Kakheti, Georgia, continued

More from the supra (table) and grapevines of the east of the country - 'tis the season.

Kakheti, Georgia

Recent digital work from my new Canon machine, a couple of days in eastern Georgia. Grape season, and a supra (table) at which there were Georgians, Ossetians, Germans and a British-Canadian masquerading as a Svan, complete with his own miniature drinking horn from Ushguli, training-wheels size, which he happily lent to the tamada, or toastmaster.

Ushguli, Svaneti, August 2007

A typical meal at the Ratianis' guesthouse. The food more than made up for being temporarily out of electricity. Dato and Nanuli's mobile number (from inside Georgia) is (899) 912256. They dont' speak English (yet!); both speak Georgian, and he speaks Russian as well. Very good service and conditions, friendly family - a great place to stay in Ushguli.

Nodar's father's funeral memorial feast, Etseri, November 2001

Fully one-third of my many trips to Svaneti have involved funerals of people I knew. This dear old man, 82, was in Tbilisi for some routine medical checkup stuff, and died in his son's arms. I was out of the country at the time, and came back to the news. Nodar was already in Etseri, arranging the funeral. Some of his colleagues and I travelled up, and arrived just as the casket was processing up to the burial site. Lots of emotion, screaming and wailing - as is done here. One of my portraits was used to make the traditional engraved likeness on the headstone, a great honour. There were three tables (supra) like this one, all - as is required at any proper meal in Georgia - laden with vastly more than too much food, for hundreds of guests.