Tbilisi - amazing city, Truth. Everything is mixed up here - both the breath of Europe and the ancient Georgian history, and heritage Soviet Union… Nowadays, the capital of Georgia is a clean, well-maintained and safe city, and it is a great idea to walk along the streets of it.

1. Translated from the Georgian language, the name "Tbilisi" means "warm spring". Until the 1930s, the Greek version of the city's name, Tiflis, was used in Russian.
2. According to Georgian legend, in 458 one of the kings of Iberia went hunting. His hunting falcon wounded a pheasant (in another version, a deer). The wounded animal was able to get to the nearest spring and was healed by taking a few sips of water from the spring. The king was amazed by this miracle and ordered to build a city on this site.
3. Archaeologists have found that people lived on the territory of modern Tbilisi as early as the 4th millennium BC. The first fortress, the data of which is documented, appeared on this site in the second half of the 4th century AD.
4. At the beginning of the 19th century, more than 90% of the population of Tbilisi consisted of Armenians. Moreover, from that time until the revolution, 45 of the 47 mayors of Tbilisi were also Armenians by nationality.
5. Tbilisi is one of the ten cheapest cities in the world.
6. The oldest building in Tbilisi that has survived to this day is the Anchiskhati Church, built in the 6th century.
7. The Tbilisi Botanical Garden was founded 400 years ago at the foot of an ancient fortress. After the old Muslim cemetery was attached to the garden in the 20th century, its territory reached 128 hectares.
8. Sulfur baths are extremely popular in Tbilisi - they differ from regular topics that the water in them comes directly from natural thermal springs. There are many such sources in the city, so in some areas of the capital there is a noticeable smell of rotten eggs.
9. For 4 centuries, the capital of Georgia was the "Tbilisi Emirate", the city-state of the Arabs. Influence Arab culture Tbilisi is clearly visible even now.
10. One of the streets of Tbilisi is named after american president George Bush, who visited Georgia (see).
11. Tbilisi has neither city-wide heating nor hot water supply. Citizens heat water in whatever way they can afford, but only the wealthy can afford to soak in a hot tub.
12. In Tbilisi high-rise buildings, an elevator ride costs money. There is a slot next to the elevator button where you need to drop a coin, otherwise the trip will not take place. Sometimes a lock is even hung on the elevator, and residents are charged a fee for using it once a month.
13. Most residents of Tbilisi are heavy smokers.
14. Snow in Tbilisi can be seen only 3-4 times a year, and it never lasts longer than a couple of hours.
15. Most of the names in Tbilisi (even if they are on foreign languages) are written in lower case, because in Georgian language no capital letters.
16. In Tbilisi, it is still customary to dry clothes on the street. Residents of high-rise buildings throw a rope from their window to the nearest pole and calmly hang sheets, towels and other things.
17. There is no specific start day in Tbilisi school year for schoolchildren. Usually, studies begin between September 17 and 21, depending on the weather.

Georgia is a beautiful and hospitable country located not far from Russia. Many tourists go there every year, talking about the incredible nature, cheerful disposition local residents and delicious cuisine. Let's find out some interesting facts about Georgia, after which you might want to visit this country.

Fact 1

Georgians call the country “Sakartvelo” because the Kartvel people used to live in Georgia. The word "Georgia" appeared relatively recently - in the 17th century, from the Arabic word "Gurjistan".

Fact 2

The Georgian language is very unusual: there is no stress in it (only an increase in tone on a certain syllable), there is no capital letters, it does not even have a masculine and female, and the gender is determined solely by the context of the phrase.

Fact 3

Spain and Georgia have a lot more in common than you might think. In ancient times, both Georgia and Spain were called the word Iberia, and the Georgian language is very similar to the Basque language, which is spoken by some peoples of Spain.

If you like to travel, then be sure to see the beautiful ones, and also read the history of this architectural masterpiece France.

Fact 4

It was in Georgia that one of the first representatives of the human race was found: Zezva and Mzia. In 1991, their remains, which date back to about 1,770,000 years ago, were found in Dmanisi.

Fact 5

In Georgia, a man can kiss another man on the cheek - they have such a custom to say hello when they meet.

