The Georgia Project

Abkhazia, an Update and a Move

2007-06-27T04:17:00.000-07:00

It's 18 months since I first dipped my toe into the big Blog pond and experimented with the medium.

This little blog was produced only over a matter of days but it has not been short lived. Time and time again I came back to see the material I had posted and it was a great extension to my notes and a constant source of inspiration for the features I subsequently produced.

I'm sure that blogging will figure in my future reporting. How exactly is something I'm still tinkering with.

Meanwhile, I've added a few things and made a few changes to the blog.

You can now listen to and download all of the Georgian radio features I produced. And, I will gradually add some slideshows.

Perhaps the most significant addition to The Georgia Project is material produced from my Nov-Dec 2006 trip to Abkhazia.(Sadly, I had to surrender the green laminated plastic visa on the way out - passports are not stamped).

Blogging was not an option as internet speeds in Sukhum/Sukhumi were circa 1996 (this is where Twitter would have worked quite well via Russian mobile networks). It was an enormously informative trip though and I made many friends - both Abkhaz and Georgian.

On the Georgian side it was great to team up again with my ever dependable driver Chaco who took great pleasure showing me around his home town of Kutaisi on the way to and from the Zugdidi border. In Abkhazia, Arto was one of the best fixers I've worked with and Timur and his black right hand drive Subaru took up driving duties for me.

My thanks to the independent Basque journalist Karlos Zurutuza for making the Thomas Goltz connection for me.

I can thoroughly recommend Goltz's Georgia Diary and Chechnya Diary. Goltz should be the first thing anyone considers reading before venturing to the Caucasus. I'm reading Azerbaijan Diary at the moment. If TG writes that getting a grip on post-Soviet Caucasus is like walking into the middle of a movie and playing intellectual catch-up of Georgian issues ever after, then I've only scratched the surface.

Three radio features I produced from my Abkhazia material are below. The first is a mini-documentary about the political situation and general life in Abkhazia. The second looks at how the European Union is helping to support independent media and the final feature profiles Abkhazia's one and only hip-hop band Black & White. It was the first time they had been interviewed.

More photos and video from Abkhazia to follow shortly.

The other little bit of news is I'm planning to link The Georgia Project to a new all-purpose reporter blog which I will use for future trips and other media related themes in the future.

See you over there soon.

Guy

Postscript And a Pint

2005-12-08T01:08:00.000-08:00

On my way to Holland Park from Heathrow Airport yesterday afternoon, Jeremy, an old mate from school whose floor I'm camping on in London, rang to tell me that Lady D's housekeeper Benildi was not in and I'd have to wait until she returned to get inside the flat. "No problem," I said, and thought about having lunch at the pub around the corner. Just as The Kensington came into view I noticed a house opposite the pub with the unmistakeable red and white Georgian Flag hanging from a small flagpole. I had to do a little double-take. Yes, this is London. There's red double decker buses going by so what's a Georgian Flag doing here? As I approached the house I saw cyrillic script on the brassplate of the front door and neatly inscribed below that in English:'Emabssy of Georgia'.

When I entered the pub, I mentioned to the young bloke behind the bar this trivial coincidence of just arriving from Georgia and now finding myself opposite its embassy. He frowned at me. He said knew of the embassy but didn't really know where Georgia was.

"Need to do a bit more travelling," he said. "But I spent three months in Australia last year though."

Hmmm...

I told him to hit the road and see more of the world as soon as he could.

As my trip has now come to an end it would be remiss of me not to thank the people who've helped me over the past weeks while I was in Georgia. Whether it was with information, contacts, driving, translation, lending me a book, coffee, a meal... Or just calling me up to check that I was safe and OK. I truly appreciate it and my sincere thanks to you all.

So, that's all from The Georgia Project. Until next time, thanks for stopping by and ciao for now.

Guy

Smoke gets in your eyes

2005-12-07T07:38:00.000-08:00

Rising early today, Lala, my hotel landlady, made me breakfast and told me to be careful for the last time before wishing me farewell. Surprisingly, my taxi driver fastened his seat belt after watching me do so. A first time for everything in Georgia. Driving through Tbilisi to the airport, a smoky morning haze from piles of burning rubbish in the streets hung thick in the air. The radio blared Georgian folk songs and the driver gave me a toothy smile as I unloaded a collection of Georgian small change into his hands for a tip.

