Impressions of Tbilisi. Impressions of Georgia, Tbilisi and Georgians. Contrasts and amazing architecture

When my Donetsk friends moved to Tbilisi and invited me to visit, I doubted for exactly 10 minutes, mainly about whether it would be possible to go to Batumi together later on by the sea and how this would affect the size of my luggage. In order to save money and complete the impression of the country, I went to Georgia by bus from Rostov. I will not tell you the details about buying tickets and the state of the bus, I will note that there was not a single free seat in the cabin and the air conditioner did not work, despite the hot August outside the window.

All the inconveniences and the numb body were more than compensated by absolutely unthinkable mountain landscapes, heroic-historical dramas, and fabulous countries from fantasy productions and works of the classics were immediately recalled. It should be noted that the route is not for the faint of heart, narrow, high and damn scary. When I told my neighbor about this, the whole bus hissed at me in unison, although for most passengers this was clearly not the first trip.

A long road and excellent drivers allowed us to get a lot of impressions from the beauties, at our request we stopped in Kazbegi. The view from the observation deck is one of the strongest impressions, but for some reason the hang gliders offered to take a closer look at this beauty, for some reason I wanted to be rude to them. Suicide for my own money was clearly not part of my plans. Again, during a long journey, my neighbor, who was married to a Georgian, and her youngest son danced Georgian dances in a well-known group, told me about all the places that I need to see in Tbilisi and the surrounding area. Many thanks to her, since not all of her recommendations can be found in guidebooks, but it was so nice to visit the flea market near the Dry Bridge and admire the small but damn talented sculptures on Shota Rustaveli Avenue.

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For me, the country I visit is perceived by all senses: its smell, colors, taste from local food, communication with local residents wherever possible. Georgia is majestic and strict at first glance, slightly muted colors, noble shades of ancient fortresses and temples in full harmony with modern buildings. The only exception was the monstrous blue Bridge of Peace, which does not fit into the architecture of Tbilisi in any way; it is not for nothing that the locals call it Olweis after the name of popular women's pads. The rest of the city, especially the old one, can be explored for more than one day, because every building here is a historical monument. On the banks of the river, the Presidential Palace flaunts and restored houses are immediately molded, the basis of which is a solid rock formation, which ensures the reliability of such a building. The price of real estate in this area is not at all for poor people.

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The center and pride of Tbilisi, despite the very young age of construction, all residents call the temple of Tsminda Saneb, an impressive architectural ensemble both outside and inside.

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On its territory there is a nice cafe with the famous Georgian lemonade Vody Lagidze. My escort assured me that Coca-Cola had solicited his recipe unsuccessfully. But the stomach reacted ambiguously to this delicacy, although it is quite possible that this was the result of a two-day tasting of delicious Georgian wine and delicacies. Although I still regret that I did not show delight to my companion, I disappointed him so much.

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Georgians are proud of their country, their wine, their food and generously share their energy and time. When I couldn't find the descent to the subway, a young Georgian woman took me by the hand and paid for it, although, at first glance, Georgian women are gloomy and arrogant. The impression dissipates a few moments after the conversation, as everyone is happy to try to help, only the language barrier has already matured. Young people practically do not speak Russian, but you can at least communicate with them in English, the older generation, especially those with a good education, quickly remember the Russian language, but the rest - only in Georgian. Although, if you want to explain yourself, you will understand, because everyone who was only within a radius of 50 meters will come to your aid.

Georgian men deserve special attention, they are women-loving, but amazingly patriarchal. When my wonderful bus neighbor said that they would look at me, I did not fully understand what was meant. Despite the awareness, at first they directly put me into a stupor, because they have a habit of abruptly stopping and staring at the woman they like. There is no need to be afraid of this, since no aggressive actions will follow, and this applies not only to acquaintances, but also to any passer-by or motorist. With a decent response and restrained behavior, everything will be limited to compliments and various invitations and propositions. Although, as I understand it, only native Tbilisi is so well brought up, you can expect negative things from visitors.

I visited all the main sights during the week spent in Tbilisi, I was struck by Mtskheta, Jvari, handsome Tbilisi, its buildings, temples and museums. I ate delicious pkhali and shish kebab, I was not lucky with my beloved khinkali. It’s my own fault, even in amazing Georgia you don’t need to hope for a perfect dish in places where crowds of tourists gather. No, everything will be fresh and tasty, but my gourmet habits are not satisfied. So approach this issue with your head, read the reviews carefully, because every Georgian will assure that only in his village or district they can make real wine, the right kharcho and barbecue, the perfect pelamushi and churchkhela.

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Let's start with the fact that I ended up in Tbilisi by chance and, unfortunately, not for long. However, even a couple of days in the capital of Georgia was amazing - after all, this is our first joint trip with Valieva. So we tried to cram as much as possible into this short period of time. And it looks like we succeeded.

