Get lost in the "mysterious pure land" of the Caucasus

The sudden release of passion for overseas travel is aimed at niche destinations. Either it will remain silent, or it will become a blockbuster and choose the paradise of the three Caucasus countries: a trip full of legends and pleasures. Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia: three countries that are not far away but seem to be out of reach; the borders of Asia show the beauty and mystery of the Western Regions. The poet Pushkin did not hesitate to pile up wonderful words for this place: "You tower above the mountains, and your towering tent-like peak shines with eternal light. Your monastery hidden behind the clouds is like Noah's Ark floating in the sky. How I want to walk into the clouds and mist In the small room, I secluded myself next to God.” So I arrived at the church and monastery under the majestic snow-capped mountains of the Caucasus Mountains, where I overlooked the vast land and the river flowing quietly between the city, and it was like looking back at everything that happened here in the long river of history. I also went to the Staircase Square in Yerevan, the capital of Armenia. It was once called the "Grand Socialist Staircase", and now each floor is an exhibition space for fine art❹⓮. I saw an old man in the Georgian countryside playing "Solitaire" with dominoes like Pai Gow, still mumbling words in his mouth; and a girl in the center of Baku actually had the traditional Chinese characters "Proud of Life" on her arm. You must have fun"❻, which made me smile knowingly. In Gori, Stalin's hometown, I saw a tank model made of gold on a gift table lamp in the museum that was still shining; while the 100% prototype of Stalin's head, which was modeled with a skull, had already closed its eyes⓰. In Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia, I waited for the little man in the tilted "Puppet Theater Bell Tower" to ring the bell at sunset; and on the beach in Batumi, I waited for the pair of statues called "Ali and Nino"8 A short hug every minute to become one ⓲. The calls of "Grandma" and "Grandma" attracted us all to the front of Etchmiadzin Cathedral in Armenia. A cute little princess was pronouncing "Grandma" exactly the same as the Chinese pronunciation ⓱ towards the downspout. Chinese tourists are particularly delighted and surprised. My friends know that my trip is going to the Caucasus, which is in the middle of a war, and everyone says it’s not safe. But on the seaside in Batumi, I really want to see what will happen on the other side in Crimea. But looking at the grain ships sailing in the Black Sea from a distance, and looking at the fat girls drying their flesh on the beach in Georgia up close, I remembered the sentence: "Just do whatever you want." The Russo-Ukrainian war seemed completely irrelevant here. For me, the mystery of these three countries is just like the Azerbaijani girl in national costume in front of me❶. Yes, wait for her to lift the veil little by little.