The Spice Chronicles

It’s the end of January 2021 and Dubai is one of the few countries accepting visitors without mandatory quarantine. No crowds, no lines and swift processing through airport security feels like time travel. The Emirates flight is pretty full despite additional health measures required to travel, so it is comforting to know (perhaps a false positive) that everyone on the plane has tested negative.

Six hours later, with a local SIM card and a few dirhams in hand, easy to come by even at 3AM, we step out of the terminal to meet a soothing, warm breeze. An airport official waves us into a metered taxi with an affable driver from Bangladesh. The dashboard is a dead giveaway; this taxi is a Tesla. Only in Dubai!

At this late/early hour, we arrive at TRYP By Windham in Al Barsha Heights in about 30 minutes. For €50/$60, the large, nicely appointed, modern room on the 15th floor includes breakfast, discounts on food and beverage, and free shuttle service to Jumeirah Beach and the Mall of the Emirates. Safety and hygiene measures are strict. The door to the room has been sealed with tape after deep-cleaning and fumigation. When we stumble into breakfast after a short night, our jaws drop. The place is packed with millennials in resort wear. The chatter — English, French, Russian, Asian, African — is barely audible over the 90s playlist. Tables both inside and out are socially distanced, and a full-service buffet is served by cheerful waiters. No touching allowed. Coming from the austere mood and drab weather in Europe, we pinch ourselves as we sit down to a yummy breakfast on the patio. Parked at the entrance is a Lamborghini. Depending on the day, the color changes prompting the reflection, only in Dubai!

Day 1: We’ve read that the best place to find a reasonably priced meal is at the food courts in the shopping malls, so we grab the shuttle to the Mall of the Emirates. The first thing we see is a Covid testing center. The second is an indoor ski slope! What else would you expect at a mall in the desert? Again, only in Dubai!

Day 2: The metro runs straight along the coast with a smaller line around the airport. Hungry, we get off downtown at the even bigger Dubai Mall. It’s quite a long walk through enclosed, elevated passageways on endless people-movers to actually reach the mall. The only indication of a pandemic is that everyone is masked. The immense aquarium is mesmerizing, artificial snow is falling over an ice skating rink, and there are about 1200 shops with every brand from mass market to couture.

And then there’s outside. Still clinging to the title of tallest building in the world, at 830 m /2723 ft, the Burj Khalifa is astounding. At 6PM, the famous Dubai Fountains explode to rhythmic Arabian music. The show is brief, under five minutes, but the spectacle renews every 20 minutes. The next iteration is set to classical music. In between, a light show erupts on the facade of the Burj Khalifa itself. The experience is bigger than life.

Burj Khalifa

The park around Dubai Fountains

A local woman walking past a mobile convenience store near Dubai Mall

Dubai Fountains at night

For dinner, we hit the food court where Japanese chain Umami is quickly becoming a favorite stop.

The great thing about Dubai’s public transport system is that much of it is above ground.

A Dubai metro station

Sheikh Zayed Road, the main expressway in Dubai

Opening soon, the Museum of the Future with a giant sculpture of the UAE three-finger salute, Win—Victory—Love

Our hotel is close to the Internet City metro station just two stops from Dubai Marina, an upscale cluster of unique, modern skyscrapers set around a man-made inlet, where we transfer to a tram that winds through the neighborhood with stops at one of Dubai’s most popular, JBR Marina Beach.

Cafes and shops at JBR Marina Beach with Ain Dubai, the world’s largest Ferris wheel in the distance

Camel rides at JBR Marina Beach

Construction along the beach

Views of Dubai Marina at night

Floating (some say sinking slowly) in the Persian Gulf, Dubai’s infamous artificial island, Palm Jumeirah, can be reached by car or the monorail that runs straight down the middle.

Model of Palm Jumeirah

Visitors taking pictures of the Palm Jumeirah model

Private residences side by side on Palm Jumeirah

The monorail passes over the ginormous Aquapark adjacent to the massive Atlantis Resort, the last stop at the top of the palm.

The Atlantis Hotel, Palm Jumeirah

Predominantly Indian tourists stroll along the corniche (as many waterfront roads in the UAE are referred to), stopping for photos in front of the hotel’s iconic archway.

Posing in front of the Atlantis Hotel, Palm Jumeirah

After 4 nights in Al Barsha Heights, we decide to try another part of town and move to Deira, a sprawling neighborhood near the airport and Dubai Creek (a natural saltwater inlet where the first settlers established Dubai as a fishing village, separating from Abu Dhabi in the 19th century).

View of downtown and the Burj Khalifa from a taxi

The brand new Wyndham Dubai Deira overlooking Deira Islands, an expansive artificial island development project progressing more slowly than intended, is offering astonishing rates.

Executive room, Wyndham Dubai Deira, €47/$56 per night with breakfast

Rooftop pool and view, Wyndham Dubai Deira

Although the hotel itself is quite nice and fully soundproof (just outside the primary airport flight path), the entire area is a construction zone with no shops or restaurants nearby, and nary a usable sidewalk.

Deira Corniche entirely under construction

Directly in front of the hotel, what used to be the largest shipping port in the Middle East is now a few dozen wooden boats moving cargo: a quaint reminder of Dubai’s history. Behind the hotel is the entrance to the metro and a bus station.

Air conditioned bus stop

There is also a worn pedestrian bridge over the highway that leads into the heart of Deira, which feels a lot more like New Delhi than Dubai! Far from the towering skyscrapers, Deira is a grid of traffic-jammed streets and alleys, 95% Indian, 99% men. Most leave their families behind for better wages, housing, food and paid annual trips home. We stand out just a little. The good news is that we can get our laundry done, find a tailor and eat at very reasonable prices, though options are limited. The truth is, we only manage to find one decent restaurant. Just for comparison, a bottle of water at a restaurant in Deira is 3-4 times less than the same bottle at a food court in any of the malls and 10 times less than in a fancier restaurant. Of course, if you’re visiting Dubai, you probably won’t be hanging out in Deira unless you are looking to buy gold.

The Gold Souk, Deira

Deira Spice Souk

Eager to discover something besides exceedingly tall, modern buildings, we explore historic, Al Fahidi in the nearby neighborhood of Bur. This turns out to be an oxymoron, for there is hardly anything old about the area. While the buildings are low and indicative of traditional Arabian architecture, there is only one small piece of the original wall of Dubai. From there, it’s a short walk to Dubai Creek, a lovely place to stroll and admire the old wooden Dhows, former fishing boats repurposed for cruising and dining, docked next to modern super yachts and tiny Abras, traditional water taxis, that still shuttle people across the canal for pennies. The area is known for its souks, shops, resorts and perhaps the world’s next tallest building, Dubai Creek Tower, though the project is currently on hold. While nothing feels authentic and many shops and restaurants are closed, the weather is great and there are few people.

Abras (boat taxis) with Dhows (traditional wooden cargo boats) in the background on Dubai Creek

Views of Al Shindagha (renovated) historic district on the Creek in Bur

You have to badge in AND out of Dubai public transport which takes getting used to. The only people who seem to use it appear to be us and Indian men. I figure that Emiratis prefer to drive their sports cars or be driven, but soon learn that most people who live in Dubai are expats and migrant workers. Stat: population 3.3 million, 3.1 million foreigners. What impresses me the most in the metro is that people always politely offer us a seat. I guess we look that old! Most women prefer to ride the female-only wagons which I find disturbing in a modern world.

People waiting for the (driverless) metro

La Mer is a chic beachfront district filled with shops, restaurants, sunbeds and games for all ages. At one end is the decidedly hip Rove Hotel. At the other, under a tangle of construction cranes, is an upcoming residential district. It’s the beginning of February now, and while temps rise during the day, there is still a crisp breeze and swimming in the sea is only for the brave. We choose a Turkish restaurant with a lovely, empty terrace (meaning no smokers). As the sun goes down, the area twinkles with light.

La Mer at night

Valet parking at La Mer

Getting back to our hotel by bus is a challenge. Covid restrictions limit bus capacity to 30 and now, around 9PM, it seems that workers are heading home. We have to wait for a third bus before we can get on, but the night is gorgeous and the moon is full. Should have grabbed that sports car from the valet!

Convinced there must be some restaurants somewhere near our hotel, we head to Baniyas Square. Inside the outdated Twin Towers complex, most storefronts are shuttered. At the food court, the only open establishments literally fight for our business. Two waitresses accompany us outside to a terrace with a great view overlooking the water and present identical (Chinese) menus. It’s a friendly fight though and as we look around at the tables, all occupied by Asian locals, we decide to follow suit and order a Hot Pot— a clear soup set atop a vivid flame to which you add fresh ingredients and cook at your table. At €9/$11 for two, it’s by far the cheapest meal we’ve had in Dubai, and utterly delicious!

Chinese Hot Pot with seafood on a terrace overlooking Dubai Creek

Views of Dubai Creek from the outdoor restaurant in the Twin Towers complex

Dinner cruise on Dubai Creek

But if we’re talking views and incomparable meals, nothing beats the iconic, Burj Al Arab. Shaped like a giant sail, Dubai’s most famous hotel sits on its own island.

Burj Al Arab hotel, Dubai

Lobby of the Burj Al Arab hotel

View from Al Muntaha restaurant at the Burj Al Arab

Cars parked in front of the hotel

The Queen Elizabeth 2 Hotel

Despite our best efforts, it is virtually impossible to walk in Dubai. Distances are immense and sometimes, just crossing the street is an obstacle course with barriers and dissuasions everywhere. This really is the most displeasing aspect of the city because there are hardly any shops (besides expensive laundry services, small Indian grocers and fast food outlets) around most buildings. I manage to find a laundry service online that charges by the kilo, not per piece, and every week, a guy picks up and delivers our laundry, laughing at the fact that we have moved to yet another hotel.

Buildings and empty lots in Science Park

Some areas, have built promenades along the water. Stretching along the canal that links the Persian Gulf and Dubai Creek is Business Bay, another cluster of unique skyscrapers in various stages of construction.

Floating homes in Business Bay

We check in to the City Max Hotel at Business Bay. The recently opened property with several locations throughout the UAE, is a solid 4 stars with bright, comfortable rooms and a nice rooftop pool and gym—€45/$53 per night with breakfast and restaurant discounts.

At first, even though the price is right, I’m a little disappointed with our view overlooking the 6-lane highway, but the soundproofing is excellent and rooms on the other side face massive 24/7 construction sites.

Men at work in Business Bay

The stunning views along the promenade, especially at night, kind of make up for the lack of shops and restaurants along the water. Fortunately, the hotel has an excellent Asian restaurant.

Business Bay at night

Alserkal Avenue is a hip art and cultural venue in the district of Al Quoz, a part residential, part industrial zone. Housed in rows of warehouses, the site has the highest concentration of contemporary art galleries in the city. Like everything else in Dubai, the easiest way to get there is by car, but with plenty of time and curiosity we walk from the metro station. Turns out, this is THE neighborhood to ogle expensive sports cars: Ferrari, MacLaren, Lamborghini…

A few Aston Martins on the street in Al Quoz

A private Ferrari collection open to the public

As with all outdoor activities that do not involve water, it is best to visit Alserkal Ave. in the late afternoon when it’s cooler, and even more pleasant during Art Week in March when it stays open at night.

