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Dartmouth Presents Treasures & Traditions of Georgia & Azerbaijan

with Svaneti Dates: September 23-October 6, 2017

(as of 15 July 2016) Join an exploration of the South Caucasus countries of oil-rich Azerbaijan, whose name comes from an old Persian word meaning “protected by fire,” and Georgia, whose flowing script is one of perhaps only 20 true alphabets in the world. In these small but vital countries set between the Caspian and Black seas, discover ancient fortresses, cave towns, soaring age-old vocal traditions, and brilliant applied arts, as you meet with local specialists in archaeology, folk art, cinema, music and antiquities. Taste and compare natural wines prepared according to an 8,000-year-old method, and inspect the excavations that yielded some of the earliest hominids found outside of Africa. Strike a balance between past and present as you learn about the complicated history and the modern geopolitical importance of Azerbaijan and Georgia.

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Overview Daily Itinerary Day 1, Fri, Sep 22 Depart USA Day 2, Sat, Sep 23 Arrive Baku, Azerbaijan Day 3, Sun, Sep 24 Baku Day 4, Mon, Sep 25 Baku • eve fly to Tbilisi Day 5, Tue, Sep 26 Tbilisi Day 6, Wed, Sep 27 Tbilisi • day trip to Dmanisi Day 7, Thu, Sep 28 Tbilisi • day trip to Mtskheta Day 8, Fri, Sep 29 Tbilisi • drive to Tskaltubo Day 9, Sat, Sep 30 Tskaltubo • drive to Mestia Day 10, Sun, Oct 1 Mestia • day trip to Ushguli Day 11, Mon, Oct 2 Mestia • Kutaisi Day 12, Tue, Oct 3 Kutaisi • drive to Tbilisi Day 13, Wed, Oct 4 Tbilisi • drive to Signagi Day 14, Thu, Oct 5 Signagi • drive to Tbilisi Day 15, Fri, Oct 6 Depart Tbilisi

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Country Overviews

Azerbaijan The only Caucasian country with a coastline on the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan has been influenced by its oil and gas reserves for centuries. Some scholars think that fire rituals were incorporated into the Zoroastrian religion because of mysterious burning natural gas vents near where the capital, Baku, is today. From the 19th century, when the renowned Nobel brothers founded an oil company in Baku, to the 21st century, as the country channels the Caspian oil to the rest of Europe, Azerbaijan has played a key role in global geopolitics. Petro-dollars are transforming the capital into a chic modern venue for international events. Here, travelers can stay in a modern glass-and-steel hotel, yet still experience the classic vividness of Azerbaijani hand-loomed carpets and the mesmerizing music of mugham, its chanting melodies passed from ear to ear over centuries.

Georgia Gorgeous Georgia is a country of superlatives. Arguably the oldest wine producing area in Europe, modern Georgia also hosts an up-to-the-minute strategic oil pipeline that pumps a different kind of liquid from the Caspian Sea into Turkey. The Svaneti region, set in the steep valleys of the towering Caucasus Mountains, is the highest inhabited place in Europe, while in the lowlands of the subtropical Black Sea Coast, citrus and tea plantations flourish. The ancient Georgian way of singing, with its striking polyphonic harmonies, is on UNESCO’s List of Intangible Cultural Heritage, as is its 8,000-year-old method of making richly complex natural wines. And epicures agree that some of the most sumptuous food in the world is served at a Georgian feast.

Signature Experiences • Visit UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Azerbaijan and Georgia. • Visit the State Museum of Azerbaijani Carpets and Applied Folk Art, and enjoy a specially arranged tour by one of the museum’s senior specialists. • Listen to traditional mugham music, a sort of Azeri jazz, during the welcome dinner. • Take part in a comparative wine tasting of delightful natural Georgian wines. • Enjoy a picnic lunch in the vineyards of the Pheasant’s Tears Winery, which produces organic wines from varietal grapes.

