Graffiti in Tbilisi - Ukrainian flag colours
We crossed into Georgia from Turkey. Georgia is a small mountainous Country, with under 4m people and smaller than the Republic of Ireland. More than half of it lies above 900m and almost 40% is wooded! More than a quarter of the population live in the capital, Tbilisi. 70% of the population are Orthodox Christians - lots of icons and fervent cross and icon kissing is involved in worship. The social culture also involves a lot of folk dancing and singing. (Not that young people don’t go clubbing and listen to techno beats as well!) National dress still features on high days, holidays and weddings. Wine, cider, beer and homegrown spirits are abundant and are central to almost any occasion! Food involves a lot of bread, white goaty salty cheeses, chicken and dumplings. There is no shortage of salads and walnuts and thin meaty soups. Not sure if their life expectancy of 73 (and improving) has anything to do with their core diet?
The Georgian names of their food specialities bears no relation to anything we might recognise! And their own script makes it, for us, exceptionally difficult to guess what it might be without help. Fortunately most road signs and menus are translated into the Roman alphabet. And Google translate has been our friend.
They are very keen to belong to the EU club. Unlike the UK, alongside Georgian flags, there are many EU flags flying as evidence of their European aspirations. Arriving at the main Airport you would be forgiven for thinking that you had just arrived in the EU, as EU flags almost outnumber Georgian. It will be no surprise to learn that the Georgian flag is white with the red cross of St George.
On arriving in Georgia we drove through Batumi on the Black Sea Coast. It had a very busy vibe, many cars, insufficient parking and was massively developed as a thriving seaside resort. For my money it was a place that we were happy to leave behind, as we passed through Poti (SIM cards) and then headed inland towards Kutaisi before driving up into the beautiful mountains to find the many monasteries and truly ancient churches.
Bagrat Cathedral overlooking Kutaisi
The first overnight stay in Georgia was outside the Bagrat cathedral in Kutaisi. It is positioned in a prominent position high up on a hill overlooking the town. It was on the Unesco world heritage list until fairly recently, but removed following its substantial restoration, led by an award winning Italian architect. It was felt by academic experts to have damaged the historic original structure irreparably. To my inexpert eye, I thought it looked beautiful. It functioned as a place of worship and it seemed that a huge quantity of original stone had been retained and incorporated within the newly restored building.
Our first night in Georgia. The view over Kutaisi from beautiful Bagrat Cathedral - delisted UNESCO site on account of its restoration. Personally I think it has been tastefully done. Purists may think otherwise.
The small car park was thankfully flat and largely empty when we arrived quite late in the day. We had stunning views over the town in front and a truly beautiful cathedral behind us to explore in the morning. ( Very average facilities were available to deal with our loo!) And in the morning we spied two pretty young puppies left outdoors to fend for themselves alongside the parking lot. The little blue car below was calling for scrap metal. ´Rag and bone’ in Georgia.
Lonesome puppy
Rag and bone man is not dead in Georgia
Bread en route sold through a hatch. Often with a bread oven in the space behind
We planned to spend several days in Tbilisi before heading off to the mountains. As well as being the capital, Tbilisi is the main population centre and over 25% of Georgians live in the capital. It is a real mix of modern city with smart offices and flats, well maintained theatres and an Opera House, cheek by jowl with tiny businesses selling a handful of carrots, washing powder and some cat food.
Anyone travelling in a van is always on the look out for a laundry and dryers. On arrival in Tbilisi we headed for our first laundry! We did not really understood the geography of the town. Jim directed me down increasingly steep tiny streets and I became increasingly concerned about the Sprinters’ escape route. (He had form). It was not until one lane looked like a cliff edge with a warning post stuck in the middle and I hesitated big time 🙈 Getting out of a tight squeeze was a story in itself. We eventually found the laundry using a less precipitous route but decided it was not suitable because it was getting late and they did not do a service wash. So the search was still on!
