Georgia snaps

Lots of churches and monasteries that we were allowed in with a head covering. It brought a different aspect into our birding trip and was a very warm welcome to be able to sit in such peaceful, tranquil surroundings. Photography wasn't always allowed and really didn't seem right in some monasteries, so there are just a few snaps for you to see. The rest remain memories that I will never forget. 

Tblisi architecture - once grand but now crumbling.

Monasteries and mountains....simply fabulous and our daily treat for the whole 2 weeks.

Some fancy down pipes in the villages !

The view from the first picnic site we stopped at where we saw the first Alpine Accentor. Also there were ring ouzels but no snow finch. We had driven past numerous snow finches on the way, birds our guides failed to call out from the front seat of the van and a bird that the whole team wanted to see. We called them but our driver failed to stop saying it was dangerous to stop on the road, perhaps if he hadn't driven everywhere at breakneck speed we might have all seen these birds and more besides........ and I thought we were on a birdwatching trip.  The total opposite in guiding and driving from our recent trips to Sri Lanka and Bulgaria where we stopped for absolutely everything regardless of where we were and guiding was at it's absolute best. We were now going to be treated to the exact opposite. 

The resident cat from our first hotel in Tblisi

A couple of pigs strolled through our garden in the Kazbegi Hotel. They stayed for the day, rooting about and snoozing but had moved further down the road the following day. I love pigs and I am afraid to say that I love bacon aswell !

There was a new hotel being built in Kazbegi, just infront of the one we stayed at. Each day the rubbish and spoil was pushed over into the river valley below. I really don't know where they think it's going to go to and it was a disgrace.

An old wattle and daub building that looked in a state of near collapse, but was still lived in.

MIG 15 - the first one we have ever seen.

This stood proudly at the gate of an air base in Georgia. There were plenty of bunkers on the site and we could see they all had planes in but it probably wouldn't have been a good idea to get the telescope out for a closer look !

Team Caucasian Black Grouse !

A few on the hillside infront, although distant, they were still a massive tick on all our lists. 

Our guide turned up later this day.

Cheers !

A couple of resident cats from our Kazbegi Hotel. One very heavily pregnant. Without doubt they contain some wildcat, clearly showing 5 bands on their tails and just look at their faces. Wildcat genes without a doubt.

We stayed for 3 nights at the Hotel Kazbegi with mixed thoughts. The hotel was clean, comfortable rooms but the food and service was one of the worst ever. Food was served at set times even though we were not there (and there was only us in the hotel) so we had some culinary treats such as stone cold fried eggs, cream of mushroom soup that had gone cold and was set solid....yummy. These cats loved my stone cold fish and potatoes. Why the food wasn't served when we were there was beyond me. A hotel that had no milk for 3 days even though we asked for it at every opportunity. Propably the worst food and service ever.