Both Dachi and I were tired out from skiing, so this was a quick tour.  What I noticed most was the beauty of the mountains with its reddish glow of the setting sun, the fortress itself and when we entered then church, Dachi blessed himself.  I was a bit shocked by this, as my tour guide doesn’t give any indication of being religious….but he comes from a religious family who attend church every Sunday.  I asked him if he goes to church every Sunday with his family? He smiled a coy smile saying sometimes…

Speaking of families, Dachi tells me the ‘rule’, though you don’t have to follow it but he likes it because his parents still care for him, is that you live at home until you’re married then when parents are older they live with their children.

View of the mountains with the glow of the setting sun and Jinvali Lake:

The market in front of the fortress, closing for the evening and the mountains:

This fortress has been used for many purposes over the centuries and is on the UNESCO Tentative list.

 

The main church. The dragons and lions are symbols of protection.

Entering the church, even though fully covered in snow pants, I had to wrap a scarf around my waist, remove my hat and cover my head with a head scarf. I was not allowed to take pictures inside the church.

The entrance to the church:

The bell tower is separate from the main church:

The towers are where the priests lived:

The priests are buried with the church:

 

Next stop…..to see the Christmas light of downtown Tbilisi!

S, 🙂