Svaneti

July 19

Today we, Gill, Amy, Mako and Bob, went to the base of the glacier. It was a long hard walk over rough ground, but it was a wonderful day!

En route

Signs indicated where the limit of the glacier was
in prior years. Global warming has reduced the
size of the glacier steadily over the years.

Our guide

The glacier

Mako at the base, testing the water!

Under an ice shelf

After the walk back - tired but satisfied

A picnic at the guards hut

Returning home

Svaneti

July 18

Today we went for a drive in the surrounding country. Again the roads were very rough and so we were in a large SUV.

En route

Local fauna

This chick was out in the open - perhaps fallen from its nest.

Enjoying the scenery

The local school's entrance
The remains of the river's ice dam

Picking wild strawberries

Svaneti

July 17

The little hotel we stayed at had a tower. Of course we had to climb it.

Mako in the tower

Gill and Mako in the tower

View from the tower

More views

We went to a museum in Mestia. (Mestia has two! This was the original Georgian house used many centuries ago.)

The scene en route

I love these soviet electricity transformers.
They look like creatures from outer space.
They also look extremely dangerous.

Inside the museum.

We met the local representative of the Georgian Women in Business Association.

Svaneti

July 16

On the way to Svaneti.

Gill, Mako and Bob went to Khashuri by marshuka where we cot a second marshutka to Kutaisi with Amy. From Kutaisi we caught a third marshutka to Zugdidi (where Gill broke her foot 18 months ago.) Then we rented a car to take us to Mestia - the heart of Svaneti.

On the way to Svaneti.

Toilet break on the way to Svaneti.

First view of the towers.

Cows

The road was pretty bad between Zugdidi and Mestia.