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Little-known facts about Georgia. About Georgia, the country of blue language and good people - SickJournal

04.05.2019

2 Freedom Square, Tbilisi, Georgia

About Georgia

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

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

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

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. The capital is home to about 1.5 million people. 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

The official state language is Georgian. People over 30 understand and speak Russian almost everything. Young people speak Russian less well, but speak English fluently. If you speak even a little Russian and English, you will not be lost. But just in case, use the short one.

Religion

Georgians profess Orthodox Christianity. Georgia is one of the first countries to accept Christianity in general. Georgians are quite religious in general, but not fanatical. There is a square in Tbilisi, which is also called the Square of Five Churches - located on one heel orthodox temple, armenian church, Catholic Cathedral, Synagogue and Mosque.

Georgians treat other religions with respect. There are quite a lot of Muslims here. Some Abkhazians, as well as Georgians in the southern and southwestern regions (Adjara, 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 a bank (on weekdays from 9-00 to 18-00) or at currency exchange offices. There are many of them and most of them are 24/7. You should not exchange currency by hand.

In hotels, 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 on Russia in the north, Azerbaijan in the east, and Armenia and Turkey in the south.

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 Greater Caucasus Range ( highest points- Shkhara city, 5068 m; Kazbek - 5033 m). In the south is the Lesser Caucasus ridge, between the Greater and Lesser Caucasus ridges are the Colchis Lowland and the Kartli Plain, and in the east is 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 temperature in January is from +3 to +9 C, but in mountainous areas it can drop to -16-20 C. During the long summer the weather is predominantly hot, and the average temperature in August is +23 C - +26 C almost throughout the entire territory Georgia.

There is much more precipitation in Western Georgia 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 pampers with a constant abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables, which is especially important for visiting residents of the northern regions and areas with poor ecology.

Helpful information

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

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

Rules traffic If they don’t comply, cross the road carefully. There are practically no accidents.

There are many legends about Georgia. According to one of them, when God distributed lands to nations, Georgians celebrated the creation of the world with their usual grandeur. When they came to God after the festival for their allotment, it turned out that all the lands had already been distributed. They said to God: “Sorry, we didn’t have time, because we were drinking to your health.” To which he replied: “I have one fertile land left, I wanted to keep it for myself, but I’m giving it to you for your honesty.” All the peoples of the Caucasus love to tell this legend, but Georgians rightfully believe that it is their land that God has reserved for himself. The country is actually incredibly beautiful, hospitable people live in it, there was a place in it and high mountains with eternal snows, and the warm southern sea, and endless vineyards. Every person should visit here at least once, but first, it would be useful to find out the answers to many questions and interesting facts about Georgia.

About the country

Georgians call own country Sakartvelo. In the rest of the world, the name Georgia is generally accepted, but it has not taken root within the state.
Only those who lived through the USSR era speak Russian; young people prefer to answer questions from foreign tourists in English.
Georgia is a Christian state, not a Muslim one, as many people mistakenly believe. According to historical materials, Georgians adopted Christianity in the 4th century AD, which is confirmed by numerous temples and monasteries of that era.
For a long time, Spain and Georgia bore the same name - Iberia. To this day, in the Basque country in northern Spain, people speak a language very similar to Georgian.
Georgia is a country of thousands of springs; in the depths of the Caucasus Mountains there are about 2,400 of them. Therefore, the capital of the state is ancient city Tbilisi was literally built on mineral water.

About the language

The Georgian language is quite difficult for people who do not study it to understand. One slightest mistake in pronunciation can radically change the entire meaning. Spoken Georgian is a unique language, unlike any other in the world. It belongs to a separate language group and not related to languages neighboring peoples- Armenians, Azerbaijanis and others.
In the Georgian language you can find words containing eight consonants in a row, and in the famous Georgian poem “The Knight in the Tiger's Skin” there is a word with 11 consonants in a row.
The pronunciation of words familiar from childhood is also unusual for Russian-speaking tourists: in Georgian, mom is “deda,” dad is “mama,” grandmother is “bebua,” and grandfather is “babua” or “papa.”
Another interesting fact about the language of the country of Georgia is that the closest analogue of the Russian word “thank you” is literally translated from Georgian as “you’re welcome.” So, having given a person a house, you should understand that in response you will hear “you’re welcome.”

