Georgia detailed trip report. Mega long-awaited report on the trip to Georgia. How to get to Georgia

Now everyone asks me two ironclad questions about Georgia. The first of them is how much did the vacation cost, how much does it cost? That's right, the right question.

In general, planning a trip to Georgia is very easy. It is beautifully presented on the Internet thanks to the efforts of enthusiasts from the CIS countries. A short Google search will turn up pages like:

http://za7gorami.ru/skolko-stoit-otdyh-v-gruzii-ceny - wonderful.

- excellent report, a lot of posts on all aspects of the trip.

http://travelgeorgia.ru/ - there are no words at all, the best site about Georgia, in my opinion, with all the useful information.

In relation to my trip, a lot can be found on http://www.gudauri.ru/ and http://gudauri.travel/.

. With all the details and prices.

Having studied the Internet, we arrived quite prepared. We made printouts with information and walking routes. There was even a surprise: we were asked to bring Svan hats, I wrote to Svaneti how much they cost - “35-40 lari” was the answer, but in Tbilisi they cost 5 lari. Souvenirs in Tbilisi are half cheaper than at the resort and at “iconic” attractions like Svetitskhoveli.

A few of my impressions.
Travel budget:
1000 rubles - souvenirs that you need to take with you, how could you do without it.
213 hryvnia - train Kharkov-Kyiv-Kharkov.
150 hryvnia - expenses in Ukraine.
310 dollars - flight Kyiv-Tbilisi-Kyiv.
10-15 euros - drinks and beer bars at the airport in Mukhina.
20 dollars - transfer to Gudauri one way (the return was free).
20 dollars - excursion to Mtskheta-Tbilisi in the middle of the gurney (should not be neglected).
$30x8 days = $240 - housing with two meals a day.
197 GEL - ski lifts.
150-200 dollars - expenses and souvenirs.

In the picture there is a lari. One lari is 18 rubles. Each lari contains 100 tetri. All around there are lari, lari. Tetri, tetri. The hardest thing was to get used to the fact that laris are not hryvnia. If 10 hryvnia is zilch by Russian standards, then the same amount of lari is already a sum. And these pieces of paper fly away in exactly the same way.

GEL exchange rate at Tbilisi airport. 100 rubles - 5.2 lari. In the city it’s a little better, they changed at 5.35. The difference is not significant at all.

How much does something cost? If you want to eat, then the cheapest and Georgian option is, of course, khinkali. By the way, when I saw Khinkali and Pelmeni in the English-Georgian menu, I realized that dumplings are a Georgian word! But you don’t need to go there for dumplings, but one khinkalina costs 60 Georgian tetri - 10 Russian rubles. If you eat 5-7 pieces, you won’t want to eat until the morning. On the Internet they write: I can eat 10, but for me 15 is not a question. Damn, you can eat at least twenty of them. You'll burst and won't try other Georgian dishes. Here is the menu in one cafe:

Another menu. Illustrated is better. Imagine the character and size of the dish. The last thing is important. In doubtful cases, it is better to resort to the help of waiters, although this is also not a panacea. I expected the Adjarian khachapuri “boat” to be the size of a palm. Instead, they brought an A4 size product... further food was pointless. But it helps if you wash down your food with Borjom. The cost of kebab is indicated not per 100 grams, but per serving (300 grams). In general, re-ordering there is a no-brainer. We got burned twice. I think even those who go on gastronomic tourism find it difficult to leave more than 500 rubles for food in a restaurant. It's simply impossible to eat so much.

When you see the bill, you fall into a stupor...

...especially when the total amount is 6 lari less than the invoice. Honestly, I only noticed it later, already in the photo. We don’t need someone else’s... In any case, we compensated with tips. The score is for three. Having eaten too much, they rolled away in little buns.