Fact 6

If a Georgian comes to visit, he never takes off his street shoes. Moreover, if he asks for slippers, then this gesture can greatly offend the owners. Traditions in this country are still strong.

Fact 7

Georgians are real gourmets. They eat meat and khinkali with their hands, because this is the only way to fully feel the taste of these culinary masterpieces. Taste Georgian food and you by ordering a tour to Georgia on the website http://www.alinda.com.ua/gruziya.

Fact 8

At a wedding in Georgia, it is customary to give the bride gold. The amount of gold varies depending on the distance of kinship, but, nevertheless, each invitee brings something of gold and gives it to the bride.

Fact 9

If you have been to a Georgian feast and drunk heavily, then you can call the police and call a patrol, while saying that you do not want to make an emergency. The patrol will come and deliver you and your car to your entrance for free.

Fact 10

Every Georgian knows from childhood that toast is sacred. During the feast, each of the people must speak out, and no one ever drinks wine without toast.

2 Freedom Square, Tbilisi, Georgia

About Georgia

To go or not to Georgia? Definitely yes! At least once.

Further - either you will love this country with all your heart, or you will not understand. This is not sleek Türkiye, this is not a combed-out Mediterranean. Georgia is hospitality, it is the sea and mountains, it is the gentle sun, it is architecture, traditions, it is…. breathtaking! Ours are distinguished by high-quality service and pleasant prices.

Georgia is first of all people. Adequate, hospitable, hospitable.

Come and discover this amazing country!

General information and interesting facts about Georgia

The capital is Tbilisi. The total population is about 4.5 million. About 1.5 million people live in the capital. National groups- Georgians (83.7%), Azerbaijanis (6.5%), Armenians (5.7%), Russians (1.5%), Ossetians (0.9%), Kurds and Yezidis (0.5%) , Greeks (0.3%), Chechens and Kists (0.2%), Ukrainians (0.2%), Assyrians, Avars, Abkhazians and others.

Language

Official official language- Georgian. People over 30 understand and speak almost everything in Russian. Young people speak Russian worse, but speak English fluently. If you speak at least a little Russian and English- you won't get lost. But just in case, use a short one.

Religion

Georgians profess Orthodox Christianity. Georgia is one of the first countries to adopt Christianity in general. Georgians are quite religious in general, but not fanatical. There is a square in Tbilisi, which is also called the area of ​​\u200b\u200bfive churches - on one heel is located Orthodox temple, Armenian Church, Catholic cathedral, synagogue and mosque.

Georgians treat other religions with respect. There are a lot of Muslims here. Part of the Abkhazians, as well as the Georgians of the southern and southwestern regions (Adzharia, etc.) profess Sunni Islam. Azerbaijanis, Assyrians and Kurds are also Muslims. Armenians, Greeks and Russians have their own Orthodox churches. There is also a small number of Catholics in Georgia.

About money in Georgia

The official currency of Georgia is Lari (GEL) = 100 tetri.

1 GEL = $0.37 in 2018

Currency can be changed at the bank (on weekdays from 9-00 to 18-00) or at currency exchange offices. There are many and most of them are open 24/7. Do not exchange currency with your hands.

In hotels, in most shops and cafes you can pay by card. But it's still worth having cash with you.

Geography

Georgia is a mountainous country, located in the central and western part of Transcaucasia. The area of ​​Georgia is 69,700 km². The state borders in the north with Russia, in the east with Azerbaijan, in the south with Armenia and Turkey.

The Black Sea coast of Georgia has a length of 308 km and is devoid of any significant bays, islands or peninsulas. In the north of Georgia is the Big Caucasian Range(highest points - Shkhara, 5068 m; Kazbek - 5033 m). In the south - the ridge of the Lesser Caucasus, between the ridges of the Greater and Lesser Caucasus are the Colchis lowland and the Kartli plain, in the east - the Alazani plain.

The main rivers are Kura, Rioni; lakes - Paleostomi, Aletkel, Paravani. About 2/5 of the territory is occupied by forests.

Climate of Georgia

In the west - subtropical, in the east - transitional from subtropical to temperate. The average January temperature is from +3 to +9 C, but in mountainous areas it can drop to -16-20 C. During the long summer, the weather is mostly hot, and the average temperature in August is +23 C - +26 C almost throughout Georgia.