About family

Like throughout the Caucasus, in Georgia they highly respect family traditions and respect family ties. The will of the father is carried out unquestioningly, and it is customary to call parents by name, even small children do this. By the way, children are very loved here and pampered until they are 10-12 years old - according to an ancient custom - until the boy can sit in the saddle independently and the girl becomes a girl.
In mountain villages, guys still steal brides; today it is more of a tribute to tradition and occurs by mutual consent of lovers; for the real kidnapping of a girl, a young man can be severely punished.
They celebrate on a grand scale, inviting not only relatives, but also neighbors, friends, and casual acquaintances. Under no circumstances should you refuse. Therefore, even if you are just someone’s friend and you are invited to a wedding, do not refuse, especially since it is worth it.

About the kitchen

Georgian cuisine is recognized as one of the best in the world. There are over 250 types of cheeses alone. Georgia is called the birthplace of winemaking; it was on its territory that archaeologists found the most ancient shards from wine jugs and varieties of vines, proving that vineyards were cultivated here eight thousand years ago.
In national Georgian cuisine, there are dishes that need to be eaten only with your hands - shish kebab and khinkali. Even in restaurants they are served without cutlery.
Not a single Georgian feast is complete without toast. It is impossible to sit down at the table, say the banal “For love” and start eating food. - these are short stories with a certain meaning, you should be prepared that there will be a lot of toasts and quite often they will be long.

About travel

The most convenient way to travel around Georgia is hitchhiking. Any driver, both in and in the highlands, will definitely stop and give a hiker a lift, and will do it completely free of charge. You won’t be able to remain silent during such a trip; you will definitely hear many local legends and will most likely be invited to visit. It is impossible to refuse, just like a feast. The locals are very hospitable, and refusal can be taken as a personal insult. There is a legend that time spent on a guest is not counted in the years lived; is this why there are so many centenarians in Georgia?
It is worth noting that Georgia is one of the ten safest countries in the world for foreign tourists. Therefore, there is no need to fear for your life and the safety of your property.
Not only near Tbilisi, but throughout the country, road and cultural signs are duplicated in Georgian and English.
Like all southerners, Georgians are accustomed to living here and now. Having received their salary today, they can skip it that same evening so that they can walk to work penniless the next day. Like all southerners, Georgians do not tolerate haste. Having ordered shish kebab at a restaurant, you can wait a whole hour for it, it will be cooked with soul, but no one will rush for you. You need to take this feature into account if you want to have a snack, but are late for the plane.
You can and should bargain at bazaars; you can bargain in any place where payment is required, but there is no fixed price.
When you arrive in Georgia, be sure to visit establishments where traditional folk dances and chants. Georgian polyphonic singing is recognized by UNESCO as a heritage cultural heritage humanity. According to historical materials, in 1976, NASA launched a probe into space with a recording of the Georgian song “Chakrulo” as a sample of the musical talents of earthlings.
An interesting fact is that Georgians use a base-20 counting system. So, to use any number from 20 to 100, you need to divide it by twenties plus the remainder, for example: 56 - two - twenty - sixteen.
Arriving in Tbilisi historical Center Be sure to walk along the Dry Bridge to Madatovsky Island. Initially, the bridge was given the name Nikolaevsky, but after the branch of the Kura River was drained during the Soviet period and the island ceased to exist, a highway was built under the bridge and people began to call it Sukhoi. Along it you can walk to another attraction of the Georgian capital - the flea market.
Another interesting fact is that Georgian women hang their laundry everywhere. In the ancient courtyards-wells in the heart of Tbilisi, in the high-rise buildings of the Tbilisi center, in the most distant mountain villages, you will definitely see ropes stretched between balconies, houses and poles on which clothes are dried. Thus, Georgians show that they good housewives and take care of their household.

These are not all the interesting facts about Georgia, because in order to fully appreciate the beauty, identity and history of this country, you need to visit it.