A cafe at Alserkal Avenue

Alserkal Avenue, art venue in Al Quoz

Gallery opening at Alserkal Avenue

Can you name the emirates of the UAE? We rent a car and set off to visit all seven, but quickly learn that Abu Dhabi has a strict 7-day quarantine and Oman (a separate country) has a 10-day quarantine, curtailing our plans. The roads are in perfect condition. Sharjah is just a few minutes drive north along the coast. There is no official border indication and, on a smaller scale, it resembles Dubai; modern skyscrapers and mosques built on reclaimed sand along the Arabian Gulf.

View of Sharjah

Mleiha Archeological Center is about an hour east of Sharjah in the desert. Findings in the region date humans to the area over 120,000 years ago, but a more economically viable development project is underway for this UNESCO World Heritage Site including, ecotourism, a state-of-the-art astronomical observatory and of course, a 450 km2 desert fun park. There is no shortage of jeep tours, safari nights and camel rides on offer. If dune bashing is your thing (not ours), you’re in the right place.

Our car in the desert near Fossil Rock, Sharjah

Mleiha village near Fossil Rock

Sand dunes around Fossil Rock

Jeeps riding the dunes

Fujairah is the the only emirate on the east coast on the Gulf of Oman (Indian Ocean).

Driving into Fujairah

Promenade under construction in Fujairah

Beach in Fujairah

Fujairah Fortress

The drive to Hatta Reservoir takes us through the rocky Hajaar mountains in a completely different landscape. In addition to water sports at the dam, the region is popular for hiking, biking and camping.

Lots of electrical towers on the road

Typical, oversized homes in the region

Hatta Reservoir

It is getting dark as we wind back down the two-lane highway toward our hotel in Fujairah. In the distance, a bright strip of light glows in the otherwise desolate landscape. And then we’re in it. Stalls of shops rimmed with bright neon selling carpets, housewares, fruits and vegetables. We stop to buy some fruit and to our surprise don’t even have to get out of the car! Men come at us from both sides hawking their goods.

Drive-thru fruit and vegetable market on the road to Fujairah

Half-buried in the shifting sands, lies the abandoned village of Al Madam. Theories about what happened to this minuscule village - a couple of rows of houses and a small mosque include, inhabitants being driven away by a djinn (evil spirit) and a (failed) government housing scheme to anchor nomadic tribes, though Mother Nature seems to be mostly responsible. Getting there involves a lot of yelling at the GPS, but with all the detours and road construction, it really isn’t her fault. Just as we’re scratching our heads trying to find the entrance, two 4-wheel-drive vehicles pull up, each offering to take us there for a few dirhams. We choose to follow the guy who assures us that we can self-drive close enough without getting stuck in the sand. The site is worth a visit, but get there soon. It might disappear before it becomes an official tourist attraction.

Al Madam village overtaken by sand dunes

Interior of one of the houses in Al Madam

An Indian rapper shooting a music video at Al Madam

On our way west toward the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah (RAK for short), we decide to drive to the top of Jebel Jais, the highest peak in the UAE. A police barricade prevents us from taking the exit and lands us in a traffic jam in the middle of nowhere. As we inch forward, wondering why the lanes on the other side of the divide are empty, a group of professional cyclists rides by and it clicks; the UAE Tour. Two minutes later, the peloton races past in a swash of color. Once all the participants, team vehicles, media, ambulances and support crews have passed, we are able to slip in behind and decide to follow. For the next two hours, we crawl up the mountain in a group of maybe 30 cars in for the thrill, blessing the automatic transmission and acknowledging the physical endurance on display, thinking there will be some sort of payoff at the top. NOT! At about 5 kms from the peak (1892 m/ 6207 ft) it’s game over for the public and we are politely invited to turn around.

Riders, UAE Cycling Tour, Jebel Jais stage

Race marshal, UAE Cycling Tour

Enthusiastic spectators

Locals having a picnic during the race

Spring water from Abu Dhabi

To add insult to injury, a couple of days later, we return to the mountain only to be turned away again! This time, the observation deck, restaurant and world’s longest zipline are corona-closed. We have to settle for several viewpoints and picnic areas just below.

View from Jebel Jais mountain

A local couple enjoying the view

We drive toward the coast through the two smallest emirates of Umm Al Quwain and Ajman without really stopping and decide to spend a couple of nights in Sharjah before returning the car.

Signs for the Customer Happiness Centre appear frequently on the road in the UAE

Camels along the road in the desert

Lizard in the desert, Sharjah

Camels and handlers near a racetrack on the Sharjah-Al Dhaid road

Hauling palm trees

Mosque in Sharjah at night

Mosque in Al Khan, Sharjah

Time Express Hotel, Al Khan, Sharjah €43/$51 per night with breakfast

View of the mosque from the room in Al Khan, Sharjah

View of Sharjah early morning

Given travel restrictions elsewhere in the world and the 90-day entry stamp we got on arrival in January, we decide to stay in Dubai and spend our last month hotel hopping. Many properties are offering discounts, but the Wyndham Dubai Deira is a star above and their deal is unbeatable so we go back. When check in takes a little longer than it should, the genial reservations manager gives us an unexpected upgrade. The suite is not only immense, it comes with a host of perks including, afternoon tea, free drinks and hors-d’œuvres in the evening, and discounts on food. The price of €48/$57 per night is obscene and when we’re supposed to leave, he insists we stay on with the same conditions.

One bedroom suite, Wyndham Dubai, Deira

We finally check out after two weeks fearing obesity and alcohol dependence!

Temperatures are starting to soar and soon I’m choosing hotels based on the size of the swimming pool: Even the sea is getting too hot!

Hazy day in Dubai

Private home on Jumeirah Beach

Al Khoory Hotel Al Barsha - €53/$63 per night with breakfast

Dubai Design District

City Walk, open-air shopping mall

The S Hotel Al Barsha - €54/$64 per night with breakfast

Al Batutta, themed shopping mall, Asian section, Jebel Ali Village

April 12th is the beginning of Ramadan and yet another reason to slash prices, so we find ourselves at the Suissotel adjacent to the Al Gurhair Mall for our last week in Dubai. A scaled-down version of the massive Dubai Mall and the Mall of the Emirates, we are happy to be back in a neighborhood with options. The room (€59/$70 with breakfast) is huge, the two pools are beautiful, the service is excellent and we can walk to and eat in a different restaurant every night.

View from the room, Swissotel Al Ghurair, Deira

Swimming pool at Swissotel Al Ghurair

Serving tea at Tajine and Tanjiah restaurant, Deira

Global Village theme park

It’s the beginning of April when we finally board a plane for Europe.

Cappuccino at Dubai Airport

WARNING: THIS POST CONTAINS SOME GRAPHIC IMAGES OF ANIMALS

Arriving in Bishkek, one of the few places where for the moment (mid-March 2020) no one has tested positive for Covid-19, is the stuff of science fiction. As the plane inches toward the terminal, I notice two people in hazmat suits walking across the tarmac. Minutes later, they have boarded our plane and proceed to take every passenger’s temperature with an infrared gun! As I write this entry months later, wearing a mask, being sprayed with disinfectant and having your temperature taken in all public places is now standard procedure. Moreover, it seems odd and irresponsible when these things don’t happen.

Covid check on the tarmac at arrival in Bishkek

There are only a couple of foreigners at Immigration, and while it takes awhile, once they’ve determined that I have not come from a corona hot spot (only China and Korea at this time), I’m on my way. Within a few days however, foreigners arriving from all countries are quarantined in army barracks or simply denied entry. Under normal circumstances, Kyrgyzstan offers two months visa-free entry to most foreigners and staying longer is as easy as a visa run to Kazakhstan and back for a new stamp. But it is clear that normal, if/when it returns, will be different and leaving anytime soon is looking complicated as countries worldwide shut borders and impose quarantine. For now, we’re welcome to stay in the country through mid-May.

On this trip to Kyrgyzstan, Bishkek is looking less stark Soviet with several new shopping malls, many trendy cafes, shops and so many pharmacies; odd for a country with subpar healthcare. It’s a chilly 40 °F/ 4 °C but spring is starting to muscle in as daytime temps hit 60 °F/15 °C.

Ala-Too Square, Bishkek

At $17/night, Hotel T3 is an outright bargain. Pretty basic but large room, comfortable beds and a boiling hot, powerful shower. Breakfast is included but we prefer Vanilla Sky Cafe where they serve lots of fresh food options and perfect cappuccinos for pennies.

T3 Hotel, Bishkek

We met Alexey, our driver/translator/friend, here in Bishkek 5 years ago as soon as we realized that the most efficient and comfortable way to visit Kyrgyzstan is with a car, preferably an SUV, with someone who speaks Russian and Kyrgyz. To revisit that post, click here -https://spicechronicles.travellerspoint.com/36/. Within minutes of our reunion and demonstration of the latest improvements he’s made to his remarkable 2001 Toyota Land Cruiser, Alexey is hooking us up with people in his network and figuring out where to get the unusual supplies we ask for. This is THE guy to call if you want to visit Kyrgyzstan, period. Alexey Drozdov - TEL/WA +996 776 522 810.

We have come to take pics of Kok Buru, an ancient game played throughout Central Asia under various names; Buzkashi (Afghanistan), Kokpar (Kazakhstan). Westerners call it Dead Goat Polo, which is somewhat accurate given our notion that it is socially inappropriate to use a headless goat as a ball, but goat for ball is perfectly normal here. The action itself looks more like rugby on horseback. The origins of this legendary game, the national sport of Kyrgyzstan, lie somewhere between nomads hunting or defending their livestock against predatory wolves, to men and horses honing their fighting skills.

Like most countries racing to stay ahead of Covid-19, large gatherings and sporting events have been cancelled which just might be an advantage as we head to the mountains hoping to find small groups of men playing. With everything shutting down, I’m guessing most families in rural villages won’t be glued to Netflix.

Bishkek’s cluster of modern high rises diminishes quickly as we turn west on the Bishkek-Osh road. In less than two hours, the vintage, built to conquer, Land Cruiser is weaving around cars and trucks over Too-Ashuu Pass (3,180 m/10,433 ft) on two lanes carved through this stretch of the Ala-Too mountain range.

Too-Ashuu Pass

Off one of the hairpin turns at the top, a plowed path leads to perhaps the smallest ski resort on the planet that boasts one, not so reassuring, chairlift.

Too-Ashuu Ski Resort

As we descend from the pass, the entire Suusamyr Valley is carpeted white with a handful of weathered caravans on the side of the road. It’s hard to imagine that soon the ground will transmute into green fields, where locals will erect yurt camps and sell hugely popular sour cheese balls and fermented milk beverages, while their herds nibble high altitude, nutrient-rich grasses throughout the summer.

The turnoff for Talas is dominated by a double archway and towering statue of the national hero Manas. Figure of disputed origin, idealized in an epic poem recognized by UNESCO, he is solely responsible for the country’s identity.

Otmok Pass, Talas region

Driving thru Kyrk Kazyk village, we spot a group of guys on horses and one headless goat (slain with ceremony before the game) around a tai kazan (goal). Men and horses shove each other in a crush of flailing bodies stretching for the carcass being trampled beneath a knot of stomping hooves. The victor secures the dead weight under one thigh and rushes the goal kicking up clouds of dust. Trained not to fear the meter-high circular mound of molded dirt, the horses slam into the thick rubber tires attached around the exterior as the rider heaves the dead weight into the goal. It is an extremely physical and dangerous sport and not unusual to see men and horses fall, even float into the goal themselves!

Boys (I have never seen or even heard of girls participating) start playing around 4-5, riding donkeys and using a much lighter pillow made of a goat skin stuffed with hay. Thrilled that school is closed due to the coronavirus, village kids are eager to show off their skills.