What else? Homemade wine - 10 GEL per liter (bought from Rezo, but more often poured this way), chacha in a cafe - too. Doses of chacha less than half a liter, in my opinion, are not measured in money at all. I ordered 200 grams and heard in response: “Take half a liter, the money will be the same.” Factory-made, bottled wine starts from 5 GEL - so-so by local standards, by our standards - normal, wine like wine. Guaranteed wonderful - from 20 GEL. The best Georgian cognac "Sarajishvili" - 22 lari per half liter. Getting around the city by metro and public transport- 50 tetri. Mobile Georgian Beeline costs 10 GEL per SIM card, 3 on your account, lasts a long time. The products in the stores are the same as ours. There are probably no expensive restaurants in Georgia at all; they are all equally “average”, as in the colored menu above, and delicious. Even in Tbilisi, on the main avenue named after Shota Rustaveli, go into any one, don’t be afraid.

Everything is on the Internet, in a word. I don't know why I wrote all this. It's just one of two ironclad questions. Once they ask, you have to answer. I don’t argue that we haven’t seen much yet, but we’ll share what we’ve seen. In the next post I will answer the second iron question about Georgia.

Country in the clouds and snow in early summer
Tbilisi, Sighnaghi, Mestia, Mazeri, Ushguli, Latali, Gudauri, Kazbegi

WHAT WE HAVE DONE IN TWO WEEKS
- Get married in the city of Sighnaghi
- Visit the highest mountain settlement in Europe
- Climb to the glacier on Mount Ushba on horseback
- Climb to the mountain lake
- To make a snowman
- Play snowballs
- Find mushrooms and even eat them!
- Learn how to mine gold using the ancient method

I learned that I cannot live without the Internet for more than a day))))

Khachapuri is delicious, but not every day!

DRIVING
This is extreme in its purest form. Here they overtake on turns, drivers rush along the serpentine roads as if they were in a go-kart, and not on the road on one side of which there is a cliff of several tens of meters.

Locals love to honk. What do they have to do with this kind of Morse code, by which the driver knows: they tell him "gamargoba!" or scold beautifully.

On the road from Sighnaghi to Tbilisi, I learned that on a two-lane road with two-way traffic, 4 cars can easily pass each other at the same time. And they can turn from anyone to any lane.
I learned that the norm is overtaking when the oncoming car is already rushing towards you. And if she runs fast, then you can signal to her like this: stunned! Don’t you see, I’m overtaking here, and you’re in the way!

Think twice before renting a car. In my opinion, taking a taxi here is cheaper and quieter.

FOOD
Georgian portions are not big, they are huge! Everyone thinks that you are constantly hungry and tries to feed you. Even if you had lunch half an hour ago, even if the table is full of food, they will still offer you something that is not on the table.

Three types of khachapuri, matsioni, ajapsandali - vegetable stew of eggplant, pepper, carrot and tomato; Shosha - mashed potatoes with cheese - a traditional Svan dish; lobiani - beans, grated with mint, mushrooms and omelette; chakhokhbili - chicken with vegetables.
This is just a short list of what we tried in 2 weeks.

JOB
We got the impression that in Georgia everyone does everything. They have everything figured out and the service system works at the level of a family business. And family in Georgia is a broad concept - all brothers, all sisters.
We were looking for where to get documents translated in Tbilisi. On the bridge near the House of Justice, a woman intercepted us, somehow guessing what we needed, and immediately took us to the office opposite. She asked if we were going to sign. If so, she could be our witness.
Next, we went to the travel agency to find out where the nearest car rental was.
The man, without thinking twice, called someone and after a short conversation in Georgian, said that he could come to an agreement. We politely explained that we needed an agency and wanted to have a contract and see the car, hinting that his brother or nephew’s car was not very suitable.

