Georgia -

David Gareja – the story of a certain stormy journey

Gosia — Sun, 02 May 2021 10:34:01 +0000

Everything was supposed to look completely different. I was planning to visit David Gareja on the first day just after arrival to Georgia. After visiting the monastery and we were planning to go to Ganja in Azerbaijan. The biggest problem in organizing a tour to Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan was the car. Armenia and Azerbaijan are at war and the border between them is closed, but that it’s not a problem because you can get to both through Georgia. The problem is finding a rental car company that allows going to these two countries. Finally we managed to find one, it had good rates and response was immediate. Before leaving, having in mind the temperament of Georgian drivers, we decided to buy full insurance. After arriving, we went straight to take a car. We received a rental agreement according to which we would cover the full repair costs and the car didn’t have any damages. As a matter of fact the car was actually dented and scratched from every side. The assistant explained that she was only responsible for printing the agreement and in order to explain this situation we should call the boss. After a long discussion, we received corrected agreement and we started reading. After a while some Georgian guy came in and started making a fuss that he needed to rent a car, the assistant started to hurry us… It didn’t make any impression on us, we guessed what’s going on and we’re reading the contract even more carefully. Obviously, it had been corrected, according to the new version, the scope of our liability was defined in the annex, but nothing like that was attached. We asked for the annex, the assistant responded that it was their law… What law? So we asked her to print “their law”. She wasn’t able to do this, but she told us we could always call the boss again. Actually, that was the end of negotiations for us. When leaving we heard that we had to pay for permission to use a car in Azerbaijan and Armenia, good joke! We laughed and left. We were left holding the bag. According to my itinerary we were to drive around 3000 kilometers in 10 days, everything was fixed up except the car. We had a slight chance to find a car to rent in the season not to mention that we needed 4WD car and permission to go to Azerbaijan and Armenia. At that moment, we had nothing else to do but save the trip and use option B, which was a ride by a night train to Baku in Azerbaijan. The station was full of people and unfortunately there was an unbelievable queue to cash desks, I knew this route is very popular in the season. We approached timidly to a ticket box; I wanted to know if there were any tickets left. I must admit that we were so tired after a flight and negotiations with the car rental company that I hoped to jump the queue. The lady in the window didn’t hide that checking the seats was a huge favor for us. There were only 6 tickets left, yeeesss we did it! We were soooo close to buy them, but then we heard THIS question: Where is your number? We didn’t have this piece of paper with number in a queue written on it. Judging by the tickets seller’s appearance there was no use asking her to sell them. We were waiting a few hours, during this time several people were shouting for joy, as they managed to buy the tickets. We were convinced that they bought OUR tickets. We didn’t have a plan C, so what else we could do but wait?Finally it’s our turn, we couldn’t believe it, there were last 2 tickets!!! Yeesss we were going to Baku!!!! In perspective, I’m glad this happened because the train journey itself was an unforgettable experience, which I wrote about here. The”emergency plan” for the rest of the trip was prepared on the way. In addition to exploring Baku and surrounding areas, we were looking for a rental in Tbilisi, which would have a 4 x4 car to rent. I had no illusions, I knew that it was almost impossible in the high season. I was so angry that only way to calm down was going to explore the capital of Azerbaijan. Meanwhile, Lukas did the impossible, he found a car! Two days later, we were at the starting point, we got off from the night train from Baku to Tbilisi very early. According to the new itinerary we had to rent a car and go to Armenia to Sevan, located about 240 km from the capital of Georgia. After completing the formalities, we hit the road. I had lost hope to see the Dawid Gereja complex. However, my travel companion said that since the spot was planned previously, there was no other option than to see it. I had doubts, it was already afternoon and we were a little tired after the night trip and emotions of the last few days, I realized it would take us 2 hours to drive to Gereja, including time to explore and drive to the Armenian border so another 3 hours, from there we had 150 kilometers to cover in order to get to Sewan. We didn’t know how much time it would take us to wait on the border and how the road in Armenia looked like. I must admit that the photos of David Gareja didn’t impress me much, this place wasn’t on my must-see list. However, my arguments weren’t convincing enough, Lukas told that it was only 300 km. I thought to myself… if he insisted so? We had to go there! When we passed Rustawi the asphalt on the road was gradually diminishing, until it finally ran out and we found ourselves on a dirt road. The weather gradually started to deteriorate. I thought that all the effort was for nothing before we got to Gareja there would be a huge storm. However, I didn’t realize at the time that the storm itself would make this trip unforgettable. As it was getting darker and darker, the landscape became more and more desolated. We felt like we were at the end of the world. There was an endless emptiness around us. Amazing feeling, especially when living in a civilized world, you can rarely see an empty space to the horizon. The views on this road are fabulous. The area looked like Mongolian steppes seen in the movies. A rugged terrain seemed to be painted in the shades of pink and red, that was something amazing, unbelievable. The heavy clouds on the far horizon matched perfectly to the whole picture. I can see it now as if it were yesterday. The monastery itself seemed to be just an addition in this amazing setting. Who would have thought, it was supposed the be the main point of our trip 😉 David Gareja monastery remembers the times of 6th century. At that time, the Syrian monk David decided to settle in one of the natural caves, that’s how the first monastery was created – Lavra. Over the time, hermit lifestyle attracted other monks. The complex began to expand; its biggest bloom took place between the 11th and the 13th century. The next years were unpredictable, it was invaded firstly by Mongols in the second half of the 13th century (1265), followed by Persians in the 17th century. Nevertheless, David Gareja continued to operate until 1921. During the Soviet Union, the monastery was closed and the area was used as a military range. Only in 1991 after Georgia regaining independence, it was re-opened. Currently, there are only a few monks in the monastery. During our visit, a large part of it was off limits due to ongoing renovation works. It didn’t matter when I had such views in front of me. Actually, the amazing landscape around David Gareja is located in Azerbaijan basically. Just 200 meters from Dawid Gareja is the border with Azerbaijan. The area of the complex is the source of conflict between both countries. Due to the high historical value of the complex, Georgia offers Azerbaijan other areas in exchange for Gareja. For Azerbaijan, these areas are of particular military importance. This conflict seems to have no end, especially since it’s fueled by another country – an influential player in this region. How did our farther journey look like? When we reached Rustawi, it was getting dark. We still had around 240 km to cover. It might seem that not much, but at the border we had a big delay because of the fight between the Russians and Armenian customs. On the other hand, the Armenian road from the border to Sevan village practically did not exist. We got there at 2 am. It was an exciting day and what’s more our itinerary got back on tracks. Further posts soon. Transport from Tbilisi There is no public transport to David Gareja. Besides, renting a car, there’s also a possibility to take a taxi, the cost of the rturn trip should be around 100 lari with a stop for sightseeing, when you split the bill it will cost only 25 lari. In addition, every day at 11 pm, a bus “Gareji line” leaves from Freedom Square. It’s a special sightseeing line for tourists. Private transport is often offered by hostels and guesthouses. Like this post? Check another ones!

