Caucasus/caucasia

[freakypete]

Theres some really good articles on the BBC news website about the Caucasus. Really interesting as I knew nothing about the area, only the war in Chechnya. In a strange way its making me wanna go there a bit, even if it isnt particularly safe at the moment - although some claim otherwise:

"Chechnya's the safest place in the world," Chechen Prime Minister Ramzan Kadyrov had boasted.

You wouldn't think so, seeing all the checkpoints in Grozny and the number of people with guns out on the streets.

"My city's perfectly calm," the mayor of Makhachkala had told me. "People relax and enjoy themselves, they go out for walks." But coming from a man who's survived 15 assassination attempts and is paralysed from the waist down, it wasn't very convincing."

Its articles from a journalist who has travelled throught the whole region. The first article is here
the other articles are the links on the left hand side under "caucasus journey"

[florencia9699]

I dont know.... from the wrong point of view every single place on earth is insecure (well maybe for the Vatican VCity and Switzerland...) in the US you had the random snipers... the terrorist attacks, muggers etc, England you have the stabbing, here a girl got raped in the subway at 3pm (everyone in the city was ewatching the game and believe it or not there was no one at the platform...), GoyIncogntito lives in Israel an this far he's survived...

So really, it depends how you look at it.

[Esterina]

Caucasus, according to my geography teacher, who is an expert on the area, is fascinating, with its over 100 different ethnics (Dagestan only has 22 languages), and beautiful. This is his personal favorite place.

The Caucasus is a mountain range. Its north side is in Russia, and includes small republics such as Chechenya, and the south one has three countries : Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaidjan. The range is a bridge linking the Black Sea to the Caspian. Georgia has a tropical like climate, so it's the close exotic destination for Russians !


Tbilisi, capital town of Georgia


Village in Dagestan, russian republic of Caucasus.

But the central and western republics and the three countries have high politic tensions. Potentiel war in Georgia and Azerbaidjan, and of course we know what's going on in Chechenya (the problem is spreading in the bordering republics.

I'm sure one can travel there safely, but with advised guidance from locals and embassies. There are areas you don't want to visit, in case you're there at the wrong time and place...

If you do travel there, you'd have to choose either the northern or the southern side of the mountains, because they are almost unsurmountable.

[beergal]

I have always wanted to go to Georga it looks beautiful.

Esther is that a drawing on the 2nd pic if not that looks amazing, well it looks amazing anyway!

[Esterina]

I know, I was also wondering, and thought it was out of an old book. I've found this on www.worldhistory.com. But looking at the mountains and clouds, it's so realistic... don't know.

Here's a picture of the Caucasus in Dagestan that leaves no doubt. Not as spectacular though.

[beergal]

oh i want to go there now as well lol

[worldwidemike]

All right, so let's go...Atchoum, beergal and worldwidemike! Dagestan, here we come!!!

worldwidemike

[beergal]

^ that might be a really good idea what do you think Esther?

[Esterina]

I'll be in Moscow next year, maybe we could travel south together ! And having spent a few months in Russia, I should be able to know for sure how's the political situation there, because as far as I know from what I've learned and read, Dagestan isn't much safe at the moment.

Or Freakypete, you'll tell us the do's and the dont's.

But wouldn't that be incredible to travel together !? Mike, if we go, it's for more than a week though...

[beergal]

I didnt know whether you had announced to the boards yet about your studying in Russia.

When will your semester end over there?

[Esterina]

Huh, nop I hadn't, so I guess I just made it official now ! The semester will be done around the end of June 2007. The dates aren't set yet.

[freakypete]

no im not planning a trip there unfortunately, already got my summer trip planned

the photos have definitely increased my curiosity in the area though...maybe next summer!

[Esterina]

Very interesting articles and infos on the links. Thanks !