As I type this out on the way to London I have so many different feelings about Georgia that will probably take much time to distil. I have only just scratched the surface of this incredibly complex country, but the generosity, hospitality and warm of Georgians will be something always to remember. Just a few days ago in Akhalkalaki I ate in the restaurant owned by a veteran of the civil war in the early 90's. He rolled up his sleeve to show me the symbol of St George tattooed on his left arm. A tattoo not only for pride but also for him to be identified as Georgian if he was killed in action. Over dinner we discovered that we were the same age. When he was fighting I was an undergraduate reading history. He asked me a strange question. If Australia and Georgia were ever at war, and by some quirk of fate we met in battle, would I shoot him? I said as a journalist I'd much rather avoid fighting and use a pen over a gun. But he continued to press me for an answer. In the end I said that I could not fight a people that I knew and respected. He smiled and nodded. Leaning over the table he said that out of loyalty he could not kill a man who had eaten his food, drunk his wine and been a guest in his home. The next time I am in Australia, he asked me to raise a glass of wine, and to remember that I have a brother in Georgia and a bed and a meal anytime I need.

I will do that Malhaz. Cheers!

Mr UFO - No Space Cadet

2005-12-07T07:34:00.000-08:00

My last story of the trip was to interview Irakli Shonia, son of the late Tales Shonia who was Georgia's official researcher into UFO's and other unexplained phenomena. Irakli showed me some fascinating footage of experiments his father conducted when he lead the Institute of Cybernetics. His wife Anna also played some music for me on a piano written by a woman under the influence of a poltergeist. Watching the films made me think of a 70's science programme, 'Believe It Or Not', narrated by none other than Dr Spock, Leonard Nimoy. UFO's, Big Foot and the paranormal were the stuff of this very cheesy series. Tales work would have made for a great episode. It was easy to see the pride in Irakli's face watching his father at work. Though entirely unsupported, Irakli intends to continue the research of his father and to help people who seek out answers to things or experiences they can't explain.

Listen to the story: an mp3 file is available for download at DivShare (5 MB)

A last stroll

2005-12-07T07:28:00.004-08:00

Having conducted a few interviews yesterday morning I made time in the afternoon for one last wander around town. There's a great charm about Tbilisi's architecture - be it the backyards of rustic carved wooden balconies and wrought iron staircases, imposing 19th century stone buildings, fragments of Art Nouveau, bizarre Soviet monoliths or shambolic apartment blocks made of literally anything available.

Unfortunately, I couldn't find the man I had passed on many ocassions who sold handmade wooden kitchen utensils. I really wanted to buy some wooden spoons from him. Huge spoons with cavernous scoops and roughly shaped - their imperfections were perfect. Next time.

An International City of Acronyms and Intrigue

2005-12-06T07:25:00.000-08:00

For such a small city Tbilisi has a large expatriate community working in foreign embassies and for a vast array international acronym organisations. ICRC, OSCE, UNDP, UNICEF, UNHCR, UNESCO, WFP, MSF etc - if it has an acronym it's here. Such a melting pot of international bodies also makes for rather interesting eavesdropping in the city's cafes, restaurants and bars. Though, when one hears snippets of fairly juicy information such as a budget blow out, a new flare up in an area of conflict or the sacking of an official, one wonders about the discretion of some people. What was that old maxim..."Loose lips sink ships?"

Here's a little taste. The acronyms are not mentioned to protect the indiscreet.

A mid-week afternoon in the cafe of Prospero's Book Shop...

A group of colleagues from the world's peak international heritage organisation earnestly discuss the prospects of proposing a new site in Georgia for the world heritage list. The conversation switches back and forth from French to English. One of the more idealistic of the party presents a passionate case for the site. She argues that local people will embrace the idea and world heritage listing will see them begin to care for their maligned area.

Over a meal at the German Biergarten...

Two clearly worried colleagues from a very active international security and monitoring organisation contemplate a sticky development in a certain area of instability in Georgia. The senior colleague is adamant that he will 'pull his people out if necessary'. In between courses he reaches for his mobile phone:

"Hello, this is Paul here in Tbilisi. Is Gordon there or is he still in Vilnius?"

(Much nodding and sipping of beer)

"Well, look it's too late now for Brussels to do anything today but I've made our position absolutely clear to The President and to the Ministry of Defence."

Friday night Happy Hour in the lounge bar of at Betsy's Hotel...

Two groups of, lets put it this way, mainly Commonwealth expatriates judging from the accents are letting off a little steam after a hard week. One group sitting down (and by the number of bottles at their table clearly enjoying the cheap drinks) mulls over the similarities and linguistic relationship between Dutch, German and English. Meanwhile, two gentlemen, clearly ex-Army types from their military bearing, very loudly deliver their opinion of the inadequacies of the reforms and training of the Georgian armed forces to a Georgian official.

One little gem though from the world of acronyms. Yesterday I interviewed a senior UNHCR official about internally displaced people in Georgia from South Ossetia and Abkhazia. I received a highly detailed and intuitive briefing. We both smiled on agreeing that while referring to internally displaced people as 'IDPs' is international development parlance and convenient, the term dehumanises those who have been left in limbo from the unresolved conflicts within Georgia.