Precipitation in Western Georgia falls much more than in Eastern Georgia. Snow falls mainly in mountainous areas in November and does not melt until the end of spring. The climate of Georgia is favorable for year-round recreation and treatment, nature indulges in a constant abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables, which is especially important for visiting residents of the northern regions and territories with unfavorable ecology.

Helpful information

Georgians are very hospitable and always ready to help. If you have any questions - feel free to contact passers-by. But there are some that are worth considering.

Smoking is not prohibited - almost everyone and everywhere smokes in Georgia. In the summer of 2017, the law on restricting smoking in public places came into force.

Rules traffic do not comply - carefully cross the road. There are practically no accidents.

One old legend tells how long ago God divided the lands among the peoples of the world. All nations have gathered except one. He had a feast at that time, which no one could leave even for such an important occasion.

And at the end of the holiday, this people came to God, but there were no more lands left. People got a little embarrassed and said to him, “Sorry for being late. But we had an important reason - we drank to your health!

God laughed, and for their resourcefulness and good nature, he gave the extraordinary land that he had in store for himself. This is how Georgia appeared - hospitable and incredibly beautiful country. wonderful story, Truth? By the way, this region is still famous for its feasts, toasts and legends.

But in our article will go It's not about local folklore. We have collected only the most verified and interesting facts about Georgia.

Fact 1. We went to Georgia, arrived in Sakartvelo

Do you know that Georgians call their country Sakartvelo, and the locals are not “Georgians”, but “Kartveli”? It so happened historically that the state has several names. Only in Russian the country is called Georgia. IN European countries- George or Georgia, for Muslims - Gurjistan. Because of this, various misunderstandings and confusion arose more than once.

Fact 2. Hello, we are your relatives!

In ancient chronicles, Georgia (Kartli region, Eastern Georgia) and Spain are approximately the same time. historical period called the same - Iberia. There is still no reliable explanation of how this happened and what is the connection between the two countries.

Spanish scientists insist on the version that this is a mere coincidence, and in every possible way deny consanguinity. But Georgian historians find a number of confirmations that the Spaniards are the descendants of the Georgians.

Fact 3. The strangest number system

Georgian numerals up to 20 are based on the decimal number system, and from 20 to 100 are based on the vigesimal. For people who count in the decimal system, all this is quite difficult, because you can easily get confused in suffixes, prefixes, and what is added to what. For example, the number 71 will be literally translated from Georgian as a spy code: three times twenty and eleven.

Fact 4. Oh, this grammar

Guests of Georgia will certainly be surprised by the peculiar writing of signboards, signs, price tags. And this is not at all an original find of designers, but the absence of capital letters. In addition, in the Georgian language, the gender is determined from the context, and the question "who?" only nouns denoting a person answer. All the rest are animate and inanimate nouns answer the question "what?".

Fact 5. Who is related to whom

The words denoting the closest relatives sound quite familiar to Russian-speaking tourists. The whole trick is that the meanings of these words are confused. Many will surely find it strange that children call a man “mother”. And for the locals there is nothing surprising. It's simple, remember: "mom" is dad, "grandfather" is mom, "dad" is grandfather, "baby" is grandmother.

Fact 6. The main thing is to have time to surrender

Georgia is the most hospitable country; not a single reception of guests can do without a feast, plentiful snacks and wine. If the guest has drunk a lot, and a car is waiting for him near the house, then you can turn to the police for help.

It is enough to politely explain the situation to them, and often law enforcement officers act as a sober driver. One of the policemen will sit behind the wheel of your car, and the second will go in a patrol car, accompanying you. And it's absolutely free.

Fact 7. Local etiquette

Shish kebab, khinkali, khachapuri… Just the names of these appetizing national dishes start to salivate. By Georgian traditions they are supposed to be eaten without the help of cutlery. Shish kebab is taken with hands, savoring it. And for khinkali, in general, there are special rules:

• do not use a knife and fork so as not to pierce the dough;
• you can not take them too hot, so as not to burn yourself;
• don't let them cool down all will be lost taste.

Fact 8. Let me kiss you

The guests of this country are very alarmed by the fact that when they meet here, everyone kisses on the cheek. Yes, and men too. This is not a manifestation of strangeness at all, but a special national tradition. Such a greeting in the Caucasus is considered an expression of respect and respect. They are not so harsh, these hot Georgian guys.