I arrived late at night, so the first thing we did was go to sleep. We lived in apartments near the city center. There were hard-to-open gates and a green light in the bedroom, like in the Slytherin common room.

In the morning, barely opening our eyes, we immediately went for a walk.

The first thing that catches your eye in the city center is the abundance of Russian text. Almost everyone here speaks Russian - and to say that this is discouraging is to say nothing. Yes, this is a former Soviet republic, but in comparison with Azerbaijan, the difference is colossal. The second thing that not only catches the eye - but downright knocks you down - a huge amount of wine: in shops, restaurants and wine bars.

This is the first trip for which I did not prepare, so we explored the charming old streets and wide avenues at random. The tourist center has a lot of souvenir shops, carpet shops and Georgian restaurants - which is not too surprising. Boutique hotels, hostels and residential buildings of the old city lurk in the alleys.

The walls are a separate attraction:

Real beauty can be found in the alleys: it’s like a million square in Vladivostok, like the vintage city of Porto in Portugal… Charmingly dilapidated houses, artistically crumbling jokes and doors, each of which you want to photograph.

A separate attraction is the balconies: from mesmerizing patterns of forged lattices to tall structures with wooden carvings.

And doors, of course. If I had a couple more days in Tbilisi, the whole film would be literally filled with them.

And a few more lanes:

Quite quickly, we came to Rustaveli Avenue, the main artery of the city, where most of the significant buildings of the city are located: the Parliament, the National Gallery, theaters and cinemas, shops, hotels…

Near the Rustaveli cinema and several theaters there is a local analogue of the "walk of fame". Movies here, by the way, are shown in Russian and Georgian.

On the avenue is also located the temple of Kashveti or the Kashveti Cathedral of St. George. despite the seeming "old age" it was built in the 20th century. However, even he perfectly demonstrates the peculiarity of all Georgian churches: they are compact, concise and obscenely similar to each other. This unity has its own charm - the “sameness” of the churches makes them together a unique feature of Georgia.

Freedom Square is another attraction that you will meet on the way. Its main feature is that it does not feel like a square at all. If it were not for the monumental monument of Freedom with St. George killing the dragon, then it could even be mistaken for a transport ring.

A couple of times we went down into the underground passages - everything is expected here: good old Chinese stalls with Chinese goods. If you think about it and remember how far the Celestial Empire is from here, then such a scale is really terrifying :/

On the other side of the avenue there are bookstores, souvenirs and paintings by street artists:

In general, when walking around the city, you always pay attention to the details: there are so many of them that you don’t want to waste time cramming them into the frame. Here are the details of buildings in different architectural styles (art deco is surprisingly common), and paintings, and moments from street life, and just some little things that catch the eye and never let go. It is very easy to fall in love with Tbilisi at first sight.

The city is remembered for its contrast, delicious cuisine, amazing architecture and kind, helpful people.

Georgia is an amazing country, which in 10 years has gone from one of the most corrupt and dangerous places for tourists in the world to a state where there is neither corruption nor serious crime. It is not rich, not yet prosperous, but actively developing and striving to take its rightful place in the modern world.

In this article I will talk about a trip to the capital of Georgia, Tbilisi - what I remember and liked, I will share my impressions and mood. It was an interesting experience in comparison with previous trips to distant and not so foreign countries. For those who are interested in the topic, I also recommend reading:

Upon arrival at Tbilisi airport

What does iManiac and any other tech-savvy and modern comrade who got to another country do? That's right - the first thing he organizes for himself is the mobile Internet. Navigation, access to social networks and mail, cheap calls abroad - that's all. In most cases, the best and cheapest option is to buy a local SIM card.

As practice has shown, for those who need to make a lot of calls from Georgia to Russia, a local card is suitable " Beeline» - the most favorable tariffs in this regard. But with the Internet, the situation is worse due to weaker coverage compared to other local operators. For myself I chose Geocell, which provides 6 GB of traffic (LTE) for 30 days for 15 GEL (approximately 460 rubles). I also added 5 lari for voice communication. It is quite budgetary, especially when compared with tariffs in European countries. At the same time, it received excellent coverage both in Tbilisi itself and in the vicinity of the city (including at the foot of Kazbek, 200 km from the capital).

I bought a SIM card right at the airport, which took no more than 10 minutes. A nice girl promptly arranged everything (a passport is required when buying a SIM) and activated the necessary services on the spot. Moreover, she advised on budget travel from the airport to the city. Actually, this consultation paid off all the costs of mobile communications, and twice.

International airport in Tbilisi

At the exit from the airport, the first thing taxi drivers meet you, smartly offering their services. It's about getting to the city with a breeze in 20-30 minutes and getting to the right place, which pleases. But pay for it 40 lari(1220 rubles) I don’t feel like it at all, especially after consulting an employee of a mobile operator. By the way, it is possible and necessary to bargain with taxi drivers, since after the first refusal, an offer was received to take us for 25 lari(770 rubles), which is more pleasant.

