26/11/2019
Chapter I
“Racha- my Love”
Leaving the city late at night, or early in the morning is a big advantage. It gives you a chance to avoid traffic and save your time. When the trunk is fully loaded with things like: tent, sleeping bag, mat, blankets, camping gas stove, hammock, ukulele, photo cam, drone, favorite book to read and a notebook to write – it doesn’t matter what is your destination. But, if the destination is as interesting as this- journey is going to be unforgettable!
First 50 minutes is non-stop drive, till you reach 24 hour shop in Gori with draft coffee: ) Once you had a shot of it –there is nothing, that can stop you for another 2 hours, till you get to Zestaponi – city of “fast food stops”. Most of the cafes and restaurants on the main street are open 24/7. Very good option for a traveler to sop over: have some food and rest or for take away.
Shaori reservoir – decision is made. This is the place where overnight will be spent. After several hours of driving destination is reached. We just took a turn from the main road and stopped near the shore. It was cloudy and moonlight could barely show anything around. But time to time I could see stars glowing on the lake’s surface. At the very moment I stepped out from the car, 3 dogs surrounded me trying to sniff, asking for some food, warmth and shelter. I pet them a bit and they started jumping around with the “happy” tail: )))))))) It was clear, they will not let us go to sleep in tents: )))) Also, there were only 2 hours left till the sunrise. We decided not to sleep at all, but in 5 minutes I was fast asleep in a front sit of the car. I woke up because of the cold! It was very fresh when I went outside and this view in front of me! The view of Shaori lake! It was amazing! End of September is celebration of colors. Pine trees are deep green, the rest of the forest was painted in all shades of yellow, red, brown and orange. I could stand there and stare for ages.
The bad thing about Racha’s villages is that they are abandoned during 6-7 months. It’s a pity, that only older people stay there to take care of houses and gardens. Younger generation moved to bigger cities and visits homeland only during the Summer or some holidays. While wondering among the wooden houses, standing silently at the edge of the forest, I could imagine how lively they were at some point of their existent, how children were running around the house, how grandma was calling them for a dinner and how happy was dog, barking at children’s loud voices. Houses once newly colored with bright brown tiled roofs, now faded and sad, but still very beautiful, even with wrinkled wooden walls. Large apple trees with fell down apples all around and some things left outside after the restless Summer.
The road to the mount, that is called: 9 Jvari is very scenic and narrow. At some point it is impossible for 2 cars to pass each other. On the right side of the road there are high rocks and on the left bottomless ravine. The road itself was so exciting, that I didn’t even pay attention for how long we were driving: ))))) Suddenly, after one of the turns , in front of us appeared a huge gate. It looked like a portal to another dimension. We entered it and dived into the Green Woods! As it was still cloudy with thick mist wrapping everything including us, the feeling of being somewhere else, but not on this planet never left us! We were walking silently, fearing to disturb the forest. Time to time crunching sound of branches under the feet would scare the birds and they would fly away in a hurry. In around 15 minutes of walking we arrived to a view spot. It is impossible to describe, even pictures can’t capture the whole beauty of the scene. Huge broken stones were under us. They looked like a goliath hit a stone with his fist and cracked it. Several steps and you are at the edge of the world! Endless forests on one side, sea of clouds in front and somewhere, very far, as far as eye can see- some settlements. Time stops. Everything freezes. Only clouds are passing by, almost touching your feet and you can even smell them. Yes, you can smell clouds, it tickles your nose and you find yourself just standing there and smiling… Realizing how lucky you are to be here.
We continued through the forest, going higher to the top of the hill. Passed the weird ghostly building. Seems like it used to be a cable car station once upon a time. I could imagine, how nice it would have been to take a ride, from the lower station to this stop. Unfortunately, this station must have been forgotten long time ago and nobody took care of it.
The deeper into the woods we were going, the steeper was becoming the trail. Time to time it was quite difficult and for these parts there were chains fitted in the rocks in order to help travelers to pull themselves up. Boots were becoming heavier with every step because of the mud, hands getting dirty while using the chain ropes. But all of these are paid off, once you reach the final destination. This place is called “9 Jvari” – what means: “9 crosses”. Standing on the peak, 1656 meters above the sea level, surrounded with crosses, you feel pride, somehow you start restoring details of the legend, imagining great people, bringing these crosses to the top of the mount, watching them pray. Legend tells a story of a great man and his 9 sons, who went to the war. Their farther made promise to bring crosses here, each for one son by himself, if all of them return home safe. All 9 stand here, showing strength, unity, faith, hope, braveness, dedication, patriotism, love, loyalty. This is the place, that you should visit in any season. As each season’s got different mood and creates different memories...
Going down was much easier and faster, as usually is. It was only a midday and we had plenty of time and several places to visit ahead.
We drove the perfect road. Black with white lines and colorful trees on the both sides of the road. It was a long and beautiful alley. But as soon as this road ends, there is a beginning of a light off-road. This turn is to the villages Ghebi and Gona. On the right side you can see river Rioni, full in Spring and part of the Summer, but now, calm and waterless. Slopes of the hills are crowded with trees. Right after those hills there are another one, already with different coverage. Mostly only grass, that turned into the “gold” this Autumn. After them-another mountain, Rocky Mountains, all black and unapproachable. When we crossed the river it started following us from the left. Suddenly we arrived to Ghebi village and the view of it was fascinating. It is a small village, with 300 people living there. Houses are nesting in between the green velvet hill and river, what makes perfect place to live. Each house is fenced with wooden boards and trees. On the cross road, there is a small sign on a piece of metal “Gebi”. Road to this village is extremely narrow. We met several cars, left on the way to the village, that couldn’t drive farther or just didn’t take a risk. This place is blocked during the winter, located at about 1700 meters above the see level, Gona often compared to Switzerland with its alpine valleys, rivers and mighty glaziers. Every place’s got something special and different. From Gona you can see how winter is sliding down silently from the snowy mountains, like a thief, stealing inch by inch trees, bushes, valleys from Autumn and covering them with the white blanket turning everything into the Winter.
There is a blog post, where kind and hospitable guards meet you with the warm smile and recommendations : Please, do not go farther than 200 meters from the post, just in case 🙂
We did so. Walked for about 200-250 meters and stood there, trying to memorize every detail of the scenery. On the way back we were silent. Thinking of beauty, we saw during this trip and how lucky we are.