The Detour Tour Back To Tbilisi

2005-12-05T12:05:00.000-08:00

The return trip via the caves of Vardzia was to be a little treat for me and for the others more of a relaxing day. Translator Nino slept in. This had Driver Chaco pacing the hotel corridors anxiously shouting, from what I could only imagine, a few well chosen Georgian phrases appropriate for this occasion. He resorted to pounding on her door, and then in exasperation, simply blasting the car horn in long bursts. I refrained from making any comment but took up the hotel landlord’s offer of a tour of the ‘Lux’ suites to kill a little time.

Once we set off, I then pointed out to Chaco after about 5 minutes that we heading in the wrong direction. Chaco then wanted to ‘service’ the car. No problem I said in the interests of safety. Nino took up the opportunity to get provisions for the day. After a roadside picnic just outside of town it was 11am before we were underway. Perhaps my punishment for the 13 hour working day on Sunday.

The remains of the 12th century cave system in Vardzia was remarkable and somewhat sad. It reminded me of Mesa Verde in New Mexico. The Church of the Assumption was the highlight and one of the five monks in residence gave an excellent explanation of the frescos inside. On the other hand the state and upkeep of the caves and the reserve is disappointing. I have written earlier about visiting places of historical interest in Georgia means bringing your own notes. Georgia has much to offer people interested in the country’s rich history and natural environment. Sadly, from what I have experienced so far, the basic infrastructure is just not there for tourists to enjoy and appreciate this heritage.

And just enough energy to note that I did see a tiny section of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline. I wonder if it can seen from space?

The Dukhobors

2005-12-05T11:00:00.000-08:00

The goal of the trip was to meet with the Russian religious group called the Dukhobors. Their villages are just near the Georgia's southern border with Armenia and Turkey. The influence of Armenia is very apparent. Armenian is widely spoken and for Nino and Chaco, Russian was the linqua franca. In Akhalkalaki (about 6 hours drive south from Tbilisi) the local UNDP office was very helpful in setting up meetings with nearby NGO's and Dukhobor community leaders. Our biggest problems though were the roads and Chaco's car. Beyond Ninotsminda (20 kms south-east of Akhalkalaki)the roads became muddy potholed tracks. Everyone told us we were lucky that heavy snow had not yet fallen as by December the Dukhobor villages are usually snowbound.

The constant bumping had loosened the Lancia's timing chain and finding a mechanic on Sunday was tough. To keep our appointments, Nino and I managed to flag down a ride to Gorelovka - about 20 minutes away. Chaco said he'd find us once the car was fixed. My thanks to Zurab and his Lada Niva for taking a long detour home to drive us.

In Gorelovka we met Luba, a Dukhobor leader (sitting to my left in photo). A very resolute and determined woman it took a great deal of negotiations to convince her that our intentions were genuine and that we would respect the Dukhobor culture. Through her we were introduced to several families. Their warmth and hospitality was touching. Over the past decade their numbers have dwindled from 6000 to around 400. The majority have sort new lives in Russia and a number of people we spoke to were intending to migrate to Russia shortly. As it became dark they sang a traditional Dukhobor song for us. It was one of those rare occasions where as a journalist you feel incredibly privileged to be allowed inside the lives of a group of people – even for just a moment. Several toasts of potent wine were made in our honour and in return Chaco, in true Georgian spirit, got up and returned the honour with a long and heartfelt toast.

Listen to the story. Downloadable via Divshare:

On tour with the team

2005-12-05T10:32:00.000-08:00

Just returned a couple of hours ago from Akhalkalaki. I thought I'd never say that it feels great to be back in Tbilisi. It has been quite an arduous long weekend with Driver Chaco and Translator Nino. Both worked very hard and together we had plenty of laughs. But in our own ways we each tested each other's patience. That's only natural under the circumstances. It's not a school excursion and both of them were very extremely flexible with the demands of the trip. We set off early on Friday morning in Chaco's green Fiat Lancia. A reasonable vehicle one could say. The tyres could of used a little more tread and by the end of the trip the front left indicator had all but fallen off. However Chaco made up for any deficiencies with deft driving skills. In his own words: "I am Schumacher's Assistant." I'll vouch for that.

Translator Nino, a graduate with two degrees, was overjoyed to be out of Tbilisi and on a road trip and marveled at literally everything.... All of the time. Throw in Chaco's compilation tapes of Georgian folk music, and his need to play them VERY LOUDLY, and maybe you can get the sense that it was quite an experience roaring around the Georgian countryside for three days.

