All uphill from here

“Botso: The Passion of Music, The Power of Art,” is a feature-length documentary film project focusing on the life of Morro Bay teacher, musician and sculptor Wachtang “Botso” Korisheli, and on the importance of an arts education to society. Central Coast filmmakers Tom Walters, Hilary Grant, and Simo Nylander are traveling with the Korisheli family in the Republic of Georgia, where Botso grew up. Funded through ongoing donations from the community, this nonprofit endeavor is being produced under the auspices of the San Luis Obispo County Youth Symphony. SLO Goings will publish blog entries written by the filmmakers about their trip in coming weeks. More information can be found at www.aspectstudios.com/botso.

Imagine a scene straight out of "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" — except the "wedding party" is made up of Georgians. That was our grand adventure yesterday — which also featured one of the scariest experiences of my entire life.

We began our long (four and a half hours), very bumpy (think airplane turbulence) drive to Dimi, a tiny village northwest of Tbilisi where Botso spent many happy boyhood summers with his grandparents.

Picture this place as a way more primitive Harmony, with pigs, dogs and water buffalo sharing the road with cars — that's Dimi. Western toilets are completely unavailable here, too, so make sure your squatting skills are in tip-top shape!

After arriving at Botso's relatives' home, we were told that we were going to be treated to an immense Georgian feast. First, though, they explained that it was important — in fact, necessary and fortuitous for everyone involved — to visit a several-hundred-year-old family prayer site, less than 2 miles away. No one bothered to tell us that most of those miles —closer to five — would be spent traveling in an ancient, completely open air transport truck, standing up with about 20 other people, with only a thin bar to hold.

Not only that, but the drive was not on a road. Nope, it was on an uphill creek bed with large boulders, slowly climbing up the top of a mountain. Not only that, the gear-shifts on the truck were behind the driver, so he was guessing which gears to use! We had to duck several times for trees as well, and the truck kept lurching downhill. Lots of screaming — including from me! I kept thinking that I HAD to see my daughter and husband again!

But, we made it to the site — Botso, too (the word "trooper" does not begin to describe him) — a beautiful spot on top of a mountain, where bread and wine and cheese were consumed (Georgians love food). By the time of the feast a few hours later, we were just very grateful to be alive!

More later!

Hilary Grant
Writer/Co-Producer of "Botso"