What makes my heart warm

when I look in the logfiles of this blog, I see from where are visitors coming, like searching for this and that, and visitors are coming from "common" countries like Belgium, Poland, Austria, Germany, Canada or France, but then my eye stops and sees there a "uncommon" and "rare" visitor from Ecuador ? Who is that ? Who is there in Ecuador interested in the Caucasus (of course there are probably many !) but it happens rarely here. 

I start thinking and suddenly I realize, yeah, it's JÜRGEN, my buddy from Samarkand,Uzbekistan, from Essen ! 

Hey Jürgen, nice to feel your track here in the Caucasian Internet Ravines and my best wishes to you and for a great 2009 over there at the hot pacific beaches at Ecuador ! Thanks for your letter ! Tomorrow we fly to Germany for a late Christmas, I hope to answer soon. Heiner

From Drop Box

Merry Christmas, dear Readers of this Caucasus Blog

8.30 Snow in Tbilisi

About Georgia and (little) Wonders

Occasionally I tell my guests, that Georgia is a special country, where wonders are happening much more often than elsewhere. Mostly they don't believe me at firsthand and I start to explain about what happend then or then miraculous under the most unbelievable circumstances.

Today happened two little wonders, they probably happen all over the world too, but it let me think, about Georgia, the little country near the paradise where happen very often smaller and bigger wonders... ;-)

I had a guest today in my studio, when she left, we went together to catch a Taxi for her at Leselidze Street. We stopped a red Mercedes Taxi, and she left for her home.  After 20 minutes she called me back, if she had maybe lost her keys in my place, I checked everything, nothing. Another 20 minutes later calls me an unknown caller, tells me he is the Taxi Driver, if I know about a foreign  woman etcetera, he brought her the keys, and I was wondering, where did this friendly man get my cell phone number from... ?  No idea.

Another foreign acquintence, who did me a favour, I specially met today to give him a little present for Christmas, to say thank you. It was an A4 print of one of my Caucasus Map Drawings, made in Spring this year. When opening the envelope, he was very curious and told me, "Ah you are the one doing this drawings, strange, yesterday I had been at a party and saw one of these series in that hosts apartment. Asking from who it was, they couldn't tell exactly, except some German guy living in Tbilisi, called Hans.

;-))

Reiseprogramm Georgien 2009 mit Kaukasus-Reisen

2009 bieten wir ein reduziertes festes Programm von drei außergewöhnlichen Reisen in Georgien an. Die Lage in Georgien hat sich weitgehend normalisiert und wir hoffen auf ein friedliches Reisejahr 2009.

Flora im Kaukasus

From Bergtrekking Kaukasus

20.06.-03.07. weitere Details zum Programm hier

Bergwelt Chewsuretien

From Bergtrekking Kaukasus

18.07.-29.07. Details zum Reiseprogramm hier

Hirtenreise Tuschetien

From Bergtrekking Kaukasus

26.09.-07.10. Details zum Reiseprogramm hier

Weitere Touren auf Anfrage. Wir wünschen Ihnen ein friedliches Weihnachtsfest und einen guten Start ins Neue Jahr !

Kaukasus-Reisen

Nature and Adventure Tours 2009 in Georgia

In 2009 we will offer only a compressed programme of our tours:

Flora in the Caucasus

From Bergtrekking Kaukasus

June 20 till July 3
more details here

Hiking in the Mountain World of Khevsureti

From Bergtrekking Kaukasus

July 18 till July 29
more details here

Cattle Drive Tusheti

From Bergtrekking Kaukasus

September 26 till October 7

more details here

Other tours on request. The situation in Georgia is quiet and we look optimistic forward to the Travel season 2009. Enjoy one of the most grandessa destinations in the world: Georgia

Kazbek~Kazbegi~მყინვარწვერი

kazbek-new0-true, originally uploaded by grijsz.

Happy Christmas, dear Reader !

Caucasus T-Shirts and Polos

From Drop Box

Caucasus Shirts & Polos New Collection

kaukasus.spreadshirt.net

Caucasus

caucasus11var-ellipse-new2opt, originally uploaded by grijsz.

Baku, Yerevan, Tbilisi and a star !

Sakartvelo

georg11sakartvelo, originally uploaded by grijsz.

Sakartvelo საქართველო Georgia

nugzari-holy-george-dragon

nugzari-holy-george-dragon, originally uploaded by grijsz.