HOSPITALITY
Our flight from Tbilisi to Mestia was canceled due to heavy clouds. I had to travel by minibus with fellow travelers from a failed flight.
First of all, everyone got to know each other. During the 8 hours of travel, we learned everything about our fellow travelers: who works and where, we managed to discuss politics, national cuisine, culture. We were fed some national sweet flatbreads with raisins and cinnamon and took an excursion to the reservoir, deciding together with the driver that we should see it.
The panorama really turned out to be worthwhile. Why to all our fellow travelers special thanks to.
Then, with the whole minibus, they looked for our guesthouse (since I had no connection with the organizers). They chatted together, calling someone on their cell phone, stopping passers-by and conferring. All this happened in Georgian and without our participation. And when they found us, they rejoiced in unison, and then said goodbye to us as if we were old friends.

MOUNTAINS
The mountains of Georgia are a separate issue. They rise with their snow-capped peaks into the sky, hiding in thick clouds. And only when you are lucky, on a cloudless day you can see how the green forest gives way to a carpet of grass, and it dissolves into dark gray stone against the azure sky. These peaks are formidable and cold, covered with snow almost all year round. When the sun shines so much that it hurts to look, and therefore you squint, covering your eyes, because it is impossible to tear yourself away from this bewitching magic of nature.

Traveling through the mountains is for the hardy and prepared. The proud nature here tests everyone: with steep climbs, dangerous descents and thin air.

We climbed to the glacier on Dvuglavaya Ushba. Its height is 4700 meters. Of course, conquering such heights is only for professionals. The mountains are harsh and not everyone can pass their tests. Our climb began at 1500 m and ended at an altitude of about 2500 m. We climbed on horseback. Higher, higher, higher. A panorama of valleys, cut by mountain streams, with pastures of cows and horses, opened up to the view. At some point, the climb became so steep that I had to dismount and lead the horse behind me: “Come on, you can do it,” I told her, while I myself was suffocating from lack of oxygen. My muscles were burning. And the rise is only a few tens of meters. And this is with a healthy lifestyle and exercise 2 times a week.

Finally snow. The sun is hot, but the air is cold. You want to breathe in with full lungs, but the air here is like a cocktail with spices. It’s impossible to inhale in such a way as to scoop up the maximum.

What surprised me most was the piercing silence. One day we went up to Lake Mazir. First we walked along a stream, then through a field of flowers, then through a forest, first deciduous and then coniferous, and finally finding ourselves in mountain valley- we saw snow very close! No birds, no voices. Any loud sound is amplified tens of times and echoes among the mountains.
The snow is also surprising. It's not enough anymore. Cold, it contrasts with the multicolored meadow. We remembered our childhood and made a snowman, only instead of eyes he had sky-blue flowers.

WEDDING
People go to Georgia not only for wine, khachapuri and stunning scenery. Some people go to Georgia to get married.

A friendly country, a minimum package of documents, which for most will be only 2 foreign passports with a translation into Georgian, a quick registration procedure and no bureaucracy.
For example, in Tbilisi, at the House of Justice, you can register a marriage in about 15 minutes, and next to it you can get your passports translated into Georgian.
Or you can go to the city of love Sighnaghi, which is busy 24 hours a day, have a wedding photo shoot there and celebrate your family’s birthday in one of the local restaurants overlooking the Alazani Valley. Watch our video about all this.

WEATHER
The weather in Georgia changes like your mood. In the morning it may be cold and gray, then the sun may come out and it will be hot, then it will rain and it will become cool again, then the sun will come out again, and so on in a circle. And the higher you go in the mountains, the more often the weather changes.

Our flight to Svaneti - mountainous region Georgia was canceled due to bad weather. I had to travel 8 hours by minibus. Only during the journey several times it became cloudy, it rained, and then the sun came out. For the first 3 days, the forecast promised rain, temperature +10, +12 degrees. This is winter for Israelis, and I couldn’t imagine how we would live in the mountains for a week.
But the air here is dry, and the wind quickly dries out the moisture. When it’s +15 and the sun is shining, it seems like everything outside is +25!

