FEATURE |
MESTIA — High in the Caucasus Mountains, a wild landscape of glacier-capped peaks, forested valleys and villages huddled around medieval stone towers has been locked away for centuries.
But Georgia’s Upper Svaneti region — one of the highest and most remote settlements in Europe — is finally opening up to the outside world.
Home to only 14,000 persons, Upper Svaneti is a relic of Georgia’s ancient culture, a living museum where the locals speak a language that broke off from Georgian 3,000 years ago.
Getting to the regional capital Mestia, a village of 2,500 located 1,500 meters (5,000 feet) above sea level, currently involves a harrowing half-day drive along a rough road that winds around steep cliffs.
Source: The Daily Tribune
URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20100915com5.html
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