Painting by Nugzari Natenadze,Zminda Giorgi, Holy George, 102x77cm, Oil on board, 2006

Horse Thief Girl T-Shirt

From Art Club Caucasus works by various artists

US Customers please look here: http://informel.spreadshirt.com

EUR Customers please look here: http://kaukasus.spreadshirt.net

Horse Thief Drawing and Design by Hans

fireworks

fireworks, originally uploaded by grijsz.

Tbilisi, December 2008

A love affair with Georgian lemons

One needs to taste a Georgian lemon from the Regions Adjara and Guria close to the Black Sea to know what a real lemon is. It's such an amazing aroma, an exhilarating scent you'll never forget. Georgian lemons look slightly different than "normal lemons" a bit greener, a colder yellow, the skin is more glossy. If you are in Georgia right now, lemons from Georgia could be a nice uncommon present to your beloved at Christmas ;-)

Nina Ananishvili in Don Quixote

falling-horse-thief

falling-horse-thief-true770, originally uploaded by grijsz.

Images from Georgia ~ Caucasus

Still lifes from Georgia~Caucasus

Fish Seller

Fish Seller, originally uploaded by Rapho (georgien.blogspot.com).

unusual-behaviour-tusheti

unusual-behaviour-tusheti, originally uploaded by grijsz.

Gela Daiauri filmed by Paata

Oleg Timchenko and Irma Sharikadze

Oleg Timchenko and Irma Sharikadze, originally uploaded by Rapho (georgien.blogspot.com).

Oleg Timchenko's show of new paintings opens tomorrow, Friday 24th October, at 6 pm at Baia Gallery Chardin Street, Tbilisi

Drawing by Nugzari Natenadze

From nugzari-studio

Georgisch-Deutsche Liebe

art 618, originally uploaded by artpension.

forever !

Georgian Bride With Her Accomplice

Georgian Bride With Her Accomplice, originally uploaded by Rapho (georgien.blogspot.com).

by Ralph Hälbig

Conceptual Show at New Art Cafe Tbilisi

From Drop Box

Dear Art Friends,

I would like to invite you to my Conceptual Show on Friday, 17th of October at 7pm to New Art Café Tbilisi at Rusiko and Misha !

We will have a nice time.
The show goes for 12 days. Limited prints are for sale for GEL 20.

Best regards, Hans Heiner Buhr

Address:
New Art Café
31, V. Orbeliani Str. (a small street between Kolkhos-Square (Flowers-Bazaar) and Sanapiro-Left Bank)
Tbilisi 0105 Georgia
Tel. 995 32 987544;
995 99 970049; 995 99 720906

See on Google Maps here:

http://maps.google.com/maps/msie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&ll=41.698479,44.804285&spn=0.006264,0.009313&t=h&z=17&msid=109477936576110145066.00045936901634ab2e278

Shop

Shop, originally uploaded by Rapho (georgien.blogspot.com).

by Ralph Hälbig

http://www.flickr.com/photos/georgienblogspotcom/

Khevsureti by Paata

Khevsureti, originally uploaded by www.paata.ge.

more wonderful images on http://www.paata.ge

Good News, Very Good News

Very Good News

Join the Harvest in Kakheti

via Georgian Tourism Association

Dear friends,

 

Biological Farming Association Elkana invites you to participate in harvest that will take place in Gurjaani. You will have an opportunity to collect and buy Rkatsiteli grape (1kg. 0.50 Tetri), also take part in pressing wine in Kvevri and order wine to the farmer’s family that will be ready for New Year (1 liter 3 Lari).

You can also get wine in Tbilisi at Elkana office.

 

While pressing wine you will be offered to taste Georgian cuisine (khinkali, barbeque, guda cheese, dedas puri) accompanied with Gurjaani folk group “Gushin Shvidni”.

 

If you are interested in participating in farmer’s support event please contact us not later than September 26 at 12:00 p.m.

Mini buses will departure from Respublika square at 10:00 a.m on September 28.

 

Katy Kasrashvili
 
Tourism and Rural Development Project /Assistant
E-mail: ruraltourism1@elkana.org.ge
www.ruraltourism.ge
================================
Elkana - Biological Farming Association
Address: 16th Plot, 3rd Delisi Street
Tel.: / +995 32 / 32 83 21
Fax: / +995 32 / 53 64 87
E-mail:biofarm@elkana.org.ge
www.elkana.org.ge

Paata !!

me, originally uploaded by www.paata.ge.

