Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Georgian Wine Trip

In October we went up to Georgia in search of Georgian wines from the country's eastern wine region, Kakheti. While eventually we found more grapes than wine, the views along the way were impressive. Unfortunately, the photos north across the Teliani Valley and Alazani River toward the Greater Caucasus Range didn't come out that well, but some of the better photos are below.

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Tbilisi, Georgia

Armenian Church in Tbilisi

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Bodbe Monastery




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Ikalto Academy






Ikalto's wine storage, but no wine

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Tsinandali Estate outside of Telavi, Georgia


Tsinandali Wine Cellar (the original)
The Tsinandali Collection

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Teliani Valley Winery in Telavi, Georgia




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Above the Alazani River


The Grapes

The Neighbors

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Random Castle (unfurnished)

Monday, October 6, 2008

Boots on the Ground in Red Square

A three day business trip took me to Moscow in early October. Neither Sarah nor I have spent much time in Moscow, despite all our other travels in the region. Below are photos taken around the center of Moscow over two nights - one rainy, one not.


On Red Square (L to R: GUM Department Store, Saint Basil's Cathedral, Kremlin Bell Tower, Lenin's Tomb [outside the Kremlin wall])


Saint Basil's Cathedral


Kremlin Bell Tower


GUM Department Store


Looking back across Red Square toward the State Historical Museum.

Changing of the Guard at Russia's Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

The Russian State Library, though the facade still says "Lenin State Library of the USSR," with Samsung advertisment in the background. Looking for a specific book? Try here.


My hotel - the Leningradskaya Hilton, one of the Seven Sisters wedding cake skyscrapers commissioned by Stalin.


Soviet realist mural in
Komsomolskaya Metro Station.