At large with entourage

2005-12-02T11:08:00.000-08:00

The leader of Georgia's Labor Party, Shakya Natelashvili, has told local reporters this week that he's done the sums on President Saakashvili's overseas trips this year... and the President has accumulated more than just some frequent flyer points. According to Natelashvili, The President has been on 38 overseas trips on which he was accompanied by around 2000 people and at a cost of 30 million lari (about $US15 million). Meanwhile I'm still at large of course and tomorrow, with my entourage of only a driver and a translator, our destination is Akhalkalaki and Gorelovka. In what looks like a reasonable roadworthy Lancia we'll drive through Borjourmi known for it's mineral water and Akhatsikhe. Hopefully we'll get to see something of the new Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline. While we're down in the Samtskhe-Javakheti province, I hope to find out more about a Russian sect, the Dukhobors. They came to Georgia about 150 years ago but now the younger generation is moving on and moving out. And, if I can manage it, I'll try to get to the vast system of caves near Vardzia. There's a monastery down there and I think it might be interesting to see what life is like for the brothers among the caves. This is all happening very close to the Armenian border and curiously the Lonely Planet guide sort of ends at Vardzia. I have little idea of what internet access is down that way but I'll post an update when I can. The plan is to be back in Tbilisi Monday evening and ready for a final round of interviews on Tuesday - including Mr UFO.

Lelo: Georgian Rugby

2005-12-01T04:37:00.000-08:00

By chance the ecology manager of Batumi's Oil Refinery shared my compartment last night on the train back to Tbilisi. After finding out I was Australian he asked me if I had watched Georgia's national rugby union team play at 2003 Rugby World Cup in Sydney. I diplomatically avoided talking about big scores some teams notched up against Georgia but tactfully added that Australians love backing the underdog. We both agreed it was a great achievment that Georgia actually qualified. He went on to tell me why Georgians love Rugby... Because it's similar to Lelo - a traditional Georgian game from Guria that's just as barbaric.

Batumi Chic and Adjarian Khachapuri

2005-12-01T04:07:00.000-08:00

Sporting some very cool 70's Carrera sunnies, Zimon was my driver in Batumi. He's not a fan of driving a taxi all day, but he counts himself lucky that having his old Lada allows him to bring in an income for his family. The thing I loved about his taxi was every panel was a different shade of biege.

And for a welcomed lunch break yesterday Irakli took me to his favourite Khachapuri cafe in Batumi. Khachapuri is a national dish - a kind of cheesy, buttery and eggy pie. In this part of Georgia it's shaped like a boat. Irakli studiously ignored my concerns about cholesterol.

Room 1213 in the Hotel Medea

2005-12-01T03:52:00.000-08:00

Last night I met Manana and one of her two sons Paata - Georgians from near Sukhumi in Abkhazia. They fled their home in 1992 after their neighbours were killed by a gang of Abkhaz. In August of that year, Georgian forces had entered Sukhumi with tanks and soon afterwards the Abhkaz began a counteroffensive - 13 years later the conflict is still unresolved. Getting into Abkhazia today is possible but one needs the permission of the Abkhaz authorities and travelling through Gali is I'm told a little hectic (kidnapping and the like).

Today Manana and her son are still living as 'internally displaced people' in Batumi's Hotel Medea along with thousands of others. Even after all this time they dream about returning to Sukhumi. However, they believe the conflict can only be resolved by force. When I asked Paata about taking up arms for the return of his homeland he said he would be prepared to fight. This I found surprising from a man who since coming to Batumi has studied to become a lawyer and is working at a local human rights NGO. As Paata explained: "There's a Caucasian mentality. When your brother or when your neighbour or when an ordinary person from your town is fighting there is something in your heart that pushes you to fight too."

Listen to the story: an mp3 file is available to download from DivShare (5.5 MB)

Boom or bust in Batumi

2005-12-01T03:42:00.000-08:00

It's difficult to judge if Adjara's integration with Georgia is really bringing prosperity to Batumi. My fixer/translator Irakli seemed very positive about the future. He said the past summer season was a bumper one for tourists - mostly from within Georgia. With unemployment perhaps the region's biggest problem, many locals rely on making an income during the summer and stretching that out for the rest of the year. Certainly along the beach I saw some new cafes and a hotel is undergoing renovation. Irakli proudly showed me a new electronic big screen erected near the beach and a fountain. Strolling around the administrative heart of the city is also pleasant but you don't have to stray too far to see that Batumi badly needs an overhaul. Street lighting, footpaths and drainage are random. A quick downpour has one thinking about Wellington boots and large potholes turn roads into slalom courses. Looking up at the decrepit exteriors of many apartment blocks one wonders about life inside.

The Cruel Sea

2005-11-29T10:43:00.000-08:00

No, nothing to do with Nicholas Monserrat. The port city of Batumi is fairly quiet during the winter. Summertime these days livens up with many Georgians and some foreign tourists taking a seaside holiday. Down the road from the oil refinery there is a beach of coarse grey sand and pebbles and a long coastal walk. However, just a few kilometres south the coastline changes. At the village of Adlia at least a dozen houses beside the sea have been damaged by storms during October. You might say bad luck for building so close to the water. But in actual fact most houses were built about 60 years ago when the shoreline was a good 500 metres away. Or as one man told me, his horse used to get tired going out to the water and back. Several locals showed me right through (literally) their houses. Many houses had partially collapsed or had gaping holes in rooms facing the sea. The cause: lack of sediment and sand from the nearby Chorokhi River. It meanders through Turkey and end its journey at the Black Sea. There's been a history of dredging sand to take elsewhere up the coast and now the Chorokhi is being dammed in Turkey for hydro-electric power stations.So with no new sand and sediment to replenish beaches the present shoreline is being gouged out during every big storm. Many of the people I spoke with have little hope for having a house after this winter.