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• Delve into the story of the discovery of four 1.7 million-year-old H. erectus skulls at Georgia’s Dmanisi site, and at the National Museum, in the care of expert local archaeologists. • Experience a traditional “Georgian Table,” and enjoy the incredible diversity and abundance of Georgian cuisine. • Visit a small village in South Georgia, meet the nuns who run the community, and sample their fantastic cheese and other locally-produced goods. • Over dinner enjoy a performance of polyphonic singing, a uniquely Georgian choral tradition. • Visit a dance school to see a class and performance by a beloved traditional Georgian dance troupe. • Learn about Georgian culture during a presentation of national costumes. • Explore the Georgian “art form” of cave architecture at one of the country’s most impressive sites. • Visit the museum of theater, music and cinema in the care of a local researcher and documentary filmmaker. Descriptive Daily Itinerary Day 1, Fri, Sep 22 Depart USA Depart USA on flights bound for Baku, Azerbaijan. Meals: In flight Day 2, Sat, Sep 23 Arrive Baku, Azerbaijan Arrive in Baku this evening and transfer to the centrally located hotel. Meals: In flight Hotel Park Inn or similar Located near the harbor and within a short walk of the Old Town, the modern Park Inn features a restaurant serving international cuisine, a bar and coffee shop, workout room, gift shop and business center. Rooms include individual climate control, satellite TV, minibar and hair dryer. Day 3, Sun, Sep 24 Baku Today explore Azerbaijan’s capital city, Baku.

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Baku grew up in a place that people have found favorable since Neolithic times. It gained notoriety in the 9th century, when it was reported that Baku people burned oil that came from the ground in their lamps – strange magic back then. In the 21st century, the increasingly stylish city successfully hosted the hugely popular Eurovision song contest, and in 2015 hosted the inaugural edition of the multi-sport European Games. The Old Town is a beautifully preserved medieval UNESCO Site, and, in a nod to Azerbaijan’s Zoroastrian history, the three sky-scraping Flame Towers overlooking Baku Bay come alive nightly with gigantic flickering flames that reach sinuously into the sky. Parts of Azerbaijan, notably Gobustan, below Baku on the Caspian coast, show evidence of human habitation beginning in the Stone Age. Flaming natural gas vents on the Absheron Peninsula, where Baku is now located, may have inspired Zarathustra, a local resident around 1000 BC, to include fire rituals in his Zoroastrian religion. Baku was first mentioned in the 9th century, and its people were reported to burn oil that came from the ground in their lamps. Baku’s inhabitants stayed behind the 14th century walls of their town almost until the 19th century, when the Russian empire began exploiting in earnest the great oil reserves under the waters of the Caspian. An oil boom that lasted from 1880 to 1915 left a region of beaux arts mansions built by the newly rich. Take a walk through Baku’s Old City, or Icheri Shere. It was once the whole city, and is the best place to get a sense of its history. It is completely encircled by the old city walls with their medieval gates. The winding streets and alleyways are home to private residences, mosques and madrassahs, carpet merchants and tiny shops. The aura of the past that permeates the town rewards exploration and careful investigation with surprising glimpses of a bygone era. On a hill above the walled Old Town, the Shirvan Shah Palace complex is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, along with the Maiden Tower and the Old Town itself. Founded in the 13th century, most of the Shirvan Shah complex was built in the 15th century. Encompassing the royal residence, mosques and tombs, the complex is a highlight of Azerbaijani architecture. In the afternoon, tour the interior of the Heydar Aliyev Cultural Center, the swooping architectural work that has become a landmark of modern Baku. Opened in 2012, the center includes an innovative performing arts auditorium and spaces for major art exhibitions. The 619,000-square-foot building was designed by Iraqi-British architect Zaha Hadid and named after Azerbaijan’s leader from 1969 to 1982 and from 1993 to 2003.

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The final visit of the day is to the new State Museum of Azerbaijani Carpets and Applied Folk Art, which beautifully displays the vivid colors and bold designs of Azeri, Caucasian and Iranian carpets. Enjoy a specially arranged tour with one of the museum’s senior specialists. The museum collection was begun in the late 1960s, but the carpets in the museum today date as far back as the 16th century. Regional differences and stylistic details are highlighted, revealing how traditional carpets marry practical value, artistic merit, historical significance and beauty. Enjoy a welcome dinner at a local restaurant accompanied by a performance of traditional mugham music, a fusion of Persian and Turkic traditions noted on UNESCO's list of Intangible Cultural Heritage to be safeguarded. This mesmerizing music is usually sung,

