May 5 to 14, 2018 a Land of Ancient History and 21St-Century Strategic Importance, Georgia Is a Country of Superlatives
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STANFORD TRAVEL/STUDY MARY AZCUENAGA, ’67, ARMENIA, GEORGIA AND AZERBAIJAN, 2012 LAND OF RICHES May 5 to 14, 2018 A land of ancient history and 21st-century strategic importance, Georgia is a country of superlatives. Besides its 8,000-year-old winemaking legacy, its own distinctive alphabet and being the locale of the earliest hominid bones ever unearthed in Europe, Georgia also boasts a modern government receptive to western investment. Stanford Professor Stephen Krasner and local experts will enlighten us on the country’s challenging history and political development, its layers of architectural style, and its impressive contributions to the fields of archaeology, art, music, literature and faith. During meals, enjoy the fruits of Georgia’s time-honored winemaking processes and such dining traditions that have added its warmth, laughter and pleasure to life there for millennia. Join us! BRETT S. THOMPSON, ’83, DIRECTOR, STANFORD TRAVEL/STUDY FRESCO OF ST. GEORGE Highlights ATTEND a “farm-to- LEARN about the JOIN a local architect table” fair at a Signagi-area evolution of Georgian for a walking tour of winery and talk with grow- politics on visits to the Tbilisi’s Old Town and view ers about Georgia’s natural Stalin Museum in Gori and the city’s numerous art food and wine movement. the Occupation Museum nouveau-style buildings and President’s Palace on a coach tour. in Tbilisi. COVER: SIGNAGI KAKHETI REGION Faculty Leader STEPHEN D. KRASNER is the Graham H. Stuart Professor of International Relations and a senior fellow at Stanford University’s Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies and the Hoover Institution. He was senior associate dean for the social sciences and deputy director at the Freeman Spogli Institute from 2008 to 2013. Among his government positions, he has served as director of the Policy Planning staff at the U.S. Department of State and was the director for Governance and Development at the National Security Council. Professor Krasner’s research and writings have dealt primarily with the political determinants of international economic relations, American foreign policy, sovereignty and state building. During our program, Professor Krasner will talk about the challenges of achieving democracy or at least better governance in the “Steve Krasner Caucasus and the objectives of Putin’s Russia in creating frozen conflicts in Georgia and elsewhere. provided a very — Graham H. Stuart Professor of International Relations, since 1991, and chair, 1984–1991, thoughtful overview department of political science — Senior associate dean, social sciences, School of Humanities and Sciences, 2010–2013 to the history and — Senior fellow, since 1991; deputy director, 2008–2013; and director, Center for Democracy, Development, and was always available the Rule of Law, 2002–2004—all Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies — Senior fellow, Hoover Institution, since 2008 to further the con- — Director, Policy Planning, U.S. Department of State, February 2005–April 2007 versation on the — Director, Governance and Development, National Security Council, 2002 bus or at meals.” — Member, board of directors, U.S. Institute of Peace, 2003–2004 and since 2008 — BA, history, 1963, Cornell University CAROL MACCORKLE, — MIA, international affairs, 1967, Columbia University ISRAEL, 2016 — PhD, political science, 1972, Harvard University STANFORD TRAVEL/STUDY SIGN UP ONLINE: alumni.stanford.edu/trip?georgia2018 OR BY PHONE: (650) 725-1093 RUSSIA Kutaisi G EORGIA Kakheti Wine Region Gori Telavi Tbilisi Akhaltsikhe Batumi Signagi Vardzia Dmanisi TURKEY ARMENIA TUESDAY, MAY 8 exhibit commemorates the TBILISI nearly 900,000 Georgians who Itinerary Today, stop at a textile art studio were killed or deported during founded 20 years ago by five the Soviet occupation from SATURDAY AND SUNDAY, Georgian women and meet with 1921 to 1991. By special ar- MAY 5 & 6 its founders and resident art- rangement, tour the Presidential U.S. / TBILISI, ists. At the Terrace Hotel, meet Palace, where we meet with GEORGIA with members of the “Women one of the Georgia president’s Board overnight flights to for Tomorrow” organization for advisors (schedule permitting). Georgia, arriving in Tbilisi on roundtable discussions before Dinner tonight features a special Sunday evening and checking lunch. This afternoon visit the guest speaker from the local in to our hotel. Georgia’s central Georgian Arts and Culture business community. TBILISI lowlands have long been an im- Center, a local NGO founded by MARRIOTT (B,L,D) portant link between East and women and dedicated to foster- West, and Tbilisi has retained ing and promoting Georgian THURSDAY, MAY 10 the multiethnic atmosphere that arts and culture, and view its TBILISI / DMANISI / King David the Builder fostered collection of high-quality