The Cave City of Vardzia

My morning started with a delicious birthday cake from the hotel ! Then into the bus for a 2.5 hour drive west along the Mtkvari Valley to the Cave City of Vardzia. We did make a stop along the way at a 16th century fortress built to keep Ottoman Turks out. We also passed the remnants of the Ottoman slave market where kidnapped Georgian boys were sold for the army and girls were often sold to sultans.

Vardzia is an 800 year old monastery complex carved high into the side of a mountain as a protection against Mongol invaders. The city expanded as locals moved in and then the king’s daughter. Queen Tamara also had a beautiful church built complete with murals. Vardzia was a complete city built in nineteen underground levels with the entrance at the top. Eventually 50,000 people were living in the city. An earthquake in 1283 destroyed two-thirds of the city which is why some of it is accessible today.

The bus stopped at the bottom of the cave complex and then we took a minibus up to the area just below the lowest cave. Then climbing with my walking stick up stone steps and stone ramps. Luckily eventually there was a handrail which made the

climb easier. We walked into the bell tower, several rooms and hallways, saw the huge spring pool, the church with murals, and the kitchen/storage area. Then back down the way we came up.

Lunch was at a nearby farm house where they grow their own food including a trout farm. Beautiful flower gardens, too. Spartacus, our bus driver, joined us for a meal with the usual cucumbers and tomatoes, home made cheese, beans, cheese pies, roasted potatoes, watermelon, home made Amber wine, and grilled trout. AND a beautiful three-layer chocolate birthday cake decorated with strawberries. We shared the cake with a group of French tourists eating at the next table and they sang Happy Birthday to me in French !

On the return bus ride we stopped for a bathroom break at a small market. Bought cheese, crackers, a beer and ate dinner in Barb’s room. A birthday to

remember.