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Kazbegi and Georgian Military Highway

Gosia — Tue, 26 Jan 2021 19:37:18 +0000

I started my trip to Kazbegi just after sunrise. I want to return to Tbilisi on the same day. One-way trip takes about 2 and a half hour, plus I have to take into account the time for climbing to the famous Holy Trinity Church. I shouldn’t have problems to manage it. After getting off at Didube Metro station I went straight to the bus station. There are two ways to get to Kazbegi. Cheaper option is a marshrutka, the cost of singe tickect is 10 GEL – 3€. However, I took a little bit more expensive option – private bus for 15 GEL – 4,3 € one way (supposedly it’s currently 20 lari – data from 2019), as in the price are included two sightseeing stops. You don’t have to look for drivers, they find me, like everywhere in Georgia. We’re leaving Tbilisi to E117 road called – Georgian Military Highway. It used to be a trade route connecting the North Caucasus with the South. The name Georgian Military Highway, was intoroduced in 19th century, when it was expanded and strengthened by the Russians to transport the army to the area of Caucasus. Those times are over, no war activities are being carried out here now, while the moods remain warlike. I’m mainly talking about drivers who carry out blood-freezing maneuvers on this road. Georgian Military Road is one of the most beautiful routes in Eurasia. On the 200 km section, it crosses the Great Caucasus from Tbilisi to Vladikavkaz. What’s more interesting, this is the only way we can get to Russia. The only legal border crossing is located just 12 km from my destination – the village of Kazbegi. Georgian War Road is famous for its breathtaking views and rises to a height of over 2300 meters. However, regardless of the landscape outside the window, I’m still ot of breath watching the show on the road from the back seat. The driver has preapared a lot of attraction: overtaking on bridges and sharp corners, I won’t mention exceeding speed limits. I don’t know if you feel the gavity of the situation? If not? I’ve just forgotten to mention that the steering wheel is on the right side. Each overtaking maneuver is preceded by a special ritual. It starts with a making a sign of the cross, then he takes a look at the passenger sitting on the left, at first glance it may seem that the driver expects confirmation that he can overtake, but as a matter of fact the decision has already been made. The worst is that all users on this road just seem to belive in destiny. I’ve survived half of the way, first stop, what a relief… I can see crystal clear Żinval lake, located fabulously between the mountains with Ananuri fortress at the top. It can be seen on many marketing materials, advertising tourism in Georgia. After a short stop to take pictures and see the fortress, I’m getting into the viehicle with my heart in my mouth. This time it’s worse, the road is getting narrower, winding and higher and higher. This is not a game anymore, the driver is making the sign of the cross all the time. After another 60 kilometers, just behind the famous Gudauri ski resort, safe and sound we are reaching the monument of Russian-Georgian Friendship, it’s not a joke…. It was erected in 1983 on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of the signing of the friendship treaty between Georgia and Russia. It’s worth stopping here not so much for a monument but for amazing views. Short stop for photos and I have to face Mr. Final Destinantion again. Fortunately, this time we have only 30 kilometers to cover to get to Kazbegi, actually Stepancminda. Kazbegi’s name comes from Soviet times, it was given in 1925 to commemorate Gabriel Kazbegi, who helped suppress the anti-Russian revolution in Georgia. Therefore, in 2006 the authorities decided to restore the town’s original name Stepancminda, given in honor of St. Stephen. The town itself isn’t special, but it’s a starting point to Georgia’s most popular attractions: the Holy Trinity Church also known as Cminda Sameba or Gergeti Trinity Church and famous Mount Kazbek. You can get to the church by 4WD car from a parking lot in the city centre, this pleasure costs 10 lari. I decided to take a walk. Trekking is not demanding, the road leads through the forest, there are sharp approaches, but you can easily go without special footwear. The entire route takes around 2,5 to 3 hours. The marvelous church from the 14th century is located at a height of 2170 m. This is where sacred relics were hidden in unstable times. If you want to visit the church, remember to wear modest clothes: long skirt or pants, head scarf and covered arms are mandatory. For sure the most impressive is the location of the church between the high peaks, with magnificent Kazbek in the background. It is one of the highest peaks of the Caucasus and it reaches over 5000 m. This is a dormant volcano, although it didn’t look like dormant during my visit 😉 It is the amazing landscape that makes this place unique. It’s best to spend in Kazbegi more than just one day, because there you can find a lot of more attractions. However, being in Tbilisi, even one day here will be unforgettable experience.

