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Blogs from Tbilisi District, Georgia, Asia - page 10
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Back in the USSR - Georgia Part II
Published: April 25th 2007Asia » Georgia » Tbilisi District » Tbilisi
April 25th 2007
We arrived at the Georgian border, our car devastated by dirt and snow, and breezed through the checkpoint without hassle. Americans don’t need visas to Georgia, which I find a remarkable turn of events given the history of the region. A quick stamp and we were off. Others weren’t so lucky. I didn’t care. The dramatic mountains followed us north, and, while obviously pained economically, there was a notable and sudden change the moment we set foot inside Georgia. Road signs were often bright and new, and frequently in proper English too. Sure there were plenty of Soviet-era Ladas, Volga’s, and Niva’s, but plenty of foreign cars raced through the streets too. The traffic police actually did their jobs and patrolled the city in clean new VW’s and Skoda squad cars. The street lights not ... read more
April 10th 2007
I spent a week in Tibilisi at Irena's homestay and this was the highlight of my time in Georgia. The rest was a disappointment. The country is very much an ex-soviet nation. The older people are still in a kind of shock. The younger generation and the old communists, who managed to grab all they could lay their hands on, are in transition to capitalism, specifically the second hand Mercedes for the less well off and the new 4x4 for the ex-communists and hangers-on. They drive their cars at pedestrians with horns blaring. Indeed for these rather fat unshaven men in black coats and black leather flat caps the car horn is more important than their own private parts. They would certainly surrender the latter rather than their car horn. I cannot believe that the ... read more
April 10th 2007
Arriving in Tbilisi early evening we were delighted to be given a suite room for the 3 of us and had a blast for at least one night before moving into a 2 bed room, the GTM hotel all in all is not too bad except for the exorbitant price of laundry. So we did a walking half day trip of the city saw churches and more churches, the old town etc before returning to the hotel to fill in and sign our Azerbaijan visa application for our crossing the next couple of days. We had a good night dinner at an Indian restaurant and also the Chinese restaurant the next day. The next day was rainy so then I decided to sit around and do some internet for 6 hours! the connection is so ... read more
March 27th 2007
Thursday March 22. I had a good nights sleep and this morning tried briefly to turn on my side. It was very painful so I took a tablet and got out of bed. The town has lots of gambling joints and groups of young men in black leather jackets hanging around occasionally jumping into or out of Mercedes cars. All around is terrible poverty especially among the old or the very young. This is capitalism Georgian style, arrogance, a Mercedes car and large quantities of vodka in the men only restaurants. The faces of the young are racked by poverty and the old by vodka. Friday March 23. I left Batumi on the coast road which is fairly hilly and in poor condition so at Kobuleti I decided to cut across rather than go onto ... read more
To the Mountains and Back Again
Published: September 5th 2006Asia » Georgia » Tbilisi District » Tbilisi
September 4th 2006
So much has happened that I feel a little overwhelmed by the task ahead - ie trying to summarise all, or at least most, of what has happened in the last couple of weeks. And there has been a lot! If you are following me on a map the list of places visited kind of goes like this: Baji (very small village in Racha Region) Ambrolauri Nikortsminda Sarkarsria (small village near Khasuri) Tbilisi Davit Gareja Mtskheta Ananuri Kazbegi Tbilisi Signaghi Telavi Alaverdi Tbilisi. Before you think that I am a legendary biker getting around to all these places, let me assure you that I'm not. Instead I've taken the local transportation of marshrutkas and buses to get around but did manage to squeeze ... read more
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July 18th 2006
Ah... Georgia, sweet Georgia... You make me so drunk!! The last week and a half I have spent in Tbilisi, the charming capital of this country, and the mountains... In Tbilisi I met some great people at Irena's Home stay, both travellers and the family and friends of the family. This lead to some good parties and lots of consummation of vodka! Of course I also looked at some sites; I strolled around the town, took daytrips to Mtskheta their religious capital, Davit Gareja an old monastic sight on the border with Azerbaijan and took a dip in Tbilisi Sea a reservoir just outside the capital. But admittedly I spend much of my time tending my frequent hangovers in bed at the home stay... After a week of this I left to the Caucasus together with ... read more
In search of the Golden Fleece
Published: August 12th 2007Asia » Georgia » Tbilisi District » Tbilisi
July 7th 2006
Like Jason and his Argonauts in times past I went to Georgia to seek out the Golden Fleece... Unlike Jason I wasn't successful but I did find a country full of very hospitable people who enjoy feasting and who will take very well care of their guests! I also found the last Stalin fans in the world... He lives on in Gori his birthplace!! I entered Georgia at Batumi which is the country's main seaside resort... It's full of charming run down buildings from the turn of the century... Near by is Gonio a more or less intact Roman fortress. After this I went to Kutaisi, the second city of Georgia and what is thought to be the town where Jason found the Golden Fleece. I stayed with Giorgi and his family who took good care ... read more