I'll post some photos when I'm back in Tbilisi. Tomorrow I'm going to talk to internally displaced Georgians from Abkhazia. Left in limbo for 13 years many are still occupying local beachside hotels.As for the sub-tropical climate here - it's really strange. It's quite cool and I'm rugged up but there's a warm breeze that blows in from the sea all day.

Listen to the story: an mp3 file can be downloaded from DivShare (6 MB)

A little luck in Batumi

2005-11-29T10:36:00.000-08:00

Arriving this morning at 6.30am at the end of the line at Makhinjauri I had little idea of how to get to Batumi or where to stay. As luck would have it, I crammed into a mini-bus heading to Batumi and a young bloke asked me where I was going. This is how I met my local fixer. Irakli is 16 years old and has recently returned from a year in South Carolina and speaks fantastic English. I hired him immediately on the spot!

Batumi and Ajaria's Black Sea Coast

2005-11-28T06:43:00.000-08:00

Getting around in Georgia is not exactly straightforward. Armed with a large map from Stamford's in London, I thought the big red lines indicated major roads that were open. Well, almost. A road might be there but whether it's usable for public transport is another thing. Rainer Kauffman, a German who runs a couple restaurants in Tbilisi was very kind today to sit down and explain just what is possible. My idea of a triangular route from Tbilisi to Batumi to Akhalkalaki and then back to Tbilsi just isn't feasible. So tonight I'm taking the overnight train to the Black Sea port of Batumi in Ajara. Going south to Akhalkalaki will probbaly mean coming back through Tbilisi. Once in Batumi, I intend to see what life is like now that Aslan Abashidze is gone, and if Tbilisi's promises of a better deal are coming to fruition. And, with a little nod to hydrogeomorphology, I'd like to examine coastal erosion and how this part of Georgia is recovering from this year's spring floods.

Georgia's 'X Files'

2005-11-28T00:18:00.000-08:00

Last night I met Georgia's (unofficial) UFO and alien investigator. And no, I haven't been commissioned by 'News of the World' for a 'Georgia Alien Abduction Shocker' expose nor have I been drinking too much Georgian wine. Irakli Shonia works at Tbilisi's local water corportion and in his spare time continues the work of his now deceased father who during the Soviet era was Georgia's official UFO investigator at the Institute of Cybernetics. As a teenager Irakli travelled throughout Georgia with his father examining sites where people had reported seeing something odd - be it UFO's, aliens or something unexplainable. Unfortunately, much of his father's research has been destroyed in the war of the early 90's. Next week Irakli has offered to show me archival footage of his father at work, introduce me to some former members of the original research team, and to take me to a nearby site to conduct experiments that his father used to do. Sounds like the Soviets used to take their UFO's as seriously as the Americans... and, with a very sceptical but open mind to this, I'm curious to see some of the objects Irakli has to show me.

Dov Lynch Interview

2005-11-27T06:25:00.000-08:00

For those of you who were interested in listening to Dov Lynch talk about how Europe views Georgia, my apologies for no audio available, however I have transcribed the excerpt below.

GD: Why has the Black Sea been forgotten as a 'European Sea'?

DL: The first reason is because we have other fish to fry. I mean there's other things to think about. I mean if you're in Brussels sitting in an EU office thinking about: what are our strategic interests? What do we have to deal with now, tomorrow and the day after tomorrow, it's the Balkans, the Western Balkans, the Western Balkans and the Western Balkans. This is where the EU is forged as a security actor. This is what we have to deal with... we have to deal with Kosovo in 2006... Bosnia Herzegovina... this is it. Add to that enlargement and we just didn't have time to think about one step beyond this: what is our interest in the Black Sea? Now that is slowly changing because you have with the prospective membership of Romania and Bulgaria in 2007, the accession process of Turkey, Neighbourhood Policy with Moldova, Ukraine and Georgia... it seems like a reality you can no longer ignore that this is actually a 'European Sea' that we've forgotten about. And there's good reasons why we've forgotten - historically also because the Cold War... it [the Black Sea] was a Turkish, Russian, Soviet condominium there. But now, I think it's time now, especially from member states, and future member states, to think about: what should we do here? What are our interests? What stakes are here? What can be done in terms of environmental protection, organised crime prevention, increasing co-operation across the Black Sea, around the Black Sea which doesn't exist yet. I mean despite statements to the contrary, this is a very divided sea. So a lot of work has to be done in this area but it's time to do it.