CLOTHING and FOOTWEAR
When going hiking, dress in layers - from a warm waterproof jacket to a T-shirt - everything will come in handy. Also, be sure to take sunscreen with you. The sun is hotter here than on the beach.

At the beginning of summer, the mountainous areas are cut by many streams, the ground is damp and in places swampy from melting snow. In villages, roads are often washed out from rain and in some places are a mess of mud. Hiking, waterproof shoes will simply not be replaced.

PRICES in Tbilisi for June 2016.

Taxi from the Airport to the city center 25-30 Larry.
Lunch at the restaurant 20-30 Larry per person.
Login Botanical Garden- 2 GEL
Cable car ride - 2 GEL in both directions
Car rental -
( Mitsubishijeep) - $75 + 40 GEL for gasoline (about 200 km - To Sighnaghi and back)
Flight Mestia - Tbilisi = $30
Travel by minibus Tbilisi - Mestia = 100 Larry per person.
Luxurious 5* Hotel in the old town, with a large highway and a panoramic window, including breakfast - $130 per night for two.
Two-room apartment in the old town, in the very center, 3 nights - 582 shekels
Taxi around the city - 5-10 GEL

Wine (Kindzmarauli) 20 GEL per bottle
Georgian teas - 5-6 lari per 100 g
Churchkhela 2-3 lari per piece

CONCLUSION
Georgia is a colorful and contrasting country. It’s great when you have the opportunity to live this flavor, traditions, culture.

There was only a small part of our first trip that consisted of contrasts. There was modern Tbilisi, with its five-star hotels, amazing restaurants, ancient streets, shopping centers, the most delicious ice cream, modern architecture government agencies and universal freewi- fi “ Tbilisi Loves You”.

There was Mazeri, a village at an altitude of about 1600 meters in the beautiful mountainous region of Svaneti. Here, as before, they plow the land with oxen, prepare homemade cheese, bake khachapuri and pita bread on ancient Svan ovens. As before, after successful gold mining, local gold miners, facing the river flow, turn to higher power prayer of gratitude and drink chacha. Here, herds of cows and sheep graze peacefully in the meadows and return home in the evening. Here even time flows differently: slowly, measuredly.

When I get home, I close my eyes and imagine mountain landscapes in frozen moments of the past.
Snow-capped peaks, green meadows dotted with floral herbs, mountain streams and rivers that cut through the slopes, descending into the valleys of the mountains.
The palms still remember the burning cold snow in the hands and the warm rays of the sun. And in my ears there is a ringing silence, broken only by the rare chirping of birds, the mooing of cows and the echo of mountain rivers.

At first everything in this country seemed unusual to me. Or, at least, not in the way I expected to see. Absolutely calm and balanced people, friendly police officers, clean city streets and a variety of natural landscapes. But even before I discovered all this, I was impressed by the unobtrusive taxi drivers at the airport. They answered all questions correctly and were ready to take us to the center of the capital using the meter for a very reasonable price. Well, the taxi driver who was returning home and agreed to give me and my huge backpack a lift for free was even more surprising than the young border guard who spoke to me in good English and at the end with a smile proclaimed: “Welcome to Georgia!”