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Gyumri – Vardzia – Khertvisi – Brojomi – Caucasus tour

Gosia — Mon, 19 Oct 2020 20:12:23 +0000

Last stop in Armenia, during our Caucasus tour – Gyumri City. It’s the second largest city in Armenia, right after the capital of Yerevan. Although it’s the second largest, it has only 120 thousand inhabitants. This city used to be full of life and the cultural capital of the region. However, on December 7, 1988, it was hit by the largest earthquake in the history of Armenia, which almost razed it to the ground. Thousands of people lost their lives then, not to mention those who lost the roof over their heads. The cause of such huge loss was the poor quality of the buildings. Gyumri’s fate was sealed due to high apartment buildings which were made of the cheapest materials in the seismically active area. I don’t know what was the reason that I wanted to visit this town, because it’s certainly not a tourist place. I think it was my curiosity. I was wondering how it looked like after more than 30 years from this disaster. Unfortunately, Gyumri still hasn’t recovered yet, many buildings are still destroyed, however there’re some ongoing construction works. Gyumri is located right next to the Georgia border. I honestly admit that I felt sorry to leave Armenia, but on the other hand, I was glad that we would finally be able to drive on normal roads. The roads in Armenia were a nightmare, not to mention drivers.When planning a trip, I always take into account a time margin for unplanned events. I admit that in the case of Armenia, I underestimated the necessary time to cover particular distances. I realised that Armenian roads are far from German highways, but let me put it this way, driving a 200 km section of the route a day was a big challenge. On the other hand, the better sections on which we could make up for lost time were full, literally full of road cameras. I knew Georgian roads from the previous trip, which is why I was convinced that further journey would be much less exhausting. Everything was going to be wonderful, outside the window an amazing, idyllic landscape, the sun was slowly setting. We drove through a small border crossing in the village of Բավրայի մաքսային կետ, ok, I’m just kidding in the village of Bavra and suddenly the road turned into the Moon landscape. The asphalt looked like the Moon’s surface or Swiss cheese. To top it all off, there was 60 km per hour speed limit, I have to admit that it was a really good joke. Actually, at 20 km per hour, the image stabilization in my phone failed 😉 However to my mind, the best was the bridge on the river 😉 At the end of an exciting day, we arrived at the hotel where the prize was waiting for us – an amazing sunset. The next morning, we continued the journey. First stop – Khertvisi Fortress. Its amazing location on the slope of the rocky hill right next to the Kura River makes an amazing impression. On the other hand, its interior makes even bigger impression. Khertvisi Fortress was destroyed many times in its long history, by Mongols, then the Turks, but now it’s being destroyed by the passage of time. Most people who visit this place are disappointed because inside you can only see the ruins of walls and fortified towers. I totally agree that it’s a pity that such a magnificent building has fallen into ruin, but in such a stark form it has even more charm for me. Less than 20 minutes of drive from Chertwisi Fortress is Vardzia. From far away you can see the scale of this extraordinary rock city. The rock city was created in the 12th century. Thanks to Queen Tamara, in the times of its greatness, there were more than 3 thousand caves located on 13 floors, combined with tunnels. The city could accommodate up to 60 thousand inhabitants which seems unbelievable. Vardzia served mainly as a shelter from the Mongols invasion. You could only get into the city with hidden passages. There were supposedly 25 wine cellars, as well as various residential and utility rooms, stables or granaries. At the central point of the rock city was the Church of Assumption, which we can also admire today. In addition to the church, there were also several other temples. Unfortunately in 1283 Vardzia, like Gyumri was largely destroyed by an earthquake. The unveiled city was an easy target to attack. This was used by the Persians who completely ransacked Vardzia in the middle of the 16th century. Currently, around 300 chambers and monastery are available for sightseeing. Admission costs 7 lari or around 10 PLN (data from 2018). It is important to remember that this is still a place of worship, so modest dress is obligatory: long pants or skirts and headscarves. The last place on our route to Tbilisi was the famous Borjomi spa. Borjomi mineral water is probably the world’s most recognised Georgian product. It is healing water used for digestive system diseases and also recommended for hangover. This spa blossomed in the times of the USSR, then it was a fashionable healing resort. Currently, the times of greatness are over, but it’s still an interesting place to visit while being on the way. In my opinion, it is very similar to our Polish spas, even the buildings look familiar.