But it is worth going from the airport doors forward literally 15 meters, as you get to bus stop. Transport runs every half an hour, and in 30-40 minutes it takes you to the city center (stop " Freedom Square”), which costs only 0.5 lari (16 rubles) per person. It was about this most budgetary option that the girl who sold the SIM card told us. Yes, then you will have to get to your destination on your own two (or using public transport), but you already have the Internet and navigation, so this will not be a problem.

First acquaintance with the city

I flew to Tbilisi with my wife in the evening around 20:00, so the first acquaintance happened briefly, but it was remembered by a sea of ​​lights. The whole city is literally immersed in the light of lanterns and backlights, which looks very impressive. Churches, unusual statues, restaurants, liquor stores with chic signs, architectural monuments.

And it's not just about the center - the city is lit everywhere and completely, which was clearly visible during the bus ride from the airport.

Contrasts and amazing architecture

Tbilisi is a city of contrasts. Incredible, ultra-modern buildings side by side with old buildings and places with real ruin, although it is mainly concentrated in the so-called "Old Town", which is only a small part of the capital. However, in many places I saw municipal employees engaged in the repair and restoration of buildings.

According to the Tbilisi residents themselves, 10 years ago such devastation was in the whole city, but through the efforts of the new authorities, the capital was for the most part put in order, preserving the Asian flavor. For example, these ancient ruins in the city center were left there on purpose and turned into a kind of open exposition - they are several thousand years old:

And take a look at how cool the old houses and other elements look, including the ancient lantern:

All this is adjacent to such beauty (the trip fell in November, so the weather turned out to be cloudy):

In general, there are a lot of amazing and unusual buildings in Tbilisi. I have never seen such an abundance of forms in one place. You don't have to go far for examples. Take a look at urban amusement park:

How do you like the first photo with the falling tower? But that's not all. Is there some more Puppet Theater Rezo Gabriadze connected to the cafe Do not be sad!" unusual clock tower:

Every hour an angel appears on the tower, striking the bell, and at noon and at 19 o'clock a whole puppet show unfolds here.

Do you want modern? There are many of them in Tbilisi! For example, a glass-steel pedestrian Peace Bridge across the river Kura. It is amazing in itself (however, some locals sarcastically call it a “pad”, they say, the shape looks like a feminine hygiene item and does not fit into the general urban style), but when it gets dark, the backlight turns on and a real light show begins. Moreover, the LEDs are even built into the glass of the transparent sides of the bridge.

No less interesting and concert hall building located next to said bridge.

But all these are just flowers against the background of those ancient buildings that have survived in Tbilisi and its environs.

Antiquity and antiquity

Tbilisi has a huge number of various kinds of cultural monuments. Buried here A. S. Griboyedov and formed the pantheon of writers and public figures of Georgia Mtatsminda. There are more than a dozen different churches and temples in the capital, including Jvari, built in the 6th century. Lovers of antiquity and antiquity have something to see, but let's start with the impressive landscape of the city, where you can find a gorge and even a waterfall.

Didn't find a waterfall? Do not rush, I will tell you about it as part of the experience of visiting the Tbilisi sulfur baths. In the meantime, let's go through the temples and interesting antiquities. Yes, I'm impressed Anchiskhat Basilica(also known as the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary), which is the oldest church building in Tbilisi (dating back to the 6th century), and active.

No less interesting was the cable car ride, which led to ancient fortress Narikala, which in the past protected the city. On the territory of the fortress you can’t say that you are in the center of Georgia. In one of the photos below, pay attention to the church Lurgi monasteri(Blue Monastery), beautifully located on a hill. Erected at the end of the XII century.

If you get to Tbilisi, be sure to visit the pantheon of writers and public figures of Georgia Mtatsminda, at the same time take a ride on the local funicular. This is a kind of necropolis where many of the famous writers, artists, scientists and national heroes of Georgia are buried, including the aforementioned Griboedov and his wife Nino Chavchavadze. In total, there are 48 graves around the Temple of David located in the center of the complex. In addition to it, there are two more church buildings on the territory of the pantheon: the Church of the Iberian Icon of the Mother of God and the Transfiguration Church, plus three holy springs. In addition to the fact that there are very picturesque and beautiful places, I remember the local caretaker, who absolutely free of charge organizes a real sightseeing tour for everyone who is interested. It can usually be found next to Griboyedov's grave.

Bored of the abundance of cultural monuments? As I said, there are really a lot of them. So, when planning to visit Tbilisi, count on at least a week - there is something to see here. And so that you don’t get bored now, dear readers, here are Georgian cats for you:

Smiled, cheered up? Go to the bath!

Sulfur baths

This is another important part of a trip to Tbilisi, which I recommend to everyone and everyone to plan. In addition to the fact that sulfur baths are useful and perfectly relaxing, there are simply incredible beauty places in the vicinity that you would not expect to see almost in the center of a modern city. For some reason, such an oasis reminded me of the center where they are located. In general, skipping the Tbilisi baths, compactly located on sulfur sources, is like coming to Paris and not climbing the Eiffel Tower. But first things first.