GD: How does Europe view Georgia and the South Caucasus?

DL: That's changing. I mean Georgia and the South Caucasus a few years ago were being seen as distant and foreign, as a mountain range and not really a region, as a place of conflicts that are unresolved and a place of tensions with Russia - which is a strategic partnership of the EU. So it was kind of seen as something that we should keep at arms length. Member states - Britain, Germany and France - have long been interested and had special policies for the region. With enlargement, with the Rose Revolution, with various changes around the Black Sea, this [Europe's view] has changed. The EU now sees The Caucasus as being part of Europe and these certainly are the frontiers of Europe - as being part of our borders in a sense. Georgia, Azerbaijan and Armenia are recognised as being important neighbours and we've decided that if we do not have distinct interests, we have stakes at least. We have stakes in the success of this region, we have stakes in its stability and peaceful development beyond our direct interests in energy supplies. So things have changed.

Listen to the interview with Dov Lynch:

Bumper to bumper to Jvari

2005-11-27T06:23:00.000-08:00

From miles around Mtskheta one can see the 6th century Jvari Church perched up high on a hill. On the way to Mtskheta, everyone on the local mini-bus crossed themselves several times when it came into view. Having bargained with a local driver for a lift up there, the importance to Georgians of this church became obvious. Not only is it written up in guidebooks as one the greatest examples of early Georgian design, but the 4th century figure, St Nino, is believed to have set up her cross there and gone about converting the population living below... ie the rest of Georgia. The drive up was probably the most white-knuckled one I've done so far in Georgia. We came within a fraction of a head-on collision as my driver tried to overtake cars around a bend. The reason for so much traffic is because on Saturday afternoons, newly wedded couples and their families go up there as a kind of pilgrimage (I also saw a few unwilling lambs being dragged up their too - presumably to be blessed before slaughter and shish-kebabing!). Such was the traffic chaos that my driver decided to go up onto the shoulder of the road and bash it along some sort of cliff top cattle track. Much to the amusement of others we jumped the queue and he deposited me, somewhat pale, at the head of the traffic jam. From the church one can see where the Aragavi and Mtkarvi Rivers meet - a spectacular view.

Mtskheta

2005-11-27T06:10:00.000-08:00

For a day trip out of Tbilisi yesterday I headed about 25 minutes west to Mtskheta - perhaps the spiritual heart of Georgia and of Christianity in the country. Most kings of Georgia chose Mtskheta as their capital. Today it's one Georgia's three UNESCO world heritage sites. That said, you've got to come prepared with some our your own notes as there's little in the way of help for tourists - except souvenir shops. I walked into the Mtskheta Museum hoping to see some of the antiquities that have been found in local excavations. At first I thought the museum was deserted as no one was around and there was no exhibit. After about ten minutes I heard some music in an office and found two staff members. Alas, they told me it's officially closed and couldn't provide me with more information. Opposite the museum at the Samtarvo Church, black robed nuns dispatched a local girl to talk to me in English. She said the best thing to see is the nearby 11th century Sveti-Tskhoveli Cathedral (top photo). Very impressive and according to legend it's where the robe of Christ is buried. The Cathedral is in the centre of town and many homes are literally opposite the outer defensive wall. Renovation work is in progress at both churches, and one assumes that means either the Church, state or UNESCO are providing some funds for preservation.

The Tbilisi Taxi Debate

2005-11-25T23:09:00.000-08:00

Judging a taxi by it's exterior to determine if you'll be overcharged is a topic of debate among local expats. Yesterday I took a very leisurely lunch with a journalist colleague and two bankers specialising in small loans and finance. From 'downtown' I selected a Mercedes taxi in the familiar cream livery of German taxis. The driver confirmed it was in fact an old German Merc taxi. Grinning at my expense when I uttered "Oh my God" as we drove towards oncoming traffic, the driver was of the normal Tbilisi driving school where speed rules and might is right. However, once we arrived at our destination - a screaming match began between my colleague and the driver. He refused to budge from charging 10 lari (about US$5) for the trip when normally about 7 lari would do and he wouldn't give back the right change. My colleague refused to leave the cab. I looked perplexed and felt a little inadequate that I couldn't mediate in Georgian. The cabbie then drove off with us still inside. 50 metres on he stopped and then appealing to me as a male, suggested with by some sort of jaw-like hand charade that my colleague was a greedy woman. And then in english said: "You not good girl." Apparently his behaviour confirmed suspicions that Mercedes taxi charge more. But the debate is still out among expats if the red Toyota taxis overcharge too or if it's just better to jump into one of the hundreds of ex-Soviet conveyances that pass themselves off for cars. Some taxis in Tbilisi would not look out of place in Mad Max.