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Tbilisi, Georgia – all in one!

Gosia — Tue, 03 Mar 2020 20:09:00 +0000

Georgia’s strategic position on the border of two continents: Europe and Asia, between two cultures: Christianity and Islam has long been the cause of numerous wars. The Romans, the Arabs, the Persians, and also in the modern history Russians, all they tried to occupy Georgia permanently, but no one actually has managed to do so. The incredible determination of the Georgian nation, cultivating tradition, including the ancient Kartuli ena language, allowed the country to preserve national identity. The history of this country is shown in many aspects, starting with the stubborn character of the Georgians and ending with the various architecture. How is the capital of this country? It’s as twisted as its history. In Tbilisi you can see futuristic architecture, contrasting with the old townhouses, Muslim influences mix here with Christian, and in addition you can find some abandoned gems, which remember socialism. Bath in hot sulphur An interesting place is the Orbeliani Bath Complex located in the Abanotubani district. Characteristic architecture with a building decorated with blue tiles reminds the Arab times. In 736 the capital of Georgia was conquered by the Arabs and for almost 400 years it was the center of the so-called Emirate of Tbilisi. Thermal baths with hot springs are underground, just under the characteristic cupolas. They are the showcase of the city, which name is derived from the Georgian word “tbili” which means warm. Admission for 2 people costs around 20€. After the bath, it’s worth visiting the surrounding restaurants. Sip delicious Georgian wine and admire the interesting architecture of Abanotubani district. The Old Town – time travel A trip to the Old Town is a kind of time travel. While the tenement houses located in the area of the Orbeliani Baths look freshly renovated, the rest of the Old Town seems to be more authentic. The lack of tourists, old ramshackle buildings, decorated metal gates, wooden decorative elements and colorful courtyards create a unique atmosphere of this place. In some places, the buildings are in a really bad condition, but progressive work of construction can be seen at every corner. An additional attraction are small art galleries and bakeries located in the cellars, where you can also buy some tetri. My advice: to get to know this place better, you just need to get lost 😉 Fabulous time tower One of the main attractions of the Old Town is the fabulous clock tower. Located in the old part of the city, it’s actually the artistic vision of the theatre director – Rezo Gabriadze, built in 2010. Interesting design and characteristic tilt makes the impression that it’s about to fall. It’s worth to come here at full hour. Then you can see an angel hitting the bell in the upper window of the clock. On the other hand, a small puppet spectacle is oragised there at noon and at 7.00 pm. Tbilisi from perspective: In order to see Tbilisi from a slightly higher perspective, you should visit two spots. One of them is Mount Mtatsminda. At the top there’s an amusemenmt park . It’s worth going there at sunset or at night. You can get there by funicular. The second interesting viewpoint is Narikala Fortress, which is located on Solaki Hill. There’s a path to the hill, but on hot days it is better to use a cable car. During the ride you can admire the characteristic architecture of the Old Town. The hill is guarded by a huge statue of Kartlis Deda – called the Mother of Georgia. In the left hand, she holds a glass of wine for friends, while in the right a sword for enemies. Near the statue you can see the ruins of the former fortress. Sanitary pad with the Presidential Palace in the background The cable car to the Narikala Fortress runs from Rike Park. Rike Park surprises with a modern architecture that completely doesn’t match the old surroundings. It’s the artistic vision of the former President of Georgia – Michail Saakashvili. The characteristic spot is the Bridge of Peace, which due to its appearance is recognised by the inhabitants as a sanitary pad. The perfect contrast for the bulwark of the Kura river is the concert hall in the shape of a tube and a Presidential Palace located just behind it. Alternative Tbilisi: The place you need to see while being in Tbilisi is Fabrika located on Egnate Ninoshvili street 8. The former textile factory has been changed to a hostel and an iconic meeting place. In the courtyard of the factory there are cafes and bars and the walls of the building are decorated with many interesting murals. During the day you can come by to drink a delicious coffee and in the evening to party. Tea only in Althaus The best place for tea or coffee is Althaus. The interior is decorated in a vintage style, while a colourful porch offers a nice view of the city. This is the perfect place for breakfast or rest during sightseeing. Best beer in Warsaw! The iconic Warsaw bar is located in the center of the city on Freedom Square. It’s a popular hangout for residents and tourists. If you miss Polish food you can eat here steak tartare,herring or meat in jelly, as well as various types of beer, wine and vodka. Menu of course in Polish 😉 Transport to Tbilisi There are a lot of regular flights to Tbilisi. However, prices are quite high, especially in the high season. I took advantage of Wizzair offer from Katowice to Kutaisi. From Kutaisi airport you can get to the capital of Georgia using Gerogian Bus. The ticket costs 15 GEL and you can receive a 10 % discount when booking online. The journey takes about 4 hours and the bus stops in the centre of Tbilisi in Freedom Square. Car rental: If you like adrenaline, renting a car will certainly be an interesting option for you. Personally, I’ve had a lot of adventures with Georgian rental cars companies, but this is a topic for a separate post. Fortunately, during my last stay in Georgia, I was with a good driver. To be honest, I can do bungee jump or skydive, but driving a car in Tbilisi is like taking a ride on a rollercoaster without fasten belts. Urban transport Public Transport is the best option to move around Tbilisi. In order to use buses and metro you need to buy a Metromoney card. It costs around 2-3 GEL it is complemented by the amount in the counters or machines. Even a few people can use one card.

