Georgian names can be tough to pronounce, much less remember, for the average tourist, but after the first few hours they seemed to roll off my tongue and are now committed to memory. Perhaps the sheer uniqueness of the places I visited made a deep impression on me, and in this regard, the ancient rock-cut city of Uplistsikhe tops the list.
Georgia is historically a land of fierce clans forever in conflict with each other, and the particular one that made this apparently inhospitable place their abode begs a special reverence. Not only were their ways highly structured but their laws were equally if not more draconian, such as the pits where miscreants were dumped into and further humiliation subjected upon them by those that passed by not only verbally abusing them but also much worse.
The discreet chapel that sprung up as the tenets of Christian ‘civilization’ seeped across the land is still open to visitors, evoking awe and peace at the same time. One can hike to the top of the boulders but beware the stiff winds that almost threaten to sweep one (apart from their sun hats) right off the face of existence!
