Luminance Travels

The Russian arctic and Istanbul were our favourite destinations.

May there be many more destinations to pursue for all of us who travel to find beauty, humanity and meaning - and, of course, fun.

For me, that's easier to attain when travelling solo; when you are forced to open yourself to new places and new experiences (notably navigating public transport or buying food off the street in a language other than English). This is when you have to rely on the kindness of strangers - of which there is still an abundance in the world.

Stay happy and stay safe!

Fabrika is a Tbilisi institution. Before getting a second lease on life, the building was used as a sewing factory in soviet times after which it was abandoned for decades.

Rejuvenation then started, creating a modern space with co-working areas, hostel beds, apartments, shops, artist studios, music, café’s, bars, pop-ups and markets. Fabrika is an urban hot spot with a creative soul and its vibe is loved by many like-minded individuals, independent of style, age or social status.

Join a group of independent-minded, adventurous women over 50 to Tbilisi and optional Istanbul in October 2024. Mail [email protected] for the full itinerary and costs. Don’t miss out!

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The Basilica Cistern (or Yerabatan Sarnici in Turkish) was constructed in the sixth century. It is one of hundreds of underground reservoirs in Istanbul ad can hold 80 000 litres of water, but today it is kept with little water for public access to the space.

After the conquest of Istanbul by the Ottomans, knowledge of the Basilica cistern seems to have been lost. It was rediscovered by Pierre Gilles during his tour of Constantinople in 1545. He found locals selling very fresh fish in the nearby streets. Since their houses were located above the cistern, they had sunk wells into it and sometimes caught fish from it.

A crucial feature of the Basilica Cistern architecture is the 336 marble columns on which the structure stands. They are arranged in twelve rows in groups of twenty-eight columns, each spaced around five metres apart. The columns are mostly Corinthian or Ionic, with a few in the Dorian style. Many columns were recycled from older structures from various parts of the Byzantine empire.

The city has spent the last 5 years making the cistern earthquake safe and other major upgrades include a sophisticated lighting system that enhances the visitor experience. Spotlights bathe columns in amber light. Blue lights give the water beneath the platforms an aqua glow. The effect gives the space a more expansive feel and highlights architectural details.

The cistern has a mystical appearance and should be visited when you are in Istanbul. Join a group of adventurous, free-spirited, and mature women on a tour to Tbilisi, Georgia, and Istanbul in October 2024. For details, mail us at [email protected]


Pics: Rista Fabricius

In Mtskheta, not far from Tbilisi, stands the Jvari monastery, a sixth-century Georgian Orthodox monastery, on the rocky mountain top at the confluence of the Mtkvari and Aragvi rivers, overlooking the town. It is truly an awe-inspiring sight.

Join a group of independent and free-spirited, mature women on a tour to Tbilisi, Georgia (and optional Istanbul) in October 2024. Mail us at [email protected] for full details.

Georgia has the world’s oldest wine-making culture. The country’s mild climate and humid air, affected by the Black Sea, provide the best conditions for vine cultivation. There are about 500 grape varieties in modern Georgia.

Traditional Georgian winemaking involves crushing grapes and placing the grape juice into a clean qvevri (egg-shaped clay pot), which is buried in the ground for fermentation. Once the fermentation is completed, the qvevri is covered with a lid and sealed with beeswax or clay. After 6 months the wine is decanted for bottling. For some reds wines, decantation takes place into a different qvevri for continued aging.

Wine is produced by thousands of small farmers (using primarily traditional techniques of winemaking), as well as some monasteries and modern wineries.

Family wineries prevailed even when Georgia was under Soviet rule. Just as a family would grow a garden, a family would grow grapes and make their own wine for the year.

The capital Tbilisi has an abundance of wine bars that guide visitors in the pleasurable discovery of the best of local wines.

If you like wandering and exploring, join a small group of independent, curious, and fun women to Tbilisi, Georgia (with an optional 6-night add-on to Istanbul) in October 2024. The estimated tour price (as on 18 January) for 7 nights in Georgia and Tbilisi is between R40 000 and R42 000. The add-on to wonderful Istanbul brings the estimation to R57 000. This includes international flight tickets, travel insurance, single rooms in a decent hotel and daytrips in Georgia and Istanbul. Contact us at [email protected] if you are ready to roam!