Fact 9. Hitchhiking in Georgia

This region is very convenient for hitchhiking. Most likely, hospitable Georgians will not take money from you, but as additional bonus will tell you legends and traditions. Some drivers may invite you to visit their home along the way. And if you agree, then you will certainly be fed, watered and offered accommodation for the night, as the dearest guest.

Fact 10. Come in, do not take off your shoes!

Do not take off your shoes when visiting. Here it is considered bad form, a manifestation of disrespect and can greatly offend the owners. Slippers are also not worth asking: they say that it is even worse. Walk right in street shoes, it's customary here.

Fact 11. How not to fall under the table

An interesting fact about Georgia: during a feast, you cannot completely empty your glass and plate. Seeing an empty dish, you will immediately be served a new portion. This is an unspoken sign that the guest is asking for more. By local traditions the glass must always be filled. The hospitable host will pour you until you fall, so calculate your strength and take care of your health.

Fact 12

In one famous movie the hero says: “The rite is called “bride kidnapping”. No, don't think, the bride herself dreams of being stolen. Parents also agree. You can go straight to the registry office, but before that, according to custom, the bride must be stolen. She must be caught, put into a bag and given to the kunaks of the dzhigit in love. This is an old comedy, but in some regions of this country, this is exactly what is happening to this day. True, at present the kidnapping is taking place according to mutual agreement bride and groom and is more like a theatrical performance.

Fact 13. Children are the flowers of life

The main value in Georgia is the family. And children are the future, continuation, life. Grandparents usually take an active part in their upbringing. All conditions are created for children here, for them special treatment: babies are carried in their arms, pampered, praised and protected. Be on the alert, because it is customary to treat all the kids here with something sweet and tasty, without asking permission from their parents.

This country will not leave anyone indifferent. Having been here once, you will certainly want to come back here again. And to make your trip memorable for a long time, choose from our collection of children's and family entertainment excursions that you like. We wish you a pleasant stay and bright impressions!

June 7th, 2015

We went to Georgia.

Before the trip, we read the materials and reviews, and later it turned out that things in Georgia are not exactly the way they are written in these very reviews. Therefore, in part, the following text will be based on the rhetoric "everything is wrong there." I do not claim the right to make an objective assessment. Based strictly on what we have seen and heard personally. How broadly one can generalize is an open question.

About Georgian hospitality

It is generally accepted that every foreigner will definitely face the so-called. "real Georgian hospitality." That is, literally quoting one of the reviews, you just have to ask the local for directions, and by the evening you will have 3 invitations to dinner and at least one to spend the night. We didn't see this. How to move to live in Iceland, so as not to spend money on rented housing, no one called.

People are normal, kind, polite, helpful, open, but not hyper-hospitable. A special key to the good disposition of the interlocutor was the mention that we came from Russia, and no, not from Moscow, but from St. Petersburg. Petersburg is loved and, as it turned out, they know it. Moreover, in a long conversation at the bar with a 15-year-old guy, it turned out that they even go through the history of St. Petersburg at school, the children make reports about the Hermitage and everything else.

It seems that tourists take something a little different for true hospitality, namely the ease with which you can negotiate any service with the locals. For example, one day, when we were having breakfast in a cafe, the question arose of how to get to Turtle Lake. I asked the hostess how to get to the place, she immediately offered to call a taxi. So after 15 minutes the driver entered the bar, and after 20 we were already driving towards the lake.

About the attitude towards Russians

A topic that interested me personally. We have to say the following: almost everyone knows the Russian language, and Russians are treated well, warmly, I would say. In a private conversation, it turns out that mom or dad was or lived in Russia, relatives live here, etc. They know the Russian language quite well. For example, the aforementioned 15-year-old guy spoke generally perfectly and did not even confuse the verb forms for “you” and “you”. There was no talk of any anti-Russian sentiments with anyone. The usual discourse is “the stupid war ruined everything”, “we would like to bring our wine to you in Russia”, “it’s good that good-neighborly moods, which were spoiled, are starting to improve again.”

Visited the bar every day Cockoo's Nest. The drinking establishment that intrigued us with sounds Led Zeppelin coming from the open door.