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Georgia – Gori, a short visit to Stalin’s hometown

Gosia — Wed, 20 Jun 2018 14:27:02 +0000

The first time I heard about Gori, it was in History class a long, long… time ago, I didn’t even think I would ever be in Stalin’s hometown. Some time ago, the world remembered about Gori again. In August 2008, news and headlines were dominated by images of the city seized by Russians. During the short war between Georgia and Russia over two regions: Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Gori, which almost borders with South Ossetia, has become the main point of military actions. Initially, it was bombarded by Russian forces, resulting in the death of many civilians and then from 13th to 22nd of August fell under Russian occupation. Being in Georgia less than 10 years after these events, I decided to see this place. I was very curious about how Stalin’s hometown looks like and how the Georgians perceive their well – known military leader. Stalin always ephasised his Russian descent, he tried rather to cut off from his Georgian backgound. Starting from 1921, when he included Georia to USSR, made a series of repressions. Georgia was the first Soviet Republic to declare independence, and now it doesn’t hide its aspirations to join NATO and EU structures. For these reasons, I won’t hide that Gori surprised me very much. To feel a slightly mouldy “breeze of communism “. the city looks like form the previous era, I could say that time has stopped here with the death of “good uncle ” in 1953 . A quick taxi ride across one of the main arteries of Gori – Stalin’s Avenue, I pass the city hall on Stalin Square. Formery it was a place where the Stalin’s statue stood. The local authorities tried to get rid of it first in the 50’s during “the thaw”, and then in the 80’s, but social resistance was too big. Only recently, because in 2010 President Saakashvili decided to do away with it, but to avoid protests, it was brought down at night. Riding a litlle bit further, I reach Stalin Park in which I’m greeted by a huge statue of Stalin proudly standing in front of the entrance to the Stalin Museum. It was built in 1957, right after Stalin’s death, when in the entire Soviet Union Khrushchev „the thaw” bacame. The museum building was built in a typical Soviet design, the red carpet at the entrance leads to the marble chamber where in the main point stands, guess what… the statue of Stalin 😉 The Museum presents Stalin’s life from an early age to the end of the Soviet Union. Among the plenty exhibits you can see Stalin’s poems, photos, busts and portraits of the chief. An additional attraction is the untouched Stalin’s picture of the chief. In fact, Stalin had a lot of scars on his face after smallpox, which he tried to hide by means of retouched photos. The exhibition of gifts from around the world is also interesting, among which you can also see those from Poland. In the central part of the main hall of exhibition is the postmortem Stalin’s mask. The mask itself isn’t a unique exhibit, it’s a simple reflection of the face of the deceased, while the atmosphere of this room is another story, not necessarily good… the interior dark and it looks like a mauzoleum. Personally, it reminds me the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum in Hanoi, but little smaller. The Museum doesn’t mention anything of the crimes made by Stalin, but on the contrary, it presents him as a sensitive poet and an excellent leader of the nation. There is a small cottage outside the museum where Stalin was born. It isn’t a particular tourist attraction but enclosed in special framework looks pretty wierd. A few steps further you’ll find armored railway wagon, the main means of Stalin’s transport, due to his fear of flying. He used it while going to conferences in Tehran and Jalta. What’s more interesting, the wagon hasn’t been renewed yet. It’s remained in original state since Stalin’s last journey. Admission to the wagon costs additional 5 GEL, and to get to it, you have to find a museum employee with a key. The service of the museum is in an amazing way correspond to the atmosphere of the building. After 15 minutes of searching, at the end of the red carpet, dazzled by light from crystal chandeliers, I saw a woman in a working scarf on her head. She turned out to be museum – keeper! I didn’t hide my happiness as we’re moving towards the car. The door opened and I saw the beautiful interior of Stalin’s cabinet, bedroom, bathroom and kitchen. Everything was designed with taste, so different to the typical Russian style. I start taking pictures when I suddenly heard loud “niet, photo niet!”, and in the lens I saw the threatening pose of the musuem keeper. Every opportunity is good to make some more money, I knew exactly what she was going to do, but I thought that the high price of the ticket was enough to cover a few pics of the wagon. Without wanting to move sensitive financial topics, I asked briefly, ” why niet?” I saw her confusion while helplessly trying to find good reason. After a moment of thought, she gave up and left the car 😉 The Museum is a kind of tribute to Stalin, and a cherished memory of the beloved chief. After a visit to this place, I thought a lot about the reasons for Stalin’s cult in Gori. It’s known that every country writes its version of history and the educational system in Georgia doesn’t show the entire cruelty of the leader. It seems to me that the Georgians have a bit of a perverse attitude towards Stalin. He is seen as a rebel from an invaded country who eventually led the great USSR. Georgian Prime Minister in his speech on 9th May 2015 proudly anounced that WWII was won by Georgian. In my view, despite gaining independence in 1991, Georgia hasn’t formed the full sense of nationality yet. On the other hand it’s impossible to hide that there’s demand for such things, a really big demand 😉 Directions and entrance: From the bus station – Didube in Tbilisi, there’re many marszrutkas to Gori. Admission isn’t cheap compared to other tourist attractions in Georgia. Normal ticket costs 10 Lari, but you have to pay extra 5 lari if you want to visit the train car. More info here. Gori Surroundings Fortress Gori is one of Georgia’s oldest cities. The name of it comes from the Gori Fortress – Goris Ciche, which means “fortress on top”. Nowadays, there are only ruins, but the view from this hill is impressive. Uplistsikhe While in Gori is also worth visiting Uplistsikhe located just 10 km away. It’s possible to reach it by public transport, but there are only a few buses during the day. Comfortable and relatively affordable option is taking taxi. Taxi ride, including the time needed for sightseeing, costs 25 lari but if you can drive a hard bargain… 😉 Uplistsikhe means “Lord’s fortress” and is one of the oldest cities in Georgia. There are a lot of caves which were used as houses, warehouses, shops and churches. It is estimated that in the times of its prime, the complex consisted of about 700 caves! ” order_by=”sortorder” order_direction=”ASC” returns=”included” maximum_entity_count=”500″]