Bath quarter(Abanotubani) is the oldest part of Tbilisi, where the first settlement of Tbilisi was born. Actually warm springs gave the name to the city: “ tbili" in Georgian means " warm". We chose Samepe Abano or the Royal Bath.

The bathhouse is right behind me - you can even walk on its roofs

It is considered the oldest of all, it stands out for its excellent interior design, inexpensive massage (5 lari or about 155 rubles), beautiful and comfortable private rooms. True, the cost of such a room is non-budget - from 50 to 100 lari (1500-3000 rubles). Also note that if you decide to visit the bathhouse with a company, you should book a place in advance and arrive 15 minutes before the appointed time.

The procedure itself resembles a visit. That is, the basis is natural hot springs. Rinse under the shower and warm yourself for 5-10 minutes in a pool of sulphurous water (temperature - up to 45°C), which nourishes the body with microelements, perfectly heals the skin and joints. In between bathing in the hot pool, you can treat yourself to delicious local tea with jam. Like the Turkish, as well as the Japanese bath, the Georgian one is very relaxing, unlike the Russian one, which is invigorating. That is, it is advisable to plan a visit in such a way that you can then lie down to rest or even sleep.

But before you go to the baths, be sure to take a walk around the neighborhood - in a gorge with a sulfurous stream and a waterfall.

Trip to Mount Kazbek

This is another reason, along with sulfur baths, why I recommend focusing on at least a weekly visit to Tbilisi. Of the seven days, one should be allocated for a trip to Mount Kazbek, which will allow you to plunge into the history of Georgia, see the most picturesque places and, in the process, visit several interesting sights at once. And at the same time, feel what it's like when your ears are laid not in an airplane, but in a car. The fact is that during such a trip to Georgian military road the height difference will be up to 3000 m. The sensations are curious :).

The Georgian military road through the Main Caucasian Range, connecting the cities of Vladikavkaz (North Ossetia) and Tbilisi (Georgia). Length 208 km.

Our small group was very lucky with the weather - the day was sunny and cloudless, though windy. Although, according to our guide wano it's always windy there. Still mountains.

We left early in the morning and the first sight on the way to Mount Kazbek was monastery and temple of Jvari.

This is a building of the 7th century, located on the top of a mountain at the confluence of the Kura and Aragvi rivers near Mtskheta ...

... And one of the masterpieces of architecture in terms of perfection of forms, plus the first World Heritage Site in Georgia.

The temple is really very beautiful, especially in the morning sun. It was interesting for me personally to touch such antiquity and surprisingly realize the memory that such a monumental and impressive building keeps.

Next stop - the ancient city of Mtskheta, founded in the first century AD and being the first capital of Georgia. Only with time this title passed to Tbilisi. Nevertheless, Mtskheta remained the spiritual heart of the country. It was in it that Christianity was adopted back in 327 AD. By the way, this is what the Jvari temple from Mtskheta looks like:

The town is small, by modern standards, rather an urban-type village, but very cozy, clean and beautiful:

Be sure to take a look inside - the atmosphere and beauty of the temple impressed even me, a person who is very calm about Christianity and religion in general. And this despite the fact that I saw the largest temples in Hungary and visited the monumental mosques of Istanbul.

From Mtskheta we went to the next important point of our trip - to Ananuri fortresses(also called a castle).

It served as the main stronghold for the Aragvi eristavis, the rulers of this region. In modern times, this cultural monument is famous for its preservation. Ananuri Castle is one of the most famous sights of Georgia, which has preserved towers, walls and even ceilings in some places. There is no exact information about when the castle was built. One of the towers dates back to the 13th century AD, but Ananuri gained fame in the 17th century, when he was the residence of the Aragvi eristavis. It is worth noting that in those days the fortress was much larger and only its upper part has survived to this day.

But the most interesting part of the fortress is the inside Assumption Temple built in 1689. In addition to it, there are only two or three temples in Georgia, built in the 17th century.

If you go down a little, you can explore the mysterious ruins, including another temple, but already dilapidated.

Next stop - Mount Kazbek or rather its surroundings. This is the easternmost five-thousander of the Caucasus (5033.8 m in the Baltic system of heights), an icy peak and an extinct stratovolcano. The last eruption occurred in 650 BC.

The mountain got its name from the village Kazbegi adjacent to it. Ossetian name Urshoch means " white mountain". In turn, the Georgians call it Mkinvartsveri, which translates as " ice-capped mountain».

The first ascent to the summit of Kazbek was made by a 23-year-old Englishman D. Freshfield in 1868. Of the interesting sights, it is worth highlighting the ancient cave monastery complex located at an altitude of about 4100 m. Bethlemy. At an altitude of 3675 meters is located old weather station building, which is now used as a shelter for climbers. A little higher, on the way to the top of Kazbek and at an altitude of about 3900 m stands modern little chapel.

