Collecting Moments

При допросе иностранный гражданин имеет право на переводчика... Мне понятен язык — не грузинский — родной. "Господин Прокурор, отпустите домой." - Вам ущерб возместили? Претензий нет? "Я опаздываю на поезд." - .... дадут 10 лет. - Нет. - Ара? - Да, подпишу. На любом языке. - Это вы мне? Почему не пришла переводчица? - У сержанта спросите, он с ней говорил. - У нас штат сократили. - Да-да, я забыл. - Подпиши в трех местах. Времени нет. - Документ на грузинском. Ругань в ответ...

- Are you married? - Yes, in Israel. - Children? - No. That was the third question the Head of the Criminal Police asked me. I'm in Georgia, at least, I gave a safe answer (but not the right one, I suppose). Before I got a privilege to see him, all his low rank employees had been trying to get rid of me for two hours. "No, we didn't get the money", "No, the family is not rich, they didn't collect the money", "The detective is out of the office today" - this was the variety of answers I got standing outside the fence in 40 degrees heat. My only reply was "I will wait here". After the Head I got a private meeting with the Prosecutor. And... three days after that I GOT BACK THE MONEY THAT WAS STOLEN FROM MY HOSTEL ROOM BY THE SON OF THE OWNER!

Hiked from Mestia to Koruldi Lakes up in the mountains. Dintace - 20 km. Hiking time - 10 hours. Total elevation gain - 1400 m.

Hiked from Mestia to Chaladi Glacier.

The origins of Svaneti tower houses go back to prehistory. Its features reflect the traditional economic mode and social organization of Svan communities. These towers usually have three to five floors, and the thickness of the walls decreases, giving the towers a slender, tapering profile. The houses themselves are usually two-storeyed; the ground floor is a single hall with an open hearth and accommodation for both people and domestic animals, the latter being separated by a wooden partition, which is often lavishly decorated. A corridor annex helped the thermal insulation of the building. The upper floor was used by the human occupants during summer, and also served as a store for fodder and tools. A door at this level provided access to the tower, which was also connected with the corridor that protected the entrance. The houses were used both as dwellings and as defence posts against the invaders who plagued the region. ( UNESCO ) "Кровная месть в Верхней Сванетии, или «лицвр

У грузин вино как сок — море вдов. 'Сихварули', 'цхали', 'мзэ' — много слов. В каждом доме свой портрет — у свечи. На дорогах красный свет — лихачи. На границах ждут войны — снова лёд. Эта грусть и этот стыд — кровь и пот. ** 'Сихварули', 'цхали', 'мзэ' — любовь, вода, солнце по-грузински

Within only a couple of days I went from a sense of total safety to one of absolute insecurity. First a local guy treated me badly. Then I got robbed and lost a significant amount of money. Traveling in Georgia, I now feel like I am a real daughter of the place – frustrated, lost and with a complete lack of direction. In Israel, as I know it, almost everyone thinks that he deserves something or is worth something. In Georgia the feeling of shame and meaninglessness prevails. The traditions are strong and even proud single caucasian men will let their sisters and mothers wash their socks and underwear. I got to know a man whose sister, hanging tens of socks to dry, told me “he doesn't wash them, he throws them away and we buy him new ones”. And she laughed... The widows don't let their sons exhaust themselves by doing any kind of housework and married women often say “men bring money and women should cook for them”. Their husbands and brothers and brothers-in-law and cousins an