42 IRISH DAILY STAR Thursday August 29 2019 IRISH DAILY STAR Thursday August 29 2019 43

WHAT IN THE WORLD? ACCORDING to legend, while he was out hunting, Vakhtang Gorgasali, the founder of Tbilisi, injured a pheasant which fell into Tbilisi, a hot spring and died. He was so impressed with the , discovery, he built Tbilisi, which means ‘warm Europe. place’, at this location. OFFICIALLY A TBILISI LOVER Admiring ancient jewellery and HISTORICAL: UNIQUE: A large decorated clay vessels in the Nikortsminda bottle of There’s lots to discover in adventurous Georgia Georgian National Museum in Cathedral in the Khvanchkara on Tbilisi, I am astonished to find out Racha region roundabout in the EXPLORE: Gran Canaria has lots to do all year round that one 1,500-litre qvevri wine town of CULTURAL Ambrolauri MECCA: Tbilisi container dates back to the third old town in century BC. Georgia It is in Georgia that the earliest evidence Canaries the of was found. Wine jars up to 8,000-years-old were discovered in this region at the edge of Europe, set between the Caucasus Mountains and the Black Sea, which is said to be the birthplace of wine. perfect spot With its hospitality, green landscape and many churches, the country of Georgia has a lot in common with Ireland too, and its wine culture is just one of many surprises it has for the visitor, as I find over a for romance week-long visit. I start my trip with a walking tour of the HIKES AND SIGHTS: The Caucasus The Canary Islands are worries drift away. colourful city of Tbilisi, where the archi- popular holiday l 3. Go whale and tecture ranges from old wooden houses Mountains and (above) Peace Bridge destinations for many dolphin watching: Due with ornate balconies, to shiny glass and people across Europe. to the warm tropical steel structures like the pedestrian Peace They’re not too far waters of the Canaries, Bridge across the Mtkvari River. away, they boast great it’s not unusual to spot We walk across the bridge to a park on year-round weather and dolphins and whales. No the river bank and then take a cable car up there’s lots of things to matter where you go, to Narikala Fortress which overlooks the see and do. you’ll be able to take a capital. If you and your partner whale and dolphin We then walk down steps to see the old are looking to get away watching tour. You and bathhouses at the foot of the hill. from it all, here are some your loved one will cre- Natural of the most romantic ate lasting memories Here, the sulphur baths from natural things to do in the together as you watch mineral water deep in the ground have Canaries... bottlenose dolphins drift provided a reviving and calming l 1. Explore the through the water. experience to visitors for more than a Maspalomas Dunes: If l 4. Take a sunset thousand years — including those you’re heading to Gran cruise: Few activities are travelling the Silk Road which connected Canaria, the as romantic as taking a Europe to Asia. Maspalomas Dunes are a sunset cruise together. Tbilisi itself is quite a relaxed capital — n . Churches and cathedrals are a monument made of rock, where great romantic destina- The sunsets in the many of the older houses were built with Yvonne GORDON In the town of Ambrolauri, a big feature of the Georgian we have a picnic and admire the tion. Known to be a Canaries are truly spec- inner courtyards so it’s not hard to find an large monument of a bottle of landscape and culture — many views of trees and greenery special nature reserve, tacular. As you gaze out open-air cafe or restaurant with its own Georgian and learn about Khvanchkara welcomes us at the were built on hills. stretching along the the dunes cover a stag- into the sunset together garden, or an ornate balcony sharing space the tradition of tamada — where a main roundabout and we see the In the Racha region, we visit the valley into the distance. It’s a gering 400 hectares. As it will feel like it’s just with leafy green trees. toastmaster is appointed during a Caucasus Mountains as a beautiful Nikortsminda pleasant 5km return trip. well as the golden sand you and your partner. At Cafe Ornament on Shalva Dadiani feast or supra, to make a series of backdrop in the distance, their Cathedral, a Georgian Orthodox In the evening, at the guesthouse dunes, the reserve also l 5. Catch an open-air Street, the entrance lane is lined with celebratory toasts. dark rocky summits still with church which dates back to the we are staying in, we tuck into a features stretches of movie: With the tropical umbrellas and in the courtyard, a small Peace snow, even in summer. year 1010. Georgian feast, with khachapuri palm trees, a great beach weather, what better garden is being planted up with flowers. The tradition in Georgia is to The inside is richly decorated (cheese-filled bread), lobiani and a lagoon. You and way to spend an evening Our first toast is to meeting each make wine in huge clay vessels and full of colourful frescoes, (bean-filled bread) plus chicken, your partner can stroll in the Canaries than by Inside the cafe, we tuck into tea and cake other and our second one is to our Fact file served on colourful crockery and admire called qvevri, which are placed while the huge dome at the top has potatoes and vegetable dishes FLIGHTS across the sand and have catching an open-air countries — we go on to toast a picnic on the beach. movie together? Snuggle the furniture and windowsills underground to ensure an even 12 windows in it. with walnuts, accompanied by the l urkish Airlines flies from family, peace, the Earth and temperature. traditional Georgian drink, T stanbul from l 2. Enjoy a spa experi- up under the night stars with plant pots and old books. various other subjects as the Glaciers Dublin to Tbilisi via I We visit Chateau Dio in chacha. �398 return, see ence for two: No matter as you watch a popular In the evening we check out Cafe Linville merriment continues. As the Racha region is at the . which is in an old house, where a crooked Ambrolauri, around four hours’ Our appointed toastmaster (our www.turkishairlines.com which part of the film. These open-air cin- Continuing on the wine theme, drive from Tbilisi, to see the ‘holy foothills of the Caucasus guide Zviad) brings us through Canaries you head to, emas serve up a range of wooden staircase leads to a charming first we travel north to the Racha Mountains, one of the highlights WHAT TO DO floor with rooms of mismatched wallpaper place’ where the qvevri are stored the toasts — to God, family, our you’ll never be far away delicious food too — an region at the foothills of the of the trip is hiking to glaciers l For information on what to see and old furniture. in the ground during the countries and peace. eorgia, see georgia. from a luxury spa. ideal way to enjoy the Caucasus Mountains, and the winemaking process. and to mountain summits full of We add a new one, to the weather and do in G Couples spa days are a cooler evenings. On the balcony, branches of trees and motherland of two famous wild flowers. travel. For eco-friendlyeorgia, and see vines give the setting a garden feel. We taste a ‘green’ white Mtsvane gods, to bring us another adventure travel in G great way not only to Georgian wines — Usakhelauri wine from the area and the A green forest trail takes us up beautiful day of exploring and . bond together, but to See www.tui.ie for trips At an alfresco dinner in the courtyard at and the semi-sweet Khvanchkara to a viewpoint at Sairme Pillars, a www.gobarefoot.travel Shavi Lomi, we have our first sample of semi-sweet red Khvanchkara. hiking. For more on travel, see ensure all your to the Canary Islands.

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