Photo 1 of 8:© commons.wikimedia.org

It so happened that most of the Tochka.net editorial staff had already visited Georgia. Our last trip - to the Ukrainian Fashion Games - prompted us to write about important and interesting facts about Tbilisi and Georgia.

1. Landing at Tbilisi airport is often difficult to call soft, especially in the wind. Experienced travelers they say that everything is due to the proximity of the mountains, and there is nothing to be afraid of.

2 . If you prefer to pack your luggage in film, pay attention to the cost of the service in Georgia. If in Boryspil a bag will be wrapped in polyethylene for 30 hryvnia, then in Tbilisi it will cost only 60 (12 lari). In Kutaisi, for such a service they ask for 50 hryvnia (10 lari).

3 . There is no Georgian food at all at Tbilisi airport. We strongly do not recommend trying khachapuri in a local cafe. And at Kutaisi airport there is still no cafe or even duty-free.

4 . There are a lot of taxis in Tbilisi, but most of the cars are very shabby. As the drivers themselves explain, they become taxi drivers because there is no other job. And you can buy an old foreign car for only 3 thousand dollars.

5 . You can catch a taxi right on the street; the cost will not differ much from what the dispatcher will tell you if you call a taxi by phone.

6 . In general, a taxi in Tbilisi is a relatively affordable form of transport: you can get from the city center to the outskirts for about 8-10 lari (40-50 hryvnia). Of course, for the same distance they can ask for both 5 and 15 lari - to travel cheaper, do not hesitate to bargain.

7 . To ride the metro you will need a special one. plastic card, which costs 2 lari (about 10 hryvnia). To avoid buying a card, ask one of the passengers to “rent” their card; they will not refuse you. The fare itself costs 50 tetri (about 2.5 hryvnia).

8 . Tbilisi has a 500-meter funicular that takes you up the mountain to a large new amusement park.

9 . The Tbilisi cable car will take you up the mountain where the Narikala fortress stands, the history of which dates back to the first century. The cable car is new and beautiful, so the ride is almost not scary. Best view, of course, opens at night.

10 . One of the most beautiful places in Tbilisi - a patch near puppet theater Rezo Gabriadze with “Gabriadze Cafe” and a crooked clock tower. Every hour here is marked by the appearance of a figurine of a golden-winged angel, who knocks on a bell with a hammer. And at 12 and 19 o'clock there is a whole performance with dolls - about the meaning and infinity of life.

11 . In this place you can meet Rezo Gabriadze himself, the director and screenwriter of many films, including “Mimino” and “Kin-dza-dza”.

12 . They are showing at the Gabriadze Theater puppet shows for adults. The most famous and very powerful in impressions is “ Battle of Stalingrad" in Russian. However, other performances are dubbed with English subtitles. Tickets - from 5 lari (about 25 hryvnia).

13 . The oldest church in Tbilisi is very close - it is Anchiskhati, built in the 6th century. And the most spacious church in Georgia is on the other bank of the Kura River, this is the Church of the Holy Trinity, built several years ago.

14 . A car ride from Tbilisi to the old capital of Georgia, Mtskheta, will take no more than half an hour one way. It will cost (in the case of a taxi) from 40 GEL for the entire time (travel there, back and around the city).

15 . Near Mtskheta there is the Jvari Monastery - a monument World Heritage UNESCO. From the mountain on which the monastery stands one can see beautiful view to the valley where the Kura and Aragvi merge (the poem “Mtsyri” by Lermontov begins with a description of this place).

16 . Mtskheta is also home to the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral. Here, according to legend, the tunic of Jesus was buried. Later, a cedar tree grew at this place, from which one of the pillars of the temple was made, which has survived to this day.

17 . In Mtskheta you should also definitely try khinkali. One costs an average of 60 tetri, the minimum portion is 5 pieces. In total, a plate of khinkali, which can easily feed two girls, will cost 3 lari (about 15 hryvnia).

18 . You need to eat khinkali with your hands, holding them by the dough “tail”. First you need to bite off a piece of the dough shell, drink the broth and only then eat the rest.

19 . The national vodka made from grapes - chacha - is very strong, about 60-70%. Calculate your strength if you are going to drink it.

