Author: Rich McClear

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Bodbe Monastery (St. Nino’s Convent), Georgia

Rich McClear

Bodbe, about two km from Sighnaghi, has a 5th century convent that shelters the remains of St. Nino, who converted the King and Queen to Christianity in the 4th Century.  The convent was rebuilt between the 9th and 11th centuries.  George tells me that all that remains from the 5th century is the foundation.  It, and St. Nino’s spring, a constant source of holy water a few hundred meters away are pilgrimage points.  The chapel’s frescoes are from the 1820s.  The Soviets plastered them over and used the building as a hospital.  Some of the frescoes have been restored.  The … Continue reading Bodbe Monastery (St. Nino’s Convent), Georgia

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Alaverdi Monastery and Cathedral, Georgia

Rich McClear

At Alaverdi, on the other side of the pass we visited a monastery that has a cathedral within its walls.  Until the new Tbilisi Cathedral it was the tallest Georgian church.  It, like the Tbilisi church, has a soaring feeling of light even though the walls are decorated with frescoes.  These frescoes were covered with whitewash or plaster by Moslem invaders, restored, and covered again by the Communists.  A monk Joseph (Yoseb) Alaverdeli founded the cathedral.  But Alaverdi has another meaning in Arabic “God Provides.”  God provides good grape and Alaverdi Monastery is at the center of Georgia’s wine industry. … Continue reading Alaverdi Monastery and Cathedral, Georgia

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Gombori Pass, Georgia.

Rich McClear

On Sunday I took another road trip.  I was the passenger in a Japanese, steering wheel on the right, Mitsubishi 4X4.  So I was the one facing traffic.  The pass other vehicles the driver pulled out into the oncoming lane so he could see if there was any oncoming traffic, and if needed quickly duck back in to avoid the head on.  I, of course, being in the “driver’s seat” saw it all coming — head on.  On broad curves to the right the driver pulled to the right to look around the truck in front.  If he didn’t see … Continue reading Gombori Pass, Georgia.

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Rike Park Theater and Exhibition Hall, Tbilisi, Georgia.

Rich McClear

I walked back to the hotel, down steep streets toward the glass domed presidential palace.  A lot of the streets on my map were closed for security so I followed several dead ends but got to where I wanted to be, the upper entrance to the Rike Park Theater and Exhibition Hall.  I have described this building as looking like two tubes, or perhaps jug mouths, pouring culture down into the river from just below the presidential palace.  There’s been enough progress on the building that I can tell that the main entry is at the bottom of the hill … Continue reading Rike Park Theater and Exhibition Hall, Tbilisi, Georgia.

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Sameba (Holy Trinity) Cathedral, Tbilisi, Georgia

Rich McClear

I had waited for the number 4 minibus for a long time so I decided to spend 10 times the amount and take a cab to the Sameba (Holy Trinity) Cathedral.  Georgians say it is the largest Orthodox Church in the world.  Serbs dispute that saying St. Sava is bigger.  Sameba Cathedral has a tall tower with a gilded cupola that reflects sun in the day and floodlight at night.  It dominates Tbilisi.  As the cab followed the route the mini-bus would have taken I discovered the problem.  Police were rerouting traffic.  The mini-bus was not going to stop at … Continue reading Sameba (Holy Trinity) Cathedral, Tbilisi, Georgia

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Gergetis Sameba Monastery, Georgia

Rich McClear

The 14th century Gergetis Sameba (Gergeti Trinity) walled monastery sits above Kazbegi and below Mt. Kazbeg at 7120 feet above sea level – and reflects light from a glacier that hangs 2,800 feet above the monastery. The monastery was a place of refuge for icons and relics from the Mksheka Cathedral (Perhaps including St. Andrew’s foot) when southern Georgia was overrun by Turks, Persians or Arabs.  In 1988 the Soviets built an aerial tramway to the monastery but when Georgia broke away from the Soviet Union the residents tore it down.  For them pilgrimage should not be easy.  The tramway … Continue reading Gergetis Sameba Monastery, Georgia

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Stephantsminda (Kazbegi), Georgia

Rich McClear

The town closest to the Russian Border on the Georgian Military Road is Stephantsminda.  Most people still call it Kazbegi.  The town itself is not particularly pretty with rundown buildings, jumbles of electric wires and a jungle gym of above ground natural gas pipes typical of old Soviet towns. The natural setting makes up for the open infrastructure.  It sits at the foot of Mt. Kazbeg which rises to 16,512 feet.  However the town’s main attraction is not the mountain but the 14th century Gergetis Sameba (Gergeti Trinity) walled monastery that sits above the town and below the big mountain … Continue reading Stephantsminda (Kazbegi), Georgia

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Jvari Pass, Georgian Military Road