We went there for the first time at 15:00 and barely left at 23:00, and in an 8-hour conversation with the bartender Tato, we managed to discuss everything from various aspects of alcohol consumption to the question “why Malevich’s Black Square is still cool.” Tato turned out to be a 27-year-old historian by education, who opened a small bar just 4 days ago, mostly for his friends, also historians by education.

The public is educated, well-read and well-heard and liberal in Georgian (what I mean by this, I will explain below). As it turned out later, after meeting and drinking with almost all the visitors, they all fought against Russia during the conflict in Tskhinvali. However, they do not have any hatred for the Russians, rather, some annoyance from the fact that things turned out this way, and they had to take up arms.

The people turned out to be wonderful, intelligent, great jokes. After the second visit to the "Cuckoo's Nest" we already hugged everyone goodbye :)

About the culture of drinking and safety

Alcohol in general and wine in particular is a big part of Georgian culture, drinking is part of the tradition. The part is so significant that the first bottle of wine is given out by an employee at passport control when he puts a stamp in the passport. Naturally, he slaps his passport, smiles, “Welcome to Georgia!”, and slips a bottle of saperavi into narrow gap window :)

On the first day after arrival, we woke up at about one o'clock in the afternoon and went to have breakfast. The owner of the establishment offered to try a glass of their signature family wine, which eventually led to a discussion of impotence. European culture. After all, it is how it works: any bottle of European wine comes with a recipe for drinking and a list of what you need to feel there. Georgian wine (and we tried different things, from homemade, for 30 rubles a glass, to more or less elite, for 1,500 rubles per bottle) does not require this, because just a glass brought into the dining room smells so that there are no questions what you need to smell, taste and how to drink, categorically does not remain. Georgian wine is like a view of the mountains, breathtaking and self-explanatory, what exactly is supposed to feel at the moment of contemplation. Excellent wine, in short, not at all like German, French, Spanish, Italian, to which we are accustomed.

As for the culture of drinking, the situation is interesting. Everyone drinks a lot, however, you have never seen a drunken Georgian. Looking like our drunks look, that's what I mean. And we walked around the city for about 80 km, of which in the first 4 days - 60 (we used a GPS tracker).

(one day track)

Were in the center and on the outskirts of the city, in parks, in the morning, afternoon and night.

In bars, older men drink vodka, mostly Absolut. No drunken screams and inadequate, just methodically finish the next liter and ask for the next one. Young people drink beer, as well as beer with vodka. We observed, I emphasize, personally, in the bar at Tato. At the same time, only the degree of fun increases, no “let's go out”. According to Tato, a Georgian family that has a dacha harvests an average of about 2.5 tons of wine per year. And, for example, at a wake, which can last 5-7 days, 10 people can blow up to 500 liters. Hence, apparently, the habit of drinking wild amounts of alcohol, and without visible negative changes in behavior.

There is a popular belief that if a Georgian wants to have a drink with you, then it’s simply impossible to refuse. Can. Everyone understands everything, therefore, when you say that there is simply nothing else, they stop pouring.

As for the safety of walking around the city day and night, there are no problems with this, contrary to popular belief. Suspicious personalities and simply aggressive drunk people were not seen. We saw one tourist in a state of "firewood", which a local resident apparently led to the hotel. And that's it.

Drinking with Georgians is nice and interesting, and the city seemed safe.

About Buddhism and exotericism

As we met, we consulted with Tato and his friends, which places near Tbilisi are worth visiting. The list includes the cities of Uplistsikhe, Gori, Mtskheta and Sighnaghi (+ Bodbe). Immediately, Kato, an archaeologist friend of Tato, approached us and said that he had a wonderful guide with a driver, whom he could call now. The next day at 10 am, we met at the square in the center of the city and drove to Sighnaghi, next to which is the Bodbe Monastery.

Already after 15 minutes of acquaintance, the guide Valera asked if we believed. They answered that no, we do not believe, but we treat other people's faith with respect. But, they say, the temple for us is a museum. During the trip, Valera periodically started a conversation about why we do not believe, and told stories after which, in his opinion, we should immediately believe.