20 . It is best to buy Churchkhela in Kakheti - Georgians believe that it is the most delicious there. Choose the one that is softer - it contains less starch. The price for a large churchkhchela is about 1.5 lari.

21 . If you want to go to Kakheti, be sure to go to Sighnaghi. There is the Pirosmani Museum, which contains about a dozen original paintings by the famous artist.

22 . also in art museum in Sighnaghi there is a figurine of a lion, which is about 5 thousand years old - its image is the symbol of the Bank of Georgia.

23 . The best place to dine in Sighnaghi is in a restaurant on the ancient fortress wall. There is decent food, the terrace offers views of the Alazani Valley and mountains, and the feast is accompanied by a performance by musicians who perform folk songs.

24 . Bodbe Monastery is located two kilometers from Sighnaghi. The High Hierarch of Georgia Nino is buried in it, and next to it is a healing spring.

25 . Officially, you can bring 2 liters of wine, 1 liter of strong alcohol and 5 liters of beer into Ukraine in your luggage. But at the Tbilisi airport there is a good alcoholic duty-free with a large selection of wine and several types of chacha, so in fact your possibilities are almost limitless.

Georgia is an amazing country. No wonder the famous Georgian song “Tbilisso” says that such beauties cannot be found in other parts of the world. As soon as people find themselves in this country of sun, mountains and hospitable people, they fall in love with it once and for all.

Georgia is a country of legends and interesting traditions. We will tell you about the most interesting traditions and facts about Georgia in this article.

1. Sakartvelo - this is what Georgians call their country. This word comes from the name of the people who lived on the territory of present-day Georgia - the Kartvels. The word “Georgia” came into our language in the 17th-18th centuries from the Arabic “Gurjistan”.

2. B Ancient world Georgia and Spain were called the same - Iberia. And the language of the Basques (the people living in Spain) is very similar to Georgian. Now the English name of Georgia - Georgia is often confused with the name of the state of the same name in the USA.

3. Georgia adopted Christianity much earlier Kievan Rus. Back in 319. Today, 88.6% of the population of Georgia professes Christianity, most of them are adherents of the Georgian Orthodox Church.

4. In the Georgian language there is no stress as such, only the tone rises on a certain syllable. Also in Georgian there are no capital letters, there is no masculine and feminine(it is determined by context). Before you pronounce a Georgian word, make sure it sounds correctly. After all, you can find yourself in funny situation when one wrong sound radically changes the meaning of the word. For example, many tourists pronounce the name of the city “Gori” so that it turns out to be “pig”.

5. In the Georgian language, the decimal system is used for naming numbers. To pronounce a number between 20 and 100, you need to divide it into twenties and say their number and remainder. For example: 33 is twenty-thirteen, and 78 is three-twenty-eighteen.

6. Do not enter Georgian churches in shorts, with your head uncovered and your shoulders bare. If you stop by on an excursion to the temple on the way from or to the beach, be prepared for the fact that you will not be allowed into the shrine. Moreover, if you do come in, you may be kicked out with shouts. In Georgia, this is very strict, and Georgians respect their traditions.

7. Georgians are open people. They love to sing loudly, have fun, and talk loudly on the streets. But what it’s better not to talk about loudly on the streets is “thieves in law.” The fact is that since 2004, Georgia has declared war on “thieves in law.” Georgian law enforcement officers took into account the fact that, according to the “thieves’ code,” a “thief in law” could not deny his title. Therefore, in Georgia they introduced the following rule: if a person publicly admitted that he was a “thief in law”, he would be sent to jail for 10 years.

8. The remains of the first representatives of the human race were found on the territory of Georgia. They were discovered in 1991 in Dmanisi and date back to approximately 1 million 770 thousand years ago. They were given the names Zezva and Mzia.

9. In Tbilisi it is better to speak Russian or the worst English, but in no case broken Georgian. However, it is worth knowing that Russian is spoken mainly by people of the older generation in Georgia. Russian is unpopular among young people and has very limited use. In the mountains no one owns it at all. Now in the country English language claims to become the second official one in Georgia; children learn it in schools from the first grade.

