Discovering Pankisi. A brief introduction.

In 2008 I wrote a Blog about my travels with my family in Tusheti. The Blog became a bit of an institution with many travelers using it as a point of reference for the region. Time has since passed, my daughters now experience their own adventures, while leaving my wife and I to discover the world's treasures on our own. This Blog is about some of those treasures.

One of the joys about exploring the world is you meet all kinds of kindred spirits. One of those spirits is Gurjeet Batth who over the past few years has been discovering the joys of Georgia, specifically the region of Pankisi. After many conversations while comparing notes he persuaded my wife and I to take a trip to the Pankisi valley and discover the region for ourselves.

This blog is about a trip taken by my wife and I in June 2014 to the Pankisi valley, due south of the Tusheti National park, on the doorstep of Akhmeta.

The Pankisi valley has been largely forgotten by travelers due to some recent history when Chechen refugees were coming over the border from Russia. The area was considered turbulent and travellers were discouraged.  Time has since past, the region is now back to its sleepy self and without a tradition of tourism. The only distinguishing feature of this region is it is still inhabited by the Kist. The Kist, who are Sunni Muslims, populated the area over three hundred years ago. What sets the Kist apart, is that many of the women practice Sufism which I believe predates Islam but is still part of the Sunni traditional thinking.

I hope this simple introduction to Pankisi paints a compelling picture for you. To pull my story into focus, scroll down and learn more about this hidden gem cradled in the Caucuses.

Nazy's Guest House

Nazy's Guest House in Jokolo.

If you have traveled and stayed in a Homestay (Bed & Breakfast) you will know there are some real gems to be found in the world.

It is rare you will find luxury like a Boutique Hotel but what you can find is something far more exciting and closer to local life. Nazy’s Guesthouse was one of those genuine surprises. A large and beautifully maintained house, Nazy lives with her Mother and Father running an exceptionally clean and well turned out accommodation. The magic of Nazy’s place was not the house, which is charming, but the food. Everything is grown or reared by the family. The cows are milked, providing wonderful fresh milk, yogurt and cheese. The chickens flourish and do their very best for your breakfast and the kitchen garden provides a cornucopia of fresh produce. All of which is cooked fresh or preserved and cherished by the visitors. The following pictures illustrate Nazy’s Homestay, their garden and the village of Jokolo. Try this link for more http://nazysguesthouse.com/

This is not our messy room but I took a quick sneak at some others before visitors arrived.

Melissa and I keep a vegetable garden but this is something else.

A very happy looking frog. Always a good sign of an organic vegetable garden.

Neighbouring homes in Jokolo.

Jokolo church. Although the community are Muslim there is this very well preserved church in the village. 

I just love these shops, packed to the brim with colourful goodies. Great bread and tins of sardines which are perfect for a picnic.

  

Nazy's father loading up hay for his dairy cows.

Some of the houses towards the mountains north of  the village are very old indeed and still made in the traditional construction, similar to Tusheti. This is the exception but worth finding.  

Life in Jokolo is slow and traditional scything hay and collecting in a hay-wain is still a regular occurrence and worth seeking out in season.

A few yards from Nazy's house are the meadows either side if  the river where the cattle graze and local horses swish their tails keeping the odd fly at bay. You will find families of Geese strutting by and Turkeys looking for shade under the Walnut trees. Everything would be perfect but this is also a place villagers throw their debris. Not a great deal but this is a working community. 

Making Khinkali (ხინკალი)

All nations have a national dish and Georgia is no different but trying to find the perfect example of mothers cooking is often akin to seeking the Holy Grail. Here is one such quest satisfied.

There are two national dishes in Georgia. Khachapuri (ხაჭაპური), which is a cheese bread, fried in the pan, the best I've eaten was in Tusheti and made by the women who made the cheese, which was a bit of a head start. Khinkali (ხინკალი) this is a dumpling made of twisted knobs of dough, stuffed with meat and spices. Sounds simple but so is the perfect Yorkshire pudding until you try it. For those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about Yorkshire pudding is a savoury dish. It's batter baked in the oven and eaten with roast beef. Heaven.

On our return to Nazy's from our glorious trip with the shepherds, Nazy's mother promised to make Khinkali for us. The following blog entry is a master class in the art of the perfect Khinkali. I promise you they are exquisite - if you like boiled dumplings. Most Georgians would give their right arm for a meal of these.

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My feeble attempts were appreciated but I think everyone was just being kind.

Once boiled the Khinkali were taken to the table for a feast fit for kings. You can see the Khachapuri piled up in the foreground cut into fours.

Khinkali is great re-fried  for breakfast with strong coffee

Life in Pankisi

Melissa and I spent a blissful week in Pankisi based in the village of Jokolo. Travelling around the local region was effortless by taxi, bus or hired car. However Georgian taxi drivers are a breed apart and many have missed their vocation as racing drivers. The following images are a selection of what we discovered in the valley and beyond in Alvani and Telavi.

Melissa and I chanced upon this bee keeper. He moves his bees around the valley hitched up on a truck. If you are riding on a horse keep you distance.

Nazy took us to visit a fascinating elderly lady called Lili Murtazashvili in the village of Kvemo Alvani, Akhmeta who is a skilled natural dyer, weaver and trades carpets and other locally made textiles, including hand knitted socks and slippers (chitti). Her garden was wonderful with an old brew and dye house. The yarn you can see hanging up is ready for dyeing and this still is for making Chacha, a type of fruit based vodka.

In Telavi 30 mins drive there is a covered market which is not easy to find. The light being very dim I sadly don't have many pictures, however these ladies chatting while their chickens wait for their destiny in the pot give you an idea of the place.

Duisi old mosque

Melissa wanted to attend the Duisi mosque and meet the women and Sufi singers. The service was cut short and to our surprise we were taken up the road for a wake. As always the women who have better stories eat separately to the men.

Duisi like Jokolo sits alongside the Pankisi river where folk allow their chickens, turkeys cattle and horses to roam freely along the river bank.

Melissa wanted to try trout fishing which we were not very successful at but the roaring stream was a great place to relax.

One of the highlights of Pankisi and Jokolo is the little known Batsara reserve. This massive untouched forest has the oldest Yew forest in the world. You will need a guide and start early. I'm sorry we don't have loads of pictures. Trust me this is a genuine wilderness and within 20 mins we found wolf footprints.

At the head of the Pankisi towards the mountains is a waterfall. The waterfall itself is not much fun but the approach is worth a picnic and a dip in the cool water .

Melissa and myself toasting our wedding anniversary.