The New York Times: Georgia Plans for the Future
“The Rockies, the Alps, the Caucasus? Georgia Plans for the Future” - a title that appeared in the New York Times several days ago. Gabriel Leigh, author of the article, describes his trip to Georgia, specifically highlighting the mountainous regions he visited for skiing purposes.
“I’d come to Georgia to ski — attracted by images of the towering Caucasus Mountains and reports of affordable skiing without the crowds. Those who knew Georgia tended to describe it warmly: exotic and undiscovered, with great food, situated at a crossroads full of history, and changing — its young population striving to show off a post-Soviet identity to the world”, says the author.
The article goes on to describe his experience in Gudauri and Bakuriani in detail. The author suggests the readers to visit Gudauri if they are looking to go “off-piste and have a bit of solitude without traveling several hours west to more obscure mountains”. On the other hand, he refers to Bakuriani to have a “certain charm — a place of camouflage-jacketed men on horseback; old Russian trucks and buses; elderly ladies selling the traditional cheese-filled bread khachapuri from hole-in-the-wall shops; and families, mostly Georgian and Russian, slipping around on the icy sidewalks”.
He additionally suggests the reader that Georgian food is a perfect mix after-skiing, especially the “meat stews, cheesy breads, and lots of strong flavors”, combined with Georgian wine Saperavi.
Throughout the article, Gabriel Leigh analyzes the potential of Georgia to boost tourism by exploiting the resources it has, especially in the mountainous regions:
“Georgia has few natural resources, a relatively low profile internationally and powerful neighbors that don’t always play nice. It’s no surprise that it’s eager to attract visitors and show the world what makes it special. And as visitor numbers grow and Georgia emerges as a destination, the country is pinning much hope on its mountains. It struck me that this is a country at an inflection point, with a generation trying to start from scratch in many ways, and make a clean break from the past. That’s part of its appeal. It’s got the basic elements covered: good food, beautiful mountains, dependable snow and welcoming people — the rest they’re figuring out as they go along”.
To read the full article, follow the link: The Rockies, the Alps, the Caucasus? Georgia Plans for the Future
By Anna Zhvania
Photo: The New York Times