10. Time in Georgia is 2 hours ahead of Kiev in winter, and 1 hour in summer.

11. If you have drunk a lot while visiting and do not want to get behind the wheel of your car, then calmly call the police patrol, warning in advance that you do not want to create emergency situations on the road. In gratitude for this behavior, the police will take you and the car to your home. And it's all absolutely free.

12. In Georgian high-rise buildings, elevators with payment or a personal key are very often found. Elevators with payment - to go up, you need to put a certain number of coins into the mechanism. The descent is free.

13. One of the attractions of Georgia is the laundry hanging from everywhere, which Georgians place not on the balcony, but outside it.

14. Not all houses in Georgia have central heating. In villages and small towns, people warm themselves using stoves.

15. Georgians do not take off their street shoes when visiting. If you do this, Georgians may take such a gesture as disrespect for the owners. It's even worse if you ask for room slippers.

16. Main man during a feast in Georgia - toastmaster. According to custom, this is either the host himself, or he chooses a toastmaster from among the guests (a respected person). Please note that you cannot interrupt the toastmaster, his word is law!

17. Toasts in Georgia are sacred. No one has the right to drink a glass of wine unless a toast is made in turn by all the people (seniors) who are participating in the feast.

18. If you see Georgians eating meat with their hands, know that this is not from bad upbringing and bad manners. In this country, shish kebab is eaten with hands, as if savoring it. This also applies to national dish khinkali. By eating them with cutlery, you risk not only looking stupid, but also, piercing the khinkali with a fork, losing the very essence of this dish.

Khinkali - a popular dish in Georgia

19. A mandatory attribute of a Georgian feast is a plate of greens on the table. Cilantro, basil, tarragon, green onions- this is what Georgians love to eat with meat.

20. Family is sacred for a Georgian! They treat their parents and friends very carefully. And the father's word is the law.

21. In some regions of Georgia, the tradition of kidnapping brides has been preserved. This is only done at the mutual desire of the bride and groom.

21. Storage of weapons is allowed in Georgia.

23. In Georgia, it is impossible to refuse to come to a wedding, since this is a great offense for the inviting party, and it happens that this is where it begins long-term feud two families.

24. Georgians have very interesting tradition- all women would like her. All relatives of the groom must present the bride with gold. And God forbid, someone forgets to do this.

25. Georgia is called the birthplace of wine: it is here that the oldest remains of wine jugs and grapevines were found.

Based on materials from the site travel.tochka.net

July 7th, 2015

We went to Georgia.

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

About Georgian hospitality

It is generally accepted that every foreigner will definitely encounter the so-called. "real Georgian hospitality." That is, literally quoting one of the reviews, you just have to ask a 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 your place in Iceland so as not to spend money on rented housing, no one asked.

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

It seems that tourists mistake something else for real hospitality, namely the ease with which one can negotiate with locals about any service. For example, one day, when we were having breakfast in a cafe, the question arose about 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 personally interested me greatly. 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 were or lived in Russia, relatives live here, etc. They speak Russian quite well. For example, the above-mentioned 15-year-old boy spoke generally perfectly and did not even confuse the verb forms “you” and “you”. There was no talk about any anti-Russian sentiments with anyone. The usual discourse is “the stupid war ruined everything,” “we should bring our wine to you in Russia,” “it’s good that good neighborly sentiments, which had deteriorated, are beginning to improve again.”

Visited the bar daily "Cockoo's Nest". A drinking establishment that intrigued us with the sounds of Led Zeppelin coming from the open door.

We went there for the first time at 3 p.m., and barely left at 11 p.m., and in an 8-hour conversation with bartender Tato we managed to discuss everything from various aspects drinking alcohol to the question “why is Malevich’s Black Square still cool.” Tato turned out to be a 27-year-old historian by training, who opened a small bar just 4 days ago, mostly for his friends, also historians by training.

The public is educated, well-read and listened to, and liberal in Georgian style (I will explain below what I mean by this). 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 towards the Russians, rather, there is some annoyance that things turned out this way and they had to take up arms.

