STATESIDE RETURN

Right now, Karol and I are in the United Club at O'Hare, Chicago, waiting for our 9 pm flight to Central Wisconsin Airport. Jon had complimentary passes for the Club - and he was not going to be able to use them. So, waiting here, instead of the airport proper, is much more comfortable - plus snacks and drinks.

We have been in transit for 24 hours, and still have 5 to go.....a long haul. Now we're anxious to get home - but we return with many special memories and heaps of appreciation for Jon and Julissa's hospitality.

FINAL IMAGES OF TBILISI:

After all of our travel (snow, potholes, mud), Jon's Toyota need a good wash job. The plates are diplomatic plates.

Jon will be taking his vehicle to one of these "local" car washes.

Karol and I took one last evening walk and came across these beautiful smelling wisteria. Along the way we met some Chinese men who are working on a project in Tbilisi (from Shenzhen).

The little pink store; a grocery shop on an uphill street that Karol and I took on our walk.

THAT'S ALL FOR TBILISI, FOLKS!

SURPRISE!

Last evening in checking our airline reservations, we learned that Lufthansa was cancelling 1,700 flights on Monday (our day of travel) because of a strike (the airline was offering a 1.5% pay increase and the union was demanding  a 5% raise). The first leg of our journey was via Lufthansa - and we shortly discovered that the flight to Munich had been cancelled. Jon spent hours on the phone trying to see what we could do and how we could rebook, but to no avail. Finally at midnight, we packed all of our things and headed to the airport, hopeful that some other airline might be available (Turkish Air or LOT). The long and short is that no options were available, and so we were re-booked for the same flight 24 hours later (4:00 am Tuesday morning). While we were disappointed because of all the trouble with our now heavy luggage, but Cheryl especially treasured the opportunity to spend one more day with Alba (who stayed home from school today).

Jon Matthew working hard to try to reschedule our tickets. Finally, we all went to the airport.

On Tuesday morning, Karol and I decided to make the walk to the Freedom Hero's Memorial at the base of the cobblestone street that we use almost every time we return to Jon and Julissa's apartment. It's always a noisy and rough ride.

FREEDOM HERO'S MEMORIALS

After the 1991 Georgian uprising (seeing freedom peacefully), a memorial was established by the government of Georgia to honor those who died during this time. The stone is located in front of the Parliament building where 18 people were killed, and an eternal flame was established at a roundabout at the end of what we call the "cobblestone road hill." The flame is "guarded" by two soldiers who stand at attention.

The events that led to the Georgians receiving their freedom from the U.S.S.R. are well remembered by the people of Georgia.

Statues in front of the Parliament building.

The memorial stone in front of the Parliament building. We have often seen flowers laid at this site. On Remembrance Day, crowds gathered here, and there were "piles" of flowers at this site.

The military stand at attention at the honor memorial.

The weather was nice, but we needed a rest after our long walk.

CLICK HERE to view traffic on the cobblestone hill.

The white Bengal tiger paced back and forth at the zoo. We viewed it from a high walk - we did not go into the zoo. It did not look too inviting for both humans and for the animals.

I got all excited again when I saw the students at the University of Tbilisi. It makes me think about all the joys of campus ministry.

 

The chapel at the University.

The baptistry outside of the little university chapel.

One of many beggar women seen along the sidewalks and underpasses. I have no idea why they are begging except that they simply may be poor.

OUR FINAL HOURS

I didn't know that all of you would be so focused on the part of the world we are visiting. Dagestan and Chechnya. We are still here for a few more hours before we catch a 4:05 am flight to Munich. We will be in transit for 26 hours with 5 hour + layovers in Munich and Chicago, arriving home at about 10 pm tonight. We are thankful for this wonderful trip.

Jon and Julissa took us to a wonderful restaurant, the Golden Mug, this noon. Czech brewed beer and wonderful Georgian food. The restaurant was wonderfully decorated, and I have chosen to share some of those pictures with you tonight. It's not only the food that is important, it's also the environment. Georgians like to sit for hours for their meals.

We thought that if we stayed real long, we might begin to appear like this gentleman.

Alba enjoyed playing with "Nana's" I phone. She's going to have technology withdrawal after we leave.

How sweet it is!

The restaurant is also a micro-brewery.

This is Jon's garage. He never uses it because there is barely room to turn around in the alley way, plus many other folks park in the alley way. While most of Georgia is such a beautiful and inviting country, there are yet one or two things that could be improved.

 

 But I can't leave you without a memorable moment. So, thank God, with me, for this trip!

 

Please join me again.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING ME ON THIS TRIP. I APPRECIATED YOUR COMMENTS AND YOUR AFFIRMATION. AFTER I RETURN HOME, I'LL BE SENDING ONE OR TWO POSTS PER WEEK - YOU WILL NO LONGER BE INUNDATED BY PICS AND INFORMATION.

