Rick and Kris honeymoon in the Republic of Georgia

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Day 7

Today is our anniversary, and our guide has made dinner reservations at a restaurant that is supposed to be the best in Tbilisi. I have convinced Kris we need to try the famous sulfur baths of Tbilisi. Kris has reviewed the several options and we have reservations the baths at 11am. These bathhouses have been around for centuries, using the natural underground springs of sulfur water occurring in this small specific area of Tbilisi.

We are not sure what to expect, new country and different customs should provide a new experience, plus it is inexpensive. I have booked a single room at $40.00 for 1 hour, plus a “scrub” for an additional $7.00. Kris has her own room and “scrub” plus a massage.

We arrive and I am taken to my room, Kris is taken to hers. The room is huge with a 10’ across hot sulfur pool, a 4’ across cold water plunge pool, sauna, shower facility, toilet and long bench where I believe the scrub will take place. I have been given instructions to A. sit in hot sulfur water for 5 minuets, then B. spend 3 minuets in cold plunge, then C. sauna, then D. shower and repeat. Scrub will occur in 30 minuets. The room is gorgeous with intricate mosaic tile everywhere, and spotless clean. The routine is great! In 30 minuets a knock on the door and a burley Georgian appears. He has a bucket and a pillowcase in hand. You must first purchase a luffa if you opt for a scrub. I pay extra for a good luffa that I can keep. You are naked for this whole experience; while he has on a speedo suit, now I am a bit nervous. The scrub begins with him using my luffa to dry scrub my entire body really hard, moving me to several positions to accomplish this dry scrub. After the scrub he starts dumping buckets full of the hot sulfur water over my head, 8 to 10 buckets of the stuff completely rinsing the off any dead skin. Next he starts dumping buckets of fresh warm water over my head to rinse off the sulfur water. Now he instructs me to lie on my stomach. He takes the pillowcase and the soapiest water I have ever experienced and begins to massage and wash my backside. It feels great! Next he tells me to flip over. Ya? Easier said than done! Completely covered with soapy water on soapy slick tile, I slide off the tile shelf like a slippery fish on the deck of a boat! He helps me back on the shelf and does the same routine on the front side careful to avoid my privets. After another complete soaping on the front side, its time to sit up. Sliding off the shelf again I manage to get back into a sitting position. Then the bucket brigade begins again with warm fresh water. 8-10 buckets later he is done. He tells me to sauna first then shower, and begin the hot, cold, sauna routine again. This was the best $50 I ever spent, really felt super clean after the whole experience.



Kris had a salt massage in addition to the tub and scrub and loved it all. I walked back to the hotel and bought some cookies on the way from Kris’s favorite cookie store. The Biltmore had champagne and special anniversary cake waiting for us upon our return. Next, we rush off to the special Anniversary restaurant for our special Anniversary dinner. We are the only two in the entire place, bad sign.

The menu is one of those take a picture and read it on the phone kind. We had a great lunch yesterday so we try to duplicate some of the same food. We order, and the food comes and its nothing like our lunch yesterday. Turns out a Kebob is not a Kebob everywhere, and pizza does not use the same cheese everywhere. The kebob turns out to be a hot dog and the pizza uses stinky sheep cheese. So what, we had a great day and just return to our hotel to enjoy cocktails on cake. It was a GREAT day!

Happy 50 to us.

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Photos

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Sulfur baths

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My hot sulfur bath

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Shower and Sauna

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Slippery ass scrub lounge