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Georgia – Kutaisi

Gosia — Sun, 13 May 2018 21:01:06 +0000

Kutaisi is getting more and more popular destinantion among travelers and backpackers, due to cheap flight connections and relatively low prices. Kutaisi is the second largest city in Georgia and in my opinion, like whole this country is full of contradictions. Special attention deserves Gerogian architecture. I won’t hide that I’m as green as grass in this topic, but I have to admit that Georgian fantasy in this subject was a great surprise to me. In 2012 President Saakashvili decided to transferred here the Georgian Parliament, which previously had been located in Tbilisi. It wouldn’t be surprising but for the fact that Parliament’s building is located on the outskirts of the city, in the middle of the field and to top it all off its architecture resembles a spaceship 😉 The second building which sparks controversy among many Georgians is Bagrata Cathedral. The ruins of the former cathedral existed in Kutaisi from 17th century and were preceived as a national symbol. Despite numerous protests, president Saakashvili decided to rebuild it in a style, let’s say, rather modern. Kutaisi is surrounded by hills with an interesting view of the city and the river Rioni. The River Bridge is the main gathering point for locals and a mandatory point of every tour. Right next to it, there’s a cablecar leading to the Besik Gabashvili Park, located on one of the Kutaisi hills. On the top you can enjoy your time at a funfair that looks like straight from the previous era. The mandatory point on the Kutaisi map is the bazaar located between Paliashvilli and Lermontov streets. It is said to be one of the most interesting and colorful markets in whole Georgia. After visiting this place, I can believe it. You can taste here a lot of kinds of fruit, vegetables, spices and nuts. A trip to this place is also an interesting cultural experience. You can see everyday life in Kutaisi. In my opinion, it’s well worth going to the part with dairy products, where you can see old sellers advertising homemade cheese and even try it. However, the part with meat is also specific, to my surprise most vendors were really drowsy there 😉 In the market, you can try the famous churchkhela, also known as Georgian Snickers. These delicacies, which look like sausages consist of walnuts dipped in grape juice. And for a drink I would recommend the famous, slightly forgotten, so called Kvass (bread acid), served straight from huge barrels. Kutaisi surroundings Kutaisi is also a very good starting point to visit nearby tourist attractions. Everyone knows the myth about Prometheus who stole the fire from the gods to give it to people. He was punished for it and chained to Khvamli mountain that you can see from the Prometheus Cave, located near Kutaisi. But this story is not the only reason to visit this place. The cave surprises by its size, colours and numerous stalactites and stalagmites. A mile-and-a-half walk through the cave can be completed with a boat cruise. To the cave you can get by using marshrutka number 30 going from the west end of Tsiteli Khidi (Red Bridge) to the city of Tskaltubo (normal ticket – 1 Gel, trip takes 30 minutes) and from there get on marshrutka no. 42 to Prometheus Cave (normal ticket – 1,5 GEL, trip takes 20 minutes) Admission to Prometheus Cave costs 7 GEL and you need to pay additional 7 GEL if you want to go by boat. Next to Kutaisi is another cave – Sataplia. Its interior is not as colourful and large as the Prometheus Cave, but there are dinosaurs’ footprints. In the park next to the cave, there’s an excellent terrace with a beautiful panorama of Kutaisi. You can get there by minibus N45 that leaves Kutaisi Central Agricultural Market (behind the Kutaisi Lado State Academic Theatre). It shuttles every day except Sunday. Normal ticket costs less than 1$ and the travel takes around 40 min. Entrance fee to the cave costs 3$. Incredible views guarantees Okatse Canyon, where you can admire beautiful views from footbridge which runs over the trees. There is an amazing view of the Okatse river. Entrance fee costs 6 GEL. Approximately 5 kilometres away from the Okatse Canyon, there is a stunning, 70-metre Kinchkha waterfall. You can get a taxi here for about 20$ from the Okatse Canyon. Another mandatory point is Gachedili Canyon, which is famous for lush vegetation and waterfalls. The fastest way to visit all of these places is buying a tour with the local travel agency. I used Giga from Budget Georgia. Batumi… If you have more time, you can also take a day trip to famous Georgian resort – Batumi. Marshrutkas from the Bus Station in Kutaisi go to Batumi every half hour. The journey lasts two and a half hour and costs 10 GEL (data from 2017 ). While architecture in Kutaisi surprises, the one in Batumi knocks out. In the centre of this resort, you can see both old communist blocks of flats, typical colonial architecture or palaces, and to top it all off modern skyscrapers. The main point of the city is the promenade which stretches along the rocky beach. Here you can see a lot of “gems” of Georgian architecture. There’s a spiral tower with the letters of the Georgian alphabet and the statue of Ali and Nino, symbolising unfulfilled love of Azeri and the Georgian princess who were separated by the war. There’s also a skyscraper with characteristic astronomical clock. I didn’t fell in love with Batumi as a resort, and I must admit that one-day tour to this city was sufficient. The whole city seems to be under construction and I’m afraid how it’ll look like in several years’ time. Nevertheless, this architectural chaos is charming and curious, in a certain way 😉

