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Tbilisi, Georgia.
Also known as Tiflis, this city is one of the most unique places that I've visited on this trip. It's also the furthest, geographically, that I've ever been from Boston in my life so far.
Even though Georgia is technically in Asia, Tbilisi feels very European, with good public transit infrastructure, amenities, and more. Yet it also has some parts that feel quite Middle Eastern - similar to how I'd imagine Istanbul would feel - and this combination creates a place that is super diverse, and great for street photography. Each street corner is full of character, and life moves at a slower pace here, with focus on leisure and third spaces. There are also tons of stray dogs and cats, which add to the city's aesthetic. I'd imagine it's because the climate is warm for most of the year, and the locals tend to feed and catalog them.
One thing I've learned is that almost everyone here takes taxis to get around, booked online through apps like Bolt or YandexGO. I've taken more taxis in Tbilisi than I think I ever have before, and even though the pace of life is slower here, I quickly learned that this doesn't apply to driving. Drivers here are a bit insane, constantly speeding, and the road lanes are more of a suggestion than a rule. Apparently, some drivers even take offense if you put your seatbelt on, an action that implies you don't trust them enough. But now, having spent a couple days here, I've almost gotten used to it. These drivers have been doing this their entire lives, and once you let go and put your faith in them, the rides are almost comfortable!
Oh, and it is SUPER cheap here. I feel like a millionaire each time I whip out my credit card, and for the prices alone, I never want to leave.
I stayed with my cousin Max, who has an apartment about 15 minutes from the old town, near the beautiful Vake park. On my first day in the city, he invited me to be an extra in a commercial him and a colleague were shooting to advertise a hookah bar. I'm not one to say no to random opportunities like this. Spending my first day in Tbilisi chatting with the other extras, learning about Georgian customs while looking out over the city was an amazing experience. Of course, the restaurant gave us free food, which was easily the best part.
Over these past couple days I've also bonded with Max's cat Anathema. She was a stray before Max took her in, and she's super sweet. Waking up in the middle of the night to find her sitting on me and purring made me miss my own cats even more than I already do.
Vake park
View of Tbilisi from the hookah bar
Before coming to Georgia I'd heard tons of glowing praise for the food, which I can now say definitely lives up to the hype.
Khachapuri: a break basket filled with cheese and butter. Khinkali: dumplings filled with meat, cheese, potatoes, or mushrooms. Even barbecued meats and cucumber walnut salad. Everything here was so filling and so good, but the thing that surprised me the most was the wine. Apparently, Georgia is one of the oldest continuously wine-producing countries in the world, going back at least 8,000 years. Khvanchkara is a Georgian wine made using grapes only found in one region in the country. While I wouldn't say that I have any real ability to taste the distinctions in wine, even I could tell that this wine was good. It's sweet, with a flavor that is hard to describe, and is easily the best wine I've ever had.
Khinkali
On Saturday, we took a day trip outside of Tbilisi. Honestly, I wish I could've somehow explored further into the country, because the nature and hikes in Georgia are supposed to be amazing. That will have to wait for a different trip, when I have camping gear and some more time.
Luckily, only about an hour north of Tbilisi there is an old historical town called Mtskheta. It's actually the religious capital of the country, with a large orthodox church in the center that feels distinctly different to the other churches and cathedrals I've seen across Europe. From the town, it's impossible to miss the Javari Monastery, sitting isolated up on a hill. So, after grabbing some lunch, we hopped in a taxi which sped us up the hill to the monastery. Surrounded by mountains and overlooking the river, this medieval building was breathtaking. I don't think photos truly do it justice. We spent a while up here just admiring the views, even running into some very chill, photogenic horses.
Mtskheta
View of Mtskheta, from the Javari Monastery
It's been very refreshing to stay in someone's apartment again, after being in hostels for so long. Plus, Max really helped me get acquainted with the city, which felt a little new compared to other European cities I've been to. Plus, spending my final few nights of the trip playing Catan, and going out with him and his friends, is more than I could've asked for. Tbilisi is definitely worth visiting, and I'm looking forward to the next time I can visit Georgia.
Now, I know this entry feels a bit short. I only had a few days here, but there's so much life to be found wandering the streets that it felt like much longer.
Short but sweet, and a great ending to my trip.
I should also mention that while I was here, I started the process of going back through all my street photography, compiling my favorite images into a portfolio of sorts. I'm very excited about this, and so even though I'm heading home to Boston tomorrow, it doesn't mean this blog is quite finished yet. There's more to come.
Stay tuned,
Mark
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