The people turned out to be wonderful, intelligent, and joked great. After the second visit to “Cuckoo’s Nest” we were already hugging everyone goodbye :)

About alcohol consumption culture and safety

Alcohol in general and wine in particular are a large part of Georgian culture, consumption is part of the tradition. The part is so significant that the first bottle of wine is given out by the passport control officer when he stamps the passport. Naturally, he slaps the passport, smiles, “Welcome to Georgia!”, and slips a bottle of Saperavi into narrow gap window :)

On the first day after our arrival, we woke up around 1 pm and went to have breakfast. The owner of the establishment offered to try a glass of their signature family wine, which ultimately led... to a discussion of impotence European culture. This is how it works: any bottle of European wine comes with a recipe for its use and a list of what to avoid. Georgian wine (and we tried a variety of it, from homemade, for 30 rubles a glass, to more or less elite, for 1500 rubles per bottle) does not require this, because just a glass brought into the dining room smells so much that there are no questions, There is absolutely no question as to what to smell, taste and how to drink. Georgian wine is like a view of the mountains, captivating and requiring no explanation of what exactly you are supposed to feel at the moment of contemplation. Excellent wine, in short, not at all like the German, French, Spanish, Italian that we are used to.

As for drinking culture, things are interesting. Everyone drinks and a lot, however, you have never seen a drunk Georgian. Looking the way our drunks look, that's what I mean. We walked around the city for about 80 km, of which 60 in the first 4 days (we used a GPS tracker).

(one day track)

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

In bars, older men drink vodka, mostly Absolut. No drunken screams or inappropriate behavior, they 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 Tato’s bar. 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 produces 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, without visible negative changes in behavior.

There is a common belief that if a Georgian wants to have a drink with you, then you simply cannot refuse. Can. Everyone understands everything, so when you say that there’s simply no more, they stop pouring.

As for the safety of walking around the city day and night, then, contrary to popular belief, there are no problems with this. We did not see any suspicious persons or simply aggressive drunk people. We saw one tourist in a state of disrepair, whom a local resident apparently led to the hotel. That's all.

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

About Buddhism and exotericism

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

After just 15 minutes of meeting, guide Valera asked if we believed. They answered that no, we don’t believe, but we respect the faith of others. But, they say, the temple is a museum for us. 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.

What followed was a story about how Valera’s eye hurt, and none of the doctors could help. And then he remembered that there was a certain grave of a certain saint that secreted healing oil. And Valera just had it in a bottle at home. He immediately realized what to do: he crossed himself, read the “Our Father” once, took the cross, scooped up oil with the cross and smeared it on his eye. And, of course, after a few days the illness disappeared.

Discussed Buddhism:
- Have you read the Tao Te Jing, Igor?
- I read, Valera, I read.
- What is Tao in essence?
— Philosophical concept, there are two interpretations...
- But essentially what is it? This is the aura around things!
- No, Valer, this is not an aura.
- Yes, the aura, for sure, I read it on the Internet. Biofield! Scientists also say that it exists!

We remembered about esotericism:
— You, Igor, read about Georgian esotericism. There is esotericism, and there is exotericism. Esoterics is the science of the inexplicable.
- What about exotericism?
- And this is science that explains esotericism!
- Like this? Esotericism is about the inexplicable.
- Well... she seems to only partially explain, 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 Bodbe Monastery there is a holy spring, in which, according to Valera, trout constantly emerges. Which is interpreted as a miracle. When I asked if it was still popping up, he immediately answered that yes, it was popping up. Unfortunately, we were not able to see the fish with our own eyes - entrance to the source is paid, and we did not consider it necessary to spend money on it.

We discussed all these funny stories in the evening on the way to another wonderful establishment - “Old Generation”.

The wonderful 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 exercise machine that stands at the bar, and changes costumes every day, one more elegant than the other. I started learning English myself so that I could communicate with foreign tourists. The establishment strictly serves chacha, white and red wine, tea, coffee (the best we tried in Tbilisi) and cheese. Everything is your own, homemade. We visited 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 other things. Maya was very friendly, communicated with all the visitors, and she was glad to see us like family every time we appeared on the threshold of her establishment. Naturally, I couldn’t resist asking if it was true that the water from Weeping Rock healed. To which Maya, without blinking an eyelid, replied that yes, that’s all true. She added that you shouldn’t drink, but just 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 lack of education and traditions, but rather by the desire to simply believe in something better, which definitely happened before, and is definitely waiting for us all ahead. Well-educated, adequate people easily tell stories about walking mountains and smearing oil on the eyes on a cross, and sincerely do not understand how one can not believe in this. Simply because life here is quite hard and poor, but 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 updated and rebuilt, for example, in the Turkish Baths area.