accompanied by traditional instruments, but can be performed instrumentally as well. Meals: B, L, D Day 4, Mon, Sep 25 Baku • evening flight to Tbilisi Set out to explore the Absheron peninsula and outskirts of Baku today stopping in at the Bibi-Heybat Mosque en route. Afterwards, continue to Gobustan, added to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2007. Quarry workers discovered the rock carvings at Gobustan by accident in the 1930s. Since then, the carvings depicting men, women, animals and artifacts have been the focus of much study and speculation. The record left by these ancient people attests to a far vaster Caspian Sea, and gives insight into details of daily life such as hunting and recreation, culture and economy. An excellent modern museum adds to the experience. Next, visit the Villa Petrolea Nobel Brothers’ Museum for a private tour and a champagne and caviar tasting. The history of Baku’s oil boom is inextricably bound up with the Nobel family, including Alfred, the man who established the Nobel Prizes. About 12% of the money he used to fund the prizes came from his interest in the Branobel Oil Company, founded by siblings Robert and Ludvig Nobel in 1876. Villa Petrolea is the name the Nobel brothers gave the home they built on the border of the “White City,” the residential section, and the “Black City,” the industrial section, of Baku. With fertile soil brought in the empty ships that were then filled with oil, the brothers landscaped a lovely park around the villa. The imposing mansion and park were restored and renovated in 2008. This evening take an early evening flight to Tbilisi, Georgia. Transfer to a restaurant for dinner and then check-in and overnight in Tbilisi.

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Marriott Courtyard Hotel or similar Located right in the city center within walking distance of galleries, gardens, museums and other popular attractions, the four star Marriott Courtyard Hotel offers spacious and comfortable accommodations. All rooms include wireless Internet, individual climate control, ironing board, safe and hair dryer. Enjoy the hotel’s La Brasserie Restaurant with international cuisine and famous Georgian wine, as well as the onsite fitness center. Meals: B, L, D Day 5, Tue, Sep 26 Tbilisi Enjoy a lecture to start the morning off, followed by an introductory walking city tour and a visit to the Georgian National Museum. Here, meet with local archaeologists and visit the museum’s most famous exhibit here, the 1.7 million year old hominid skulls found in Dmanisi. The red-roofed Old Town, its houses sporting carved wooden balconies, sits beneath the 4th century stone Narikala Fortress on the hill above, and the domed Arab sulfur baths steam lightly as you pass by. Vibrant street life has colonized the boulevards and tantalizing aromas waft from food carts, cafes, open markets and modern wine bars. Observe Mother Georgia, a soaring monument above the city bearing a sword for her enemies and a bowl of wine for her guests, and the 6th century stone Anchiskhati Basilica, the city’s oldest church. Pause at Sioni Cathedral, sheltering the Cross of St. Nino, the woman who brought Christianity to Georgia, and the 19th century caravanserai built to house traveling merchants. Tbilisi is just plain ravishing, especially in the evening, with its warmly-lit 4th century Narikala Fortress and 13th century Metekhi Church crowning the cliffs on either side of the Kura River narrows. Close by, the swooping steel-and-glass-covered Peace Bridge lights the way for pedestrians with thousands of white LEDs. Songs and laughter spill into the streets from little restaurants and pubs as Tbilisians do what they do best – enjoy life. Enjoy dinner this evening at a restaurant with a focus on “farm to table” traditions, and enjoy an evening performance of Georgian singing while enjoying organic Georgian wines. Meals: B, L, D Day 6, Wed, Sep 27 Tbilisi • day trip to Dmanisi Spend the better part of the day in the countryside exploring ancient Georgian sites. First, stop in Bolnisi to visit what is probably the oldest Christian church in Georgia. Called Sioni, which simply means Zion, the square stone church shelters what may be the oldest example of