We are the only guests at the Kerben Palace, the most (read only) upscale hotel in Talas. At $20/night per night, breakfast included, it’s surprisingly nice. We take the rest of our meals at Kanikei, which looks like it might also be the best in town. Outside of Bishkek, menus are pretty standard - lamb with rice or potatoes often swimming in oil. Forget anything green. I revert to a diet of shashlyk (skewered grilled meat) and tomato salad.

Kerben Palace Hotel, Talas

The next day, we’re directed to a playing field just outside of Talas. The game is being organized by a jovial local man. He explains that he has five daughters and will donate the goat for today’s match, along with a lamb as the official prize. In return, the players will wish him good fortune and many male offspring. His poor wife!

Play is scheduled for noon but in typical Kyrgyz fashion, starts much later. In the meantime, people gather for a Kyrgyz-style tailgate party with numerous vodka toasts and a fat-laden homemade kielbasa made from horse meat. Refusing would be impolite. The vodka chaser is my savior.

The riders form a semicircle around the live goat for a prayer. The animal is swiftly beheaded, and the hooves are cut off so that the carcass is less likely to be ripped apart during the fierce game. A couple of guys take it to the river nearby and wet it for extra weight while spectators lay down bets. When play begins, teams of 4 against 4, and a referee, thunder up and down the field kicking up dirt and fighting for possession of the goat. Every 10-15 minutes in this unofficial game, play breaks for water and riders rotate in/out.

Two hours later, just as it began, the game ends with a prayer. Suddenly, in a freestyle twist, one of the men swings down from his horse, scoops the goat from the ground and races off chased by everyone on a horse. There are about 60 riders from four villages. It turns out, whoever reaches his village with the animal can keep it. I should mention that the (seriously tenderized) goat is always cooked and shared among the winners after a game.

By the third week of March, rumors begin to circulate: travel between regions will soon be restricted and lockdown is under consideration. We return to Bishkek figuring it’ll be more comfortable if we get stuck.

We’re sitting at Sierra Coffee when the government announces that all cafes and restaurants with over 50 seats must close. Within minutes of the news, a truck pulls up outside and tables and chairs are removed from the restaurant. Problem solved!

There’s a fridge in our hotel room, so we rush over to the fully stocked supermarket inside Bishkek Park Mall just in case panic sets in.

For the time being, only three confirmed cases in a village far away in southwestern Kyrgyzstan have been reported. Here in Bishkek, it is business as usual. With large squares and wide avenues, there are no crowds and with never more than a few people on the street, social distancing is quite natural. We spend our days in cafes with little to no contact with others, feeling pretty safe given the chaos that is overtaking the rest of the world.

Park in central Bishkek

Bellagio Cafe, Bishkek

We are able to make one more trip to Talas the following weekend. The five-hour drive is becoming quite familiar as is cafe Kojomkul (named after another Kyrgyz legend, famous for his Herculean strength) where we always stop for lunch. The cantine, neither pretty nor good, is apparently the best option on this road in the Suusamyr Valley. In full swing, I wonder if they’ve heard there is a health crisis. But as is standard in every Muslim restaurant, there is a sink for hand washing at the entrance. As usual, only a few items on their large menu are available, not that any of it appeals to me, but it’s infuriating all the same. I settle on Kourdak - a traditional dish of lamb, potatoes and onions. There is so much fat and oil, half of it stays on my plate. To be fair, we have had delicious Kourdak in many homestays throughout Kyrgyzstan.

About an hour before reaching Talas, on a long stretch of road flanked by mountains, in the distance we see a group playing Kok Boru. We must have passed the road leading to the field but who needs a road? With no warning, Alexey veers the SUV into a field and beelines across the uneven, rocky terrain toward the game.

March 21. It is Nowruz today, the Persian New Year and spring equinox. Kyrgyzstan celebrates this day as the beginning of spring, but the usual grand festivities including the final games of professional Kok Boru have all been cancelled. However, gatherings of less than 50 are permitted and we set out in search of local games. Most villages in the Talas region have a field and we’re getting pretty good at discerning the feisty stallions used exclusively in the game. Other telltale signs include men wearing high leather boots with heels, a whip or komcha that they often hold between their teeth and the traditional tebetei or hat.

On a tip, we approach a playing field. With no one in sight we’re not feeling optimistic until several men on horseback appear on a ridge in the distance.

A tai kazan on a Kok Boru playing field

Within half an hour there are about 30 cavaliers and a bunch of spectators. The field is littered with plastic bottles and empty cigarette packs, so we start to clean up. Within a few minutes, a few men help with the task which gives me some hope that they are becoming more conscious about their own environment. More likely, they are embarrassed that a foreigner is picking up their garbage!

Kanikei, our goto restaurant in Talas, has closed. For three days, the best option appears to be takeout at Box Lagman - an Uyghur dish of noodles, meat and vegetables - served in Chinese-style takeout boxes. The routine: place our order, pick up some vodka and (Belgian!) beer at the grocery store and eat in the dining room of our hotel. For fun, we set up a vodka taste test to see if we can distinguish between brands but to our uninitiated palates, it all tastes like rubbing alcohol.

A sanitized door handle at the supermarket in Talas...

Vodka taste test

All the disinfection you need!

It’s a good thing we are checking out of the Kerben Palace today because they have been ordered to close! We’re waved through the checkpoint at the edge of the Talas region. As long as we are leaving they do not seem to care. Hours later, we’re about 30 minutes from Bishkek when our hotel there calls to say they too have been ordered to close. We scramble for an Airbnb.

Covid checkpoint entering Bishkek

The huge, fully-equipped apartment ($35 USD) is in a relatively modern building above Navat, a famous Kyrgyz restaurant. I book four nights. We end up staying six weeks!

Apartment above Navat restaurant, Bishkek

View from the living room

Nighttime view from the bedroom

Within two days, Bishkek completely shuts down. You cannot enter or leave the city without special permission and foreigners are not eligible. You can only go out for one hour and within 1km to the supermarket or pharmacy and you must carry a written itinerary and wear a mask. Restaurants are open for takeout only, parks are closed and there is a curfew from 8PM to 7AM. The routine is quick to set - we go to the supermarket at Bishkek Park every few days just to get out.

Bishkek Park Mall with only the supermarket lit and social distancing measures in place for a bank receiving one client at a time.

The rest of the time we stay home, grateful that we have so much space and everything we need. The gigantic living room becomes my gym. Online fitness classes, a 30 day yoga challenge. I’m hooked!

View of daily training at the Ministry of Defense, from the kitchen window

Every 15 days, the government makes announcements including that since the airport and borders remain closed, all visas are extended until further notice. Time flies and soon it is the beginning of June. Roadblocks are lifted and once again, Alexey drives us over the mountains to the Talas region, thankful to have perhaps the only tourists left in the country. As we wind past the ski resort on Too Ashuu Pass and stop for lunch at Kojomkul restaurant at the entrance of the Suusamyr Valley, the scenery has changed. Most of the snow has melted and we’re often slowed by herds of sheep and horses on the road moving to higher elevations for summer grazing.

We stop for dinner at Kanikei which has reopened, then check in to OUR room #12 at the Kerben Palace as if we never left.

The guy who is organizing a game in the village of Taldy Bulak, invites us into his home. As with all encounters in Kyrgyzstan, nothing happens until you’ve had tea. Kyrgyz are known for their hospitality and generosity. There is always a spread including bread, the tastiest butter, jams, honey, fresh fruit bursting with flavor, cookies, candy, etc. Handmade cushions with typical motifs are placed around the low table for comfortable seating on the floor.

A young man prepares tea to welcome us before a game

Players gather outside around the goat. A prayer is recited, the goat is swiftly slain and the group races toward the field.


When men, horses and bystanders are all exhausted, we follow everyone back to the house where the goat will be prepared for dinner. In the meantime, the brother of our host offers to show us another playing field about 10 kms away in what he describes as a stunning gorge. The car turns off the main road onto a dirt track that carves through verdant hills about 20 minutes before stopping at a river crossing. Beyond, perched on the side of a steep hill blanketed with wild flowers, are the two tai kazans (goals). We’ll need to shuffle across a narrow log over the water and walk the rest of the way. The area is indeed pretty, but massive high voltage towers nearby kill the beauty and will interfere with the drone signal. We stop to say hello to the local families that have installed their yurts nearby for the season. Before we leave a woman brings out a round loaf of bread. We are asked to each break off a small piece and eat it. This will bring them good fortune.

Proud parents at a yurt camp near Taldy Bulak

Over the next few weeks, we continue driving across the country and stopping when we spot Kok Boru playing fields. Sometimes we are lucky and a game is on. The scenery is different in every place.

Red rock formations on the Kokemeren River near Kyzyl-Oi

Typical Kyrgyz decor, CBT Homestay #6, Kyzyl-Oi

When he’s not driving, Alexey likes to watch movies on his phone. Everything makes him laugh!

We drive up to Song-Kol Lake - elevation 3016 m/9895 ft - to see if there are any Kok Boru playing fields in the region. We do find a couple, but with summer approaching there are no games as families are busy setting up yurt camps and most of the men are tending the herds.

Song-Kol Lake

Setting up a yurt camp at Song-Kol Lake

A Kyrgyz woman preparing the most delicious bread

Typical toilet at a yurt camp

Cemetery near Kyzart

Plowing through deep mud toward a playing field in Kyzart where we’re told a game will be played.

Mira Guesthouse, 23 eu with breakfast, Kochkor

The bedroom with private bathroom, a real luxury in rural Kyrgyzstan

Dining room at Mira Guesthouse, Kochkor

Homemade, traditional Oromo (stuffed and rolled pasta)

We’re invited to visit the animal market. The chosen goat rides back in the trunk.

The dramatic rock formation of Jeti-Oguz (Seven Bulls) is one of Kyrgyzstan’s most stunning landscapes and would certainly provide an exceptional backdrop for Kok Boru. We scout the location in search of playing fields and stumble upon a game in progress. And then it clicks, we’ll have to come back here and shoot a game in the snow... Fingers crossed.

A very young boy warms the horse up for his dad at Jeti-Oguz..

We take a day to visit the stunning alpine valley of Altyn-Arashan. The road to the top is only accessible with a 4-wheel drive or on foot. Alexey drives us up and we walk down. Some of the boulders are so big, I close my eyes as the jeep rolls over them listing dramatically from side to side. We hike down along the river lined with pine trees. It looks like an underdeveloped Switzerland.

The road to Altyn-Arashan

Pine forests of Altyn-Arashan

During the Soviet era, coal mining was much more prevalent, but there are still mines operating in Kyrgyzstan. The biggest shaft mines are in Sulukta at the southwestern tip of the country bordering Tajikistan and we plan to go there one day but for now, we decide to check the mines in the Jyrgalan Valley 60 kms east of Karakol, the largest town on Lake Issyk-Kul.

Soviet MIG on display near Tamga village, Lake Issyk Kul,

A beekeeper near Karakol

Altai Guesthouse, 35 euros with breakfast, Karakol

Karakol Ski Resort

A perfect rainbow near Karakol

We drive into a gorge and follow a dirt track past the village of Jyrgalan that eventually leads to a small working mine.