Rich McClear

I rode up The Georgian Military Road 6 months ago in the March snows.  The Russians built it in 1799.  Watch towers on hills provide line of sight communication from the border to Tbilisi.   We drove across Jvari Pass, at 7815 ft.  A Soviet monument of mosaics highlights Russian and Georgian history, celebrating the military road that carried Russian troops to help protect the Georgian kingdom from Moslems, and then helped them impose Russian rule in 1801.  The road was crucial to the economic development of Georgia. The road in the pass is under reconstruction.   Many of the tunnels, lined with … Continue reading Jvari Pass, Georgian Military Road

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Georgian Military Road in the Summer

Rich McClear

tThe Georgian Military Road connects Tbilisi with the Russian Border.  It was started in 1799.  In 1801 Russia annexed the Kingdom of Georgia.  I rode up the Georgian Military Road last March and took pictures of some of the same watchtowers, churches and mountainsides in the snow.  Now you can see them in the summer.  These pictures are taken south of Gudauri, which is the ski area where I traveled last March.  I did not get north of the ski area.  I missed a lot.  The next post has pictures from North of Gudauri Continue reading Georgian Military Road in the Summer

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Ananuri Citadel and the Church of the Assumption, Georgia

Rich McClear

Ananuri, a citadel used to sit on a ridge above a river that has been dammed so now sits on a point in the Zhinvili Reservoir.  The town that it towered over is underwater.  The Church of the Assumption was used as a barn in Soviet times and the frescos were whitewashed.  Some have now been uncovered.  The carvings on the outside walls of the Assumption Church include a huge cross visible from the highway and grape vines loaded with fruit.  Nicholas says the reason Georgians greet guests with wine is in commemoration of the Eucharist.  Each greeting is a … Continue reading Ananuri Citadel and the Church of the Assumption, Georgia

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Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, Mksheka, Georgia

Rich McClear

Svetitskhoveli Cathedral in Mksheka is the mother church of Georgian Orthodoxy.  St. Nino converted the King and Queen there.  I posted pictures from here in May but I had no pics from inside the church.  Nicholas, my cab driver, spoke good English and he arranged permission for me to take pictures if I did not use a flash.  There was a service in progress.  It was conducted in Russian but the choir sang Georgian hymns.  Nicholas pointed out one very strange and old fresco with three concentric circles.  The Trinity sat in the bull’s eye, between the inner and middle circles, the … Continue reading Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, Mksheka, Georgia

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Tbilisi Funicular Railway

Rich McClear

The key to overcoming jet lag is to keep pushing.  I arrived in Tbilisi at 3 AM Saturday morning and was in bed by 4:30.  I forced myself to get up at 11:30 AM even though it was bedtime in Sitka, (12 hour difference) and tried to figure out something that would keep me interested and awake until bedtime in Tbilisi, which is just when I would be getting my second wind because it’s time to get up in Sitka. I hopped on a marshruka (mini-bus) at Freedom Square and headed up to the lower terminus of Tbilisi’s funicular railway.  … Continue reading Tbilisi Funicular Railway

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Sitka, Alaska, Home Base

Rich McClear

I have posted a lot of photo blog pages from Sitka this summer and wrote a letter for family and friends.  This letter is the best way to introduce you to my home town and guide you to the picture pages in this blog. August 19, 2013 Sitka, Alaska Dear Friends, Such a summer!  It is hard to believe that the “Back to School” section of The Sentinel is out.  But the days are getting shorter.  Sunrise today was at 5:38 and sunset will be at 8:31, just under 15 hours.  We are losing 4 minutes a day.  I’m sitting … Continue reading Sitka, Alaska, Home Base

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Harbor Mountain, Sitka, Alaska

Rich McClear

The Harbor Mountain road takes you to the 2,000 foot level of Harbor Mountain and connects with trails.  The road was recently rebuilt.  It was originally built by the military in World War II.  At the top of the mountain sat a super secret radar site which scanned the seas for Japanese ships. For more on Harbor Mountain, please see Harbor Mountain, Autumn 2013 and Harbor Mountain Redux, Sept 2013 Continue reading Harbor Mountain, Sitka, Alaska

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Sitka, Alaska, June 2013

Rich McClear

Several of you have sent me emails or even called asking if Suzi and I are ok.  We are more than ok.  When home I don’t write, I am just too busy enjoying the best Sitka has to offer, in both activities and weather.  The Sitka Summer Music Festival, the Sitka Fine Arts Camp, Jazz on the Waterfront, the Alaska Raptor rehabilitation center, walks in the National Park and the Starigavan Estuary, visits to the cathedral (father Michael opened the iconostas so we can see the beautifully carved altar, the glorious change bell ringing at the cathedral, a series of … Continue reading Sitka, Alaska, June 2013

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Sitting by my window, June, 2013

Rich McClear

One of the great joys being home in June is just sitting by my window and watching.  Ships pull into my front yard, fish start jumping and the eagles come in for the kill, fishermen make their evening set outside my window, storms roll in, as does the fog.  In the morning we often hear the fog horns of a ship making for anchor.  This is an active months, the Fine Arts Camp, the Music Festival, boats to ride, hikes to take, meals with friends, but I always leave enough time to sit by my window and watch.  I have … Continue reading Sitting by my window, June, 2013