The Emperor

03, originally uploaded by grijsz.

Postcards from the Russian War by Misha Shengelia, Tbilisi, Oil on Canvas, Collection: Hans Heiner Buhr

Adjara.Georgia

Adjara.Georgia, originally uploaded by leluchi.

Photo: Lela Meparishvili

Loneliness in Khevsureti

Read this wonderful article 

"In Khevsureti, a Trip Down Georgia’s Memory Lane" 

by Levan Nadibaidze in Georgia Today here

tusheti-horses

tusheti-horses, originally uploaded by grijsz.

drawings: Hans Heiner Buhr

September 1, Live-Chain in Tbilisi

On September 1, Georgian people stood together as a live-chain against Russian agression. The manifestation was held in all Georgian cities. About a million people took part in the Live-Chain in Tbilisi including all the central streets. At the same time this kind of chain was made in the different Georgia supporting countries. This day was blessed from Catholicos-Patriarch of all Georgia Ilia II and president Saakashvili declared it as the day of unity.


Rustaveli Avenue

Melikishvili Avenue


Little Patriot :)

Live-Chain on Rustaveli Avenue

Square of Roses (Republic Square)

Live chain in Rustavi

live chain.3, originally uploaded by leluchi.

Europark

EuroPark - Aquapark in Tbilisi opened its doors in July 2007. It's a best place to spend good time in summer hot days. Here you can find lots of attractions, swimming pools, jacuzzis, bars and enjoy good music. Sometimes concerts are held here. Aquapark is open every day from 9 a.m to 20 p.m.
Entrance fee:
From 9 a.m 50 GEL
From 14 p.m 35 GEL
From 18 p.m 20 GEL

Spendenaufruf für Georgien

Angesichts der schwierigen Situation in Georgien und besonders für die vielen Flüchtlinge bitte ich Sie um Spenden an Hilfsorganisationen, die auf der Georgienseite aufgelistet sind:

Hilfsaktionen und Spenden für Georgien

wave no. 052

wave 052, originally uploaded by grijsz.

more Black Sea waves here

http://www.flickr.com/photos/caucasus/sets/72157606489866565/

Passend zum heißen Sommer erschien ein schöner Text von Andrea Jeska über die Veränderungen in der adscharischen Schwarzmeermetropole Batumi im Eurasischen Magazin unter dem Titel: "Batumi Boulevard"

Mithridrates VI-Daryal-escape

Mithridrates VI-Daryal-escape, originally uploaded by grijsz.

Mithridates escaping via Daryal Gorge, 200x155cm, Oil,2008, Hans Heiner Buhr

With no escape left, Mithridates VI of Pontus had to cross with a few men left the Greater Caucasus Range via Daryal Gorge on his flight from Pompey in 65 BC

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mithridates_VI_of_Pontus

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pompey_the_Great

For Sale here
http://www.artmesh.org/profiles/hans_heiner_buhr/portfolios/4500/artworks/108488

Torte

niza-geburtstag2008 025-opt, originally uploaded by grijsz.

new fruits

new-fruits4, originally uploaded by grijsz.

trouts

trouts, originally uploaded by grijsz.

Narikala St.Nicholas Church

This is recently restored St.Nicholas church in the yard of ancient Narikala fortress. Narikala walls date from different period (the earliest 4th century), but the main fortifications we can see today are from 16-17th century. The original name of the citadel was "shuris tsikhe" meaning "fortess of envy", but the name "Narikala" was given later and it means "impartial fortress" in Persian. You can get wonderful views on Tbilisi from here.

One day trip to Kazbegi - Gergeti Trinity Church

Gergeti trinity church (Tsminda Sameba in Georgian) was built in 14th century. It is situated on Mount Kazbegi, one of the highest and most beautiful peaks of Caucasus, at an elevation of 2400 meters, in the village of Gergeti near Stepantsminda. Gergeti church is the main chapel of Khevi. You can take a minibus from Didube station, get off in the central square of Stepantsminda and then have a walk up to the mountain. It is a popular place for trekkers.



On the way to Kazbegi

Travertine minerals on the way to Kazbegi

Travertine

Trippers :) Sopho, Ani, Tatia, Nini, Nutsa

Gergeti church

View from Gergeti

Another view from Gergeti

Facade and bell-tower of the church

"Kalmakhi" in the yard of Tsminda Sameba