Statue commemorating miners at the entrance of the Jyrgalan Valley

Jyrgalan village

We meet four men and one vicious dog. If that chains busts, we’re in trouble. At first they are a bit reluctant to let us take any photos, but eventually, Alexey softens them up. Different from a shaft mine, in this horizontal mine, the men walk straight in about 100 meters. They scrape the coal from the walls at the end of the tunnel, fill a cart and bring it out. A truck comes every couple of days to pick up the load. One of the miners is the dedicated chef and prepares a delicious meal that we are invited to share.

We drive back to Bishkek and settle into a new apartment above the ultra chic men’s shop called Podium.

View from the apartment above Podium

Masks, temperature checks and social distancing measures are required everywhere, but cafes, restaurants and some shops are open. After a couple of weeks of traditional cooking, we welcome the variety Bishkek has to offer.

Gourmet salads at Skyberry Cafe

Salmon Tartare at Oyster Bar

Sushi at Oyster Bar

Vegetable biryani, chicken tikka and dal at Gandhi Indian restaurant

At Atrium Salon, a great haircut and color is 14 euros, pedicure 8. The exceptionally hygienic and sublime one-hour massage at Kamin Spa in our building is a mere 15 euros.

Kamin Thai massage

Around July 1st, Covid-19 cases begin to rise and the government tightens restrictions. Supermarkets, pharmacies and shops must close at 7PM, cafes and restaurants at 8. Borders remain closed and the next possible date for commercial flights to resume is Aug 1st. We hunker down and spend our days in the apartment going to the supermarket when necessary and sometimes out for a meal where there are never more than one or two other tables occupied.

Skyberry Cafe, Bishkek

Oyster Bar, Bishkek

Visors are the new normal in shops

The weather is gorgeous, and there are hardly any bugs as Bishkek sits 800 m/2600 ft above sea level.

Delightful dining on the terrace at the apartment above Podium

On July 20th with the announcement that Bishkek is the epicenter of a new spike in Covid cases, Alexey suggests a road trip to the Batken region in the southwestern part of the country to search for the bigger (shaft) coal mines. On the drive out of Bishkek, I now recognize all the turns, the bottlenecks at several open markets, the Chinese workers building new roads...

Assorted fermented beverages for sale on the street

A woman selling fresh steamed corn on the side of the road

A man hauling watermelons

The snow on Too-Ashuu Pass has melted save a few peaks with icing in the distance. Naturally, we stop for lunch at Kojomkul.

Kojomkul restaurant, Sussamyr Valley

Yurts and caravans now pepper the green fields where horses, goats and sheep graze. Rickety stands selling those sour cheese balls and various aberrations of fermented milk line the roadside. This time we bypass the turn off to Talas and continue south, stopping for the night at Kok Bel an open, empty hotel on Toktogul Reservoir. The nondescript room (21 euros) has an extraordinary view of the water. At 284 sq. kms/110 sq. miles, it is the largest manmade lake in Central Asia.

Toktogul Reservoir

As the road bends south, our search for coal mines produces only a few, small (quite likely) unofficial operations. We stop for the night in the city of Jalal-Abad famous for recording the first outbreaks of coronavirus in Kyrgyzstan in March. Hotel Sputnik is the obvious choice as much for the name as the price (21 euros). It’s super tacky and could use a better cleaning, but it’ll do.

A woman selling bread on the road between Osh and Sulukta

We’re told there are mines in Kok Jangat 20 kms away. There is absolutely no signage. On a hunch, Alexey veers off-road following the tracks of a truck we pass full of coal, bumping along up and over hills with nary a lump in sight. He stops in front of a cluster of yurts. The family, here for the summer with their animals, is happy to see some new faces. They insist on tea. You simply cannot refuse Kyrgyz hospitality. Within a minute, we’re seated on cushions in the dining yurt. The ladies rush about setting out freshly baked bread, butter, jam, cookies, cream, watermelon and tea. To be polite, I taste the koumiss, fermented mare’s milk. My lips barely touch the sour, fizzy liquid and my expression provokes a hearty laugh. I’ll have the tea thank you.

Having tea with a local family in their yurt

Eventually, we do find some coal mines, but they are small, and there are no working shaft mines. We call it and drive to Osh, the second largest city in Kyrgyzstan (population +/- 200,000) for the night. I’m looking forward to a nice hotel with a pool as temps are way into the 90s F/30s C here, but the big hotel has been requisitioned by the government to quarantine doctors after they complete their service. While they certainly deserve it more than we do, the only other option, a crummy guesthouse that could use a deep cleaning, is rather disappointing. However, dinner across the street at a restaurant with tables nicely spaced around a pretty garden compensates a bit. Vodka flows like water at every table.

Guesthouse in Osh

Brio Coffee House, Osh

Approaching Sulukta, the scenery morphs from one type of rock formation to another. A roadblock greets us. We are welcome to visit the town after a medical check. Within minutes, an ambulance arrives, but as we show no signs of illness, the medics decide to accompany us to the only guesthouse, that way they will know where to find us.

Covid checkpoint, Sulukta

One look at the place and we are all prepared to sleep in the jeep. We decide to look for mines before spending the night in this unattractive town. Tourists don’t usually come this way, and the lady pumping gas is intrigued. Turns out her friend owns a coal mine. She makes a call and 20 minutes later, as is customary, we are sipping tea on a ridge overlooking this man’s vast mining operation.

We’re welcome to take photos but we’ll have to wait a few days. In the meantime, he offers to set us up with an apartment in town. Believe me, this was a hundred times better than the guesthouse...

Apartment complex, Sulukta

It takes several days to drive back to Bishkek.

Lunch stop in the small town of Arslanbob

On the list of worst toilets on the road ever!

Hotel Altyn (24 euros) in Karakul, on the road from Osh to Bishkek

Oh the luxury of our apartment above Podium! The owners are happy to have guests, people in our favorite cafes seem genuinely happy to see us and the lady selling delicious fruit on the corner is relieved to hear that we did not have Covid.

Our dedicated fruit vendor

Although restrictions are still in place, life in the city seems to be slowly coming back and within a few days we hear that while the borders are still closed, a few commercial flights are starting. We walk over to the Turkish Airlines office where they are receiving people at the window. The agent is extraordinarily helpful and books us a flight to Europe for mid-August. We leave Kyrgyzstan dragging our feet. We came in March, planning to spend a month and ended up staying for five. It was starting to feel like home. For the most part, whenever we talk about Kyrgyzstan, people cannot pronounce it or locate it on a map and have no idea why you would want to visit. Stunning nature, phenomenal hospitality, fascinating history, incredible value and hardly any tourists. That about sums it up.

I’m half asleep when our flight lands at 5AM in Tbilisi (pronounced tuh-blee-see). We disembark in a daze. Never sure if it’s because I’ve stuffed my swollen feet back into shoes or just an uneven surface, but it’s not the first time I stumble on the jet bridge leading to the terminal. Silently, I prompt myself, “Pick up your feet!”

Long corridors with unintelligible signs lead to the Immigration window of our choice. No lines, hardly any people; unlike arriving in any other country capital (pre-coronavirus that is). The officer smiles and says, “Good morning.” I stare at her in disbelief while she scans my passport. Almost immediately, she stamps a page, hands it back to me with an enthusiastic, “Welcome to Georgia,” simultaneously placing a small bottle on the counter. As I turn away, she calls after me, “For you take! [sic]” I fumble a thank you then pass through the gate, still processing the most hospitable welcome I have ever received from an immigration officer, when I realize that I am holding a 250 ml/8 oz bottle of red wine! The kicker is the label:

At baggage claim, a woman in a smart suit, carrying an iPad, rushes forth and in perfect English asks if we need a taxi. Not at all prepared for such assertive behavior, I wave her off while we collect our bags. She takes no offense and says, “When you’re ready, I will be happy to direct you to an official airport taxi. If you are going to the center, the fixed price is 40 Gel,” (about 13 euros for the 30 minute ride). We are used to being accosted for transportation, but never has it been so polite and precise. In the Arrivals hall, while we get our bearings and some local cash (Georgian Lari), several men offer rides, none of which seem legit, and the language barrier is just too taxing at this hour. I hail the woman who happens to be in my line of sight and in a flash we’re on our way. In the following days, we discover Bolt, Georgia’s version of Uber. Although we paid a fair price for the airport taxi, nothing rivals Bolt, and they accept cash. Despite ridiculously cheap fares anywhere in the city, we end up using the service only a couple of times as Tbilisi, though hilly, is quite walkable and the activity tracker on my wrist has successfully brainwashed me with 10,000-step guilt.

Hello Kitty mascot walking on Rustaveli Avenue, Tbilisi

View of Tbilisi from Narikala Fortress

View of Rike Park and the ultra-modern Peace Bridge

Home for the next few weeks is a sparsely furnished but well-equipped one-bedroom apartment in the center near Rustaveli metro station. Our early arrival instructions are to pick up the keys at the small hotel next door except, there is no envelope with my name and the night receptionist doesn’t know anything about keys! Trying to contain my impatient, exhausted tourist tone, I’m about to phone and likely wake up the Airbnb host when the woman says, “Wait! Try this one, it doesn’t look like one of ours.” Thankfully, the key works.

There’s a really nice welcome note with essential information and helpful tips. The bedroom has large windows and a beautiful wood floor, the bathroom is modern with a washing machine and there’s a combination kitchen/dining/living area in the back that faces an interior courtyard and probably doesn’t get much sunlight, but for $22/night, we cannot believe our luck.

Our quiet street is very old and very steep. I figure, the craggy stones that penetrate my soles must have been placed purposefully to give horses/carts/cars traction and maybe even to drain rainwater. Whatever the reason, forget anything but comfortable shoes in this city.

Entrance to our apartment, Tbilisi

We are about 100 meters from Shota Rustaveli, the central avenue of Tbilisi, named after a Georgian poet. The National Opera Theater, Museum of Fine Arts, upscale hotels and government buildings sit on either side of this elegant, lively avenue that descends to Freedom (aka Liberty) Square. The architecture is a mix of Renaissance Baroque, Neo-Moorish, Socialist Classicism, Art Nouveau... People selling everything from jewelry, books, Soviet memorabilia and crappy souvenirs line the street above and below ground. Peaceful protestors are camped out in tents in front of the Parliament building as a reminder that conflict with Russia and other civil issues persist, but for the most part, the atmosphere seems rather joyous. There are street musicians everywhere and people seem to really enjoy stopping to listen and socialize.

Drinks for sale on the street

A woman baking Puri, traditional Georgian bread, at a window-service-only shop

Men playing backgammon in a park

Anchiskhati Basilica

The Clock Tower and Puppet Theater

Ladies squeeze fresh pomegranate juice on every corner

A woman selling churchkehela, traditional candle-shaped sweets, out of an old baby carriage that looks like an homage to the Odessa Steps scene in Battleship Potemkin

Dried persimmons aka kakis

Shopping stalls in underground passageways

Graffiti in one of the many underground street crossings

Not nearly as bad as Delhi or Beijing, the air quality is certainly questionable. Car exhaust, a gritty residue on the pavement and people smoking everywhere are negative points, but we are loving Tbilisi from day one!

An interesting list of restrictions

The stairs leading into the charming Linville Restaurant, are as uneven as a carnival fun house!

That’s some selfie!

Dogs in Tbilisi are tagged and cared for by local associations

The city has a long, complicated history; Arab, Mongol, Persian, Russian. Every invader destroyed, built, and left their style. Old Town is a squeeze of cobblestone streets and tightly stacked, balconied buildings, holding one another up. As the world takes notice of Georgia as a destination, Tbilisi is getting a facelift and within the next couple of years, construction debris will give way to beautifully restored historic neighborhoods with tasteful modern accents.