crafts. TBILISI back in the 1100s after defeat- Visit a private dacha (summer This morning, visit a remarkable ing the Muslim states. TBILISI cabin) outside Tbilisi before archaeological site in the medi- MARRIOTT heading back to Tbilisi for din- eval town of Dmanisi, where Silk ner and a jazz performance at Road caravans used to pass MONDAY, MAY 7 a local restaurant. TBILISI MARRIOTT through in ancient times. During TBILISI (B,L,D) the Middle Ages, townspeople Begin today riding a funicular up dug their cellars and storage the wooded slope of Mtatsmin- WEDNESDAY, MAY 9 pits through layers of earth da plateau for wonderful views TBILISI / GORI / containing strange-looking of Tbilisi and lunch. Descend TBILISI bones and stone tools that in and join a local architect for a Travel today to the city of Gori, the 20th century were found to walking tour of the Old Town, where Joseph Stalin was born belong to some of the earliest followed by a coach tour of the in 1879. Visit the Stalin House hominids ever found outside of city’s modern neighborhoods Museum to view the family’s Africa. The discovery here of to view the art nouveau-style original wooden hut and Stalin’s four 1.7 million-year-old homo architecture found there. Join private railway car. Stop for erectus skulls has made the fellow travelers this evening at lunch at a private organic winery Dmanisi site crucial to the study a welcome reception. TBILISI before returning to Tbilisi to visit of human evolution. After lunch MARRIOTT (B,L,D) the Museum of Soviet Occupa- in Tbilisi, tour the Shalva Ami- tion. The museum’s permanent ranashvili Museum of Fine Arts, RUSSIA Optional Post-trip Extension Kutaisi Kakheti G EORGIA MAY 14 TO 18 Wine (4 ADDITIONAL DAYS) AKHALTSIKHE VILLAGE BATUMI Region Spend an additional four days traveling Gori west across Georgia from Tbilisi to the Telavi lovely Black Sea resort city of Batumi, Tbilisi stopping along the way at the Phoka Akhaltsikhe Nunnery of St. Nino, the ancient cut- Batumi rock town of Vardzia with its frescoed Signagi caves, the recently restored Rabati Vardzia Castle in the Old Town of Akhaltsikhe, Dmanisi and the World Heritage-designated cathedral and monastery in the storied merchant town of Kutaisi. TURKEY ARMENIA Additional details will be sent to confirmed travelers. RABATI CASTLE which displays thousands of beeswax-lined clay jugs, called SUNDAY, MAY 13 pieces of Georgian art, includ- qvevri, that have been used for SIGNAGI / TBILISI ing paintings, gold pieces dat- winemaking in this region for Today visit Bodbe Nunnery ing from the 3rd century B.C.E., more than 6,000 years. After where St. Nino is said to have medieval icons and cloisonné lunch, visit the estate of Alex- died and been buried after enamel pieces. This evening ander Chavchavadze in nearby living as a hermit in the Bodbe attend a private reception at Tsinandali before checking in Gorge. Here, we’ll learn about the Elene Akhvlediani House to our hotel in Signagi. HOTEL Georgia’s Orthodox Church Museum. TBILISI MARRIOTT (B,L,D) KABADONI (B,L,D) and Georgia’s polyphonic vocal music. Having developed inde- FRIDAY, MAY 11 SATURDAY, MAY 12 pendently of Western European TBILISI / TELAVI / SIGNAGI / TIBAANI / rules of harmony, Georgian SIGNAGI SIGNAGI vocal music has been passed Today, depart Tbilisi for the This morning view Signagi’s down by ear for hundreds of Kakheti wine region, the famous wooden balconies, years. Its tuning system, based country’s most important wine- richly carved with lacey orna- on fifths rather than octaves, growing area. Georgia and this mentation, and its impressive gives its choral music a rich, yet region are the locus of a move- defensive wall and towers, built slightly discordant, sound (to ment to return to the natural in the 18th century. Later, drive western ears, at least!). Return winemaking methods of the to the Pheasant’s Tears Winery to Tbilisi and spend the after- past and to develop its nouvelle outside the village of Tibaani noon at the Dry Bridge Market, cuisine around local, seasonal to tour the winery’s vineyards where vendors sell everything and organic ingredients. After a and wine cellars and sample its from tchotchkes and carpets to stroll through the Chateau Mere wines. Return to our hotel this car parts and tools. Bid farewell vineyards, continue to Telavi, afternoon to relax or explore to fellow travelers at a reception the administrative and cultural the town independently before and dinner this evening. TBILISI center of Kakheti, where we heading back to the winery to MARRIOTT (B,L,D) visit the only well-preserved learn more about the “farm-to- palace in Georgia, the 17th- table” movement. Meet with MONDAY, MAY 14 century castle of Herekle II, and farmers at a small, winery-host- TBILISI / U.S. stop at the Alaverdi Cathedral, ed agricultural fair and take part After breakfast transfer to the one of the tallest churches in hands-on bread making and airport for flights back to the in Georgia, and the Alaverdi barbequing demonstrations, U.S.