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Georgian script in the country. Next, meet a local archaeologist and then visit the archeological site of Dmanisi, a medieval town overlooking the confluence of two rivers where Silk Road caravans used to pass. In the Middle Ages, townspeople dug their cellars and storage pits through layers of strange bones and stone tools that in the 20th century were found to belong to some of the earliest hominids found outside of Africa. The discovery here of four 1.7 million-year-old H. erectus skulls have made the Dmanisi site crucial to the study of human evolution. Return to Tbilisi mid-afternoon to make a short visit to the Museum of Theater, Music and Film, known as the Art Palace. Visit with Giorgi Kalandria, a Georgian researcher and documentary filmmaker, at the Art Palace. Located in a beautiful 19th century nobleman's palace, the Art Palace houses a wealth of artifacts, books, photos, paintings and graphics that trace the development of the performing arts in Georgia. Before dinner, enjoy a brief presentation on Georgian culture with a national costume display. Dinner this evening is at a puppet theater restaurant. Meals: B, L, D Day 7, Thu, Sep 29 Tbilisi • day trip to Mtskheta Today embark on an exploration of the hidden treasures on the outskirts of Tbilisi, near Mtskheta, the ancient capital of Georgia, in the care of a local archaeologist. Mtskheta was the capital of the eastern Georgian kingdom of Iberia from the 3rd century BC until the 5th century AD. Because of its location on the rivers, it was an important market town. As the center of the Iberian civilization, Mtskheta was also significant spiritually and culturally. Georgia’s conversion to Christianity took place here in 337 AD. The Orthodox churches built during this period – Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, its interior decorated in murals, and Jvari, one of the first Christian churches in Georgia – are considered among the finest in the country. Mtskheta is designated as the “Historical Monuments of Mtskheta” UNESCO World Heritage Site. We’ll pause also at Bagineti Archaeological Site. The archaeological site at Bagineti Mountain is a part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Mtskheta, the early capital of Iberia. With its earliest cultural layer dating from the 4th to 3rd century BC, the Bagineti site includes a citadel on the side of the mountain, tombs, a palace and a bathhouse. Next, visit Armaziskhevi Archaeological Site. A couple of miles west of Mtskheta, Armazistskali is where bejeweled golden treasures from the 2nd and 3rd centuries BC were

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discovered in royal tombs. Two sandstone stelae carved with ancient texts, as well as the grave ornaments found here are ensconced in the Georgian National Museum in Tbilisi, but visitors to the site can inspect the remains of the royal baths, part of the palace and tomb fragments. Return to Tbilisi in the evening for dinner at one of the city’s up-and-coming culinary hot spots. Meals: B, L, D Day 8, Fri, Sep 29 Tbilisi • Tskaltubo Today head towards West Georgia and the town of Tskaltubo. The route to Tskaltubo goes through the Kartli region, stopping en route at Uplistsikhe Cave Town. The cave town of Uplistsikhe, meaning Lord's Castle, was once one of the most important along the trade route linking Byzantium with India and China, and was primarily inhabited by artisans and merchants. People may have populated the naturally occurring caves before 1000 BC. Some of the caves were used to celebrate early pagan rituals before the country was fully Christianized. Although heavily eroded and damaged by earthquakes, the town is still fascinating to explore. Make a stop in nearby Gori for a visit to Stalin's Museum. The city of Gori is perhaps best

known for its connection with Stalin, who was born here in December 1879 and lived here as a boy. Stalin's father was a local shoemaker named Vissarion Dzhugashvili. The original wooden hut located on Stalin Prospekt is today part of the Stalin Museum. The Stalin statue which, until June 2010 stood on the main square of Gori, was the last one which still existed in its original location inside the former Soviet Union. One can still see the statue in its new location in the park near the original hut. Also on the grounds of the museum is Stalin's

former private railway car that he used for travel throughout the Soviet Union and beyond. Continue driving toward Tskaltubo and make a brief stop to see Gelati Monastery. Georgia’s most famous king, David the Builder, founded Gelati Monastery in 1106 and his son completed it in 1130. The monastery housed Georgia’s first academy and was the burial place of the Georgian rulers. The well-preserved ensemble’s stone churches and secular buildings are decorated with lovely frescoes, mosaics and enamel and metal work. Representing the flowering of art and architecture in Georgia’s “Golden Age,” the Gelati Monastery is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Tskaltubo, situated about 9 miles west of Kutaisi, has been a resort town for many years. Famed for its thermal radon-mineral baths, the town became a popular spot during the Soviet years, and the natural springs here were a favorite of Stalin's, who was known to prefer the mineral baths of his native Georgia over the Russian bathhouses of the Soviet Union.