Mother Georgia

I have been planning to come to this country for a long time. I have already visited neighboring Armenia and Azerbaijan, and I really liked them. Georgia promised to be even more interesting. Month after month I put off the trip, preferring to explore the African and Balkan regions. In the end, the economic crisis intervened, and the idea of an expedition to one curious tropical island I easily and without regret exchanged it for a plane ticket to Tbilisi.
The taxi driver who took me on board his battered Volkswagen boasted along the way about the absence of corruption and Russian cars in Georgia, and also that his little daughter did not know a word of Russian. When I told him that I came from Belarus, and not from Russia, he was somehow offended: “I should have said right away. Well, yes. You have a good time there." In the end, we said goodbye near the Didube station, where I planned to change to a minibus to the city of Mtskheta, just twenty-five kilometers from the capital. In Tbilisi, as in any big city, hotel prices are high, but in little Mtskheta it’s just right for the budget traveler. But I never found the minibus I needed, and all because I couldn’t read Georgian. I asked the driver of the first minibus I came across for help. He studied me with a serious look for about five minutes, and when I was about to look for some other assistant, he said sedately: “I’m not going to Mtskheta, but near Mtskheta. If you want, I’ll give you a ride.” Of course I wanted to.
The minibus was transporting workers to a country enterprise, so, besides me, there were thirty more people in it. Do you think I'm exaggerating? Whatever the case! The driver checked the workers against the list. Some of them didn’t like the foreigner with the backpack. He said something sharply in my direction. "Where are you from? – the driver asked me and, having received an answer, said to the indignant one in Russian: “You see, he is from Minsk.” Means, good man" I think that if I were from Kustanai or Tokyo, I would still be good, because Georgians treat everyone well. One way or another, the issue was dropped. I was even put on the very comfortable spot near the driver, and when he tried to drop me off a kilometer from Mtskheta, they became indignant and insisted on taking me to my destination. Of course, they didn’t take the money.
On the way, everyone tried to talk to me. I answered questions, although it was difficult because half of my fellow travelers were talking at the same time. From them I was surprised to learn that they all served in the army in Belarus or with Belarusians, visited Brest, and the youngest listened to the songs of the Belarusian singer Bianca. By the way, it was from them that I learned about the existence of this very singer.
I didn’t have to search for long in Mtskheta. On one of the fences I saw a handwritten advertisement in English, walked in and was immediately greeted by a hospitable owner who was ready to rent out a room with a kitchen, bathroom and toilet for only twenty-five lari (about fifteen dollars). The fact that I wanted to stay for a week made him very happy, and while the household was hastily clearing out the accommodation allocated for the guest, he treated me to coffee and cheese pie. When the coffee was drunk and the pie eaten, I left my backpack in his care and went for a walk.

I lived on this street in Mtskheta

Svetitskhoveli

At first it seemed to me that Mtskheta could be compared with our Zaslavl. The same small ancient town next to a large metropolis. But in fact, Mtskheta for Georgians is much more than Zaslavl for Belarusians. Located at the confluence of the Aragvi and Kura rivers, it served for a long time as the capital of the Kingdom of Kartli. The baptist of Georgia, Saint Nino, preached in Mtskheta. And even when the capital was moved to Tbilisi, recaptured from the Persians, famous scientists, poets and simply monks settled in this city. The main attraction of Mtskheta is the medieval Svetitskhoveli Cathedral. It was built in the eleventh century in a cross-domed style borrowed from neighboring Byzantium and was later surrounded by a powerful fortress wall. According to legend, under the temple lies the rags in which Christ ascended to Golgotha. Orthodox Georgians are very religious people, and therefore there are always many pilgrims in Svetitskhoveli. They are mixed with Foreign tourists. In cafes and on the streets you can hear English, Spanish and even Persian spoken. Now the cathedral and the neighborhoods around it are being actively restored at the expense of the state and international organizations and from a distance they resemble a Mediterranean town with a leisurely way of life.
Another important sacred center of Mtskheta is convent Shiomgvime. It was built in the twelfth century. The monastery is adjacent to the central square and is its main decoration. While photographing Shiomgvime, I almost missed the nearby Archaeological Museum. Fortunately, the janitor who was watering the flowers suggested where to go. To be honest, the museum was a little disappointing. Its premises are small and not many finds are on display, so the main attraction is a map of the excavations with explanations in Georgian and English.
A little to the side on the bank of Aragvi there is a city park. The hands of landscapers have not yet reached it. It looks a little shabby, but not without charm. What makes it especially attractive are the ruins of buildings from the middle of the last century, strange stone sculptures in the cubist style, as well as good views to a dilapidated castle located on one of the hills above the city. The guide recommends that low-budget travelers stay overnight in the park. I didn’t notice any tents there, but I did meet a company with huge backpacks calling to each other in Russian. By the way, these were the only Russian-speaking tourists I met in Georgia.
On the opposite bank, on the mountain, rises the Church of the Holy Cross of Jvari - the oldest and holiest in Georgia. It was built in the sixth century on the site where Saint Nino erected the first wooden cross. It is believed that the cross still rests under the church. In the Middle Ages and today, a small monastic community lived in Jvari. By the way, it was here that the legendary Lermontov Mtsyri was brought up. The busy Tbilisi-Gori highway passes under the mountain. More than once I have seen how, at the sight of a church, dashing minibus drivers dropped the steering wheel and began to cross themselves. Fortunately, there were no accidents. But an inexperienced passenger like me still felt uneasy.