They are trying to renovate some buildings.

But this is clearly not enough to write in guidebooks about the “charm of old Tbilisi.” It's downright scary to walk under some wooden balconies.

Some of the buildings are buildings from the 18th and 19th centuries; they look naturally like the Petrograd side in St. Petersburg. But they too have fallen into disrepair, the walls are covered with cracks several centimeters wide, wooden boxes are squeezed out of the front openings due to the skew of the buildings. They also look completely unsafe.

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

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

The buildings located in the city center are maintained in more or less proper condition, but that’s all.

And yet, Tbilisi is unique, original, beautiful and elegant in its own way. And it is extremely diverse.

We rented an apartment from a girl named Sophio, who turned out to be a current journalist working on a local TV channel. Sophio, when tourists stop with her, takes the children and goes to live with her mother. Considering the low rental price, 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 us food and half a bottle of wine.

So, during that very rainstorm that washed away the zoo and several houses, we were just sitting in a bar near the Bridge of Peace. The rain was heavy, but short-lived, about 3-4 hours. But even he could cause trouble. Locals talked about an improperly constructed sewer pipe 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 to the Tato bar, with whom we had a chance to talk the evening of the next day, all of whom were opposed to the authorities, went to help shovel the mountains of dirt that the elements had brought. They didn’t tie themselves with ribbons, didn’t start over-praising 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 and domestic liberalism, this ability to do, and not just bark and complain about the authorities.

About Uplistsikhe, Gori, Sighnaghi, Mtskheta

Uplistsikhe — Old city, built right into the rock. So old that I was even somehow confused at first - the end of the 2nd, beginning of the 1st millennium BC. e. That is, around the same time, the Pyramid of Cheops was erected and the Karnak Temple 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 it in my own words, there is. I will only add that the place is strictly a must-visit.

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

Sighnaghi- an ancient city in the Kakheti region. It is known for its fortress, as well as a wonderful view of the Alazani Valley, with the products from which every schoolchild/student from the USSR and Russia seems to have their own special memories associated. The town is lovely, architecturally somewhat reminiscent of the Hungarian Szentendre. Most of the buildings have been rebuilt, which causes dissatisfaction local residents. They say they ruined all the old beauty. Well, if before everything here looked like in the Old Town in Tbilisi, then they did the right thing.

Mtskheta- 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 Georgian Svetitskhoveli Temple, and nearby, on the mountain, is the Jvari Monastery, from which a beautiful view of Mtskheta opens.

About food, shops and other tourist pleasures

As for Georgian cuisine, it turned out to be very hard on our stomachs. Especially combined with the heat. Already on the third day, the entire diet consisted of 2 (two) Adjarian khachapuri, that is, one each for me and Monamor. Then we switched strictly to salads and stews, as well as European cuisine. However, it is recommended to try everything at least once. Portions are usually designed for two people; you can always take away any leftovers. The cost of a full lunch per 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 turning to the latter Special attention, since it was made mainly using the cloisonné enamel technique, which, as they say on any excursion in Veliky Novgorod, was lost in the 15th century. Georgia is full of modern products produced in this way. jewelry, the choice is very large.

Presented and modern styles, also very interesting, in our opinion.

Wine, of course. You can buy it almost everywhere; there are special stores where you can try it right away. You can carry 3.5 liters per person with you, that is, 6 bottles. If you don’t know much about wine, or simply don’t know what you want, we recommend following our example: come to any specialty store and ask them to recommend 6 bottles of different wines. Precisely different, so that it differs from bottle to bottle. The result will most likely exceed all expectations :)

As for alcohol in bars, it is recommended to drink wine. And even more so, drink wine if you are not in a bar, but in a family-type establishment, where the wine sold is of its own production. Most places offer classic cocktails (like Long Island, etc.), but they absolutely do not know how to cook.

The only place where cocktails and European food were in perfect order was the bar