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Girl on a (dangerous) Trail – roads safety…

Gosia — Sun, 07 Jan 2018 10:55:50 +0000

Before I went to Georgia, I’d thought that I’d seen everything on the roads. There were roads in Mexico, especially those in Mexico City, provided me adrenaline comparable to bungee jumping. There were no rules, except for one – parking ban, which, as a matter of fact, didn’t improve my situation. It was hard, even today I still remember these dilemmas before going through pedestrian crossing, cutting 7-lane, busy road. To make matters worse, I felt constant uncertainty there, whether a driver, driving a 7th right lane, would begin to make a sudden turning left without warning. The entertainment comparable to watching a good psychological thriller was watching roundabouts during rush hours. I was impressed by drivers’ courage who were driving against the current and those driving with the current, that was really good performance. And how about with the police, the guarantor of the road safety… Everybody knows that Mexico City is overcrowded and not always safe. Hence, the logic of the police is to use the sound signals normally during patrols and turn them off to intervene, so that they do not scare the criminals. As long as it’s logical for the crime prevention, for the pedestrian it’s not. I have to admit, driving a car in Mexico is an art. First of all, it requires major psychological skills, behavioral reflex, the ability to read body movements and gestures, possess relevant interpersonal skills and finally the so called “road assertiveness” must be mastered there. The roads in Vietnam are a separate subject for the book, but I’ve described these issues in a modest post (you can find it here). It would seem that the situation here is better than in Mexico, because there’re mainly scooters on the roads. But believe me, even sitting on the edge of a plane before skydiving doesn’t give such adrenaline like a change of light for the red in the middle of a pedestrian crossing on the busy artery in Saigon. After all these adventures, I thought that the “driving culture” in Georgia won’t differ significantly from the European standard, but I was very wrong. While crossing the road in this country, on the basis of previous experience, it was no longer an impression for me, but traffic observation from the back seat of so called “marshrutka” was a truly spiritual experience. But maybe I’ll start from the beginning. Marshrutkas are popular means of communication in Georgia. Cars, transporting people often belong to private individuals, which unfortunately affects their technical condition. The basic principle in Georgia for the choice of the means of transport is to assess the quality of the windscreen window. If it’s broken, you should look for another means of transport. But the problem is when we get into the car, where it turns out that a cautious driver covered the windscreen. In this situation, all we have to do is pray with the driver. Let me put it this way, praying before driving is a ceremony in Georgia. Cars are equipped with all kinds of rosaries and pictures. WIthout a prayer, you can’t move. Of course this activity is repeated on the road mainly before and after overtaking… In addition, there’s another element in Georgia that I havn’t met in any of the previous countries. The popular means of transport are Japanese cars that are much cheaper. Of course, I must admit that Japanese production cars are valued for quality but they have one basic flaw – for the God’s sake, the steering wheel is on the right! At the first overtaking we lead our strenuous intentions towards the altar made by the driver, and belive me after the drive you can recite the entire apocalypse from your memory. However, it’s not the end, the situation is further complicated by the herds of cows, horses and goats, which, without any discomfort, just walk the road. To make matters worse, the areas in Georgia are imposing additional precautionary measures, as the gas pipes are right to buildings. And how does it look like in practice? Take a look 😉

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Meat, gluten and wine – Georgian cuisine in a nutshell

