From a diary

We were heading north from Tbilisi towards the Caucasus mountains – aiming for Stepantsminda located at the foot of the majestic mountain Kazbegi. We had arrived Georgia the previous day, but were already completely amazed by the people, the country and the traditional music. The curiosity and expectations that had tempted us to come down to the borderland between Europe and Asia was already fulfilled several times. At the same time we were full of excitement as our travel just had started.

Forcing bumpy roads and steep falls we trusted that our driver would make the right priorities and bring us safely to our destination: Stepantsminda and the Trinity church of Gergeti (Gergetis Sameba). The church is spectacularly situated on a top more than 2000 meters above sea-level, overlooking Stepantsminda and with the mountain Kazbegi rising almost 5000 meters in the background.

And off course: The day and the evening turned out the way we only could dream of and hope for.

We were invited by the priest in the unique Trinity-church to perform a Georgian church hymn, and even though everyone does not consider themselves as religious this was beoynd doubt a sacred moment for all of us.

In the evening in Stepantsminda the table was prepared in traditional Georgian manner; a real Georgian supra with a great variety of delicious dishes and local beer. We were enjoying the table the whole evening with speeches, toasts and songs, one following the other at marvellous speed. Still we had several days ahead of us with new and exciting experiences – everything was like a dream and like Kazbegi mountain, we found ourselves in the sky.

Finally we walked out together in the night where the moon bathed the Caucasus mountains in silver light. Our minds were full of emotions about old as well as new established friendship, about the essential questions of life and belief, about love for our families and motherland. But maybe most of all deeply in love with this new and incredibly mighty acquaintance: Georgia.

Jacob Feght Conradi from Nesbru, Norway