Viktor Yushenko

2005-11-25T22:53:00.000-08:00

Just a quick aside from the Forum earlier in the week. I've just been going through a few photos. The scarring (if that's the precise term?) to President Viktor Yushenko's face is quite shocking. I got within arms length of him a couple of times and it's hard not to stare. Is the poisoning theory still out there or was it stress related or something else?

Back to basics for now

2005-11-25T00:04:00.000-08:00

It seems that my attempts to store audio and video and not working out as planned. From here on I'll keep it simple and just post text, and where possible, photos.

Guy

AV Problems

2005-11-24T08:00:00.000-08:00

Sorry folks having a wee bit of trouble upload pics, audio and video.
Standby.

Guy

Any comments Mr President?

2005-11-24T07:57:00.000-08:00

For such an important national celebration as the second anniversary of the 'Rose Revolution', it was surprising that the media was not offered an opportunity to interview President Mikheil Saakashvili until very late on Wednesday evening. And only then at a very staged managed media conference for foreign press only. Earlier in the week, numerous requests to his staff for an interview came back with the reply that The President is a very busy man. Indeed.

On Tuesday, frustrated with getting no where I even turned up at the Presidential Dinner in Mtskheta (about 25 minutes out of Tbilisi) to try to get that elusive exclusive. Having cheesy-smiled my way inside I found myself sitting a little uncomfortably in front of the band, but beside the Aide de Camp for the Estonian President. An affable naval officer, we spoke quickly between song breaks about the giant steps Estonia has taken with 'e-government'. The food was satisfactory and I kept the menu as a souvenir. I particularly liked the 'Boiled Cheese with Mint', though I passed on a few of the 'Assorted shish-kebab'. As for the evening's entertainment, the athleticism of the traditional Georgian dancers was impressive.

Once dessert had been served, I asked one of the President's (American) advisers if I could have a few moments with him for an interview. The response from The President was quite swift and decisive. He took up a microphone, told everyone he was leaving and strode out.

The following day (Wednesday) I still had hopes of getting at least a couple of grabs from The President. At the forum (see earlier post) I knew that if I was in the right position when he arrived I might get a few words.

Naturally, every other journalist, snapper and TV cameraman had the same idea. What made it even more confusing were the presence of Romania and Ukrainian journalists and camera crews. They too wanted to interview their respective Presidents. Throw in a sneeky back entrance and for about 20 minutes prior to Presidential arrivals you had an Ealing 'Carry On' comedy of journalists, photographers, cameramen and security staff running around the Marriot Hotel helter skelter.

Close to the Hotel Ballroom where the forum was taking place I took up post near a room marked VIP. And would you believe it, Mikheil Saakashvili marched up the stairs and headed straight towards me and the VIP Room. Despite being bundled out of the way by burly large men in black, I was able to remain close to the VIP room and when Saakashvili popped out to greet the Estonian President I yelled out if he had any comments to make. Thrusting out my microphone, the President answered some questions. But in the midst of it all I always wonder why does my brain go blank? If you only have time to ask maybe two questions... what should you ask?

Anyway it was enough to file... and to make me smile.

Democracy and Transformation: Georgia Style

2005-11-24T07:38:00.000-08:00

So, what was I up to?

Well for someone who has only just arrived in Georgia, the past two days have been enormously informative. I went along to a two day forum entitled Europe's New Wave of Liberation: Democracy and Transformation. Along with President MikheiI Saakashvili, the forum featured quite an impressive list of regional leaders (Ukraine's Viktor Yushenko, Arnold Rüütel of Estonia and Romania's Traian Băsescu), senior Georgian ministers and MP's, representatives from the United States, the European Union and political analysts from numerous trans-Atlantic think tanks.

The panel sessions delved into institutional reform in transitional democracies; the success of the 'Rose Revolution' and the challenges a country like Georgia faces. For me, the most interesting session was: Why Democracy in the region matters: An Outside Perspective. This was moderated by the Chairman of the Georgian Parliament Nino Burjanadaze. (Her likeness to Dustin Hoffman's alter ego in Tootsie - see photo at above - which local journalists pointed out to me was a little distracting!). Ms Burjanadaze was keen to stress that Georgia is committed to democratic processes, independent courts, and supporting a strong independent media. She also added that Georgia should not be punished by being denied EU entry if other countries in the Caucasus are not yet ready.

Heikki Talvitie, Special Representative of the EU in the South Caucasus, navigated a very diplomatic path in his panel contribution saying that democracy is a tool for change and the EU aims 'to support existing mechanisms'. While Assistant Secretary-General of Nato, Jean Fornet, praised Georgia's military reforms and the army's work with KFOR and also in Afghanistan.