Interesting fact- September 10, 2013 45-year-old President of Georgia Mikhail Saakashvili climbed Mount Kazbek, becoming the second president-alpinist of the post-Soviet space after the president of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev(At the age of 55, on a mass mountain climbing on June 30, 1995, he climbed the Abay peak - 4010 m).

I didn’t climb the mountain, but I took a picture against the background :)

But in this photo, if you look closely, you can see to the left of the ice peak Trinity Church on the mountain above the village of Gergeti.

A couple more photos of local beauties:

Breathing in the clean mountain air, we went to a local cafe " 5047 m» (I recommend!) taste Georgian cuisine. Fortunately, the time has already come, and the stomach was diligently rumbling, demanding khinkali and kebabs.

So smoothly we will move on to another attraction, for which it is worth visiting Georgia ...

Georgian cuisine

In the spring of 2014, when my wife and I, the taxi driver recommended that we forget about all kinds of diets and be ready to throw in a week or two heels of a kilogram. Well, the same can be said about Georgia with its rich cuisine and long traditions.

I leaned more on meat and greens in strength, but still I tried a little of everything, and I received a lot of rave reviews from friends and wife. In fact, you can write more than one article about the cuisine of Georgia, and people who are interested can easily find a lot of information about this. I will briefly tell you what I liked and what I can safely recommend.

First, leaned on churchkhela. I love this ancient Georgian delicacy, which I have tried more than once before, but I appreciated the real churchkhela only now.

The dish is prepared from natural ingredients and without added sugar. It is based on grape or pomegranate juice, peeled nuts (walnuts or hazelnuts) and wheat flour. Depending on the grape variety, the taste, sweetness, and aroma also vary. In addition, there is also honey churchkhela - it is the sweetest. In Tbilisi, one stick of such a delicacy in crowded places costs 2–3 lari (65–95 rubles), depending on the size. In Mtskheti - a little cheaper. A cool and satisfying thing to take with you on the road as a snack. By the way, in ancient times, churchkhela was part of the diet of Georgian warriors, as it is very nutritious and does not deteriorate under any conditions for a long time.

Must try local barbecue- it is beautiful, and regardless of the meat from which it is prepared. Georgians normally treat the consumption of any meat, including pork. It's funny that lamb and pork dishes here are much cheaper than veal and beef dishes. In Asian countries, Ukraine and Russia, just the opposite is true. I myself mostly leaned on pork skewers.

No less beautiful are Georgian dumplings, called khinkali. Unlike classic dumplings, where minced meat is used, in Georgian dumplings the meat is beaten off with a knife to a jelly-like state. Although there are a lot of types of khinkali and fillings too. Feel free to try everything. During the week of daily trials, there was never such a thing that we did not like some options.

Another delicious national thing - khachapuri. And this is not just cheese bread, but a full-fledged second course, which is delicious everywhere in Tbilisi. So don't worry about where to eat, whether it's a street food place or subway tents. There are many variants of khachapuri, including those where fragrant herbs are added to the cheese, sometimes an egg, and sometimes beans instead of cheese. Again, everything is delicious.

Georgian chicken salad surprised me no less than khinkali. If you order it, do it carefully, as the portions are huge and there is sooo much meat. In fact, a medium-sized citizen will gorge himself with one such salad. It contains chicken (it feels like they took half of the bird and put it all into one serving of salad), mayonnaise, herbs, onions and some other ingredients. All together - tasty and satisfying.

Also in Georgia, excellent cheeses, soups, and in general the cuisine is chic. So feel free to go to any institution, of which there are a huge number in Tbilisi, and try.

Also, do not forget about persimmon - it is very tasty in Georgia and cheap. It is also worth leaning on local mineral waters. I actively used Borjomi, which costs three times less in Tbilisi than in my hometown.

Georgian wines are a separate conversation, but here I am not an interlocutor, since I prefer stronger drinks and then very rarely. I can only say that my wife was wildly delighted with local wines. Prices are very different, there are those that will easily leave a tourist without pants. If you want to try wines on a budget and to taste delicious, look into local hypermarkets. Before leaving, it was there that they bought several bottles for gifts and samples, moreover, on the recommendation of a store employee, and even got into an action of unprecedented generosity. It turned out delicious and inexpensive. Do not count on the fact that you will get cheap local wines in the "duty free", just the opposite. Prices for the same items differed by 2-3 times, not in favor of the duty-free shop.

And a little more Tbilisi

The week in Tbilisi turned out to be very interesting, informative, and I want to return there again. For example, in summer. Friendly people, beautiful places, excellent cuisine, relatively budget, when compared with trips to Europe or some other foreign country.

Finally, some more photos from Tbilisi and its environs. How do you like this Georgian November?

