Hotel Sharden Tbilisi

... The owner of the hotel is very friendly and helpful, the dinner his mother cooked was simple but wholesome, went down well with a bottle of Georgian wine. The cathedral is lit at night, offering a nice view.<br><br>The next morning we set out to visit a monastery which is 12km away, and then to the holiest church in the country, Jvari (Holy Cross) Church, built some 1400 years ago, situated high on a hilltop overlooking Mtskheta across the river. The view ...

I had managed 3 days in Georgia before finding myself in the clink. This was however a voluntary decision. Upon arrival I found the country in political turmoil. The current President Mikheil Saakashvili is being held accountable for the loss of South Osseti to Russia (yes the Russians are still there). Interestingly the people are protesting not just against the man but against the system. They see the Presidential positional as too dictatorial, and think that ...

... s been such a nice time. I wanted to go to wine country today for a day trip, but when I woke up it was pouring down rain (again) and I felt like a visit to sunny wine country would be a little...well, wet. Yesterday I went to one of the new villages that's being built for people displaced by the war. Nobody minded that some crazy foreigners with cameras were wandering around, and were actually quite friendly. The houses are being ...

... hope. This suits quite well with nationalism feeling and huuuge national pride, which is quite common throughout the whole Caucausus. But from my experience, common Georgians are unfortunately quite bad entrepreneurs, are very traditional and are somehow restricted in their ways of thinking about business and how the world works nowadays (ok, I'm a person fighting against traditions;)). But it's on the good way. Standing by the train station, I went through some empty morning streets to ...

... empty it all the time. Given that it was before 11 am I needed to call upon my constitution. 10/. After drinking we went for a swim in a fast flowing river. i can see why Drago insist on comprehensive insurance. I got in and tried to swim across. I did but ended up abut 100 yards downstream and getting out was a complete joke but really good fun. 11/. In amongst all the drinking we have fitted in some beautiful churches here in Georgia - lots of kissing of icons ...

... so try an underpass, but it has a vehicle parked in it, and an apparent dead end. Up to street level, no obvious way out, then follow a man back into it. Find it's not a dead end, but leads onto a lower pedestrian gallery on the bridge. MP is amazed at the deterioration of the structure. Takes photos up through access panels at holes in the structure. We decide to head for the funicular, walking through the narrow back streets ...

... to the church, asking for some donations, in return - you will be blessed, of course. I don't know what would I think if I had travelled to Sveti-Tskhoveli church after seeing so many churches in Georgia, but when I entered the zone where the church was built on - I was impressed. A loud bleat was heard around the area. According to the legend, Jesus' cloak is burried under the church. A local Jew brought Jesus' cloak from Jerusalem after crucifixion. His sister held the ...

You only need a short time to realize that Georgia is a country torn asunder that still sings and smiles and enjoys life, at least most of the time. Of course, this is a broad blanket statement, but it reflects only what I experienced: people singing in harmony in the streets, beggars and refugees, devotees kissing paintings of Jesus and Mary in church, political instability, gracious hospitality, and a strong sense of being Georgian. What does it mean to be ...

... the snow, back to the bus stop to find a marshrutka thats leaving in 20 minutes, a period of time in which we observe at least 2 russian vehicles coming from the border and heading toward tbilisi. thanks Friend. you seemed like such a nice guy. i think, though, that this behaviour is not typical of georgians. generally they are known to be kind and very hospitable, as i experienced when the uncle in batumi wouldn't allow me to even chip in for the bill.

... airport and find this level of laxity was absurd to say the least. Is the threat real or not? If it is, why does it only apply to some countries? I am not upset because I can carry my computer on-board and thus bore the rest of you with my rhetoric - but honestly am I the one who has lost it? Do not answer that! We delayed for 2 hours because the flight was coming out of the U.K. - need I ...