Tbilisi Archives - Wandering North

Asia Georgia (the country) Georgia Trip 2014

Marionettes & Vodka: the final day in Tbilisi

As i write this i am on a flight from Tbilisi to Warsaw, somewhere between the middle of the night and early the next morning. Yesterday/today was my final day in Georgia. There wasn’t too much more in Tbilisi i wanted to do, but the top of my list for that day was a trip to Mtatsminda Park. Mtatsminda Park is or was a soviet era amusement park in top of a mountain overlooking Tbilisi. Apparently it was the third most popular amusement park in the soviet union. With am endorsement like that, how could i resist? (It has since been updated, although i believe some of the attractions are original.)

To reach the park the is a funicular a short but steep walk from Liberty Square. The funicular steeply and swiftly lifts you up the mountain, past a monastery, to the top. The views are excellent, looking out over the city and also looking up at the TV tower, which is, just that, a giant antenna like tower on top of the mountain, which at night is lit up with flashing orange lights.

The amusement park is small, but lovely, set in an actual park. I arrived about an hour before the rides opened, but it was still possible to walk through the park, when i took photos of the rides being set up.

The park itself is clearly not North American, as evidenced by these rather Georgian looking mice.

I waited first to ride the roller coaster, which i ultimately did three times. It is a good coaster, with a couple of sharp loops, but it is very short. I was the first one in line and was only one of three people riding.

After that i went to the “ghost house” – one of those haunted houses where you ride through in carts on rails past all manner of animatronic horrors. In that respect it was pretty standard, but, honestly, it was a bit scary, only because i was the only person on the ride and good chunks of it are in the pitch blackness (and anyone who knows me knows i am afraid of the dark). And the ride was very long. I had a lot of time to concoct a horror movie scenario in which a lone traveler rides solo through a soviet amusement park haunted house, only to be detained in some subterranean “Hostel” or “Saw” like scenario. But none of that happened. On the whole, it was a great ride and succeeded in making me uneasy, if only for my overactive imagination.

After that i rode the giant ferriswheel (super boring, but great views), and a really fun octopus, spinny ride, on which it was just me and two young boys. I then walked through a forested area that was filled with animatronic dinosaurs that ‘came to life’ as you walked by them. I enjoyed that way too much.

The park started to get busier as i left, but while i was there it was quiet and i felt like i had it to myself.

After descending via the funicular i had some more eggplant with walnuts and some potato kinkhali, before doing a bit of looking in the gift and souvenir shops, including the comically named “Georgian Patriarchy Shop” and picking up some snacks from women selling on the street.

I spent the rest of the afternoon visiting cafes and hanging out at the hostel, chatting with the other guests, all of whom have been extremely pleasant.

In the evening i went to the Gabriadze Marionette Theatre. This had been on my list since before i left Canada. The theatre (located below that crooked clock tower from a previous post), does various shows entirely with marionettes and other types of puppets. The shows are in Georgian with English subtitles and all seem to be dramatic tales drawing on Georgian history. I saw “Autumn of my Springtime” which was s tale of love, death, poverty, and justice in post war Georgia. It was so beautiful. The only thing i can compare it to is a show by The Old Trouts, for those who are familiar with that Canadian puppet troupe. The show was sold out days in advance and i am very happy that i had a ticket.

It was my final night in Tibilisi, so i was not keen to retire to the hostel. I headed off to a place i had heard about but not yet visited. There is an entirely unremarkable looking Lebanese restaurant (i won’t say where, only because i think others should have to find it themselves or be told by a local where it is). Entering the restaurant, walk confidently to the back to the kitchen. There is a dark flight of roughly hewn stone stairs heading two flights down. At the bottom you are hit with a blast of unfamiliar rock music and cigarette smoke and the room opens up into a cavernous space with low, arched, brick ceilings, brick walls, lit by green lights. There is a bar and the place is filled with young Georgians, looking like some combination of hipster, grunge, and metal, drinking and smoking. It is so cool, like something out of a movie i haven’t yet seen. I made my way to the bar and ordered vodka (vodka is, by the way, cheaper than tea and coffee here). I didn’t socialize much, aside from getting drawn into some dispute over cards, but i had a great time smoking and observing.

