Blogs from Batumi, Adjara, Georgia, Asia

I headed to Batumi after Mestia, away from the mountains to explore the coastal area of Georgia. Based on the Black Sea, Batumi is the second largest city in Georgia, known for tourism and casinos (it's termed as the Las Vegas of the Black Sea). Batumi has a long and beautiful promenade near the beach, a 7KM long stretch for people to explore, exercise or just wander about. One end starts from the Old City (the area I was staying in) and the other end is the modern, newer Batumi with high rises. Along the promenade, there are many interesting sculptures, none more interesting and unique than the Ali and Nino statue. Based on a true love story during World War 1 between an Azerbaijani man (Ali) and a Georgian princess (Nino), this story was immortalized ... read more

Geo: 41.6517, 41.65621435: Room 307 Hotel Era Palace - Batumi, West Georgia.Woof! It's been an interesting 24 hrs to say the least! I last updated you from our ramshackle hotel balcony in Kutasi. We set off (via a couple of monasteries) to the mountainous regions of North West Georgia to stay in Mestia which is famous for huge scenary and funny little brick towers called "Vendetta Towers". This region still practices the tradition of the blood feud, or vendetta -- a custom which nearly wipes out large families in the region. If a young man or woman is killed by a member of another family, the victim's family must avenge the death of their relative by taking a life in the offending family. The vicious circle can continue for generations. "If another person kills a member ... read more

Saturday July 4 – This morning Zurab and his wife drove me to the bus station on their way to their summer home. Such a relief, as it was difficult trying to plan how to get here easily (and cheaply). They dropped me off at 8:30am and I went in to the office with my online booking number to ask them to print a ticket for me. No English spoken, and eventually she said I didn’t need a ticket. Seemed unlikely, but ok. I walked over to the bus area, and someone showed me the other office. They spoke less English, but someone who did helped me explain I needed to print a ticket. They said I didn’t need one. I gave my bag to the guy putting them under the bus, and he didn’t ask ... read more

Batumi liegt in Ajara (Adscharien), einer Autonomen Teilrepublik Georgiens. Von 2001 bis 2004 regierte hier ein Halbwilder, A. Abashidse, der die Region als sein persölnliches Fürstentum behandelte, in dem er (gestützt von Milizen) autokratisch schalten und walten konnte. Unter seiner Herrschaft hatte Adscharien eigene Streitkräfte aufgestellt und zahlte keine Steuern an Georgien. Autos, die von Georgien nach Adscharien einfuhren, wurden Grenzkontrollen durch die lokale Polizei unterworfen und mussten Gebühren zahlen. Kritik am Staatschef wurde nicht geduldet. Politische Gegner Abaschidses wurden getötet, aus Adscharien verwiesen oder wegen angeblicher Straftaten vor Gericht gestellt. 2004 schloß er sogar die Grenzen zu Georgien - und das gab dann doch Anlaß zu Aufregung. Er verlor die Unterstützung durch Russland, es gab mehrere Aufstände gegen ihn und so packte er sein Ränzel und ging ... read more

1st May It's a new month and we're heading for a new country, Georgia! The drive takes us along the Black Sea coastline and through several tunnels and small towns. It wasn't too far and so we set up wifi hotspots to use up the data left on our phone plans - which lasted long enough for people to update FB statuses... Stopping for an early lunch and to do cook group shopping, we then crossed the border around 1pm. It was an easy departure from Turkey and as we walked along the pathway separating us from Suse and the truck and other large vehicles, we came across a duty free store. Alcohol prices were cheap and although we'd heard that it was cheap in Georgia, some weren't willing to take the risk and purchased some ... read more