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Sunday, October 27, 2013

Travel on Twitter

You can follow me on twitter @Clive_Temple

And here (according to The Telegraph) are the 50 best travel tweeters



Saturday, October 26, 2013

Sioni Cathedral, Tbilisi

Orthodox christianity is the beating heart of Georgia. Resistant to both neighbouring Islam and the Soviets since 300 AD you feel you are on the very geographic edge of a Faith.

Dark eyed, smoke blackened icons look down on a stream of christenings, weddings and widows. To see such age old rituals still embraced on a daily basis was truly moving. 

A wonderful impromptu singing performance by a group of old ladies reduced me to tears and reaffirmed my faith in both God and Man.





Mtskheta, Georgia

Mtskheta is the old pre-christian capital of Georgia. Only half an hours drive from the current capital of Tbilisi it is seen as the spiritual heart of the country and the heart of the town is Svetitskhoveli Cathedral.

Mtskheta seen from Jvari, with Svetitskhoveli Cathedral in the centre 

Widely seen as Georgias most beautiful cathedral it was the misfortune of the builder to have his arm cut off after completing it, so he couldn't build a finer one. His arm lives on in a carving set high on the cathedral wall.

Svetitkhovel Cathedral with Jvari on the hillside to the left

Some exterior details of the cathedral.

The unfortunate builders arm








Inside the cathedral.