Ambient Tbilisi - City of Lights

Trip Start May 15, 2007
1
34
58
Trip End Aug 29, 2007


Loading Map
Map your own trip!
Map Options
Show trip route
Hide lines
shadow

Flag of Georgia  ,
Thursday, July 19, 2007

Georgia is much more affluent than Armenia.  After crossing the border yesterday, it was immediately apparent that there is money in Georgia.  This is due in part tothe natural gas line that runs from Azerbaijan to Turkey passing through Georgia.  Georgia receives something like $250 million a year just for being an intermediary.  The drivers of Georgia are also very different; I came to label them "suicide drivers" as they would pass all vehicles regardless of on-coming traffic! 

In Tbilisi I visited several sitesincluding Metechi church where Stalin was a prisoner for a couple of years when it was used as a jail, Sioni church, and the sulfur baths.  Afterwards, I visited the State Museumof Georgia where the interaction between young and old was amusing.  An elder lady, the guide, and a young woman, our interpreter, both Georgian, were guides in the museum and they both tried to tell slightly different versions of a piece in the museum.  When the young interpreter said something contrary to what the older guide held to be true, she would let her know that there was a difference and go off in Georgian while the younger interpreter would roll her eyes! 

Tbilisi is a beautiful city and relaxing at a street cafe with Tom, Liz, and Barbara was in order.  Xerxes came later and joined us as we just absorbed the Georgian culture.  That night we made our way up to the top of one of the hills in Tbilisi and ate dinner on a roof top terrace.   It is a beautiful city all illuminated with amber, green, blue, and red lights.
Slideshow Print this entry Tbilisi hotels