A SLOW SATURDAY (REFLECTIONS FROM JOHN)

Today was really kick back time. We did some cafe time, walking, bakery visiting, and grocery store. But it rained most of the day, and so we had some great "Wizard" games along with conversation and reading.

A breakfast sandwich:  hard boiled egg and cheese surrounded by Georgian bread. Great after it was heated in the microwave.

Waiting for lunch at a nearby cafe.

Karol ordered a ham and cheese omelet along with a lettuce salad.

REFLECTIONS FROM BROTHER JOHN:

·         Street markets with everything from tarragon to tripe to succulent fruits. 
·         Georgian drivers turning two lanes of roadway into four. 
·         Grape vines abounding from city streets to steep country hillsides. 
·         Locals very pleasant, friendly and accommodating. 
·         Roadside stands with freshly butchered meat, cheese and homemade candy. 
·         Every small-town home walled with metal, stone, or wood fences. 
·         Fenceless countryside with free-roaming animals tended by shepherds and cowherds on foot or
         horseback. 
·         Ancient, frescoed cathedrals inside walled fortresses dot the landscape. 
·         Restaurants serve some meals family style with distinct G”Georgian cuisine. 
·         Experiencing mountains and lowlands with April temperatures from 30 to 80. 
·         Leather-skinned, rosy cheeked, strong-armed men and women working fields and vineyards. 
·         Trash littered city streets and rural highways. 
·         Gas approximately $10 a gallon. 
·         Saw many birds endemic to Georgia or passing through on Spring migration. 
·         Visits to still active, centuries old monasteries. 
·         Gamar jobat” is their hello and “Madlova” their thank you. 
·         Blessed with an exceptional tour guide and hostess (Jon and Julissa).

SHEEP!

Common to the pastures and roadways are the sheep and cattle. Today we came across MANY sheep herded by four dogs and a shepherd (and also quite a few different flocks).

CLICK HERE to see the video of the sheep flock that crossed the road in front of us.

THE PICTURES SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES.

DAVID GAREGA MONESTARIES

David Gareja is the overall name for a group of 13 monasteries in the southeastern part of Georgia, immediately on the border with Azerbaijan. The original monastery was founded in the sixth century by David, one of the 13 Syrian Fathers who settled in a natural cave on the slopes of the Gareja hills.

The Georgian Syrian Fathers practiced a kind of asceticism and were responsible for the growth of cave architecture. Single caves as first; then communities of caves interlinked by passages and internal staircases housed the hermits. Their communities were sustained by terrace gardens and sophisticated water-gathering systems (the area of these caves is quite arid).

Over the years, the monasteries were ravaged and/or partially destroyed by:

·                The Seljuk Turks in the 11^th century

·                The Mongol invasion in the 13^th century

·                The Safavid Persians in 1615 AD

·         In the 18^th and 19^th centuries additional invasions impeded the growth of David Gareja, but in 1988, Georgian Orthodox monks worked to restore some of the communities of the invaders. Today, only the Monastry of Lavra (located at the end of a one hour drive on a broken pavement and gravel road) is available for visitation. Nine monks live in residence. We saw them work and worship. Awesome!

The entry to the monastery.....steps carved right out of the stone.

 CLICK HERE to see the chapel and listen to the monks chant the Scripture.

Personal rooms for the monks were carved out of the rock. Some additional stone was added.

There are lots of steps, lots of little rooms and alcoves.

Note the stovepipes coming out of the single rooms.

The top of the worship area (church) within the monastery.

The steps lead from one "apartment" to another.

The channel brings rainwater from the sides of the rock to the cistern at the bottom where the water was stored for future use.

Monks head back to their living quarters from their work.

The rock on which the monastery is located.

On our way back to Tbilisi we drove on a side road to the Georgia/Azerbaijan. There we found this little outpost manned by two soldiers.

GEORGIA BIRD EXCLUSIVE

You all have to know that John and Jon are big birders. Jon has seen in excess of 1500 different kinds of birds in the U.S., Germany, Poland, Columbia, Equador, and now Georgia; John is now over 1,200. Birdwatching is their life hobby (although Jon's work with family genealogy might tie for first).

A first for Jon and John - a Roller - migrating from Africa to Russia.

A curlew, also a first for Jon and John. It landed ahead of us and was sitting on the road.

A linnet, also a first for Jon and John.

A Little Owl, another first. This is the one bird I spied just sitting on a huge hump of dirt.

This owl is unique. One of it's characteristics is that when it turns its head around, it shows a false face on the nape of its neck. I was fortunate to get both of the views!!

A Pied Wheatear - I certainly had never seen this one before.

We were all THRILLED to see this bird. Beautiful, isn't it!

A Steppe Buzzard