Exploring a Sven Tower in Mestia and learning about the local culture

It is 1230 pm, and I just got back from exploring Mestia. Exploring to me is sitting too long at breakfast, reading a book about Georgia, and exploring and going inside a Svan Tower. The book is called Bread and Ashes.

First, that has been my highlight more on that in a bit. When I was on the bus, someone mentioned that Georgians drink a lot.

That is a running theme in the world; everyone drinks a lot. I might believe they drink more than other places only based on my experience this morning.

As I sat down to breakfast, I noticed a guy finishing off what looked like a tall boy in the US, but maybe it was the average-sized beer. He looked at me and then proceeded to order another one, always one eye looking my way.

After the second beer, he said something to me in Georgian, and by his gestures, he offered me a beer. It was around 10 am, and I declined, and he continued to drink, eventually moving his seat so he was directly in front of me, but he was preoccupied with his phone and appeared that his head would be down on the table shortly.

He also had a sad look; maybe it was a rough night. I wish I could have spoken to him, but my Georgian language proficiency needs to improve.

At this point, I had been at breakfast for over an hour and was ready to continue my day; however, before I left the table, another man approached me and asked me if I wanted to join him for a drink, a vino.

I don’t know if that meant wine or something else, but it was alcohol. I declined again, as even if I was a drinker before noon, no way.

I walked over to where the purpose of my morning was to climb the Nigurain family Sven tower, built in the 12th century, also known as lushnukor, and was used as a defense tower, but also fortress homes.

In case you go, here is the signage!

The woman did not speak English, and I know three Russian words, critical ones, yes, no, and pain, and about two Georgian words. At first, I thought I hoped she was not frustrated with my lack of communication and began to tell me about the place, mimicking everything she said so I understood.

I was shocked; she was so kind and patient with me. Luckily, some words sounded similar to English or Spanish, so I understood most of what she told me.

The tower was once used as a home to a family, and in one part of the tower, the women give birth. This was an essential part of the culture as she repeated it, emphasized its importance, and showed me an old rocker and playpen.

She then pointed up, put her hands into a rifle, and said, “ Russians bad, protection¨. So I learned the guards lived at the bottom, and the top of the towers were watchtowers, where they defended off anyone who wanted to conquer their lands.

And then up I went!

This area of Georgia is very mountainous and entrenched in the Caucasus mountains, and before roads, the villages remained cut off from outside contact, which has preserved the culture here better than anywhere else in Georgia.

She showed me what they used for shoes and how they climbed the mountains with special shoes with spikes to go and hunt animals. The horns were used to drink wine or chacha out of, the skins for blankets and clothing, and the meat for food. As well as how they made hats that could be used to drink and a hat.

Genius.

She also showed me how they made chai; everything was made from the earth, and she kept saying natural. As my tour continued, she expressed her anger for Russia from then and now.

I believe she was trying to tell me they took parts of Georgia. Still, I have to look it up as the history in this part of the world is very confusing since so many have conquered, won, and lost as it was part of the Silk Road, which I learned in high school history and do not remember.

I will spend this afternoon trying to decipher some of the history here to understand better the conflicts and how this country formed.

Yet the tower was by far one of my favorite things I have done on my travels; it cost 7 Lari, approximately $2.50, and was worth every penny. I even climbed to the top and looked out the roof; how far you could see was incredible.

I imagine the guard sitting there with his wine in a horn, drinking and waiting for enemies to come into view.

The traditional people who lived here and still do were known as the Svan and spoke their unwritten language, which is still spoken among the locals. They were the traditional gatekeepers of the mountains, protecting the passes, and every house used to be built as a fortress, which would explain why there are so many towers in this area.

I almost forgot she also offered me schnapps before my tour, and good thing I am not a drinker; I would have fallen the four levels as they were hard enough sober!

She wanted me to recommend her tour to any Americans who come to Mesita, and I, too, recommend going.

After a quick Google search, I understood why she was so angry at the Russians. Before I began traveling, it was a shame that I knew nothing about world issues. Georgia-Russia was in conflict in 2008, and according to this report, I found this statement:

In the end, Russia gained control of two breakaway regions, Abkhazia and so-called South Ossetia, which Georgians refer to as the Tskinvali region. They are now separated by checkpoints and barbed wire from the rest of Georgia.

As well as, dependent on what happens in Ukraine, it can affect Georgia and have a repeat of 2008; I pray that does not occur.