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 live 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 perfectly well 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 first went there at 3 p.m., and barely left at 11 p.m., and in an 8-hour conversation with the bartender Tato, we managed to discuss everything, from various aspects of drinking alcohol to the question “why Malevich’s Black Square is 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 pushes a bottle of Saperavi through the narrow slot of the 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 exoterics
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 anointed 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 this? 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 in opposition 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 of 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 among 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
The ancestors of the Georgians are mentioned in the Bible; the legendary Colchis, where the Argonauts sailed, was located on the territory of Georgia. It seems to us that we know a lot about Georgians, but their history and culture holds many mysteries.
1. Georgians call their country Sakartvelo. This toponym translates as “all of Kartli” and goes back to the name of the region of the same name. The toponym “Georgia” goes back to the name “Gurjistan” (country of wolves), found in Arab-Persian sources.
The European name of Georgia “Georgia” is also compared with the Arab-Persian name associated with the Georgian cult of St. George. The golden sculpture of the saint rises on central square Tbilisi.
2. The number of Georgians in the world is more than 4 million.
3. Georgians were one of the first peoples to adopt Christianity. According to one of the most common versions, this happened in 319. It is significant that, despite the global trend, the number of believers in Georgia is growing. Today, 80% of Georgians consider themselves Orthodox.
4. Georgian is an ancient written language. Ancient written monuments in ancient Georgian they date back to the 5th century. These include a mosaic inscription from the first half of the 5th century near Jerusalem, as well as an inscription at Bolnisi Zion (60 km south of Tbilisi) from the end of the 5th century.
5. Georgians have a unique alphabet. In Kartvelian studies there are different hypotheses about the prototype of the Georgian letter. According to various theories, it is based on Aramaic, Greek or Coptic writing.
6. The self-name of Georgians is Kartvelebi.
7. The first state mentioned by historians on the territory of Georgia is the Colchis kingdom. It was first mentioned in the middle of the 1st millennium BC. e. Greek authors Pindar and Aeschylus. It was to Colchis that the Argonauts sailed for the Golden Fleece.
8. There is no accent in the Georgian language, only the tone rises on a certain syllable. Also, Georgian does not have capital letters, and gender is determined by context.
9. Joseph Stalin is deservedly considered the most famous Georgian in the world.
10. 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.
11. Words familiar to us from childhood in Georgia do not have the meanings to which we are accustomed. “Mama” in Georgian means dad, “deda” means mother, “bebia” means grandmother, “babua” or “papa” means grandfather.
12. There is no “f” sound in the Georgian language, and in borrowed words this sound is replaced with a “p” sound with a strong aspiration. Russian Federation in Georgian it will sound like: “Rusetis paderatsia”.
13. According to economist Kennan Eric Scott of the Washington Institute, during Soviet Union Georgians supplied 95% of tea and 97% of tobacco to Soviet shelves. The lion's share of citrus fruits (95%) also went to the regions of the USSR from Georgia.
14. On the territory of Georgia in 1991, the remains of Dmanisian hominids were found, initially called Homo georgicus. They are almost 2 million years old (1 million 770 000). They were given the names Zezva and Mzia.
15. In Georgia, it is customary to eat kebabs and khinkali with your hands.
16. Despite the fact that in Georgia it is traditional high level homophobia, the level of tactile contact between Georgian men is very high. While walking, they can hold hands, sitting in coffee shops - touch each other.
17. In everyday communication, Georgians use words that for some reason they consider Russian, although for us they will not always be understandable. Georgians call slippers chusts, wallpaper - trellises, beans - lobio, a T-shirt is often called anything worn above the waist, and boots are sneakers.
18. Georgians are rightfully proud of their wine. It began to be produced here 7,000 years ago, and today there are 500 varieties of cultivated grapes in Georgia. Every year the country hosts the Rtveli grape harvest festival.
19. Georgians are known for their hospitality. The guest in the house is more important than the owner. Therefore, in Georgian houses it is not customary to take off shoes.
20. Georgians are known for their love of long toasts, but not everyone knows that it is not customary to make toasts while Georgians drink beer.
