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And so I set off. To blaze a trail to parts unknown. Venturing off deep into the Caucasus Mountains to untouched regions. Well... maybe not. Actually I was off to what is possibly the single most famous place in the entire region. So famous, it currently graces the front cover of the Lonely Planet guidebook for the area. It's new official name of Stepantsminda hasn't really caught on, so the town is still known as Kazbegi.

Out of Tbilisi, the capital city of Georgia, the Georgian Military Highway heads north towards the Russian border. Gradually the lowland plains turn into lush forested hills which in turn give way to high alpine meadows as the road climbs to nearly 2,400 metres. Along the way, the road passes iconic monuments and churches, each a photo waiting to happen. The road is remarkably well maintained. That is until the ski resort village of Gudauri. After that, things take a serious turn for the worse. It then gradually deteriorates from fully paved to tightly packed to potholes the size of meteor craters as the kilometres painfully pass by. The whole experience all the more enhanced by the rather "intimate" seating arrangement in the Soviet era transport whose shocks have long since passed their use-by date. But eventually we roll up into the central square in Kazbegi, and none too soon!

The first order of business was to find some place to stay. I'm not really a luxury hotel sort of guy. Luckily, before I had even disembarked from the mini-bus, I was bombarded with homestay offers from the awaiting women at the bus stop. I took the first offer. I didn't even bargain with the initial offer of 25 Lari ($15) which was to include food as well. Now, i had previously stayed in Caucasus mountain homestays before. So i kind of knew what to expect. But instead of a tiny little mat on the floor in the far corner of some back room, i was shown to a super luxury room with ultra-comfy bed, piano and display cabinet. And that's not even mentioning the spectacular view from the numerous windows which were around the room illuminating it with natural light. So clearly because the room was so nice, I assumed the food must be quite ordinary. Wrong again!! As diner was being served, I thought "well this is pretty good". But every time i was sure i couldn't possibly eat anymore, my host babushka (translated as Grandmother, but used for any elderly woman) would enter the room with yet another delicious local salad or meal or whatever while yelling "Eat for your health!!" in Russian. Then leaving the room to bring something else. Breakfast was no different. I swear i put on 5 kilos in the couple days i was up there.

Walking around the village, while both peaceful and pleasant, reap very few rewards. It is a great glimpse into simple rural life in Georgia. Stone homes which still stand after countless generations are lovely to look at, but nothing really unique or special. A small church in town (title photo), dated from 1809, is the backdrop for the grave of Alexander Kazbegi, the villages namesake. There are a few relief gracing the outer facade but nothing spectacular. And the inside is actually rather subdued if compared to many other Orthodox churches surely to be encountered elsewhere in the country. Other than that, there is a old cable car station, built by the Russians to a nearby hill, which was quickly dismantled by the locals. And... well... that's it. It's really just a place to soak in the fresh air, take in the mountain scenery and relax.
But this relaxing atmosphere is NOT what brings the flocks of tourists, both local and international, it is instead the Tsminda Sameba Church. The 14th-century Holy Trinity Church sits at 2200 metres above sea-level. While the determination to build it in such a location is commendable. And the sites hallowed relevance is unmistakable. The church itself is actually quite ordinary. But it is instead the absolutely spectacular setting in which the church is located that has made it the unofficial symbol of Georgia. Surrounded by a ring a mountain peaks, not the least of which is the 5047m high Mt. Kazbek, it is arguably the most dramatic single location in the entire region. And not just Georgia, but its neighbouring countries as well. The walk up is half the fun, with each step you are rewarded with one amazing view after another. And it only takes about an hour if you're in average shape. Of course, there are taxis that'll take you up, but at a firm price of 50 Lari (up, wait and down) it's extortionate. The church is free of charge, but they do ask that men don't wear shorts, no photos inside and women need to dress appropriately (they provide some robes for this). There are some walks that continue past the church. Supposedly there are a few glaciers to visit. But i wasn't in the mood. I just hung out, enjoying the view and the peace!There are a few day trips available from Kazbeki. A few kms north is the Russian border and a few waterfalls. To the south-east the village of Juta, via the Sno Valley, seems popular. I instead opted to hike the Truso Gorge to the abandoned village of Ketrisi. Through my homestay, i arranged to meet up with a taxi driver who already had a couple of tourist heading my way. It seems the taxi prices quoted in the LP are TOTALLY out of date. Either that or my bargaining skills suddenly suck. So the chance to split the cost 3 ways was more than welcome. From where the taxi dropped me off, it was a fairly leisurely 2+ hours walk filled with beautiful scenery, fresh air and magnificent sunshine. I couldn't have asked for better weather. There are numerous natural mineral springs in the area. Great for bathing, though not for drinking. The area is now part of the new buffer zone with South Ossetia. So there are border posts with a few curious guards, who might wander down to check things out. After a quick picnic, the walk back followed the same gorge to where the taxi was arranged to meet. Easy-peasy!!

Getting to Kazbeki is super easy. Mini-buses leave from the Didube metro/bus station. It's the lot directly across from the metro exit. Ticket cost 8 Lari and the trip takes about 3 hours up hill, and even less downhill. I don't think i could recommend this trip more. The people were lovely, the food was great and the scenery legendary. And i'm sure the fact that i had absolutely ideal weather made a difference, the majic of the place would still shine through any rain.