Shiomgvime

Park and figures in cubist style

The city of Mtskheta, where I stayed, was an ideal place to visit others interesting places– Tbilisi, Kazbegi and Gori.
Tbilisi could be reached by shuttle bus. Fortunately, he walked every half hour. Special mention should be made about Georgian minibuses. As in Belarus, Georgian road carriers use mainly German Mercedes. There are always a lot of passengers. You often have to ride while standing. Ordinary drivers in Tbilisi and beyond behave calmly and do not drive recklessly. But not minibuses! They easily break all possible rules traffic. If anyone dares to overtake fast sports cars or cut off heavy Hummers, it is minibuses. I got from Mtskheta to Didube in just ten minutes. It would have taken longer by taxi.
Didube station served as the gateway to Tbilisi for me. This is a rather chaotic place, where bus and minibus parking lots coexist with a noisy market and numerous cheap eateries in the “eat khachapuri and wash down with beer” style. But there are always a lot of cheap vegetables and fruits on the market. It is curious that potatoes and bananas in Georgia are four times cheaper than in Belarus.

Tbilisi Center

The easiest way to get from Didube to the city center is by metro. It is very old in Tbilisi. There are not many stations. Advertisements inside too. To use it, you need to buy a special card, which is charged separately for each trip. Station names are announced in Georgian and English languages, which is very convenient for foreigners. For them, an information center has been created at the Tbilisi City Hall, where you can get a map of the city, a prospectus with a list of attractions, hotels and restaurants, as well as use the Internet, absolutely free. The information center is always crowded. Most foreign travelers are thrifty backpackers. They do not bring any special income to the treasury of the city or country. But backpackers are well organized, especially in terms of sharing impressions. Once upon a time, free-thinking backpackers opened Nepal, Turkey and Nicaragua to respectable tourists. Now they are opening Georgia. Tbilisi residents are accustomed to foreign presence and, it seems, already know well what and from whom to expect. For example, gypsies collecting alms near the metro can be very intrusive when they hear Russian speech, but immediately retreat if you answer them even a word in English.

Tbilisi is both Georgia in miniature and unique beautiful city by myself. Rustaveli Avenue is much narrower and shorter than our Independence Avenue. No matter what the guidebooks say, there are few buildings worth special attention on it. So you can cross it off your list of must-see places. In the best case, drive along it by taxi in the evening, when the lights are turned on. But the area of Old Tbilisi is an amazingly charming place with many narrow cobbled streets with wooden balconies abutting each other, small park areas, restaurants in Parisian and oriental styles, famous sulfur baths and ancient temples of various faiths. Consider, for example, the only mosque in Tbilisi where services are held simultaneously for Sunni and Shiite Muslims!