This was followed by a story about how Valera's eye hurt, and none of the doctors could help. And then he remembered that there is a certain grave of a certain saint, which releases healing oil. And Valera had it just in store in a bottle at home. He immediately realized what to do: he crossed himself, read "Our Father" 1 time, took a cross, scooped up oil with a cross and smeared his eye. And, of course, after a few days, the ailment disappeared as if by hand.

Discussing Buddhism:
“Here you are, Igor, have you read the Tao de jin?”
- Read, Valera, read.
“Here is Tao—what is it in essence?”
- A philosophical concept, there are two interpretations ...
“But in essence, what is it?” It's an aura around things!
- No, Valery, this is not an aura at all.
- Yes, aura, for sure, I read it on the Internet. Biofield! Scientists also say that it is!

Remember the esoteric
- You still, Igor, read about Georgian esotericism. There is esotericism and there is exotericism. Esotericism is the science of the inexplicable.
What about exoteric?
- And this is science that explains esotericism!
- Like this? Esoteric is about the inexplicable.
— Well... it kind of only partially explains, not everything!

Valera was especially animated when he learned that we live near the Weeping Rock (Baratashvili St.), the water of which, in his opinion, should also heal any ailments, but especially help with vision problems.

In the monastery of Bodbe there is a holy spring, in which, according to Valera, trout constantly emerges. Which is interpreted as a miracle. When I asked if it still pops up now, he immediately answered that yes, it does. Unfortunately, I didn’t manage to see the fish with my own eyes - the entrance to the source is paid, they didn’t consider it necessary to spend money on it.

All these funny stories we discussed in the evening on the way to another great place - "Old Generation".

The beautiful grandmother Maya is in charge of everything here, and her husband Chabuki takes excursions around Georgia. He served as a sailor in Kronstadt, then in Murmansk. Maya looks great, works out on the simulator, which is located at the bar, and changes costumes daily, one more elegant than the other. She began to learn English herself so that she could communicate with foreign tourists. The institution serves strictly chacha, white and red wine, tea, coffee (the best we had in Tbilisi) and cheese. Everything is your own, homemade. We went to Maya every other day and, sitting on chairs at the entrance on the street, talked with her for a long time about life, about Georgia and all sorts of things. Maya was very friendly, communicated with all visitors, and she was glad to see us like family every time we appeared on the threshold of her establishment. Naturally, I could not resist and asked if it was true that the water from the Weeping Rock heals. To which Maya, without batting an eyelid, replied that yes, everything is so. She added that it’s not worth drinking, but it’s right to smear your eyes - yes, you can ...

Based on the results of several similar conversations, we came to the conclusion that such a strange state of affairs in the minds of people here is explained not by ignorance and traditions, but rather by the desire to simply believe in something better that definitely happened before, and definitely awaits us all ahead. Quite educated, adequate people easily tell stories about walking mountains and oiling their eyes on a cross, and sincerely do not understand how one can not believe in it. Just because life here is quite hard and poor, and I really want to believe that everything will be fine.

About the "charm of old Tbilisi" and the washed away zoo

What was unexpected was the poor condition of the city's buildings and roads. The old city looks absolutely deplorable. It is gradually being renovated and rebuilt, for example, in the area of ​​the Turkish baths.

Some buildings are being renovated.

But this is clearly not enough to write in guidebooks about the "charm of old Tbilisi." Walking under some wooden balconies is frankly scary.

Part of the buildings are buildings of the 18-19 centuries, it looks natural as the Petrograd side in St. Petersburg. But they also fell into disrepair, the walls are covered with cracks a few centimeters wide, wooden boxes are squeezed out of the front door openings due to the skew of the buildings. They also look very unsafe.

The lack of concern for the city is especially acute after visiting the exhibition “History of Tbilisi in the 19th century”. The scale models of some buildings presented there (made in the 19th century) look exactly the same as some houses on the streets of the city today.

There is also a small area of ​​new buildings made of glass and concrete, but this is really a small area.

Buildings located in the city center are kept in a more or less proper form, but that's all.

Nevertheless, Tbilisi is unique, original, beautiful and elegant in its own way. And extremely versatile.

We rented an apartment from a girl, Sophio, who turned out to be an actual journalist working for local TV channel. Sophio, when tourists stay with her, takes the children and goes to live with her mother. Given the low rent, I can conclude that even local journalists earn very little.