Buying locally roasted and ground coffee
Courtesy of iOverlander we had found a spot to park right in the middle of Tbilisi, at the Public Service Hall car park. It was massive and free if you were not touched up by an enterprising beggar. It was necessary to arrive very early or very late or it would be full of local government officers’ cars. We went back and forth through Tbilisi several times and always managed to squeeze in here and make ourselves at home. The neighbouring park had a toilet, water fountain and busy cafe. The river ran along side the park and it was a short walk to get into either the new or old town areas, both with things to see. A short walk away was a large Carrefour supermarket and over the top of the supermarket sits a superb food hall cum farmers market selling high priced but high quality produce. All of this sits close to shabby streets in need of tlc.
Georgian architecture
Street near Fabrika
Tbilisi flower stalls
Tbilisi flowers. Hard not to be impressed
Our visits to Tbilisi increasingly included a traipse to the second laundry located in the wonderful Fabrika. This was a modern hostel constructed in former clothing factory. Think Berlin. It was full of young people working remotely on laptops. There was a good vibe, good music, food, sofas and most importantly showers and washing machines we could use!
Entrance to Fabrika Hostel with Ukrainian flag
Fabrika hostel workspace vibe
Fabrika hostel workspace vibe
Jim hanging out in Fabrika workspace
Fabrika workspace
There is much to explore in Tbilisi but we particularly enjoyed the bits in between. The support for Ukraine is incredibly visible with Ukrainian flags flying from businesses. There is help here with accommodation and food for refugees. This is provided for up to a year and they are free to find jobs and work. And they do. So sensible!
Ukrainian flag outside Georgian cafe
We actually met young people who had arrived from Ukraine, Russia and Belarus to live and work in Georgia where they have received a welcome. Fabrika was teeming with young people working remotely on laptops, having zoom meetings and drinking coffee. We imagine that many of these had come recently from Ukraine, Russian and Belarus. Russian vehicles in Georgia prominently displayed anti war stickers. The town is home to theatre groups and artists and we saw quite a bit of really good street art.
Tbilisi backstreet near Bethlemi
Tbilisi street art
Tbilisi street art
Covid testing centre in Tbilisi closed
There is a lot of street sculpture. The one in the middle looks familiar?
Headquarters of Georgian Dream political party
Oldest Christian Church in Tbilisi
Although restoration has been carried out in pockets of the old town, pavements in many back streets are a bit of a death trap. There are unguarded holes or steps down to dingy basement areas of unimproved buildings. With poor lighting at night you could do serious damage! When raining, drains from gutters on tall buildings instead of finishing in a drain at street level, seem to stop just above head level in the middle of the pavement and you need to run the gauntlet with a well positioned umbrella in a downpour. I dont know how often downpours occur but the town drains are not cut out for serious rain. On a very wet day, even steeply sloping roads became awash and it was impossible not to have very wet feet. (The photos I have inserted are of the better preserved locations.)
It would be remiss of me not to update on the Sprinter and its mechanical woes! In spite of a very reassuring print out issued by Mercedes Tbilisi, help from Mercedes Erzurum and Samsun in Turkey, the problems we encountered with the Sprinter are still on-going. (In Tbilisi Mercedes right now). Jim and I still suspect damage inflicted by us topping up with unsuitable Ad Blue. Jim thinks the Sprinter is a sensitive soul. I think it is like the little girl with a curl. When she is good, she is very very good!
Whilst in Tbilisi we went to the Opera House which was staging an Othello ballet. The star of the show (in my view) was actually the building. Millions of dollars had been spent on its restoration and it was totally stunning. The chandeliers were totally sumptuous and it is now obviously a world class venue, paid for by the country’s richest man and a former prime minister, Bidzina Ivanishvili and founder of the Georgian Dream political party, which forms part of the Government coalition at this time.
Jim felt that the Prima Ballerina was amazing. Desdemona was performed by the ballerina, Nina Ananiashvili. I was astonished to learn that she was 59 years old and could still realistically pass as a girl in her twenties!
Our first trip out of the Capital (on a day when the Sprinter was being fairly good) was to Gergeti Monastery which is just about the most beautiful place imaginable. So much so that it will become the subject of its own blog.
High above Gergeti Monastery on our walk