Near Ishan

It was hard for me to believe as the taxi drove up the mountain that there would be a mountain oasis there. I didn't know what to expect. I knew that monasteries are usually tucked away in some remote place that is so inaccessible. It is inaccessible, when it rains this dirt road is treacherous. But as we approached Ishan, suddenly the village opened up and there is lush and beautiful place. A few people have built their homestead next to the church and one can stay with them. It was recommended to us but I couldn't figure out how the transportation would work. Now I  know. Yusufeli is the transportation hub and there is a daily bus from Yusufeli to the big city of Trabzon. So every morning the mini buses would bring people from all the villages around the area including Ishan, to Yusufeli. These same mini buses would return to their respective villages in the afternoon. So if you want to stay at any of the villages including Ishan, you would arrive in Yusufeli, take the afternoon mini bus to the village of your choice, stay the night, wake up next to the church, listen to the birds, meditate on the quietness and return to Yusufeli with the morning mini bus.