Great Journey 🏍 Day 358
Gudauri is a ski region here in Georgia. If the "marketing speak" here is to be believed, it is an "up-and-coming, modern, innovative ski resort where no wish is left unfulfilled".
We have been observing this "modern" change in nature for years here in Switzerland - and if we are honest and may allow ourselves a critical opinion here: with very mixed feelings. Yes, it's nice to simply be driven up a 3000-metre peak. But do so many chemicals have to be used (sometimes or even mostly?) for artificial snowmaking, do we need party people events at 3000 metres? Is it necessary to provide the complete range of services of a 6-lane transit motorway service station high up in nature, where people long for peace and quiet?
We know that tourism brings in money. And the job club is swung again and again. But is it okay to interfere with nature in this way? What good are jobs if nature is on its knees?
Today we took a close look at this Gudauri. And felt exactly that nature will also take a back seat to commerce. It's still early days, certainly not yet as perfected as the European Alpine ski areas. But our fear remains: this is what will happen.
But, not just to complain, here are the beauty facts: At 2777m, the wind is blowing around our noses, the sun is shining, the view is endless and the surrounding mountains are already very impressive. There are no trees up here, of course. Unlike in "our" Alps, the rocks are not bare, but look green and mossy. As if the mountains were sprayed with green moss powder on a model railway plate. Here, too, we observe eagles again. And hikers, who indeed conquer the mountains on foot. And then this peace. A little bit like the feeling of being "above the clouds".
# earworm #gudauri #over the clouds
PS: We don't get top eco marks in all areas either. We remain vigilant, we try our best. And we also make mistakes. And we allow ourselves to keep an open mind. What do you think?
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