Old Tbilisi under renovation

Typical wooden structure with stained glass motifs

Piles of construction debris on the street

Renovation with a modern twist

Tbilisi is built over natural hot springs rich in sulphur, purported to have many health benefits. There are at least six bath houses to choose from. Having done no research, and dulled by the recent experience in Budapest, I walk into the two most famous places. Pretty much put off by the atmosphere and the smell of cigarette smoke, I walk out thinking I’ll have to research this more given so many favorable reviews, but I keep postponing and ultimately never get around to it. It will be a priority when we come back, and we will be back.

Domes of the Royal (sulphur) Baths with (4th c.) Narikala Fortress in the background

Meidan Bazaar, the ancient underground market in Old Tbilisi has become a tourist attraction

People on the street

Sioni Cathedral

Forget any attempt to understand Georgian. It has a unique alphabet. Even Google Translate is at a loss. Fortunately, many restaurants and cafes display the English translation and people are so friendly, it is never a problem. There is always someone who speaks enough English, sometimes even French. While we have a full kitchen and several supermarkets nearby, plentiful food is so cheap in restaurants, we end up only making breakfast in the apartment. Within a week we have a list of favorite cafes and restaurants on both sides of the Mtkvari (Kura) River and have settled into a routine: Late morning cappuccinos (and sometimes a delicious pastry) at Puri Giuliani or Gala, “work” for a few hours, then order or walk over to Strada or Radio Cafe for lunch, “work” a bit more or take a walk to discover other parts of the city before heading to another restaurant to “work” some more before dinner.

The cappuccino comes with good advice at Radio Cafe

Puri Guliani is never too busy in the morning

Sinful pastries including the pomegranate bomb!

Organic greens and duck pate

Strada Cafe

Fabrika, a renovated factory housing shops, restaurants and the city’s hippest hostel

Buildings near Fabrika, ripe for renovation

Humorous street art

Even Santa Claus needs a break

Rooms Hotel, older sister of uber-cool Stamba Hotel, both situated in a former publishing house

For a fancier dinner (36 euros including wine and service), we head to Republic Restaurant overlooking Revolution Square. It’s not quite as copious as most restaurants in Tbilisi, but the food is delicious and the views...

Kupati sausage with mushroom sauce and pomegranate reduction and cochon de lait with celery cream and plum sauce

View of a Christmas market from Republic Restaurant

As December unfolds, large crews work day and night setting up stages around the city. A full schedule of DJs, concerts and holiday festivities lead up to an extravagant live television broadcast on New Years Eve just a few blocks from the apartment. After an unbelievable display of fireworks, we stand in the street among thousands of spectators to watch the show. While we don’t understand the banter between the elegant hosts, who change costume in between every act, the impersonations of stars like Lady Gaga, Michael Jackson and Chaka Khan are hyperrealistic and beautifully executed.

New Year’s Eve fireworks and live show on Rustaveli Avenue

Celebrations continue well into January. Every day at dusk, somewhere, someone flips a switch bathing Rustaveli Avenue in a cosmic theme made of a million tiny lights. Crowds stroll along the avenue and partake in a host of seasonal activities.

View of Rustaveli Avenue

Keeping warm at one of the Christmas markets

Fire artist on Rustaveli Avenue

Georgians love to eat and drink. There are restaurants and cafes every few feet serving delectable, carb-heavy dishes. The bread, alone or filled with eggs and cheese (Kachapuri) or beans (Lobiani) is divine. Walnuts are a staple ingredient often combined with eggplant, spinach or beets (Pkhali), and thick creamy soups of mushroom or pumpkin will warm your soul. Pomegranate seeds decorate virtually every dish.

Khachapuri and Lobiani at Puri Guliani

Traditional Georgian Pkhali and Ojakhuri (pork with potatoes and onions) at Radio Cafe

Sinfully creamy pumpkin soup and Khinkali, traditional Georgian dumplings stuffed with pork and onions

And then there is the wine. Georgians have been making it since 6000 BC! Supermarket shelves seem to stock more alcohol than food and there are always tasting stands. Locals favor the many varieties of sweet and semi-sweet wines, but we quickly develop a liking for the dry reds made from Saperavi grapes. At 8000 Vintages, you can shop for and taste wines in the front of the store, or sit down and enjoy one of several platters featuring local cheeses, cured meats, exceptional olives and creamy spreads to accompany a bottle.

Mezzo platter and fine red at 8000 Vintages, wine shop and restaurant

Over 80% of Georgians are Orthodox Christians, and they celebrate Christmas on (or around) January 7th according to the Julian calendar. The principal event in Tbilisi on this day is Alilo, a traditional procession led by children that descends Rustaveli Avenue to Freedom Square crosses the Baratashvili Bridge and makes its way uphill, culminating at the massive Tsminda Sameba (Holy Trinity) Cathedral. Along the route, children collect gifts and candy to be distributed to orphanages and communities in need.

Alilo procession, Orthodox Christmas, Liberty Square

A woman shows us her Christmas doll

Brothers on their way to Holy Trinity Cathedral on Orthodox Christmas

Tsminda Sameba (Holy Trinity) Cathedral dominates the neighborhood of Avlabari and Tbilisi’s skyline

Alilo procession on the steps of the cathedral

Inside Holy Trinity Cathedral on Orthodox Christmas

A priest standing on scaffolding in the cathedral

Throughout the city center, tour operators and freelance drivers hawk day trips and packages, restaurants and cafes place people out front to entice you in, etc. It is slightly annoying, because we walk by the same people often and the pitch never varies, but it’s always delivered with a smile and rather than insist, they usually wish us a pleasant stay. One day, a nice looking man standing next to a van mumbles in French as we pass by. Something about his gentle demeanor catches our attention. We’ve decided to check out Gudauri, the country’s largest ski resort two hours away, and he’s the man to take us there.

With a ride and an Airbnb booked, we need ski clothes! The sporting goods shops at Galleria Mall on Rustaveli are expensive (especially since we will leave most of our purchases behind). A search brings up Snowy Mountains ski shop, not far from Dinamo Arena (stadium) and Dezerter Bazaar, Tbilisi’s largest market.

Vendors at Deserter Bazaar. Can you believe those radishes?!

For $35 dollars, we get ski pants and gloves but their jackets are ugly and I hold out for something that I can wear off the slopes as well. We take a Bolt (10 Gel, about $4 for the 20-minute drive) to East Point Mall where we find jackets and winter boots for peanuts. And that is the only positive aspect of that mall especially when I realize that all the stores there have branches on Rustaveli Avenue near our apartment!

Ananuri Castle on the road to Gudauri

Gudauri sits on a south-facing plateau, perpetually bathed in sun, in the Caucasus Mountains. The town is divided in 2 parts, old and new; new being the cluster of condos and hotels that has sprouted around the main gondola. It is entirely possible to stay down valley or at hotels and developments along the road in, but why bother when you can ski in/out of your lodging and walk no more than 5 minutes to a variety of bars, restaurants, shops and spas. The resort itself (2196m/7205 ft.) lacks charm but the surrounding mountains and views are stupendous.

New Gudauri ski resort

Center of New Gudauri

Prepping the après-ski BBQ

Our spacious, fully-equipped studio is bright and comfortable and comes with an extremely convenient ski locker on the ground floor. Equipment rental is about 11 euros/day and the lift ticket is a mere 15 euros/day.

Studio apartment at Red Co. 2, New Gudauri (53 euros/night)

There is just one small problem, there isn’t much snow! The bottom half of the mountain Is rocky but fortunately, the top (3279 m/10,757 ft.) is fine and all the lifts are open. Over our two-week stay, we get a few inches of fresh powder here and there, and the quality of the snow is fantastic. The runs are blissful for beginners and intermediate skiers and they are empty! Weekends get a little more crowded, but not much. The gondolas and lifts are brand new. Some chair lifts even have an optional, transparent shield that you can pull down for extra protection on windy or cold days.

Midway on the mountain

View of the resort from the gondola

Tip: Bring basic first aid items as (for the moment) there is no pharmacy (or doctor) in New Gudauri. Medics and ambulances are on standby at all times, but for non-emergencies, you’ll need to taxi or Bolt down the mountain.

There are some black runs and heliskiing options for expert skiers and paragliding is also hugely popular. For 4 euros roundtrip, non-skiers are welcome to ride the gondola up and hang out at the restaurants and bars on the mountain. Though infrastructure is rudimentary at the top (only a couple of outhouses) and food outlets are pretty basic structures, there are tables, chairs, loungers, beanbags and the most incredible vibe. People are dancing in their boots, waiters are extremely friendly, food is good and the sun shines endlessly.

Food, drinks, good music, chilling in the sun,

and watching the paragliders

There are plenty of good restaurants in the resort and they are so reasonable, we eat out every night. One night after dinner, we wander into a bar/restaurant called The Drunken Cherry. What a find! There is a Georgian woman belting out, Adele, Amy Winehouse, Janis Joplin, you name it, interspersed with a DJ mixing everything from rock to disco and hip-hop. There are families with kids, young adults and older people like us. Bartenders and waiters dance as they mix and serve, and everyone is just having a fantastic time.

Doing shots with our favorite bartender at The Drunken Cherry

After two weeks in Gudauri, it’s time to leave, but we are already planning to come back next winter, relishing the thought of how great the skiing will be with more snow.

Gorgeous Gudauri

Dragging our feet, we head back to Tbilisi for a couple of nights before flying out, We’ve spent a month in Georgia and only visited two places. There is so much more to discover the next time around. Can’t wait!

This road trip starts with a short bus ride (1.5 hours) from Trieste, Italy to Ljubljana, Slovenia.

Crosswalk with a poignant message, Ljubljana

The weather is a bit soggy and yet, Ljubljana is so pretty and charming. The Ljubljanica River winds through the town separating the historic center from the modern city by sculpted bridges. Every angle, from street level to rooftop, offers a photo opp.

Ljubljana, Slovenia

People are overly friendly: at the laundromat a guy wishes us, “a nice stay in my country.“ When we’re ready to move on, our Airbnb hostess offers plenty of advice on what to visit in the rest of Slovenia and sends us off to the airport with GoOpti, an efficient ride service, to pick up a rental car for the next 6 weeks. We’ve scored an excellent deal for 13,50 eu/day. Tip: take the highway vignette from the rental agency as it is required as soon as you leave the airport.

Once we master the interior and exterior lane configuration on roundabouts, we head toward Bled, famous for its church in the middle of the lake. Even in the pouring rain, it’s lovely.

Church on Lake Bled

Distances in Slovenia are super short, so we decide to push on toward Bohinj whose much larger lake sits within Triglav National Park. The landscape is one of flooded fields and submerged trees holding ground against a raging river.

Triglav National Park

Surprisingly, the tourist information office In Bohinj is open and they offer to make some calls on our behalf for a place to spend the night, but prices are very high; hard to believe given the (seriously) off season. We continue and stop at a restaurant that looks like it may also be a motel. I cringe at the offer of a dorm room with shared bath, and prepare to drive away when a guy comes out and explains that if we don’t mind construction debris in the hallway, they have a new double room for a reasonable 44 euros with breakfast. Oops, forgot to take the photo...

The rain refuses to subside as we approach Vrsic Pass. Built by Russian prisoners of war during WWI, the 50 hairpin turns of cobblestone are a test for weak stomachs. At this time of year and with dreary weather, we cross maybe three cars. Not sure I’d want to be here in the summer when motorhomes and cyclists share the narrow road. It is snowing at the top. As we descend through clouds and fog, the autumn colors and turquoise water bursting forth on the Soca River make for jaw-dropping scenery. And OMG, there is an adventure junkie, kayaking solo in this insanity!

