Georgia tour - David Gareja monastery and Kakheti wine tasting 2/7

Getting out to the south east side near Azerbaijan border to see David Gareja monastery. Two hours drive into a semi desert area, with soft contour wind blown hills, a pleasing wild landscape.

The monastery was started in the 5th century as a small building and gradually enlarged to the current forms. There were dwelling in caves dug into sandstone hills and tall stone towers, and a little church at the bottom. Very impressive different style/era architecture.

Then another hours drive to the most famous wine region Kakheti, to sample wine from a small organic vineyard making wine in the traditional way.

That means fermenting and macerating wine in 1000litre clay amphora buried underground for 4 to 6 months. That is the local traditional way of wine making, unique in the world and a UNESCO cultural heritage.

At the same time we have a chance to see how the local long thin crispy boat shape bread is made and baked in the oven. That bread is like a freshly baked baguette, very tasty.

 

While tasting sparkling, amber and red wine, famous local singers perform polyphonic songs.

Stay the night at Telavi town.

格魯吉亞三之 半沙漠風光

由首都Tbilisi 乘兩小時車往東南方走，穿越半沙漠區，荒蕪少人煙，但土地山谷線條柔和，似被風雨馴服了，泥土鐵質豐富泛暗紅色層，來到Azerbaijan 的邊境，參觀六世紀開始出現的David Gareja修道院。

行上山來到修士避世靜修的地方，在千多年間不停更新加建，掘洞居住外又建教堂、高塔、院舍，都順眼舒服，和外頭自然界風光完美配合。

經歷千多年各個政權打壓，關閉重開多回，到目前尚有修士居住。