Peter Guttman

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Tskaltubo suffered badly during the Georgian-Abhkazian conflict in the early 1990s, but many areas, including its namesake sanitoria, have recently been restored with support from the Georgian government and the World Bank. Dinner and overnight in Tskaltubo. Tskaltubo Sanatorium Set within a 40-acre green park, the Tskaltubo Sanitorium has been one of the most prominent health resorts in the region since its first opening in 1951. Its thermal radon-mineral baths were a favorite of high-ranking senior Communist Party members and military leaders, particularly Stalin, who had his own private bath here. Recently restored with modern amenities, the hotel features a restaurant serving local and European cuisine, a bar and teahouse, and a game room, in addition to the historic mineral baths and spa. Rooms include air-conditioning, flat-screen satellite TV, minibar and complimentary WiFi. Meals: B, L, D Day 9, Sat, Sep 30 Tskaltubo • Mestia Driver towards Svaneti and stop along the route for a view from the Enguri hydro station. Located in Georgia's mountainous northwest and straddling both Georgian and Abkhazian territory, the Enguri Hydroelectric Power Station was built in 1984 as part of Nikita Khrushchev's efforts to provide electricity for the Soviet Union. Its dam is the largest structure in the Caucasus and, at 271.5 meters high, is the world's second tallest concrete arch dam. Having suffered years of neglect and misuse, structural inspections in 1994 found the dam's facilities in a state of disrepair, with four of the plant's five power units unable to work at full capacity, and the fifth completely deteriorated. After an extensive 15-year mission to fully repair the dam, the Enguri power station is once again operational, supplying Georgia with more than 40% of its electricity needs. Enjoy lunch in a family owned restaurant in the small village of Barjashi. Arrive Mestia and visit the Museum of History & Ethnography. Mestia’s excellent main Museum of History and Ethnography has a comprehensive and beautifully mounted collection, labelled in English as well as Georgian. The exhibits include a historic collection of 1890s Svaneti photos by Italian Vittorio Sella, and a hall with reproductions of famed Svaneti church murals, but the highlight is the two-room treasury: here you can see a Persian silver jug given to Svaneti by Queen Tamar, a number of beautifully illuminated gospels, and golden altar crosses and chased-metal icons of amazingly high quality – all from the 9th to 14th centuries. One rare icon shows St George spearing the emperor Diocletian instead of his usual dragon. Dinner and overnight in Mestia. Meals: B, L, D Tetnuldi Hotel or similar

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The Tetnuldi Hotel is set on a hill in Mestia and features a restaurant, bar and laundry services. The tastefully appointed rooms include flat screen satellite TV, balconies with a panoramic view, and free WiFi. Day 10, Sun, Oct 1 Mestia • day trip to Ushguli village Set off for Ushguli Village with photo stops en route. The village of Usghuli is a 29-mile drive from Mestia. At an altitude of 7,218 feet, Ushguli is the highest continually inhabited village in Europe. Set at the foot of Georgia's highest peak, Mt. Shkhara, Ushguli is a stunningly beautiful place. Some of its medieval watchtowers are included in the UNESCO World Heritage site of Upper Svaneti.

The 12th century Lamaria Church is located on a hill on the outskirts of town. This church enjoys some of the most spectacular views of Mt. Shkhara. Enjoy lunch in a family owned restaurant and enjoy a walk in the village following. Drive back to Mestia and visit Ipari-Nakipari Church of St. George. Between Ushguli and Mestia, in the small village of Ipari, the 12th

century Church of St. George still features pagan animal carvings on its eastern wall. With only a few narrow slots for light to get through, its interior frescoes have remained untouched. Created by David the Builder's court painter, Teodor, the frescoes show a big seated God, holding the Bible and surrounded by a pantheon of saints, as well as scenes of the life and tortures of St. George. An 11th century golden icon of St. George is kept in the church also. Outside, a little churchyard has black stone graves engraved with portraits of the deceased. Meals: B, L, D Day 11, Mon, Oct 2 Mestia • Kutaisi Visit the 12th century traditional Svan House, now the Svanetian Architectural Museum, with its examples of 12th century Svanetian architecture. The typical Svanetian house or machubi was built around a central room with stalls for cattle and livestock on all sides. A family group of twenty could live in such a house with sleeping quarters above the cattle for warmth. Fodder and foodstores would be kept in the nearby watchtower. Drive to Kutaisi and visit Bagrati Cathedral on arrival. The 11th century Bagrati Cathedral sits at the top of Uk’imerioni Hill in central Kutaisi. Damaged by the Turks in the 17th century, the

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domed cathedral has undergone careful restoration since 1952 and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Dinner and overnight in Kutaisi. Argo Hotel or similar Located in the historic center of Kutaisi, the four star Argo Hotel features a restaurant serving Georgian cuisine and a bar. Rooms include flat-screen TV, minibar, in-room safe and complimentary WiFi. Day 12, Tue, Oct 3 Kutaisi • Return to Tbilisi Today drive back to Tbilisi, making a few stops en route at Ubisi and Mukhrani