Man vs. wild!

Along the Soca River near Bovec

Accommodations in Bovec are either closed or too expensive so we move on to Kobarid. The center of this tiny town is at the intersection of three roads. There are a couple of closed hotels and as many restaurants, but we manage to find an Airbnb overlooking the roundabout. The apartment is modern and spacious ($54/night).

Apartment, Kobarid

Locals at a cafe in Kobarid

The short hike to Kozjak Waterfall is pretty easy until the last bit where it becomes clear that (at the very least) my feet are going to be soaked in icy water. I hang back to hear if it’s worth it and ultimately decide to wait for the photos.

Hiking to Kozjak waterfall

50 shades of moss

Kozjak waterfall near Kobarid

Check out the heart-shaped boulder just hanging there! Tolmin Gorges

Tolminska Korita - Tolmin Gorges

View of the valley from Tolmin Gorges

Finding a place to sleep is becoming a daily challenge. We want to move on but the few affordable places on the various booking sites all lead back to Kobarid. We end up in a cozy duplex in Idrsko for $38. I’m not sure there is even a village as the address is on the main road near Kobarid. Like everywhere in Slovenia, the hospitality is extraordinary.

Apartment in Idrsko, Slovenia

The drive to Piran, a picturesque resort town on the southwestern tip of the country, takes us through wine country. Stormy weather prevails, but the scenery is beautiful. We stop to visit the fortified village of Stanjel built in the 17th century to defend against Ottoman invaders.

Stanjel, Slovenia

A well in the center of Stanjel

View from the castle in Stanjel

Dominated by the Venetians for over 500 years, the Italian influence on the seaside town of Piran is omnipresent in the architecture and number of spaghetterias!

View of Piran, Slovenia

Cars are not allowed in the historic center, making parking the key amenity in the hotel search. VIP Residence has a distinctly Italian feel. The studio is bright white and modern with a small kitchen and giant flat-screen TV. What a treat! Our room opens onto the pool (wrong season) with a gorgeous view of the Adriatic Sea in the distance. It’s so nice, we stay a few nights. (50 eu/night).

VIP Residence, Piran

View from the room

During the day we visit Piran and Portoroz and spend the evenings in our studio surfing satellite channels.

Piran, Slovenia

Narrow streets off the main square in Piran

It’s 500 kms to Budapest. Signs on the highway remind you to stop for the Hungarian highway vignette before crossing the border.

An electronic code releases the thick wooden door into a long dark corridor that opens into an interior courtyard typical of many buildings in Budapest. Our refurbished, fully-equipped studio off to the left is 25 eu/night.

Interior courtyard Hi5 Apartments Budapest, Hungary

Studio Hi5 Apartments, Budapest

Austro-Hungarian architecture and delicate Art Nouveau designs alternate with less attractive modern constructions in a mix of funk and opulence.

Heroes’ Square, Budapest

Vorosmarty Square, Budapest

Painted doorway, Budapest

Little Princess statue, Budapest

Hungarian Parliament, Budapest

Saint Stephen’s Basilica, Budapest

I have never seen a synagogue with an organ and a pulpit! The architect of Dohany Street Synagogue, aka Great Synagogue of Budapest (considered to be one, if not the largest in Europe), purposely incorporated several architectural styles to illustrate the multitude of ethnicities related to the Israelites.

Dohany Street Synagogue, Budapest

Café Gerbeaud, Budapest

The stunning Gresham Palace, now a Four Seasons Hotel

Nearby, we walk across the Chain Bridge to the Buda side of the city.

As we navigate the steep climb to Buda Castle, noise just fades away. It’s startling how peaceful this side of the river is. And the views...

Fisherman’s Bastion, Buda Castle, Budapest

View of the Parliament from Buda Castle, Budapest

It’s our last day in Budapest and perfect weather for a spa binge! The entrance fee at the enormous Szechenyi Baths is 19 euros. Tip: bring soap, towel, slippers, etc., as everything is extra. The yellow Neo-Baroque building is beautiful and the old-fashioned changing cabins are quirky, but overall the place feels like a sanitarium, especially the indoor sections where you (and too many others) soak in basins of still, mineral-infused water. The gigantic outdoor pools, with steam rising from the surface to meet the crisp November air against the majestic backdrop, are much more inviting.

Men playing chess in the water at Szechenyi Baths

With no time to waste, it’s off to the Gellért Thermal Bath across the river in Buda. Much smaller, the indoor pool feels like you are swimming in a Greco-Roman temple.

But it is the hot thermal baths on either side that attract most visitors.

Gellert Thermal Bath, Budapest

I soak, steam and sauna into a prune. Two spas in one day is my record, but while the baths in Budapest are an institution, for the record, I preferred the Korean spa experience (click my post 123 Kimcheeeeeee).

Bratislava, Slovakia is a 2.5 hour drive from Budapest through rather boring scenery. As more and more cities discourage cars, we look for accommodations with parking. The large, super-equipped apartment ($40/night) is in an austere neighborhood about 20 minutes on foot from the historical center.

Exterior of our apartment building, Bratislava, Slovakia

Apartment, Bratislava

Old Town, the historic center of Bratislava, is quite pretty and filled with cafes and restaurants.

Pedestrian streets of Old Town, Bratislava

Cafe in Old Town, Bratislava

The views from Bratislava Castle are worth the hike.

View of St. Martin’s Cathedral

View of Bratislava from the castle

It’s another 2.5 hours to Vienna. By now we are drilled to purchase the highway vignette before crossing (relatively) invisible borders. The apartment outside the center is compact but well-equipped (45 eu/night) with parking nearby for 5 euros per day. It’s a 4th floor walk up! Missed that detail when I was booking. The area, Meidling, is quiet, with nondescript shops and cafes on a long pedestrian street. It’s a healthy 20-minute walk to the Schonbrunn Palace, home of Empress Elizabeth of Austria better known as Sisi. The tour of 40 rooms (20 eu pp) is a pleasure with an excellent audio guide and classic music track. We are way off season so there are not many tourists. The downside is that the magnificent gardens are bare and the fountains still.

Schonbrunn Palace, Vienna, Austria

The metro station is around the corner from the apartment and within 15 minutes we are at Stephansplatz. No matter where you look, the architecture is dazzling and all the buildings look like they’ve just been cleaned. Many of the streets in the center are pedestrian. While the grandeur of the Baroque architecture and modern constructions give an imposing feeling, the city is really not that big. Within a day, we have walked most of it.
Tip: skip the expensive (yellow) tourist tram and ride the public trams.

Vienna, Austria

St. Stephen’s Cathedral on Stephansplatz, Vienna

Inside St. Stephen’s Cathedral, Vienna

St. Peter’s Church, Vienna

Horse-drawn carriage in front of Hofburg Palace, Vienna

By chance, the Jewish Museum is holding an exhibition of the Ephrussi family collection, made famous by artist Edmund de Waal (great grandson of Viktor von Ephrussi, the prominent Jewish banker forced to flee Vienna under Hitler) in his must-read memoire, The Hare with the Amber Eyes. The cornerstone of the exhibition (and the book) is the collection of over 200 Japanese Netsuke that survived the war and moved across continents before settling as de Waal’s inheritance. I practically run to see it.

Ivory and wood Netsuke from the Ephrussi collection, Vienna, Austria

As a bonus, the ticket gives you entrance to the other Jewish Museum, site of the archeological excavation of the city’s first synagogue (built in the mid-13th century/destroyed in 1420), discovered beneath Judenplatz (square) in 1995 during construction of the memorial to the victims of the Holocaust.

Judenplatz, Vienna

If there is one thing to eat in Vienna, it’s Wiener schnitzel. Finding the right place is challenging as many are too touristy or too crowded. Cafe Bieradies on Judenplatz, looks inviting. The crisp, oversized schnitzel, is absolutely divine as is the Tafelspitz a boiled beef dish favored by Emperor Franz Joseph I. Washed down with an odd mix of light and dark beer, the delicious meal takes two days to digest!

Wiener schnitzel

Tafelspitz, beef stew

Of course Viennese pastries are also world-renowned and there is no shortage of tempting cafes. People line up at the well-known places.

Cafe Central, Vienna

Street musicians, Vienna

The drive to Poland takes 4.5 hours. As we near the southwest border, a bad smell permeates the car. Welcome to the Silesia region where coal mining remains prevalent.

Our apartment is a 10-minute drive from the center of the capital, Katowice, in a cluster of modern hi-rises. The large one-bedroom is quite stylish and comfortable ($33/night) but as soon as you step out, the urge to cough is overwhelming.

Park Apartment, Katowice

Silesia City Center Mall (built around a former coal mine) has all the name brands, restaurants, a food court and a hypermarket. It is packed with people. The only explanation in this economically-depressed region is that the air is fresher inside!

Having rented many, many apartments since we started this trip seven years ago, I’ve come to the conclusion that while spaces are usually clean, dishes and cutlery, are not. Tired of scouring other people’s pots and pans, we decide to invest in a few kitchen items; non-stick pan, spatula, bottle opener, but my excitement to fry eggs fizzles when for the life of me I cannot get the induction stove to heat. Who knew that not all pans work with all stove tops?!

Vendor selling holiday sweets, Katowice

Coal-themed ride at the Christmas market, Katowice

Old street in Katowice

Mural of activist Wojciech Korfanty, Katowice

A hard hat is mandatory to visit the Guido Coal Mine, now a tourist attraction. The (required) tour is only in Polish today. The rickety metal cage that sends you 320 meters below ground under the light of a fickle bulb is an experience in itself. Despite the language barrier, the visit is fascinating. And those hats really are vital as I repeatedly knock into infrastructure. After a couple of hours, the guide leads us into a cafe area, makes a few gestures and points at a clock. The group scatters and we figure we’ve got 20 minutes or so for a pit stop. When it starts to feel too long, I ask the bartender who explains, the tour was over 30 minutes ago! We’ll have to wait until they close the bar to ride back to the surface with the staff. Might as well have a beer!

Guido Mine and Coal Mining Museum, Zabrze, Poland

Nikiszowiec, former coal miners settlement, Katowice

No matter what you’ve seen or read, there are few words to aptly describe a visit to Auschwitz and Birkenau concentration camps. That negationist theories even exist is unimaginable. For added misery, it’s an ice-cold, rainy day with a biting wind. I don’t dare complain. Tip: if you are visiting on your own, you must get there before 10AM as there are limited individual tickets. We breeze through, but plan accordingly in high season.

Entrance gate Auschwitz, Oświęcim, Poland

Back at the apartment in Katowice, our hosts have kindly left us a DVD player since all the TV channels are in Polish. To end the gut-wrenching day it seems only fitting to watch Schindler’s List. Shudder...

On the short drive to Krakow (80 kms) we stop to see an installation by a local non-profit that is monitoring and taking measures to educate the public on the hazardous effects of burning coal to heat homes. In front of a school, they have installed artificial lungs made of a porous material with a fan system that filters the air through. The lungs are white and clean on the first day. We’ll be back in two weeks to see how they have fared.

Our apartment (32 eu/night) is on the edge of Krakow’s historic center.

Apartment Elinor, Krakow, Poland

We park in front to unload luggage. In the time that takes, a parking officer has encoded a ticket. The great thing about modern technology is that once we’ve made our case, he agrees to cancel the ticket with a swipe. We have to pay him to do so, but it’s a third of the price of the ticket. We accept it as a win/win.