Sophio, by the way, turned out to be extremely friendly, waited for us at home upon arrival at 3 am and even left food and half a bottle of wine.

So, during the same downpour that washed away the zoo and several houses, we were just sitting in a bar near the Bridge of Peace. The downpour was heavy, but short, about 3-4 hours. But even he could make trouble. The locals talked about an improperly built sewer and some other reasons. We were only surprised that only a few houses were washed away, and not half the city.

And here I will continue about Georgian liberalism. The visitors of the Tato bar, with whom we had a chance to talk in the evening of the next day, all as one opposed to the authorities, went to help shovel the mountains of dirt that the disaster had brought. We didn’t tie ourselves with ribbons, we didn’t oversell the cranes on social networks, I picked up shovels and went to clean up the shit.

This, it seems to me, is the difference between Georgian liberalism and domestic liberalism, this ability to do, and not just bark and complain about the authorities.

About Uplistsikhe, Gori, Sighnaghi, Mtskheta

Uplistsikhe- the old city, built right in the rock. So old that I was even somehow confused at first - the end of the II, the beginning of the I millennium BC. e. That is, at about the same time, the pyramid of Cheops was erected and the Temple of Karnak began. The city consists of 700 caves, of which about 150 have been excavated (or even preserved).

I don’t see the point in telling in my own words, there is. I will only add that the place is strictly required to visit.

Gori- here is the Stalin Museum. The museum is actually a museum, the house where Iosif Dzhugashvili was born, as well as the railway car that he used for diplomatic trips. You can visit only with a guided tour, they tell well, without judgment, only facts. The museum presents a large number of photographs, documents, some personal items, many gifts from foreign politicians. There were unexpectedly many people, in addition to our group, we saw two more, which is almost the limit for only 6 halls of the museum.

Sighnaghi- an ancient city in the Kakheti region. Known for its fortress, as well as a wonderful view of the Alazani Valley, with the products of which each schoolchild / student from the USSR and Russia, it seems, has their own special memories. The town is the cutest, architecturally somewhat reminiscent of the Hungarian Szentendre. Most of buildings rebuilt, which causes dissatisfaction with local residents. Like, spoiled all the old beauty. Well, if before everything looked like in the Old Town in Tbilisi, then they did the right thing.

Mtskheta is the old capital of Georgia. The city was not founded yesterday either, in the second half of the 1st millennium BC.

In the city itself there is the temple of Georgia Svetitskhoveli, and nearby, on the mountain, is the monastery of Jvari, from which a beautiful view of Mtskheta opens.

About food, shops and other tourist delights

As for the Georgian cuisine, it turned out to be very difficult for our bellies. Especially when combined with the heat. Already on the third day, the entire diet was 2 (two) Adjarian khachapuri, that is, one for me and the monomor. Then they switched strictly to salads and stews, as well as European cuisine. However, at least once it is recommended to try everything. Portions are usually designed for two people, you can always take the half-eaten food with you. The cost of a full meal for one person with coffee and wine is about 20-40 lari (500-1000 rubles), depending on the level of the establishment.

Souvenir products are represented by traditional horns for drinking wine and daggers, scarves, magnets, as well as excellent jewelry for every taste and budget. I recommend paying special attention to the latter, since it was made mainly in the technique of cloisonné enamel, which, as they say on any excursion in Veliky Novgorod, was lost in the 15th century. Georgia is full of modern jewelry, the choice is very large.

Represented and modern styles are also very interesting, in our opinion.

Wine, of course. You can buy it almost everywhere, there are special stores where you can immediately pour it to try. You can carry with you 3.5 liters per person, that is, 6 bottles. If you don't understand wine well, or simply don't know what you want, we recommend you follow our example: come to any special store and ask for advice on 6 bottles of different wines. It is different, so that it differs from bottle to bottle. Result from highly likely will exceed all expectations :)

As for alcohol in bars, it is recommended to drink wine. And even more so to drink wine if you are brought not to a bar, but to a family-type establishment where the wine sold is own production. Classic cocktails (such as Long Island, etc.) are offered in most places, but they categorically do not know how to cook.

The only place where with cocktails and European food was full order is a bar