Tbilisi, Georgia

Tbilisi commonly known by its former name Tiflis, and often mispronounced as Tiblisi, is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Kura River with a population of roughly 1.5 million inhabitants. Founded in the 5th century by the monarch of Georgia's ancient precursor Kingdom of Iberia, Tbilisi has since served, with intermissions, as the capital of various Georgian kingdoms and republics. Under the Russian rule, from 1801 to 1917 Tiflis was the seat of the Imperial Viceroy governing both sides of the entire Caucasus.

Historically, Tbilisi has been home to people of diverse cultural, ethnic, and religious backgrounds, though it is overwhelmingly Eastern Orthodox Christian. Notable tourist destinations include cathedrals like Sameba and Sioni, classical Freedom Square and Rustaveli Avenue, medieval Narikala Fortress, pseudo-Moorish Opera Theater, and the Georgian National Museum.

According to an old legend, the present-day territory of Tbilisi was covered by forests as late as 458. One widely accepted variant of the legend of Tbilisi's founding states that King Vakhtang I Gorgasali of Georgia went hunting in the heavily wooded region with a falcon (sometimes the falcon is replaced with either a hawk or other small birds of prey in the legend). The King's falcon allegedly caught or injured a pheasant during the hunt, after which both birds fell into a nearby hot spring and died from burns. King Vakhtang became so impressed with the hot springs that he decided to cut down the forest and build a city on the location. The name Tbilisi derives from Old Georgian T'pilisi (ტფილისი), and further from T'pili (ტფილი, "warm""). The name "T'pili" or "T'pilisi" (literally, "warm location") was therefore given to the city because of the area's numerous sulphuric hot springs that came out of the ground. Archaeological studies of the region have indicated human settlement in the territory of Tbilisi as early as the 4th millennium BC.

King Dachi I Ujarmeli, who was the successor of Vakhtang I Gorgasali, moved the capital from Mtskheta to Tbilisi according to the will left by his father. Tbilisi was not the capital of a unified Georgian state at that time and did not include the territory of Colchis. It was, however, the capital city of Eastern Georgia/Iberia. During his reign, King Dachi I oversaw the construction of the fortress wall that lined the city's new boundaries. From the 6th century, Tbilisi grew at a steady pace due to the region's favourable and strategic location which placed the city along important trade and travel routes between Europe and Asia.

Source:Wikipedia

So glad this beautiful card arrived. I sent myself some cards during my Central Asian trip.

Mostly I sent from places which I didn't have a card yet. I don't have the habit of sending 

myself cards actually which is funny seeing as it is a hobby of mine, just feels weird to

write to myself :P

Sent: 1 Aug 2014   Received: 22 Aug 2014 Travelled: 21 days

Svaneti, Georgia

Situated on the southern slopes of the central Caucasus Mountainsand surrounded by 3,000–5,000 meter peaks, Svaneti is the highest inhabited area in the Caucasus. Four of the 10 highest peaks of the Caucasus are located in the region. The highest mountain in Georgia, Mount Shkhara at 5,201 meters (17,059 feet), is located in the province. Prominent peaks include Tetnuldi (4,974 m / 16,319 ft), Shota Rustaveli (4,960 m / 16,273 ft), Mount Ushba (4,710 m / 15,453 ft), Ailama (4,525 m / 14,842 ft), as well as Lalveri, Latsga and others.

Svaneti has two parts corresponding to two inhabited valleys:

• Upper Svaneti (Zemo Svaneti) on the upper Inguri River; administratively part of Samegrelo-Zemo 
• Lower Svaneti (Kvemo Svaneti) on the upper Tskhenistsqali River; administratively part of Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti; 

They are separated by the Svaneti Range which is almost as high as the main Caucasus range. Historical Svaneti also included the Kodori Gorge in the adjoining rebel province of Abkhazia, and part of the adjacent river valleys of Kuban and Baksan north of the crest of the Caucasus. Writing in 1848, Bodenstedt said that Upper Svaneti could only be reached by a difficult footpath which was closed in winter

The landscape of Svaneti is dominated by mountains that are separated by deep gorges. Most of the region which lies below 1,800 meters (5,904 ft) above sea level is covered by mixed and coniferous forests. The forest zone is made up of tree species such as spruce, fir, beech, oak, and hornbeam. Other species that are less common but may still be found in some areas include chestnut, birch, maple, pine and box. The zone which extends from 1,800 meters to roughly about 3,000 meters (5,904–9,840 ft) above sea level consists of alpine meadows and grasslands. Eternal snows and glaciers take over in areas that are over 3,000 meters above sea level. The region is notable for its glaciers and picturesque summits. Svaneti's signature peak is probably Mount Ushba which towers over the Inguri Gorge and can be seen from many parts of the region.

Source:Wikipedia

Another card I sent to myself from my trip 2 years ago, so happy to

have come to see the Alps of the Caucasus :)

Sent: 1 Aug 2014   Received: 22 Aug 2014   Travelled:

Grandfather and Grandmother Monument

Nagorno-Karabakh, officially the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic  is a republic in the South Caucasus recognised only by three non-United Nations (UN) states. The region is considered by the UN to be part of Azerbaijan. Nagorno-Karabakh controls most of the territory of the former Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast and some of the surrounding area, giving it a border with Armenia to the west and Iran to the south.