Gosia — Sun, 24 Sep 2017 13:32:14 +0000

Georgian cuisine is the kingdom of gluten and meat. The food here is very delicious and varied but certainly it’s not for people on diet. Vegetables are used here but usually they are only a decoration to the dishes. The popular snacks are also the perfect cheeses, and the meal it’s not the same without tetri – white wine. Grab a bite! Surely the most famous Georgian food is khinkali – dumplings with meat in a shape of pouches. Supposedly according to art, khinkali should be made up to 19 “folds”. But the true masterpiece is the stuffing of these dumplings, just imagine juicy, perfectly seasoned, slightly spicy meat, immersed in delicious broth… the presence of broth in dumplings forces a special way of eating, put the forks aside, take the khinkali for the tip, slightly bite a little hole and sip the broth from the inside, then eat the rest of it. Remembet that you cannot leave Georgia without tasting the famous khachapuri, which is something like a bun with delicious cheese inside. Each region of Georgia has its own variety of khachapuri, and there are for example: khachapuri Imeruli with cheese, khachapuri with cheese and meat, cheese and spinach, or khachapuri Acharuli – a cake, formed in the shape of a boat with cheese, egg and butter, in a nutshell a real caloric bomb. One of the most delicious meat dish was chops called Abkhazura, which are the national meal in Abkhazia region. Another very tasty dish is odzhakhuri – chicken or beef stew with vegetables, which are served on a hot plate. A very interesting thing is also a local version of kebab. While being in Georgia, try also ostri – beef stew in spicy, tomato sauce. In the category of snacks, in my opinion unquestionably leads badrijani – baked eggplant stuffed with walnuts paste and decorated with pomegranate. A similar dish, but a little bit more spicy is an eggplant with nuts, paprika and a large amount of cilantro. A perfect starter can be also local cheese with traditional bread, called puri or lavash. And for a dessert… While travelling in Georgia, for sure you’ll see stalls with something like sausages. It’s called churchkhela, a local delicacy called Georgian snickers. There’re a lot of varieties of it, whereas traditional one consists of walnuts strung on a thread and immersed in concentrated grape juice. Of course, you can’t forget to eat Georgian fruit. Unquestionably, national fruit here is a watermelon. Watermelons can be found here literally everywhere, in large quantities, and their taste…. ahhh <3 Apart from watermelons, you can taste here peaches, nectarines, raspberries, as well as nuts which are a popular ingredient in the Georgian cuisine. To drink… Georgia is renowned for its excellent waters, and there are numerous spas in the country. In the centre of Tbilisi, there are baths using hot sulphur sources, and the name of the city can be translated as hot springs. The most common water in Georgia is salty Borjomi, Sairme and Nabeghlavi. More interestingly, tap water is very clean and potable. An interesting alternative to water on a hot day are all kinds of lemonade, especially try the tarragon flavour. On the streets, you’ll find barrels with kvas – well known, traditional drink in Eastern Europe. Something harder… Georgia is the country of wine which has been produced here for over 8 thousand years and more importantly, in unchanged way! The fermentation process of grapes together with seeds and skins is carried out in kvevri – huge, clay jar buried in the earth. The presence of skins in the fermentation process, makes the white wine colour rather yellow or orange. In the course of the fermentation of the wine the marc called chacha fall down, and the wine matures during winter. In the spring, it’s poured into a clean pot. What is more interesting Georgian wine does not contain preservatives and sulphates. The temperature in the kvevri is constant and it is 12-15 degrees, so that the wine that has been produced in this way can be drunk even for 50 years. Wine is very important part of Georgian life and the basic element of the so-called supra – traditional dinner. The main point of supra are numerous toasts, expressed by tamada. It’s rather a fun for people with strong head because during supra it is supposed to drink about 3-4 bottles of wine per person. So “gaumarjos” means cheers! There are many types of beer in Georgia, mainly lagers, but it is important to remember that toasts here are only with wine or strong liquor. In the Georgian tradition, you can toast with beer only with enemies. It is also necessary to try chacha – the local moonshine produced from grapes. So where in Tbilisi can you try all of this? To Fabrika for a drink… In my opinion, Fabrika is number one for the climate. So, if you like unusual places, with unique atmosphere, decor and murals, you need to drop here. In this old textile factory, you can find bar, cafe, the hostel and the art gallery. To Warsaw for a steak tartare… The next popular venue is the Warszawa bar. Beer may not be outstanding here, but if you’re tired of khinkali, you’ll find here a decent Polish appetizers as steak tartare or herring. Warszawa is a tourist attraction even for the Georgians alone, you must see their faces during tasting tartare… Priceless! Warszawa Bar is located at Pushkin 19 street, close to the Freedom Square. To Althaus for tea… Althaus is a perfect place for tea lovers. You can find there a large selection of teas, old an interesting decor and a cosy veranda. To Racha for dinner… Little, located in the basement bar on Lermontov 6/20street, is the point number 1 on the Tbilisi food map. Come there, and I guarantee that your taste buds will discover unknown horizons. The decor inside is simple, but you will meet a lot of locals here and you will be able to see the food preparation process. ” order_by=”sortorder” order_direction=”ASC” returns=”included” maximum_entity_count=”500″]

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