Illustrations: Niko Pirosmani
80 interesting facts about Georgia! 1. The capital of Georgia is Tbilisi 2. The ancient capital of Georgia is Mtskheta 3. The first Georgian Democratic Republic was founded in 1918. 4. The first king of united Georgia was Pharnavaz, in the 3rd century BC. 5. The oldest thread was found in Georgia, it is approximately 34 thousand years old. 6. The world's oldest gold mines were found in Georgia. 7. The first Europeans came from Georgia. The most ancient look people who lived in Europe. This species of people was called Homo Georgicus. 8. The founder of American ballet, and modern ballet art in general, George Balanchine, came from Georgia. 9. The mother of Shah Abass the Great, the most successful Islamic ruler of Persia, was Georgian. 10. General Peter Bagrationi was a Georgian prince 11. In Georgia, the Pontic king Mithridates was hiding from the Roman commander Pompey. 12. The apostles Andrew and Simon preached in Georgia. 13. Jews have lived in Georgia for 2600 years. 14. Georgia is one of last countries entered the CIS, and was one of the first to leave the CIS. 15. Georgia had one Catholic monarch - George XI. 16. One of the death masks Emperor Napoleon. 17. The flag of Georgia is similar to the flag of the first King of Jerusalem, Godfrey of Bouillon, and the coat of arms of Jerusalem during the Crusader times. 18. Byron visited Georgia at one time. 19. The first representative of “Romanticism” in Georgia was David Guramishvili. 20. Griboyedov wrote his comedy “Woe from Wit” in Georgia.. 21. In the Orthodox world, Georgia is considered the Destiny of the Mother of God 22. The Kartvelian languages have no related languages. 23. Highest point Georgia, Shkhara mountain peak, 5.068 m 24. Among the Orthodox, only the Georgian patriarch has the title of “Catholicos”. 25. Georgia and Spain used to be called the same: Iberia. 26. Prometheus is the prototype of the Georgian mythological hero Amirani, who, according to legend, was chained to Mount Khvamli 27. At a time when Georgia was part of the Russian Empire, the king of western Georgia Solomon asked Napoleon for help from Russia. 28. In the Georgian SSR there was the only “Monkey nursery” in the USSR, where experiments were carried out on crossing humans and monkeys. 29. The first serious nuclear research of the USSR was carried out in the Georgian SSR. 30. Ho Chi Minh, visited the Georgian SSR and planted a tree 31. Sumo wrestler from Georgia, Levan Tsaguriya - the first European sekitori. The 13th foreigner to achieve the right to compete in Makuuchi. 32. Singer from Georgia Keti Melua in 2006 became the best-selling singer in the UK and Europe. And on October 2, 2006, Melua entered the Guinness Book of Records for performing the deepest-sea concert - 303 meters below sea level on Statoil's Troll A Platform in the North Sea. 33. According to ancient Greek myths, the legendary Argonauts, led by Jason, went to Colchis in search of the Golden Fleece. 34. Mayakovsky was born and raised in Georgia. 35. Born in Kyiv, but raised and spent teenage years in Georgia, where his mother, politician Yevgeny Primakov, lived. 36. The last battle in Europe during World War II, or the “Georgian Uprising on Texel Island,” was between the Georgians and the Germans. 37. Georgia in Georgian - Sakartvelo, and Russian word"Georgia" comes from the Perso-Arabic "Gurjistan", which translates as "land of wolves". 38. The great-nephew of Napoleon, and the grandson of Joachim Murat, married the Georgian princess Dadiani. 39. Georgian princess Mary Shervashidze was an exclusive model for Coco Chanel. 40. The great Georgian writer Shota Rustaveli was a Neoplatonist. 41. Georgian prince Dmitry Amilakhvari became an officer in the French army, lieutenant colonel of the Foreign Legion, and a hero of the French Resistance.42. Tbilisi was an Arab city-state for 400 years, and was called the “Tbilisi Emirate”. 43. The heavenly patron of Tbilisi, an Arab martyr named Abo. 44. The wife of the Iconian Sultan Giyas ad-Din Kai-Khusrau II was a Georgian princess named Gurji Khatun. 45. The relics of the Georgian great martyr Ketevan are kept in the Vatican. 46. In 1976, the American space agency NASA sent the Georgian song “Chakrulo” into space as an example of the musical abilities of humanity. 47. Georgian dolmens are older than the Egyptian pyramids. 48. In the Middle Ages, there were trading posts of the Italian republics in Georgia. 49. The wife of the famous Italian traveler and writer, Pietro Della Valle, was Georgian. 50. The famous Venetian playwright Carlo Goldoni, in the 18th century, wrote his tragicomedy “La bella giorgiana” “The Beautiful Georgian” 51. Roman Emperor Antony Pius, staged equestrian statue in Rome to the Georgian king Farsman II. 52. Famous composer Aram Khachaturian was born and raised in Georgia. 