There could be rich rewards in deciding to stroll through a city armed with a heightened sense of curiosity and without a guide. Of course you should know what you are looking at, but in this case we didn’t know at the time.

We decided to explore an underground tunnel and was rewarded with an interesting photo exhibition. We walked on and were astounded to see the Metekhi St. Virgin Church on the left bank of the river Kura – our tunnel led us to the Kura and we were blissfully unaware of this.

If you like wandering and exploring, join a small group of independent, curious, and fun women to Tibilisi, Georgia (with an optional add-on to Istanbul) in October 2024. The estimated tour price for 7 nights in Georgia and Tbilisi as on 11 January 2024 is between R40 000 and R42 000. This includes international flight tickets, travel insurance, single rooms in a decent hotel and daytrips in Georgia. Contact us at [email protected] if you are ready to roam!

--The Queen of Georgian Cuisine --

Khachapuri is a cheese-filled bread and a fundamental dish in Georgian cuisine. The main type of Khachapuri is considered to be “Imeretian/Imeruli khachapuri”, which is enjoyed widely. It is often baked with high-quality dough and white salted Imeretian cheese. They might also feature an oozy and stringy cheese called sulguni or, less frequently, a briny sheep’s milk cheese called bryndza.

Cooks frequently mix and match cheese types to achieve a certain flavour and consistency.

There are more than 50 types of Khachapuri from different regions of Georgia.

The cheese is placed in a softly mixed, risen dough, then salt is added, and the dough is formed into a round, boat- or square shape. It is baked in an oven or earthenware bread-baking dish.

We had Imeruli khachapuri in Tbilisi and did our best to walk off our excesses - we’re talking many calories per khachapuri, but every one worth every step we took.

Join a small group of independent, curious, and fun women to Tibilisi, Georgia (with an optional add-on to Istanbul) in October 2024. The estimated tour price for 7 nights in Georgia and Tbilisi as on 11 January 2024 is between R40 000 and R42 000. This includes international flight tickets, travel insurance, single rooms in a decent hotel and daytrips in Georgia. Contact us at [email protected] if you are ready to roam!

Happy travels in 2024 from Stonehaven, Scotland.

Blackness Castle is a 15th-century fortress near the village of Blackness in Scotland. It is on the south shore of the Firth of Forth and was the setting for the 1990 film “Hamlet”, starring Mel Gibson and Glen Close.

Auld Reekie 💜

Sweet memory of last year this time: wine tasting in lovely Tbilisi, Georgia. Mighty fine city filled with spirited people.

The Dezerter Bazaar in Tbilisi, Georgia, is located near the Station Square Metro. Apparently, it was named after soldiers who deserted from the Russian-Georgian war in the 1920’s and who came to sell their gear and weapons here.

This chaotic, huge market is a foodie’s heaven with meat, a tasty variety of cheeses, spices, fruit, and veggies, pickles, nuts and much more on sale.

The best honey we’ve ever tasted is sold here, along with honeycombs, bee pollen and wax. The honey is from the Sveneti, Imereti and Kakheti regions. Other specialities found here are Tkemali, a zesty, earthy sour plum sauce Georgians use as a condiment on eggs, meat, potatoes, or for dipping bread into, and Svanuri mareli, a mixture of salt, coriander, blue fenugreek, marigold, garlic, red pepper, and gitsruli (wild caraway seed).

Experiences don’t come more authentic than a visit to this market.

Join a group of independent, free-spirited women travellers on a trip to Tbilisi and Georgia in October 2024. Email Luminance Travels and [email protected] for more information. It promises to be unique, Georgia is beautiful and has a lot to offer.

Happy memories of our early 2020 trip to the arctic. It was such a fabulous experience, northern lights and all.

We are visiting Georgia (country) and Istanbul in October 2024. If you want to join a group of independent, female travellers mail us at [email protected]

-- Georgian street food --

Lobiani is a traditional dish consisting of (yeast-based) bread filled with spiced mashed beans. The filling is made with cooked kidney beans or other types of beans, mixed with onions, garlic, and various spices. The bread is folded or rolled around the bean filling, creating a delicious and substantial meal.

Lobiani is filling, it’s cheap and a popular choice for breakfast or a snack.

Join a small group of independent, free-spirited women travellers in October 2024, when we will visit the interesting and exciting Tbilisi and Georgia. Mail [email protected] to reserve your place.

(Picture credit: viciousfoodie)