend. The story goes like this:

Nino was a woman who grew up in the Cappadocia region of what is now Turkey. This was before the Turks came to Anatolia and before Islam started, and most likely, Nino spoke Greek as a mother tongue. It is speculated that she was raised in the early Eastern Christian faith, as this was one of the early centers of Christianity. The Virgin Mary came to her in a vision/dream and gave her a cross made from grapevines. She tied the cross together with her own hair and, being so inspired, went to Georgia to proselytize there. While in the ancient capital of Georgia, Mtskheta, she was preaching and performing miracles and healing the sick. She cured King Miriam’s wife, Queen Nana, from an undiagnosed illness that the royal physicians could not. That was not enough to convert King Mirian, though, until one day he was struck blind while hunting. In shock, he called out to “Nino’s God,” and his sight was restored. From that day, he became a fervent Christian and hence, made his kingdom of Georgia Christian, too. 

Nino continued to spread Christianity in Georgia until she died in 340 CE in Bodbe, Georgia, where there is a monastery in her name today. I am going to explore her story and during the trip, I am learning about the Georgian Orthodox religion. The original grapevine cross is located in the Sioni Cathedral near our hotel here in Tbilisi. When I asked one of the priests where the Saint Nino cross was, he pointed behind him. It is only shown to the public on special occasions. I would guess it will be on display on her feast day on January 14.

Saint Nino erected a cross on the site of the Jvari Monastery after converting King Mirian to Christianity. The original wooden cross became a pilgrimage site. The current church on the site was built between 590 and 605 CE (AD) and is a masterpiece in early Georgian Christian architecture. The word jvari means cross in Georgian. It is located on a stunning promontory overlooking Mtskheta. It is absolutely beautiful and was the highlight of our trip yesterday. The place could easily be the Castle Greyjoy scene in HBO’s Game of Thrones.

Another interesting legend associated with the Georgian Church is that Christ’s robe is said to be buried underneath the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral. A Georgian Jew, Elias, was present at Jesus’s crucifixion and took Jesus’s robe before he was crucified. He brought it back to his home in Mtskheta and showed his sister, Sidonia. When she grasped it, she was so overwhelmed that she instantly died while holding the robe and her grasp could not be unlocked. She was buried holding the robe. 

A large cedar tree grew over her grave, and the locals regarded it as sacred. When Saint Nino arrived at the place, she ordered that a church be built on the spot, and workers cut the cedar to make pillars for the new church. One of the pillars reportedly levitated in the air and “performed miracles” before being set into place with the other cedar pillars. The cathedral’s name, Svetitskhoveli means “Life-giving Pillar” in English. The cathedral still stands, and there is a marker where Sidonia’s grave was located and frescoes depicting the miracles. No official excavation of the site has been undertaken to search for the robe or the grave. The inside of the church was breathtaking and had a more relaxed vibe than the other churches we visited so far on the trip so we took a lot of photos.

It was a beautiful day with the family and we are really enjoying our time in Georgia. We finished the day by having dinner here at the hotel. We are heading to the wine region later today for two nights before we return to Tbilisi.

We had a quiet day recovering from travel, sightseeing, and a late dinner on Friday. I managed to tour the Tbilisi Botanical Gardens located in a deep gorge below Narikala Fortress. The garden sits in a deep gorge below Narikala Fortress, following the Tsavkisis-Tskali River. The canyon walls probably provide a microclimate and protect the extensive collection inside. I walked through most of the gardens and a long waterfall and views of the city were the highlights. A layer of snow on the ground made everything look even more scenic.

The gardens date back to 1845 and house close to 5,000 different plant species. I particularly enjoyed the Eastern Georgia and Coniferous sections. I didn’t realize the Himalayan Pines (Pinus wallichiana) could get so big. They were planted all over Belgrade and I only saw smaller versions. It is one of the most beautiful pine trees in my opinion. It was a good workout for me walking up and down the sides of the canyon. The waterfall was still flowing, but large ice chunks were forming.

In the afternoon, we went shopping at the AgroHub grocery store. Nadia loves grocery shopping in foreign countries! I took a long nap before we went to Ambrosiano Restaurant for dinner for the second consecutive night. We are loving hanging out and talking with Oliver and Ocean! We laughed a lot on an after-dinner walk through the streets of Tbilisi. There is a lot of good nightlife here.

It was a relatively smooth travel day from Tashkent to Tbilisi, Georgia, yesterday. Our 8:05 AM Uzbekistan Airways 3-hour flight departed on time, and only high winds caused a bit of turbulence as we descended into the airport. After sorting out our rental car, we, of course, stopped at McDonald’s for lunch. We started to notice that there are many dogs roaming the city, including the McDonald’s parking lot. They must be sanctioned by city officials because they have yellow ear tags and are generally docile. There was a dog house in the parking lot, and they must survive on a combination of handouts from the general public and either the city or citizens adopting to feed them.

The countryside, including the snow-capped Caucasus Mountains are beautiful! There are patches of snow and ice on the ground that make it even more scenic. We dropped our bags off at the hotel and went to the Galeria Tbilisi to buy socks and underwear for our son Oliver. We want to take care of our middle son and because he is studying in Wisconsin and so far away, we are devoting much of the Winter Break with supporting him. I just love spending time with him! It is great to have another male in the house again.

In the afternoon I went for a walk across the Kura River to see the Metekhi Church of the Nativity and the Holy Trinity Cathedral of Tbilisi. I am fascinated with the history of the Georgian Orthodox Church. Mostly because Georgia and neighboring Armenia are Christian nations on the edge of the Islamic sphere. Why did they convert to and maintain practicing Christianity in this part of the world? Orthodox Churches more so than Catholic Churches, inspire that sense of beauty and awe upon entering. The high domes, the gilded icons, the smell of incense, and monotone singing in the background raise that sense of the sublime and the power of God into one’s consciousness. It was very peaceful and awesome in the true sense of the word (inspiring awe). I like going to Christian churches as well because it reminds me of my parents and my childhood, being raised in a Catholic family.

The highlight of our first day in Tbilisi was dinner at Ambrosiano Restaurant. We had such a good meal it inspired me to write a review on Google and TripAdvisor. “A delightful meal and some of the best ravioli I have ever eaten! A 10/10 rating from our family. The restaurant is in a converted apartment from the Soviet era and has a cozy, elegant atmosphere. The restaurant was fully booked, but the maître ‘d found us a table in the foyer. Delicious red sauce, pasta cooked to perfection, and the prosciutto pizza was divine. To top it off, the house red wines (Saperavi and Qindzmarauli) were smooth and complex. I highly recommend it, make reservations, it is quite busy.”