After that i hit one more spot, “Bauhaus” which is a cafe/bar in the old city, in one of the super grungy backstreets next to a lot that looks like it was bombed, but featuring some nifty graffiti. The place is spare, arty, and cool. There were a few groups of people in there are they were projecting silent films on the wall. I had another vodka and a cigar before meandering back to the hostel. I really can’t get enough of wandering in this city – every time i turn down a new street i discover new graffiti or beautiful old buildings, churches, cafes…always something good and interesting.

Back at the hostel, i hung out for a bit, chatting, before getting about two hours sleep and leaving for the airport.
Today i have a short visit to Warsaw and then, reluctantly, home.

Asia Georgia (the country) Georgia Trip 2014

Kazbegi and the Georgian Military Highway

My plan all along was to do a trip to the Kazbegi region of Georgia. This is a high, mountainous region just south of the Russian border, accessible from Tbilisi only by the infamous Georgian Military Highway. Kazbegi (and it’s main destination, the picturesque village of Stepantsminda) is stunning and the highway is known for being one of the world’s more scenic and dangerous drives.

You can take a marshrutka from Tbilisi for 10 lari (about $6) for the 3 hour drive, which is what i had planned go do, but then one of the guys from the hostel and i talked about hiring a car to take us there so we could stop and take photos along the way. He wanted to go up for the day and i planned to spend the night. This morning however he was sound asleep following what apparently was an all night Georgian supra (feast and marathon eating and drinking event filled with numerous toasts) but i still wanted to go and was rather taken with the idea of taking a car, so i went by myself with Nik (a young student who works at the hostel), who borrowed his dad’s 1980s Renault to drive me up there. I paid him 150 lari for the trip and the. For him it was about 5-6 hours of driving, so i thought the price was fair.

Taking a car turned out to be terrific. We were able to stop along the way to visit churches and stop so i could photograph the stunning scenery and flocks of sheep. The skies were blue and the weather was warm as we left Tbilisi. I thought, “i don’t see what the beg deal is about this Georgian Military Highway being dangerous.”

Of course, as we climbed higher into the mountains, the road turned into a series of hairpin turns on the narrow two-lane, clinging to the side of the steep mountain sides…and then it clouded over, began to rain and thunder and then and we passed by large patches of ice, it began to snow. Not the best conditions for driving, as one multi car accident we passed demonstrated, complete with an overturned semi.

As we finally reached Stepantsminda, the snow gave way to rain. Wet and foggy though it was, the town was beautiful: a proper mountain village in the middle of glacier capped mountains, with cattle and sheep roaming the streets like dogs.

About 2500 people live here and there isn’t much. A couple hostels, a couple restaurants, a few tiny markets selling bread, vodka, dairy, and sweets, farmland, and forrest. The reason people come here is for the hiking – and mostly to hike up to the Tsmind Sameba Church, although it is possible to hike up to the glaciers, which are not far away.

It was cold and wet when we arrived so rather than leaving me to my own devices, Nik, rolled down his window and asked a stern and study looking man if he knew of a place i could stay. The man apparently said i could stay with him and his wife, because soon i was in their small, cozy home. The couple- Lela and Rezo – speak only Georgian and Russian so we are relying on my very limited Russian and a lot of sign language. Their house is modest and cozy, warmed with a wood burning stove in the living room. It appears that i am taking their room and they are sleeping in the living room. I am paying them about the equivalent of $15 dollars for the night and breakfast. There is no internet, of course – even the electricity is intermittent, but i shall write this now on my ipad and post it at the next opportunity.

After i settled in at their place, i went walking through the town to nowhere in particular, though i did stop in at the tiny museum which had cows grazing out front.