However, along with Charles Fairbanks of Johns Hopkins, the observations of Dov Lynch, Senior Research Fellow at the EU's Institute for Security Studies in Paris, were perhaps the most eloquent and insightful of this particular session. Lynch, an Irishmen, with a subtle trans-Atlantic accent, said that Georgia's 2003 'Rose Revolution' had disspelled three myths. Namely, that Georgia was a basket case of entrenched corruption and a collection of fiefdoms; that countries of the former the Soviet Union were a losing bet; and, that for Europe, The Caucasus was something distant and foreign - that it was not important to the immediate needs of Brussels and not of strategic interest. Lynch added that until recently The Black Sea has been forgotten by Europe as being a 'European Sea'. As for working towards gaining membership to the European Union, Lynch pointed out that the path to Brussels begins not in Brussels but in Tbilisi. Very much in the sense of God helps those who help themselves.

I interviewed Dov Lynch after the panel session and if you're interested you can download a little excerpt as an mp3 file from DivShare (Dov Lynch Interview 1.9 MB).

I'm still here...

2005-11-24T07:36:00.000-08:00

Lets be honest. I've never kept a proper diary and while on the road the most disciplined I have ever been was to jot down the date and location of photographs. Internet access in Tbilisi is quite good - there's plenty of internet cafes. You can find a fast connection but uploading photos, video and audio takes time. With the commitments of the past two days out of the way I hope I can post a little more regularly. You'll be pleased to know that I'm paying top dollar tonight at Tbilisi's Marriot Hotel to post directly from my laptop wirelessly.

Driving with Benjamin

2005-11-21T10:12:00.000-08:00

According to Lonely Planet Tbilisi has around 1.7 million inhabitants but I wonder how many drive taxis. There's thousands. Traffic jams aren't so bad however driving Tbilisi style rivals formula one. I've caught about 6 taxis today starting off with "Captain" Benjamin from the airport. You know the scene. You walk out of the terminal and the hungry wolves are there waiting to pounce on the bewildered new arrivals. Inside the terminal I had struck up a conversation with a fellow Australian in the visa queue (I know - typical Aussies some would say). Arnold from Melbourne said he was going to see what his mate was up to working for BP in Georgia and a driver of the BP corporation would take him to a hotel. Naturally I asked if I could get a lift into town. Sure, no worries came the reply. Outside the terminal though no BP driver was in sight. What confronted us was a motely crew of unshaven cabbies.

Having confidently turned down all offers we found ourselves in a little bit of a stand off. They were watching us and we were watching them. Finally the BP driver showed up but refused to give me a lift because I wasn't on his official list (thanks BP). So instead I found myself as the last passenger left without a ride.

Their look said it all. They knew they had me. The price of 20 bucks to my hotel just could not be brought down. So, defeated, off I set with The Captain. Along the way The Captain was kind enough to point out sites of historical interest and made the sign of the cross anytime we passed a church or a statue of King Gorgasali - the father of Georgia. On our little mini tour of Tbilisi, it was quite obvious that Benjamin was winging it to my hotel. He had no idea. We pulled over several times to check directions. Each time involved him the turning the car off, finding someone to ask and then fiddling with a bunch of wires under the steering column to hot-wire the car back to life. Was it worth 20 bucks? For the antics and tour... not really great value, but The Captain was the first Georgian I met and I am here in Tbilisi.

To see the video of The Captain in action go to the AV Storage link on the right hand side of the page. You'll need QuickTime to view.

Just enough brain power tonight to give a run down on the rest of the day. My hotel room overlooks Kostavas Kucha which later joins up Rustavelis - so I'm right in the thick of it. I spent the afternoon chasing up leads and meeting some very interesting people. Two of whom stand out. Akaki Gogichaishvili is an investigative journalist on Rustavi 2 Televison's 60 Minutes. A programme noted for exposing corruption during the Shevardnadze era but surprisingly is currently off air - more on that later. And also Ana Dolidze, Chairperson of the Young Georgian Lawyers Association. I hope to ask her soon about Georgia's legal system and fighting corruption.

Tomorrow will see me at an international forum to mark the second anniversary of the Rose Revolution.

ghame mshvidobisa good night

Anyone for a Sarni?

2005-11-20T14:13:00.000-08:00

Not quite a flying start. My flight is delayed three and a half hours. Heathrow Terminal 4 is rapidly closing down around me. So, I've stocked up on a few sandwiches to sit it out. At least I'll arrive at a more respectable hour in Tbilisi and the chance of a little sleep on the plane is more likely.

My flight is the last one out tonight at 00:30 London time. Ciao for now London Town.

Well here goes...

2005-11-20T08:32:00.000-08:00

Welcome to The Georgia Project and my debut post on a blog. Over the next two weeks I will be travelling throughout Georgia to produce feature stories for radio and the web. It's my first time to The Caucasus and along the way I plan to write up a few impressions of Georgia and try to describe some of the people I meet and places I will visit. Depending on deadlines and access to the internet I will try to update The Georgia Project at least daily.

Right now I'm in London and going through my last minute check list... and working out how to get to Heathrow on time with the Central Line Tube out of service. That's Sundays for you.

See you in Tbilisi!