Bonus: the frying pan works in this kitchen!

Historic center, Krakow

Cafe Lajkonik, Krakow

Street Art, Krakow

This dragon blows fire if you wait for it!

Air quality in Krakow is measurably better than Katowice given stringent regulations on burning coal. Rynek Square, is magical in the evening. Decorative horse carriages and cafes sparkle in the cold air.

Rynek Glowny, Europe’s largest medieval town square, Krakow

Horse-drawn carriages, Rynek Glowny Main Square, Krakow

Misty night on Krakow’s Main Square

The Jewish ghetto aka Kazmierz, is anything but a ghetto. Many of the buildings have been remodeled and the streets are filled with trendy restaurants and bars.

Utica Krokodyli Pub, Krakow

Craft beer at Krokodyli

Not everyone is happy that this former synagogue is now Havre Cafe, Krakow

This heartbreaking installation in Heroes’ Square commemorates the thousands of Jews who were sent to Auschwitz from here. In addition to one suitcase, many residents took a chair to “have a place to sit in their new home”...

Hereos’ Square, Krakow, Poland

On one corner of the square, this authentic pharmacy offers an interactive glimpse into the Polish pharmacist and his staff who took great risks to help Jews. It’s a fun museum that recounts a sober story.

Eagle Pharmacy, Krakow, Poland

Street Art “Ding, Dong, Dumb” Krakow, Poland

The Schindler Factory is literally crammed with information, photos and exhibits, but not at all what I expected. The layout, which offers no views of the actual factory floor, leaves me disappointed. Right next door is the Museum of Contemporary Art Krakow (MOCAK). Worth the visit if you like contemporary installations.

Zamosc is a colorful place about 3.5 hours from Krakow, listed by UNESCO for its Renaissance town planning. There’s hardly a soul on the main square on this frigid Sunday afternoon, but it’s easy to picture the filled terraces of summer. It’s very, very pretty.

Great Market Square, Zamosc, Poland

As we walk around, we notice that some of the cafes are open but you need to push past heavy doors to enter. Seems like the whole town is at Bohema Cafe. I had read reviews about their hot chocolate; a steaming cup of pure liquid cocoa. Your veins actually change color!

Ladies at Cafe Bohema

The days are at their shortest now and we’ve developed a routine for visits. The majority of photos are taken at dusk between 3:45PM and 4:15PM. Then it’s “home” or to a cafe/bar for a couple of hours to “work” before dinner. There are virtually no other tourists.

Our apartment is fitted with a huge smart TV. It takes persistence, but eventually, I figure out how to change the menus to English and consequently I am able to select original language and lose the Polish dubbing on some of the channels. At night, we binge on movies and nature documentaries. This newfound skill in TV technology will prove invaluable from here on in.

We take local roads to get to Warsaw where we’ve booked a cute studio in Old Praga, the hip neighborhood on the eastern side of the Vistula River.

Studio Old Praga neighborhood, Warsaw

Warsaw is completely rebuilt but many of the buildings look old. It’s less quaint than Krakow but still quite enjoyable.

City walls of Warsaw

Old Town, Warsaw

Cafe, Old Town, Warsaw

Markings on the ground illustrate the former boundary of the Jewish ghetto, Warsaw

Place your order at the window

and pay the cashier at Bar Pod Barbakamen, Warsaw

Traditional Polish pierogis with meat filling

A stern warning in the metro!

Nozyk Synagogue, Warsaw

The synagogue wedged between tall, modern buildings

Palace of Culture and Science, Warsaw

It always seems to take about 3.5 hours to get to the next destination and the drives have become ritualistic: prepare a tupperware with a healthy salad and stop at McDonald’s (most highway rest stops have a KFC, Burger King, etc.) for some french fries to accompany and a cappuccino to finish.

From the brand new apartment in Gdańsk, it’s a short walk to the old town.

Apartment Chmielna Park 2, Gdansk, Poland

The historic center is predominantly pedestrian with cobblestone streets and townhouses. Kind of a cross between Amsterdam and Bruges. There are many cafes, restaurants and typical red-brick churches. Christmas decorations have just been installed and by late afternoon, the town shimmers.

Gdansk, Poland

Amber is the stone of choice in many shops

Old Town, Gdansk, Poland

Gdansk’s most famous citizen is Lech Walesa, the electrician who rose to stardom peacefully protesting and negotiating with the government, leading to the fall of communism in Poland and eventually throughout Europe. The European Solidarity Centre (5 eur pp) is a wonderful museum, presenting the timeline of events led by Walesa. On the way to it, we stumble into Gdansk Shipyard and follow a map with points of interest. The vast area, under renovation, will be transformed into a modern urban center with housing, shops, and restaurants. We’re told that the city is working closely with developers to maintain the integrity of this iconic place. This impromptu shipyard discovery makes the museum visit that much more interesting.

Gdansk Shipyard, Poland

The photo, part of an outdoor exhibition at the shipyard, depicts Lech Walesa being carried by his peers in celebration in front of this very building

Add your note to the thousands that make up the Solidarity Wall at the European Solidarity Centre, Gdansk

The audio guide at the museum is phenomenal. As you enter each room, the system trips the commentary. No fumbling with numbers, no wondering if you’re in the right place. Really well done.

With a little more than a week to make our way back to Slovenia, we stop in Poznan, Poland for two nights. The cute studio is 24 euros/night. Do not be misled by the crumbling entrance. As with more and more places, it’s self check-in and always tricky figuring out the instructions - codes, lock boxes...

“White” studio by Stay 99, Poznan

Yet another beautiful square.

Views of Stary Rynek, Old Market Square, Poznan, Poland

Pub Guliwer on the square, Poznan

Parish Church of St. Stanislaus, Poznan

We drive back thru Krakow and stop by the school to see how the artificial lungs look. After just 14 days, the results are devastating. Changing attitudes in a country whose identity is so strongly defined by its reliance on fossil fuels, is a complex economic matter. Projects are underway, but it will take time to convert raising awareness to concrete national policies.

Before/after artificial lung installation near Krakow

Having carefully calculated the validity of the highway vignette, we are able to cross into Hungary again, this time stopping in the charming town of Pecs. The pedestrian historical center is outstanding and by 4PM it is ablaze with holiday lights, vendors and nativity scenes.

National Theater of Pecs, Hungary

Christmas concert at Pecs Cathedral

Native-born Victor Vasarely Museum, Pecs

When we reenter Slovenia, there is still time to visit Ptuj, the country’s oldest city. B&B Silak is a 500-year-old tannery by the river renovated by Vladimir, a passionate local, and his wife.

Ptuj, Slovenia

At this time of year, there are only 3-4 other people visiting the castle all the way up the hill.

Ptuj Castle, Slovenia

Interior Ptuj Castle, Slovenia

We reach Ljubljana for one last night. There’s snow on the ground and with Christmas just a week away, the ambiance is that of a fairytale.

A winter night in Ljubljana

Finishing food reserves on the last night of the road trip, Ljubljana

The frying pan in my carry-on sails through airport security (if that is not a weapon...) and we are off to Tbilisi, Georgia. Having driven over 5140 kms in six weeks, we are looking forward to slowing the pace down drastically.

The charcoal-gray Fiat 500 we pick up at Comiso, (Sicily’s low-cost carrier airport) is just the right size for driving the island. It’s pretty late when we check-in at Villa Si Cilia (41 euros/night), but the owner assures us we’ll find something open in town; a 10 minute drive away. On this breezy, pleasant night in May, parking is easy; finding a restaurant serving after 9PM, not so. We end up at the counter of a small cafe with our first taste of Arancini, deep-fried stuffed rice balls. This will not be a low-calorie trip!

Basilica of Maria Santissima Annunziata, Comiso

Villa Si Cilia, Comiso

We’ve got five days to make our way north to Cefalu to celebrate a friend’s milestone birthday. Distances are short in Sicily, so we have plenty of time to make a few stops. There is hardly a soul in Marina di Ragusa. Off season there are only about 3500 inhabitants. That number swells to 60,000 sun worshippers in July/August. We have the worst pizza at one of the few places open and leave immediately.

My first taste of impossibly steep, narrow streets is in the UNESCO city of Modica. One wrong turn in search of a parking space near the cathedral in Modica Alta and I find myself having to back-up a steep, narrow lane. I (simultaneously) let go of the clutch and emergency brake and floor it, leaving a chunk of rubber and some sweat on those slippery 14th century cobblestones.

Cathedral of San Giorgio, Modica

View from the bell tower, Cathedral of San Giorgio, Modica

Modica is also famous for its distinctive chocolate made with a cold technique that keeps the sugar from melting. Shops are filled with interesting and unusual flavors, but crunching on grains of sugar is an acquired taste.

In 1693, an earthquake and tsunami devastated many of Sicily’s southeastern towns including Modica, Ragusa, Syracuse and Catania. The elaborate reconstruction effort of eight towns of the Val di Noto (today classified by UNESCO) resulted in a distinctive style of architecture known as Sicilian Baroque. Perched on a hill, Ragusa Ibla is a fine example with a pretty church and plenty of rugged cobblestone streets to exhaust you (wear comfortable shoes).

Cathedral of San Giorgio, Ragusa Ibla

Ragusa Ibla

Perhaps the most stunning example of Late Baroque is the city of Noto. The main (pedestrian) street is a festival of sparkling, perfectly aligned limestone palazzos, churches, charming restaurants and the creamiest gelato.

Roman Catholic Diocese of Noto

Stained glass detail from the Teatro Tina Di Lorenzo, Noto

Outdoor Dining, Noto

Syracuse is a short drive from Noto; shorter if you drive like a local! The roads are excellent for the most part and highway is literal; one or two-lane configurations stretch at dizzying heights above rivers and valleys. Sicilians are in a rush and will practically kiss your back bumper to pass. Once you get used to their driving habits it’s rather fun, but the pick-up on this Fiat 500 quashes any competitive urge.

It’s late afternoon when we cross the bridge to Ortigia. The setting is dazzling, but we have not booked a place in advance and this is problematic. The streets are minuscule, one way and parking is impossible. Moreover, Ortigia does not offer many budget options. The one place I find is immediately vetoed for its damp stench. I don’t know what I was thinking other than it was getting late. With the clock ticking (cars are not allowed across the bridge after a certain hour), we retreat to Syracuse city. A long search eventually brings us to a clean, modern space overlooking the San Giovani Catacombs with free (street) parking.

L and D Luxury Rooms, Syracuse (45 eu)

By the time we’re settled, it’s late, but finding food is never an issue in Sicily.

Thick-crust Sicilian pizza

A serious computer glitch disrupts our plans and we end up having to leave the next day without visiting Syracuse or Ortigia. I put it on the list for later.

The guesthouse I figured would have a room in Piazza Armerina is full! The helpful owner calls a friend who sends his father to show us an apartment nearby. The decor is ultra traditional and we will not use 1/4 of the enormous 3 bedroom/2 bath space, but the elderly man is so engaging and the price is right (35 euros).

Our car (and bags) in front of the apartment in Piazza Armerina

Some of the rooms in the apartment

Piazza Armerina is most famous for the magnificent mosaics of the 4th century Villa Romana del Casale, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Mosaics at Villa Romana del Casale, Piazza Armerina

We arrive in the picturesque seaside town of Cefalu in the afternoon.

Like most towns, the streets are narrow and parking is restrictive, so we’ve booked Villa Magara (53 eu/night) in the hills overlooking the city.