I ended up at a crowded restaurant on the main square and ended up eating with four travellers from Poland, who were very friendly and with whom i shared my first taste of ‘cha cha’ or Georgian vodka, more similar to a grappa than vodka. It doesn’t go down smoothly and once swallowed it makes its presence felt. It was good to try, but i don’t think i’ll be making a habit of it.

After sitting by the stove reading for a while i went to bed early, for a bit of blogging before bed. Tomorrow morning i have a car scheduled to take me up the mountain to the church after church.

A very cozy end to a very good day.

Asia Georgia (the country) Georgia Trip 2014

To Market in Tbilisi

This morning after breakfast I loafed around the hostel for a bit chatting with the other guests and then set off for the nearest metro station. The metro stations are somewhat reminiscent of those in Moscow, in terms of their depth and signage, though not as fancy.

I paid the 50 tetri for a one way ride (that’s about 30 cents) and rode to the Didube stop which is where the main bus station is – well, it’s not so much a bus station as it is a chaotic jumble of marshrutkas parks haphazardly over a few areas, with signs in the windows of the vehicles displaying their destinations, in Georgian only. There is a lot of shouting and horn honking. The surrounding area is filled with a sprawling market, the reason for my visit. The market is so big that i am pretty sure i only saw a fraction of it. There are stalls selling fruits and vegetables (nothing exotic, but everything here has that fresh from the garden taste), spices, nuts, legumes, meats, cheeses, bread, and pickled things. The picked things section was nearly identical those those i have seen in Uzbekistan and Russia. I guess former soviet countries like their pickles. I bought some pickles and received a bonus, pickled spicy green tomato as a gift.

There were also stalls selling clothing, candy, household goods … Everything really. There were also lots more of those claw / prize machines, but these ones were stocked only with packs of cigarettes. It was a great place to spend time walking around. Surrounding the area were small, divey bakeries, hair salons, and shops. I settled down in a smoky, wood paneled eatery playing Georgian tunes from a juke box and serving bread and sausages and had some cheese bread and coffee.

After that i took the subway back i walked down Rustaveli avenue to the National Museum, which had some archeological artifacts and historic weapons and costumes; the most interesting thing though was the top floor which dealt with the Soviet occupation.

I then went for a Turkish coffee (or three) at a cafe and chatted with three very young, slightly drunk Georgian guys. One of them asked about my mugshot tattoo and when i told him it was Frank Sinatra, this drunk 20 year old Georgian kid said, “ah yes, Frank Sinatra. He knew many gangsters.”

The coffee here is quite good. There certainly is the horrible Nescafe, but ther are aslo excellent Americanos, espressos, and every place also serves great turkish coffee, so there is terrific variety. You don’t event notice that this is a Starbucks free country (though there is a knock-off Starbucks in a train car in Tbilisi.

This pretty much filled the day – plus a nap, dinner, and cigar. It was a bit of a quieter day, but very relaxing and enjoyable.

Tomorrow the plan is to take a trip up to Kazbegi for the day or perhaps over night and take in some Georgian mountain scenery.

Asia Georgia (the country) Georgia Trip 2014

Things Eaten & Things Seen: Tbilisi Day 2

Tbilisi day two has been just as enjoyable as day one. I went out early for breakfast at a place on a square in the old town called Qalari Samiktao, which was filled with locals (all men). It is not at all charming, but has a wonderful view of the square and the river and has a big, open kitchen with a large wood burning oven for cooking. Everything on the menu was Georgian. I had a coffee and a khachapuri (ხაჭაპური) which is basically a bread boat filled with some combination of cheese and butter and sometimes an egg or meat. I had the cheese variety. These are a staple in Georgian cuisine. The bread here is remarkable and when filled with cheese and fresh from the oven, it is delicious. That being said, i could only bring myself to eat a small amount of this heart attack on a plate, which seemed to concern the waiter, who asked, “it is not good?” I assured him it was, but i said “if i eat more i will die”, which he thought was funny. Oh, and can i just say how wonderful it is to smoke inside, to have ashtrays on every table. It is the best.