Or a funny monument:

Here is the monument Mother of Kartli» on the top of the Sololaki hill. In one hand she has a sword for those who came with the war, in the other - a goblet of wine for friends and guests. Mobile coffee shops with delicious coffee are clustered side by side:

On Freedom Square in the center of Tbilisi there is an impressive “ Freedom Monument”is a monument depicting St. George slaying a dragon:

During one of the evening walks, we suddenly stumbled upon the local representative office of iPhones:

But no, it turned out to be a service center for "apple" technology:

Friends, dear readers, travel! I sincerely recommend that you try this type of vacation, if so far you have only had the experience of a “beach vacation”. Those who understand how magnificent the world is and that you can really get to know it only by visiting far beyond the borders of your small cozy world in the form of your own sofa, I wish you more opportunities for such adventures.

From the time when my father served in the army here, and to this day, when I was lucky enough to visit these parts, inminethe heart has already conceived love for this picturesque country and respect for this Great people.

So, friends, I invite you to travel with me around the city of Tbilisi. This is the largest city of Georgia, which is a "capital city", located between Europe and Asia on the banks of the Mtkvari (Kura) River.

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According to legend, back in the 5th century, a pheasant shot during a hunt by King Vakhtang Gorgasali was boiled in a hot spring. The medical properties of the springs and their strategic location served as the reason for the founding of the city with the beautiful name of Tbilisi (translated as “warm spring”) on those lands.

However, even without knowing the legend, I could assume that the city was named that way in connection with the unusually warm and friendly reception of guests by local residents.

On the way to the hotel, the taxi driver told me and my companion about the best establishments where you can taste Georgian khinkali, about the main attractions, and even took us along a longer route so that we could see more without charging us an additional fee.

Streets of Old Tbilisi

Remembering the enthusiastic stories of my father and fellow travelers, we first of all went to the promenade along Old Tbilisi. The monuments of the Old City enveloped us with the breath of antiquity. Like a parallel world, surprisingly harmoniously, modern infrastructure coexisted.

Dilapidated two-story buildings replaced glittering avenues. But even this did not create any imbalance, as if it could not be otherwise. The aromas of fresh bread in tandem with the barely perceptible smell of smoke gave us new sensations, quivering emotions.

Clock tower of Rezo Gabriadze and Anchiskhati

Then we found ourselves in the land of fairy tales, seeing Rezo Gabriadze's watch. The amazing asymmetry of this building is perfectly combined with the nearby Byzantine masterpiece, the unique Anchiskhati Basilica of the 5th century.

At the top of the tower, on a small balcony, as well as at its foot, a whole theatrical performance of mechanical puppets takes place from time to time. Seeing this, every spectator passing by will smile ...

The skewness of the tower and the supporting channel are nothing more than a creative idea. The tower is stable and durable. But until we were told, we doubted it.

Rezo Gabriadze, who is the director of many films, including the famous "Mimino" and "Do not Cry", is an artist, writer, theater director, puppeteer. It was he who founded the first puppet theater in the capital in 1981. And it is located just opposite the Clock Tower. When watching the performance, my companion's eyes burned with the same spark as those of a six-year-old girl sitting next to her. Therefore, I was touched by two actions at once: on stage and the reaction in the hall.

Peace Bridge

So imperceptibly, the sunset took away the colors of the daytime city from us, but suggested that the time of romantics had come.

The magic of the Bridge of Peace lies in the fact that at night, when passing this 156-meter tunnel, you are under the glass fixed on the frame. It magically reacts to our movements. Very symbolic and beautiful, in the darkness of the Bridge of Peace, it illuminated our path. You can get to the bridge both from the side of Irakli II Street and Rike Park, and from the embankments of the boulevards.

Despite the fact that fatigue was very pleasant and expected, it was necessary to gain strength for the second day of acquaintance with the old Tbilisi.

Mtatsminda

In the morning the route was easily determined. The locals are always happy to suggest what else we need to see and experience. And if necessary, they can personally show the way, accompanying the walk with an unobtrusive and pleasant conversation.

So, we are in the amusement park on Mount Mtatsminda. And you can get to the mountain by cable car, which in itself is already a small adventure. Especially for a coward like my love. Leaving the cabin, we admired the panorama of Tbilisi at our feet.

On the slope of the mountain is the Church of St. David. Since 1929, the Mtatsminda pantheon has existed around the church, where prominent people of Georgia are buried.

After the next hiking trips, it was simply necessary to visit the famous Georgian baths, famous for their unusually relaxing and tonic effect.

“In my childhood I have never seen anything more luxurious than the Tiflis baths,” Pushkin wrote in his memoirs. It is this quote that is engraved on an old tablet at the entrance to the kingdom of sulfur springs.

We were offered various types of massages - a more sophisticated and expensive peeling massage with honey or coffee; or classic, however, in no way inferior to the first.

Naturally, my friend chose the first option, while I chose the second. Our delight was boundless, the feeling of being reborn into the world.