Chateau. Outside of Kutaisi, stop to admire the 9th century Ubisi basilica and its tower. The vault and walls of the small single-nave basilica are covered with vivid 14th century frescoes painted by Damiane. Stop for lunch and a wine tasting at Mukhrani Chateau. Taste the wines of Mukhrani Chateau vineyards, where a perfect microclimate nurtures vines selected through centuries, and the grapes are picked by hand. Chateau Mukhrani was the palatial estate of the royal family of Georgia. In 1875 its owner Prince Ivane Mukhranbatoni returned from a journey to the winemaking regions of France and began combining Georgian and French grape varieties and techniques. By the end of the century, his fine wines were winning gold medals at the Paris Wine Exhibition. Fast-forward to the 21st century: In 2002 renovations of the estate and the wine-making facilities began, and in 2014 Chateau Mukhrani wines won two Double Golds and two Golds at the China Wine and Spirits Awards, a prestigious wine and spirits competition in China. Stroll the vineyards, where the grapes are still picked by hand, explore the prince’s castle, and taste the exclusive wines grown from heritage Georgian and French grapes. Return to Tbilisi in the late afternoon/early evening. Dinner tonight is at the Literary Café at the Writer’s House. Enjoy a brief introduction to this historic house by the director. Built in 1903-1905, the art nouveau mansion now occupied by the Writers' House of Georgia was owned by philanthropist David Sarajishvili and was an important center of the city's cultural life. During Soviet times it was designated a "Palace of the Arts." Since 2008, the Writers' House has had its headquarters here, and is dedicated to the support and development of cultural and literary activities.

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Meals: B, L, D Day 13, Wed, Oct 4 Tbilisi • drive to Signagi After breakfast set off for the Kakheti region, Georgia’s wine country. In the villages houses are backed up against each other, with one family's roof serving as another's terrace, and so on up the hill. This part of Georgia historically suffered from foreign invasions, and the architecture allowed defenders to retreat through the maze of interconnected houses if necessary. First, pay a visit to the Bodbe Monastery and enjoy an opportunity to hear Georgian chanting music at the church. A little over a mile from Signagi is 9th century Bodbe Nunnery, where St. Nino is buried. It is said that toward the end of her life she lived as a hermit in the Bodbe Gorge, and died here. The working convent overlooks the Alazani valley, and was used as a coronation venue by the kings of Kakheti. Its main basilica features some fine frescoes, and its surrounding gardens are refreshing. Some of the nuns here may speak English. Next travel into the valley for a stop at Pheasant’s Tears Winery for a tour of the vineyards that produce organic wines from varietal grapes that grow well in the Kakhetian micro-region. The name of the winery comes from a Georgian legend in which the hero claims that it takes a “wine beyond measure” to make a pheasant cry tears of joy. Here in the village of Tibaani, see where the grapes are grown and visit the cellars where the grapes are macerated and aged in huge ceramic vessels lined with beeswax. Called qvevri, the clay jugs have been used for winemaking for over 8,000 years in this part of the world. Drive to Signagi proper, and spend a short while walking through Signagi’s narrow streets, and admiring the town’s famous wooden balconies, richly carved with lacey ornamentation. As the tour continues, enjoy panoramic views of the brilliant green of Kizikhi’s fertile farmland surrounding the town. In the 18th century, King Erekle II constructed a defensive wall around the hill-town of Signagi. Its towers were named for the surrounding villages, and the townspeople were meant to gather at their tower in times of trouble. The town’s location in an agricultural region helped it to grow quickly, and it became an important agricultural center for the Soviet Union. Following the fall of the Soviet Union, Signagi suffered an economic crisis and has since undergone an extensive reconstruction project.

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Drop in at the Ethnographic Museum, which is a part of the Georgian National Museum consortium. Its focus is on regional ethnographic material and it has a particularly good collection of artifacts collected during archaeological digs around David Gareja Monastery. It also has 16 paintings by the Georgian master painter Pirosmani, who was born in Kakheti Province. Time and interest permitting, take part in a cooking demonstration or sit in on a dance class before dinner.