Bread and cheese in various forms are sold everywhere, including kiosks for take away seem to be constantly baking everything fresh, producing delicious aromas, from even the most uninspiring looking places, like this place in an underground passageway.

Most people here speak Georgian and Russian, although it seems that most people working in the hospitality industry speak some English as well. So far in Georgian the most i can manage is please, thank you, hello, good bye, yes, and no. But I’ll always try new words, with varying degrees of success.

After breakfast i walked across the bridge to the Metekhi Church, which sits on a cliff over the river. No services were happening but there were women inside, praying.

I then left the old city and walked down Rustavelis street, which is main thoroughfare through the city, lined with the national museum, gallery, opera house and other large impressive buildings, as well as many well known, European stores. I didn’t find it as interesting as the old city for visiting, but it was a nice walk and one church had a service underway which had the same beautiful singing as i heard elsewhere on Sunday. I also stopped by and had a coffee in the leafy courtyard of an English language bookstore and coffee roaster.

I then went down to the dry bridge market, which is really a flea market of mostly paintings, dishes, felted objects, ceramics, daggers, drinking horns, soviet collectibles, and other odds and ends. Nothing really caught my fancy but it was fun to look.

I made it back to the old city just before noon, in time to catch the show at the whimsical clock tower. At noon, the top door opened and an angel came out and hit the bell with a hammer 12 times, then a second door opened and music played as figures rotated, showing a man and woman getting married, then with a baby, then showing them old, then their tombstones.

For lunch i went to another Georgian restaurant, and had two dishes i had wanted to try: badrijani nigvizit (ბადრიჯანი), which is eggplant slices topped with a garlicy walnut paste and garnished with slices of onion and pomegranate seeds; and khinkali (ხინკალი), boiled soup dumplings often containing meat, but in this case, mushroom. If there is one quintessential Georgian food, it is khinkali which is served everywhere. They were both delicious and bursting with flavor. I sat outside and had a cigar, on the narrow, pedestrian street, watching the passersby.

One other Georgian food i have tried is Churchkela or ჩურჩხელა, which is nuts (walnuts or hazelnuts) strung on strings and dipped in grape juice until it forms a chewy, slightly sweet coating. These are for sale at markets and on the street, hanging and looking like sausages or candles. The different colors apparently come from the different grapes used and is made as a byproduct of Georgian wine making (which itself is a big deal – Georgia is, according to archeological evidence, the first wine producing country and it is a big product today). The churchkela is tasty – kind of a nut and dried fruit combination.

One thing i saw on my walks that amused me was one of those machines that you put money into to operate a claw so you can pick up a toy or prize, it had teddy bears inside, and plastic eggs with prizes inside. Normal enough, but this machine also had packs of cigarettes in addition to the toys. No wonder everyone here smokes. I guess they start young.

This afternoon was more aimless wandering, followed by a nap, and then i sat inside one of the many many hookah lounges (the Cairo bar) enjoying some shisha and tea. Certainly there are tourists at these places, but judging by the languages spoken, it seems that it is mostly locals partaking in the hookahs, backgammon and dominoes.

It is raining. Nothing else planned for the evening. Tomorrow i will make a day trip to the towns of Mtskheta (the former capital of Georgia from 3rd century BCE to to the 5th century) and Gori (famous for being Stalin’s hometown and where a number of people were killed during the Russian/Georgian war of 2008). I will also visit Uplistsikhe, a cave city and former silk road trading stop dating back to about 5th century BCE. These are all places i had wanted to visit, but couldn’t do it all in 1 day, as i was going to travel by marshrutka. Fortunately, two guys (whom i haven’t yet met) staying at the hostel have hired a driver and were looking for a third to share the cost, so i will join them. It should be fun.