Then we drank some tea and went for a walk, planning to finally visit the holy of holies for any gourmet - a restaurant with national cuisine.

Alani Restaurant

Walking not far from the central district of Abanotubani, where the bath complex is located, we found this cozy place. Quite hungry, we ordered hearty khinkali with mushrooms.

While we were deciding on the type of wine, a kind waitress brought us a decanter of red homemade wine, which the gentlemen at the next table decided to treat us to.

At first glance, this may seem strange to people of a different mentality. In Georgia, it is in the order of things to bring a 5-6-liter eggplant with homemade wine to a restaurant and simply ask the waiter to pour it for your company and at the request of guests, exclusively as a treat.

Georgians are very generous and sincere people. Such gestures come from a pure heart, so there is no thought to refuse. “A guest is a messenger of God,” says a popular proverb. Especially when it comes to wine, even Omar Khayyam would learn a lot from any Georgian.

As a result, based on the amount of food on the table, our modest dinner turned into a small royal feast. Those who like to arrange a holiday for the stomach will also be very pleased with portions of dishes.

The atmosphere of unbridled fun was fueled by live music and the singing of all those present. We returned home in the morning...

I didn’t want to think that this was the last day, I’m not afraid to say, of this heavenly vacation. But this day had just begun, the rays of the sun woke us up, bursting into our sleepy abode through the curtain that was not tightly covering the window.

We headed for the Narikala fortress, where the spirit of different eras lives. The first mention of it was recorded already in the IV century. The fortress acquired a close to the modern look of the Tbilisi citadel in the 17th-18th centuries, but the earthquake of 1827 caused irreparable damage to it.

In the 1990s, the church of St. Nicholas, located on the territory of the fortress in the XII century. You can get to it by riding the funicular. From the height of the fortress, a magnificent view of Tbilisi opens up. In particular, to the aforementioned Bridge of Peace, the Kura River, parks and areas of the city

No wonder I ended the story in this fortress. After all, it was here that I said those main words to that mysterious girl who shared with me the joy of being in a city that will always be warm, despite the rains and frosts.

By no means pretending to the greatness of the poets and writers who dedicated hundreds of lines to Tbilisi, in my modest notebook, as a keepsake, I wrote down a small quatrain, but from a great feeling and a pure heart:

In Kuru, I will throw out a handful of coins

Thirty coins to the bottom of the ancient river

What a pity that I see you so rarely

I would return thirty times, no less ...

Tbilisi is a beautiful cozy city. Even in a fierce winter, right on New Year's Eve, it was a pleasure to visit here. The capital of Georgia does not seem very big, but more than a million people live here. At the same time, you can easily walk around the city center, thus covering most of the sights.

As in any old European city, a river flows in the middle of Tbilisi, called the Kura. During the reign of Saakashvili (2004 - 2013), many modern facilities were built along it, which changed the face of the city. In general, in Tbilisi there is a feeling that everything is divided into two parts - and now it is not clear when they will finish it ...

For example, here is the Palace of the President of Georgia. The building was completed in 2009 by Italian architect Michele De Lucchi. The glass palace in the classical style rises above the left bank of the Kura, and is brightly illuminated at night. Many criticized "Misha" that he built this luxurious building for himself.

They say that during the last presidential elections in 2013, one of the pre-election promises of Saakashvili's opponents was in no case to live in this pretentious palace in case of victory.

Misha lost the election, and the new president immediately started building a "more modest" residence. In the meantime, temporarily of course, he nevertheless drove into this glass temple on the banks of the river. As you know, nothing is as permanent as everything is temporary. The new housing has been ready for a long time, but the president is in no hurry to move out of Misha's palace. He probably really liked the view from there.

Directly under the slope on which the Presidential Palace stands, directly on the banks of the Kura, today there is a modern Rike park. In Soviet times, there was a huge asphalt wasteland here. sdze , who grew up in these parts, told me that teenagers came to this wasteland to take driving lessons, there was expanse for bad drivers. Under Misha, this place was dug up, they made a large modern park, with a bunch of different public infrastructure. Playgrounds, benches, art objects, greenery. In summer, fountains work here and there is even a climbing wall!

The most central object near Rike Park is the glass Peace Bridge. People call it Gasket, it is pedestrian and leads directly to the old city. There is not a single person in Tbilisi who would be indifferent to the bridge - they either love it or hate it. A circle of European stars is stuck on its roof. In general, this symbolism is often found in the city, reflecting the aspiration of Georgians to Europe. Many believe that joining the European Union is only a matter of time.

The bridge is very beautifully illuminated at night. Invisible LEDs are mounted in its railings, which light up and go out in vertical stripes, with different frequencies. It turns out a kind of live barcode.

Another notable innovation in Rike Park is the modern building of the Theater and Exhibition Hall, designed by another Italian, Massimiliano Fuksas. From a distance, it looks like a huge reflex binoculars (for example, in the title photo for the post).