Villa Magara, Cefalu

The birthday girl has meticulously organized the next three days for us (and 12 friends/family who’ve flown in from the US), complete with guided visits, sumptuous meals and joyous, nonstop celebration. Words cannot describe the generosity and love shared.

View of Castelbuono

Flower carpet, Castelbuono

Chapel of Saint Anne, Ventimiglia Castle, Castelbuono

Local men sitting at a cafe in Castlebuono

Sluggish after the 3-day binge, we leave the group and head west along the northern coast.

View of Caccamo

We stop for the night in Castellammare del Golfo. We do not know it yet, but it will top the list of favorites by the end of the trip.

A series of tight turns and one way streets leads to an abrupt stop in front of stone steps as the GPS defiantly announces, “You have arrived.” Sensing our quandary, the phone immediately displays, “Walk the rest of the way.” I can’t help responding out loud, “ Thanks, where do we leave the car?” We look around and decide it’s obvious; right in the middle of this small square like everyone else!

Driving across Sicily, it is impossible to ignore the garbage. Bags of household trash, construction debris, even appliances are abandoned on the side of the road and it is not unusual to see people litter without a second thought. Rest stops are particularly disgusting and outside tourist zones, there is garbage everywhere. It’s extremely upsetting.

The Doric columns of the temple at Segesta (UNESCO) suggest Greek builders, but it was actually the (indigenous) Elymians who built it in the 5th century BC. From the entrance, there is a shuttle bus to the ruins. It’s a bit more of an uphill walk to the amphitheater. With such a beautiful, natural backdrop, they certainly did not need set design! Don’t forget the hat and sunscreen.

Amphitheater at Segesta

Temple of Segesta

View from the top of Segesta archeological site

View of the coast on the road from Segesta to Erice

Piazza Umberto, Erice

Cobblestone street, Erice

Erice, famous for its pastries

Baker in Erice

Driving by the salt pans near Marsala. Notice the 43 kite surfers in the background!

It’s evening when we reach Trapani on the northwest coast of the island. Parking is color-coordinated in Sicily: Blue requires a ticket, yellow is for residents only and white is free. Then there are the 20-minute-only spaces that we missed. A kind man explains that if we pay right away at the police station, it will be much cheaper than the bill from the car rental agency. Months (and an interminable email thread) later, despite proof of payment, AVIS still wants to charge a hefty administrative fee. Eventually, they back down, but it is a long fight. Never give in!

Sole Terra Luna, Trapani (40 eu incl. breakfast at a cafe nearby)

You can get your steps in at Selinunte or, just take the golf cart. The massive archeological site was a thriving Greek metropolis from somewhere around 630 BC until 409 BC when it was leveled by the invading Carthaginians. It is an impressive pile of rubble, with a few distinctive structures still standing and a commanding view of the coast. Best to visit early morning or late afternoon when the sun beats a little softer.

Selinunte Archeological Park

Garbage on the road continues to be an issue...

Scala dei Turchi, naturally terraced cliffs on the southern coast.

The Valley of the Temples (UNESCO) is one of Sicily’s most famous archeological sites. Not sure where “valley” came from as the vestiges actually sit high on a ridge on the outskirts of Agrigento (lots of uphill walking). We visit at the end of the day when the light is beautiful, temps are cooler and the tour buses have gone.

Valley of the Temples, Agrigento

To avoid traffic and strict parking rules in Agrigento, we head for the pleasant seaside hamlet of San Leone and Villa Amico (39 euros with breakfast, lovely owner and enclosed parking).

Seafood couscous

If you don’t know what Caltagirone (also on the UNESCO list) is famous for, gaze up at the 142 steps of the Scalinata di Santa Maria del Monte. If you’re still not sure, walk into any shop in town.

Ceramic tiles on the steps of Santa Maria del Monte, Caltagirone

Flower pots on the steps

Church of Santa Maria del Monte at the top of the stairs

Moorish heads in a Majolica shop

People are particularly nice here. Despite a big language barrier, they go out of their way to help: optician, restaurant owner, shopkeeper. Strangers in the street smile and say hello. The room at Casa Diliberto, is cheerful, but hasn’t been used in awhile and we have to sweep up a few dust bunnies. The kind owner checks in several times as we are the only guests in the building.

Casa Diliberto rooms (35 euros), Caltagirone

Ceramic mural,

wall art,

a vintage car rally,

and kids playing football in Caltagirone.

Cathedral of Santa Maria La Nova, Caltanissetta

After much deliberation over ferry schedules, island connections and lodging options, we decide to join an organized day trip to the Aeolian islands (also UNESCO) that leaves from Cefalu early, stops at three islands and returns at night after (hopefully) a volcanic eruption on Stromboli (80 eu pp).
We spend the night before in Campofelice di Roccella, a hill town (and seaside resort) about 20 minutes from the embarkation point in Cefalu. It makes the list of places that warrant spending more time in.

Grilled veggies

The boat leaves Cefalu promptly at 9AM with about 100 people aboard.

Day cruise to the Aeolian islands

The first stop is verdant Salina island, one of the shooting locations of the film Il Postino. We’ve got a couple of hours to amble around the pedestrian streets by the port and taste Malvasia, a delicious locally-produced sweet wine.

Views of Salina island

It’s 2PM when the boat docks at celeb favorite, Panarea island. As we wander the steep streets with charming villas, boutique hotels, shops selling expensive beachwear and trendy restaurants, I cannot fathom wanting to be here in the summer with hoards of tourists invading any sense of privacy.

Small streets of Panarea island

Small islands around Panarea island

Cruising near Stromboli with Strombolicchio lighthouse in the distance

The last stop of the day is Stromboli with its active volcano. In constant eruption, viewing fiery lava spewing from the crater at night is pretty much guaranteed, but with a couple of hours until sundown, the boat disembarks on the opposite side of the island for more gelato, souvenir shops and rocky beaches. We shop picnic items then walk over to the beach blanketed with black lava rocks. This must be the origin of hot stone massage! If you want to walk on, or swim off, the beaches, bring rubber shoes!

Beach, Stromboli

When night falls, the boat circles to a spot facing the volcano. Big puffs of smoke shoot up every few minutes. We’re told to look for the telltale sign of an eruption, small bursts of light from cameras of tourists who have opted to hike the crater. Eventually, we get one blast of red-hot lava. Not a night of spectacular eruptions, but still pretty cool from a safe distance.

Maneuvering into position in front of Stromboli volcano

Stromboli eruption

It’s almost 1AM by the time we get back to Cefalu.

Friends from Belgium are joining us for 5 days. We’re not sure how to fit them and more luggage in the car, but they promise to pack light. Before picking them up in Palermo, we go back to Castellammare del Golfo.

Check-in at Casa dei Capitano is awkward when the guy shows me a different room than expected, but he motions me to follow a few doors down and presents a much nicer option.

Casa dei Capitano (30 eu)

The one negative point in Castellammare is that several places in town, like our favorite coffee shop and seafood restaurant, serve everything in plastic! In this day and age?

Zingaro Nature Reserve is about an hour by car from Castellammare. From the parking lot, a path winds along the cliffs with several offshoots leading down steep steps to small coves and sparkling water.

Zingaro Nature Reserve

Zingaro Nature Reserve

Scopello near Zingaro

The traffic around Palermo is chaotic to say the least and drivers are rather aggressive. With frazzled nerves we reach our apartment in the historic center (UNESCO).

2 bedroom apartment, Palermo (40 eu/night)

Thankfully, the owner pre-purchased a parking permit for us. Better to be a pedestrian in this city. 48 hours is plenty to take in the mix of Roman, Byzantine, Arab and Norman influences.

Palermo Cathedral

Quattro Canti Square

Pretoria Fountain

San Domenico

Street musicians

Boiled octopus, a street food favorite

Cannoli worthy of UNESCO recognition!

Lady with stroller

Pop-up vendors near the Church of San Francesco Saverio

San Giovanni Degli Eremiti, church, mosque, monastery...

San Giovanni Degli Eremiti

Former private residence, Palazzo Mirto

Palazzo Mirto, Palermo

With our friends tightly packed in the back, we leave Palermo and head east. Cefalu is a must see, so we stop for a couple of hours. Temperatures are much warmer now and it is more crowded since our first visit two weeks ago.

Cefalu Cathedral (UNESCO)

Fruit and veg vendor, Cefalu

A tour of Sicily, would not be complete without a visit to Mt. Etna (also UNESCO). Our friend researches the possibilities given our limited time and desired difficulty and suggests we spend the night in Randazzo, aka, the black town. Amazingly, the small medieval town, so close to the crater, has never been effected by eruptions. Its distinctive black color comes from the use of lava stones as decorative motifs in many of the buildings.

View of Randazzo With Mt. Etna in the distance

Church of San Nicolo, Randazzo

Etna Guesthouse in Randazzo (54 eu for 4)

We drive ourselves to the start point of the Mount Zoccolaro trail. It’s a relatively short (45 min - 1 hour), occasionally steep trail, through the forest to a clearing with a stupendous view of the (active) volcano and surrounding valleys dipping into the Ionian Sea.

Lava field with Mt. Etna in the background

View of Mt. Etna

Flowers growing in the lava fields around Mt. Etna

Constant activity on Mt. Etna

Later, we are again rewarded with a clear, (though distant) view of Mt. Etna from the terrace of our apartment in Fiumefreddo, aptly named, The Godfather Apartment in homage to scenes of the movie that were shot in this town. (46 eu for 4).

The Godfather apartment, Fiumefreddo

The Godfather apartment, Fiumefreddo

Given all the hype around Taormina, we saved it for our friends, thinking this UNESCO site would be a highlight. Granted, it is pretty, but it’s beyond touristy, and this is preseason! In one of the funnier moments, we decide to drive further up the mountain to Castelmola. The Fiat 500 strains as the road winds and winds. We pull into a small square and land a great parking spot for exactly one second until we’re waved towards a garage several turns back below. On the steep walk back to town, each of us makes a comment - “Didn’t think there would be as many tourists here”, “Interesting, they have an amphitheater here too”, “I saw the same shop in Taormina”... It takes the 4 of us a full 15 minutes to realize that we are still in Taormina!

Amphitheater, Taormina

Views from Taormina

View of Isola Bella from Taormina

Back at sea level, we head towards Isola Bella to see what all the fuss is about. You practically have to step over bodies on the rocky beach to reach the point where during low tide it is possible to cross, but the water is cold and an entry fee awaits on the other side. The isola is bella from a distance.

Taormina Beach with Isola Bella behind

Determined to spend a couple of hours on a sandy beach, we find our way to Calamosche Beach located in Vendicari Nature Reserve. From the parking lot, it’s a solid 20 minute walk across a hot, dry plateau. At the edge of a cliff, stairs lead to a fairly large bay with fine sand and gorgeous, easy to handle, waves. The water is still a little chilly in mid-June, but once in, it’s glorious. Be warned, there is absolutely no shade anywhere.

Calamosche Beach, Vendicari Nature Reserve

The last stop on the way to Comiso Airport is in the pretty (UNESCO) town of Scicli. It’s another one of those places worth spending more time in. We have just enough for one more gelato...

San Bartolomeo, Scicli

And there it is, a 5-week road trip through pretty much all of Sicily. The takeaways: Charming medieval towns, gorgeous views, crystal clear water, nice archeological sites, and sublime desserts. The leave behinds: generally heavy cuisine, overly-crowded tourists zones, and way too much garbage.