Lasīt tālāk
01.Jun
FIFTEENTH DAY: PRISTINE VILLAGE
31 May
- 2015 -
Author
Andis Pikāns
While we were filming by the Gergeti monastery, an accident happened- the strong wind capsized our camera tripod and the mike broke off. We had to glue it back on with chemical metal so we got delayed in Stepatsmind for another day so the camera would not be subjected to vibrations while the glue sets. While we were waiting, we did our laundry.
We had lunch at Tamaza’s eatery. Tamaza is a former sportsman and he makes tasty Cuadi (we call it shashlik) and treats us to some dry red wine. I asked him about the relationship with North Ossetians and South Ossetians. Tamaz believes that a time will come when Georgians will sort out their relationships with the neighbouring countries and there will be peace. If Russia wouldn’t interfere, this could happen sooner.
I starts raining early in the day. Taking in the black clouds all around us, we put on our rain equipment. It’s chilly. We had planned to go to Juta and Truso valleys, but because of the weather we only go to Juta. There, a rather easily passable 10 km of offroad leads uphill. From here, we could continue to Shatili village on the border with Chechnya. We plan to go to the village tomorrow, using a dirt road from Jinvali.
Great views are disturbed by the weather. The rain gets worse and we pass Kobi village deciding not to see the Truso valley. Maybe next time… After we pass the snow covered mountain pass to Gudauri, the clouds disperse, allowing the sun to warm our bodies and souls.
In Georgia, the sides of the road are very lively, here, honey and chuchela are sold. Chuchela is walnuts or filberts in grape juice sauce. This is a sort of a national candy. The grape juice is boiled while half of the liquid has evaporated, the fructose content has gone up and the liquid has thickened. Nowadays, the goody is loved by children, but some time ago it was used by travelers as a source of energy.
In the afternoon, we enter the homeland of Khinkali- Pasanauri. Khinkali are handmade dumplings filled with meat and herbs. The top of the Khinkali must not be eaten, it should be used to guide the Khinkali in the mouth. The treat is filled with juice, so it must be eaten with hands and firstly, you have to bite it and suck the juice out. We stop at a roadside motel in Jinvalai. Not long after that, we are joined by three Russian lads from Vjatka. Dima, Stas and Sergey have crossed the Verhnij Lars border today and will be travelling around Georgia for a month. We talk into the night.