53. The parents of the French singer of Armenian origin Charles Aznavour were from Georgia. 54. A group of Georgian horsemen in the 19th century joined the famous Buffalo Bill Theater and toured with him around the world. 55. Georgia became the first country in the post-Soviet space to be visited by the Pope in 1999, and the Vatican's chief vicar is married to Georgian Ketevan Barationi. 56. The shortest river, Reprua, and the deepest cave in the world, Voronya, are located in Georgia. 57. The daughter of George VIII was betrothed to the last Byzantine Emperor Constantine XI and killed during the siege of Constantinople in 1453. 58. One of the Wehrmacht units was the “Georgian Legion”, in which Georgians had the right to wear an iron cross. 59. The first person to hoist the Victory Banner on the roof of the German Reichstag was the Georgian Meliton Kantaria. 60. Everyone knows that Stalin was a generalissimo, but the first generalissimo was also the Georgian Grigory Bakurianidze. 61. Grigory Bakurianidze founded the Georgian monastery “Petritsoni” in Bulgaria, which still operates today. 62. The founder of the first Georgian monastery in Jerusalem (488) was Peter the Iverian, who is considered the possible author of “Areopatyg” 63. After the fall of Constantinople, of all the Orthodox Churches, only the Georgian and Russian Orthodox Churches remained outside the Islamic occupation. 64. The founder of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, Anthony of Pechora, was tonsured a monk by the Georgian monk George Svyatogorets on Athos. 65. Everyone knows about Colchis, everyone knows about Iberia, but not everyone knows about the ancient Georgian state - Diaokha. 66. The most famous falsifier of Tsarist Russia (and history ancient Rus') was a Georgian Sulakadzev, he also owns a manuscript about the flight of the clerk Kryakutny to hot-air balloon, who allegedly made the first hot air balloon flight in history. 67. The most famous marriage swindlers in Europe were representatives of the Georgian Mdivani family; among the victims were such celebrities as actress Paola Negri, Barbara Houghton, Salvador Dali’s friend Jose Maria Sert, American actress May Murray and Arthur Conan Doyle's son Denis. 68. Famous writer and a journalist from Tsarist Russia, Pyotr Shalikov, was a Georgian. 69. American general of Georgian origin John Shalikashvili is a representative of the same princely family as the Russian sentimentalist writer P.I. Shalikov. 70. Sukhumi Botanical Garden - one of the oldest botanical gardens in the Caucasus, was founded in 1838. In it, for the first time in Europe, the plant Victoria regia 71 was brought into the air. Not everyone knows that the Caucasus for Russia was conquered by the Georgian prince Tsitsianov. 72. Not everyone knows that the Soviet people's actress Anastasia Vertinskaya is Georgian by mother. 73. In the Second World War, Georgians died more than anyone else in percentage terms. 74. Not everyone knows that in 1303 Georgian troops under the leadership of Vakhtang III took Jerusalem. 75. The Georgian language has a 20-digit counting system. In order to say a number between 20 and 100, you need to divide it into twenties and say the number of twenties and the remainder. For example, 30 is “twenty”, 73 is “thirty-twenty-thirteen”. The Basques and the Mayans have the same system. 76. There are three Georgian alphabets. 77. In the Georgian language there is a word in which there are 8 consonants in a row: გვფრცქვნის (gvprtskvnis) 78. The first husband of the Georgian queen Tamar, was the grandson of Yuri Dolgoruky. 79. Sultan of Egypt, who liberated the country from influence Ottoman Empire, was a Mamluk of Georgian origin Ali Bey el-Kebir. 80. Georgia is the birthplace of winemaking, which originated here for the first time several thousand years BC. And the word “wine” comes from the Georgian “ghvino” And in general, Georgia is a wonderful country!
There are many legends about Georgia. According to one of them, when God distributed lands to nations, Georgians celebrated the creation of the world on a grand scale. 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 is a place in it for high mountains with eternal snow, and a 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.
- Russian is spoken only by those who lived through the USSR era; young people prefer to answer questions 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 slight 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 is 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 here are very loved 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. Locals They 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, Georgian women show that they are 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.