The first toast is to peace - Stephen Powell

'The First Toast is to Peace: Travels in the South Caucasus' brings alive a captivating part of the globe that the English-speaking world has been slow to appreciate. Stephen Powell, a British journalist, travelled through remote fastnesses in Georgia, Azerbaijan and Armenia, and lost his heart to the Caucasus. The rugged beauty of the mountains, higher than the Alps, a strong sense of history and enduring traditions of hospitality give the region a flavour all of its own. Change came slowly to the Caucasus and in one part of Georgia the men wore chainmail armour until the 1930s.