Up to the church

The main attraction in Kazbegi is the 14th century Holy Trinity church. Perched on a mountain in the shadow of Mount Kazbegi (which is 5,000m or 16,000 ft high), getting up to the church is the highlight. Some take four wheel drive vehicles up the muddy, snowy track and others, like us, walk. The hiking trail is not as clear as you'd think. But thanks to an old woman in a black headscarf, who pointed us in the right direction as she sat on her front steps in the sun, we found our way. The church itself is small and stout to withstand centuries of mountain winters. It was a tourist destination in Soviet times as well, as you can see from the abandoned Intourist hotel. Intourist was the USSR's state-run travel company.

the Intourist hotel, Kazbegi

Even though all religious services were prohibited, Soviet-era tourists still visited Holy Trinity and the government built a cable car up to the church in 1988. The locals, protective of their sacred place and angry at the Russians, promptly destroyed it.

Holy Trinity is still a working church. We saw a couple of long-bearded priests up there - one reading the Bible inside the church and another sitting outside, gazing at the mountains. To enter this or any other Georgian church, women have to wear long skirts and head scarves. Not planning to hike up a mountain in an ankle-length skirt? No problem. They have loaners, which wrap around and look great with hiking boots.

This was the last highlight of our Caucasus trip and the rest of our time in Kazbegi/Stepantsminda/Gergeti was spent hanging around with Wendy and Ketino and eating too much of Ketino's food ("what? you no eat eggs?" "No, I already had some, really.") She sent us off with a few recipes, a bottle of wine and a hug.