Mosque in Tbilisi

Narikala

City over the river

Walking along the Kura embankment, you can admire the spiers of the grandiose, more modern churches on the opposite bank, as well as the houses hanging directly above the cliff. And don’t be afraid to build these in a seismic zone!
The air in Old Tbilisi is intoxicating even without wine, and even more so with wine. When you sit at a cafe table, leisurely sipping dry white wine from a glass, and communicate with fellow travelers from Latvia, time flies. Somehow you forget that there is still a lot to see. On the mountain above Tbilisi stands a huge monument to Mother Georgia, depicting a woman with a sword in one hand and a goblet of wine in the other. According to the idea of the creators, the sword is for enemies, and wine is for friends. The last time the Georgians waved their swords was just three years ago, but somehow it was unsuccessful. Probably because their enemies had machine guns and other more modern weapons. But they stocked up a lot of wine for friends. Moreover, they themselves seem to prefer to drink vodka. This mountain can be climbed on foot or by cable car. I climbed on foot and scolded myself for a very long time for it. Nothing particularly interesting except trees and old church, she wasn't wearing it. But the two neighboring mountains offered something much more worthwhile: a colorful ethnographic village, a botanical garden and the Narikalu fortress. I had to go down and then climb up again and again. After two bottles of wine, let me tell you, it's not very easy.

Main Avenue

Drink or lose :)

Metekhi Cathedral

I became acquainted with another famous Georgian drink - clear grape chacha in the north of Georgia, in Kazbegi, where I arrived for only two days. On the first day I was going to take a walk through the picturesque surroundings, and on the second I was going to climb one of the smallest peaks by local standards and take some photographs. But man assumes, but life disposes. The driver who served the hotel where I stayed was so happy about the guest from Belarus that he invited me to a real Georgian feast. I couldn't miss such an opportunity. Georgians are the most hospitable people in the world, but sometimes they need to be reminded of this. Arriving in Georgia, you don’t even necessarily end up at the table. In any case, God spared other travelers I met from this, but did not save me. At first we drank simple homemade wine. I listened to long, wise toasts, and then the owner brought out a huge, steamy bottle. They say that I drank two full glasses, but I myself don’t remember anything about it. The next day my head was pounding, like after being hit with a hammer. What kind of walks around the surrounding area are there, much less climbing? The hotel owner gave me strong coffee and advised me never to drink chacha in the future. To convince me of the truth of her words, she poured the rest of the drink into a mug and dipped a match into it. It blazed so loudly that the blue flames rose to the ceiling. Almost pure alcohol. And as soon as I finished two glasses?
Georgians always drink their last toast to their president. President Saakashvili is remembered well. “Misha is a good president. God bless him!” - you can hear it everywhere. They say that before the Rose Revolution, banditry and corruption flourished in the country. Now everything is calm. In the city center you can leave your car unlocked with the key in the ignition, come back the next morning, and no one will touch it. Sometimes they criticize the president for the war with Russia, for daily television shows in the style of “Misha came and put things in order,” but they admit that there are few other worthy politicians in Georgia.
Contrary to popular belief, Georgians are not too emotional. They rarely smile. They cry or laugh even less often. The most popular word in the Georgian language is “ara”, that is, “no”. They use it much more often than the word “ke” (“yes”). In the era of romanticism, there was a comparison in European literature: “Beautiful as a Georgian.” For a long time I could not understand where it came from. There are many in Georgia beautiful girls, but no more than in any other country. In fact, you can only understand the beauty of Georgian women by looking not at young beauties, but at their mothers and grandmothers. A slim body. Cold proud look. Romantic poets were supposed to idolize them.
After a week in Mtskheta, the wife of the owner of the house in which I rented a room told me important news. Her niece is returning from Greece tomorrow. A very beautiful and educated young lady. I can meet her and even marry her. It was a sign. The next morning I packed my backpack, boarded the train and headed further west. Sitting on a backpack in the vestibule, I asked the sunflower-husking elderly conductor in detail about what else was worth seeing in his hospitable country. Mtskheta, Tbilisi and Kazbegi were left somewhere behind, but the journey through Georgia continued.

Dmitry Samokhvalov

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