At the local dance school, see a dance class by the traditional Georgian dance troupe, Zedashe, or others who practice here. Georgian dance is buoyant and energetic, making it exciting to watch. This local school is passing down the traditional art form to the younger generation. This evening dine at the renowned Pheasant’s Tears Restaurant in town to experience a traditional “Georgian Table.” Sample the wonderful local food and drink as you learn about Georgian culinary traditions. A Georgian Table experience can last several hours, with dozens of dishes and countless toasts. The table is covered with plates of delicacies balanced on top of each other – chicken in crushed walnut sauce, khachapuri (a savory cheese pie), puff pastries, little meat dumplings called khinkali, salads and marinated vegetables, just to name a few. A large feast, or supra, will have a sort of toastmaster, called a tamada, who is charged not only with toasting and inviting others to toast, but with telling stories and jokes and sometimes leading songs. Over dinner enjoy a performance of traditional Georgian polyphonic singing. Georgia has one of the oldest and most intriguing polyphonic vocal traditions in Europe. Developing independently of Western European rules of harmony, Georgian vocal music has been passed down by ear for hundreds of years – possibly since the 5th century BC. Its tuning system is based on fifths rather than octaves, giving its choral music a rich yet slightly discordant sound (to western ears). The traditional structure of these old songs incorporates one voice singing the high part, one in the middle and one or two taking the low part,

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often a drone. Each of Georgia’s ethnic regions has its own typical harmony and way of singing. Meals: B, L, D Kabadoni Hotel or similar The four star boutique Kabadoni Hotel opened in 2012 and features a restaurant and bar serving Georgian and European cuisine and creative wine selections, a pool, health club, sauna and spa services. Rooms include minibar, Internet access, in-room safe and bathrobes. Day 14, Thu, Oct 5 Signagi • drive back to Tbilisi Enjoy a lecture this morning before explore central Kakheti en route back to Tbilisi. Visit the Alaverdi Monastery to enjoy a tasting of wines produced on site by monks.

At the Alaverdi Monastery complex, explore Alaverdi Cathedral, one of the tallest churches in Georgia and in its simplicity, one of the most striking. One of the 13 Syrian Fathers, Joseph of Alaverdi, established the first church here. Enjoy lunch at a local village family restaurant known for its homemade cheese. Also in the area, visit Nekresi Monastery. The town of Nekresi was probably

established early in the 1st century BC. In the 4th century, the Iberian king, Trdat, built a church here, which later became important to one of Georgia’s 13 Assyrian Fathers. Restoration work on the monastery complex began in 2009. Set at the top of a steep hill, the monastery commands sweeping views of the valley below. Arrive Tbilisi early evening. Check in and enjoy a free evening to prepare for departure. Meals: B, L Day 15, Fri, Oct 6 Depart Tbilisi The tour concludes with transfers to the airport for morning departures to the U.S. Meals: B (flight time permitting), in flight Photo Credit: Peter Guttman, Martin Klimenta, John Wurdeman, Richard Fejfar, Bob Huberman, MIR Corporation

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Why MlR? Regional knowledge is crucial to the success of any trip to our corner of the world. MIR combines detailed information about geography and infrastructure, history and art, language and culture, with the depth of knowledge that comes only from decades of regional experience. You may wonder how we differ from other tour operators… Destination Specialization MIR focuses exclusively on the exceptional region at the crossroads of Europe and Asia. This area has been our overriding passion since 1986; we don’t do the rest of the world. Our hard-earned expertise gained over the last 30 years can take you from end to end of the largest country in the world – Russia – and to all of its neighbors. We specialize in travel to Siberia, the Silk Route, St. Petersburg & Beyond. Our destinations include: Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, the Baltics (Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia), the Balkans (Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro, Albania, Macedonia, Kosovo, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina), Central Asia (the five ‘Stans), Iran, the Caucasus (Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan), Mongolia, China, Tibet, DPRK and Central/East Europe (Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Romania). Celebrating 30 Years A travel company doesn’t last 30 years in the business without a solid track record. Our dedication and experience have earned us their trust and the trust of many well-respected institutions. Today MIR is the preferred tour operator for museum, alumni and special interest organizations across the country. Award Winning Travel MIR has twice been named one of the “Best Adventure Travel Companies on Earth” by National Geographic Adventure. Several of our tours have won awards in top travel publications, such as Outside magazine and National Geographic Traveler.

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