The predominantly Armenian-populated region of Nagorno-Karabakh was claimed by both the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic and the First Republic of Armenia when both countries became independent in 1918. After the Soviet Union established control over the area, it created the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast (NKAO) within the Azerbaijan SSR in 1923. In the final years of the Soviet Union, the region re-emerged as a source of dispute between Armenia and Azerbaijan. In 1991, a referendum held in the NKAO and the neighbouring Shahumian region resulted in a declaration of independence. Large-scale ethnic conflict led to the 1991–1994 Nagorno-Karabakh War, which ended with a ceasefire that left the current borders.

The Nagorno-Karabakh Republic is a presidential democracy with a unicameral parliament. Its reliance on Armenia means that in many ways it functions de facto as part of Armenia. The country is very mountainous, averaging 1,097 metres (3,599 ft) above sea level. The population is predominantly Christian, most being affiliated with the Armenian Apostolic Church. Several historical monasteries are popular with tourists, mostly from the Armenian diaspora, as most travel can take place only between Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh.

Source:Wikipedia

A card from my travels :)

Sent: 31 July 2014   Arrived: 22 Aug 2014   Travelled: 22 days

Askeran Fortress, Nagorno Karabakh

Askeran fortress ), is a fortress located in the town of Askeran in Azerbaijan , in the Armenian-controlled Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (de facto). It is situated on the banks of the Qarqar River and was built by the Karabakh khanate ruler Panah Ali Khan and consists of two sections. The left-bank section features a double line of stone walls.

During the Russo-Persian War of 1804–1813 the Russian encampment was located near the fortress. In 1810 the peace talks between the Russians and Persians were conducted at the fortress.

Source:Wikipedia

Another card which I  had sent to myself from

my visit here :)

Sent: 31 July 2014   Arrived: 22 August 2014   Travelled: 22 days

Magellanic Penguin

The Magellanic penguin (Spheniscus magellanicus) is a South American penguin, breeding in coastal Argentina, Chile and the Falkland Islands, with some migrating to Brazil where they are occasionally seen as far north as Rio de Janeiro. It is the most numerous of the Spheniscus penguins. Its nearest relatives are the African, the Humboldt penguin and the Galápagos penguins. The Magellanic penguin was named after Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan, who spotted the birds in 1520. The species is listed as Near Threatened by the IUCN.

Source: Wikipedia

YAY! My Penguin card arrived at last! I thought it was lost as I sent 

home two cards from Ushuaia and the other card arrived two weeks earlier.

The first card was of People and for my second card I chose Penguins, if you realised by

now, both are locals of the region ;) Unfortunately I couldn't get different stamps as

the Post Office was closed on the weekend but at least I didn't get charged extra when

buying stamps from the souvenir shop.

Sent: 20 January 2016   Received: 17 March 2016   Travelled: 57 days

Yagán Women

The Yaghan, also called Yagán, Yahgan, Yámana, Yamana, or Tequenica, are one of the indigenous peoples of the Southern Cone, who are regarded as the southernmost peoples in the world. Their traditional territory includes the islands south of Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego, extending their presence into Cape Horn. They have been there for more than 10,000 years.

In the 19th century, they were known as Fuegians by the English-speaking world, but the term is now avoided as it can refer to any of the several indigenous peoples of Tierra del Fuego. (For instance, the Selk'nam inhabited the northeastern part of Tierra del Fuego.) Some are reputed to still speak the Yaghan language (also known as Yámana), which is considered to be a language isolate; however, most speak Spanish.[1] As of 2012, Cristina Calderón, who lives in Chile territory, is known as the last full-blooded Yahgan and last native speaker of the Yahgan language.

The Yaghan were traditionally nomads, who were hunter-gatherers. They traveled by canoes between islands to collect food: the men hunted sea lions, while the women dived to collect shellfish.

When British Robert FitzRoy became captain of the HMS Beagle in the middle of her first voyage of 1830-1831, he captured four Fuegians after a boat was stolen. As it was not possible to easily put them ashore, he decided to "civilise the savages." He taught them "English..the plainer truths of Christianity..and the use of common tools" and took them with the return of the Beagle to England. One man died, but the others were considered "civilised" enough to be presented at court in London in the summer of 1831. On the famous second voyage of HMS Beagle, the three Fuegians were returned to their homeland along with a trainee missionary.

Source: Wikipedia

YES!!! Finally my postcard I sent from Ushuaia , Argentina arrived!

I thought it was lost as I left it with the B&B owner on the 30th of November.

Maybe he forgot, but I'm glad it arrived at last :D

The two large postmarks are actually stamps from the Ushuaia Tourism 

office and the other from my Beagle Chanel Cruise, got them in my passport too! :D

Sent: 20 January 2016   Received: 29 February 2016   Travelled: 40 days