Back at the hostel now, calling it a day. I am very happy with my hostel choice. My room is cozy, and it is nice to have my own kitchen for making tea. The staff here speak perfect English, and the shared bathrooms are clean (they also have signs on them advising that sex is not allowed in the washrooms – good to know).
ძილი ნებისა (good night)

Asia Georgia (the country) Georgia Trip 2014

Tbilisi Loves You: First impressions

My flight from Warsaw landed in Tbilisi at 4:00am, a time i am well acquainted with but after almost two days of plane travel i was bleary eyed. The sign that greets you at customs says, “Tbilisi: the city that loves you.” And i felt the love, or at least, i felt welcomed. It was too dark and early to do anything, so i settled into a comfortable cafe in the airport terminal and drank coffee and smoked (inside the cafe) until the sky lightened. I haggled briefly and successfully with a man who said “i have car. I drive you,” and we drove to the city. (The price: 25 lari) i wasn’t able to gain access to my hostel until 9:00 so i spent 3 hours walking around the old city part of Tbilisi and around the river.

Wow. This place is awesome. Seriously, from the sleepy early morning until now, the lively evening, it is beautiful and and so incredibly interesting. My pulse quickened as i walked down the winding streets with their beautiful, dilapidated buildings, medieval-looking churches, pocket sized squares, cafes, and shops, all nestled beneath mountains dotted with more churches and imposing fortresses, along a rushing river. There are also a handful of crazy super modern architecture structures, which add to the old world charm by way of their juxtaposition.

I know what you are thinking:”your pulse quickened? Cut the hyperbole already.” But it did. On first glance the whole place was just that exciting. It is that unique: not quite European, a bit middle eastern, a bit Central Asian…but wholly enchanting. And none of it feels precious or artificial. It’s just…great.

First impressions aside, i was exhausted and must have looked it, bedraggled as i was, with my pack on my back, that as i stood looking up at a synagogue, a man, the caretaker, invited me in to sit. I hung out there for about an hour, chatting with the man, drinking his coffee.

After that relaxing interlude, i went to my hostel to drop off my bag. I am staying at the Old Town Hostel. I have a private room with a kitchen on the 4th floor. Shared bathroom, shared, living room area, on one of the particularly ramshackle side streets, which is, as far as i can tell, walking distance to everything.

Dropped off my bag and set off again. The day was beautiful – sunny and warm. I walked all around, stopping to have breakfast and a cigar in one of the squares. Happily the rumours are true: everyone here smokes and there are no restrictions on where they do it.

I went to so many churches today. All simple, medievally looking ones, beautifully painted on the inside and decorated with candles, urns, and gilded pictures of saints. Unfortunately, i haven’t any pictures from inside the churches, as they were filled, crammed, and overflowing with worshippers. This is a religious culture. People cross themselves, just when walking past a church. Women cover their heads to enter, and everyone seemed to be going. They lit candles and incense, prayed, took communion from dramatically dressed and dramatically bearded orthodox priests, and they kissed everything: pictures of saints, the floor, the interior and exterior walls, crosses, each other… And the singing was some of the loveliest i have heard in church. Each stop was wonderful, although in some cases the best i could do was stand outside and listen, as the church was so full, that worshipers stood outside doors and windows to participate.

I also wandered around the area where the public baths are: underground, sulphur baths, both public and private where you can enjoy hot and cold pools, brutal massages and exfoliation at the hands of strong and serious men and women on stone slabs, and all the public nudity you can handle. They are fairly ancient and renowned, but i know i won’t be partaking, not being comfortable with either public nudity or massages.

I have just finished a walk around many of the same areas, but now in the evening. The bars and restaurants are busy. There are a few narrow, pedestrian streets lined with cafes, bars, and lounges, all busy and at least half of them hookah lounges filed with men smoking and playing backgammon.

I’m still a bit tired, so i have opted for a quieter bar/restaurant where i am enjoying a glass of Georgian wine and a cigar, just a few steps away from the louder, busier places, where they are playing a loud mix of middle eastern music, techno, and hits of the 1990s.

There is still so much so see and explore. This is only day one. I am already so happy i came here. Tbilisi says it loves me. Is it premature to say i love it back?

Tag: Tbilisi