Unfortunately, this is one of those things that did not have time to finish under Misha. In 2013, it was completed from the outside, but nothing was done to it inside. Now it has been completely empty for more than two years.

Broken panels appear. I hope it was by chance that the cane fell, and not the hooligans did it. It's a shame that such an unusual building is falling into disrepair. A few more years, and it is unlikely that it will be possible to do something with it.

By the way, Rike Park begins just next to this church. The last thing they did here under Misha was to launch the cable car up to the fortress on Narikala hill.

The ticket costs as for any public transport - one lar (40 cents) in each direction. (True, you still need to buy an electronic card, it costs an additional two lari, but you can take one for everyone.)

The cable car carries passengers right over the roofs of the old city.

You arrive exactly at the old fortress. She is of course very beautiful.

And in general, from above there is a beautiful view of the entire central Tbilisi. This is where I took the cover photo for this post. And here, Mother Georgia stands nearby - a healthy statue personifying the Georgian Motherland. However, under the USSR, they liked to put big aunts everywhere in order to develop local patriotism.

Mother Georgia was erected under Khrushchev, in 1958, when Tbilisi celebrated its 1500th anniversary (the city was founded in the 450s of our era).

In that part of the old city, where Misha managed to fix everything, many different jokes were built for tourists. For example, a sculpture of a man at the station of the old horse-drawn carriage. The figure is made in a purely Georgian style: the man is comically tall, thin, big-nosed and with a mustache.

Nearby and the horse itself is worth. She is not going to go anywhere, they sell coffee here now.

Just like in Istanbul, near the Galata tower, there is also Lavazza cafe in the old tram. ().

There are many places in Tbilisi where they sell coffee, but I never had a chance to drink a good one.

Let's take a look at how people live in non-tourist areas. Here is a street vendor for the locals. This is a grocery store.

And here they sell kvass. Bring back your socks.

Street parking. It looks like he's been here for a long time though. It looks like an American car.

But someone decided not to clean up their sale of read books for the night, and then it snowed at night.

I wonder if the books got spoiled because of this, or in the morning it will be possible to just brush off the snowball? ..

There are many high cliffs along the Kura, the city rises to the steep banks in steps. In winter, gigantic forests of icicles appear in such places. Or rather, succulent. Very nice, but probably not safe.

What will happen in the spring when they start to fall off? How does the city deal with it?

Georgians smoke everywhere. All bars and cafes. In all restaurants and cars. With pregnant women. Even in airport terminals. I have not been in such a smoking country for a long time.

The famous sulfur baths are located in the heart of the old city. There is a legend that the whole city got its name precisely from the hot springs on top of which these baths are located - the word "tbili" in Georgian means "warm". These baths are distinguished by characteristic domed brick roofs.

Here in one place there are several separate baths. They were built at different times, from the 17th to the 19th centuries. At the dawn of the Soviet era, the government took over the management of the baths.

Unfortunately, for the second time I did not manage to take a steam bath in them. But you can walk from above, on the roofs.

You can even look into some pipes from the top of the domes. From there you can see down into the pools inside the baths.

In the evening, people come to bathe, from the tops of the domes, steam comes out, which catches the evening light from the street. And in the background is a beautifully illuminated fortress and a church on Narikala Hill.

Excavate ancient buildings right behind the baths. Here, between the fortified banks, a stream flows.

If you walk along the stream upstream, you will find yourself in a beautiful gorge. At the top, on top of the sheer walls, there are houses (there is just a mosque there).

And at the very end of the gorge there is a waterfall. Great, two minutes walk from the center of the old town is such a beauty.

A wonderful place, it is very pleasant to walk here in the evening.

Have you noticed how beautiful the lights are here? They give off a warm yellow light. At first glance, it may seem that cleverly curved incandescent elements work, but this is not so. It's just that a light bulb from above illuminates the entire lantern so that it glows with this orange.

These are probably the most beautiful lanterns I have ever seen.

Most of the tourists seen in Tbilisi spoke Russian. Some bands had very bright and prominent blue and yellow Ukrainian ribbons. They were probably worried that they would not be mistaken for Russians, obviously expecting that Russians were not treated very well here. In fact, Russian tourists are loved in Tbilisi, and they are always welcome.

Moreover, one episode happened to us, which showed me that the Russian culture from Tbilili has not disappeared anywhere. It was in a karaoke bar where my friends and I came on the last evening. A little, I confess, we were worried that we would order Russian-language songs, and they would look askance at us. And at first, it seemed like, in addition to our table, everyone asked for English-language pop music, then something Georgian.

But the evening continued, gradually other tables began to connect, who "Let them run awkwardly ..." will order, who is Timati, who is Meladze. Tonya and I stood on the street, went out to get some fresh air, when the first chords of the song "Grass near the House" came from the hall. And then one of the managers of the establishment rushed past us from the kitchen. He was never a thin fellow, and I was very surprised at his agility. Running past us, he exclaimed:

"Waime! That's my favorite song!"