Georgia 2021

Georgia! Wooded mountains, villa-like-houses immersed in greenery, the mysterious inscription of the local language and pouring rain

23d of July 2021. Friday. Batumi

Finally got to Batumi! The journey took 1.5 days with 3 transfers in Astana, Aktay and Kutaisi and 2-hour trip on the comfortable “Georgian Bus”. Georgia welcomed me with wooded mountains, villa-like-houses immersed in greenery, the mysterious inscription of the local language and pouring rain on the way to Batumi – it literally hit the windows. Oh, besides there were palm-trees. And the Tesla model 3 electric vehicle on the airport parking lot! My favourite car brand.

The sea was stormy because of the bad weather – the waves were great, more than 2 m – no way to swim. But first of all I went to the coast (all shore is a solid pebble beach), welcomed the sea. Got a map and a guidebook (for free) at the touristic infocenter. Roamed the city searching for the termminal of the bus cards (kind people helped to got it, it costs 2 lari (2 GEL), the ticket costs 30 tetri (or 39 tenge). In the evening, already after 8 pm I reached Makhinjauri (the suburbian zone), to the guest house. The host – “Jack” (Jamlet) is so hospitable! The room I wanted was occupied so he offered me even better, the real hotel apartment only for 204 GEL, for 4 days. The view from the balcony is great! The open space, the mountains and even the sea is partly seen, although the buidlings close the view. At night, after 10 pm, I descended to the rumbled beach. Took the dinner at the “Veranda” cafe – took the real adjarian khachapuri (it’s giant! Boat-shape), listening the sound of waves crashing on the shore just 10 meters away. Batumi shimmers and shines in the night with all colors, like an amazing gem.

24th of July 2021. Saturday. Batumi. The shopping day

In the morning I had a little chat with a Swede tourist – an experienced traveler! He has 3 bikes with him (!) – for the mountains, for the highway, and the third one for going to the shop.

In Batumi I had a good shopping in the art workshop of Giorgi Abuashvili. I took souvenirs, gifts and a new painting, all together for 575 GEL. Rode on the promenade on a municipal green bike. Had lunch at a spaceship-like McDonald’s (not particularly good burgers, small ones at that. And inside everyone mostly speaks English).

At the food market Boni I bought spices, Svaneti Salt (garlic, khmeli suneli and a secret ingredient). I also bought churchkhela for 1-2 GEL per piece and fruit – peaches, blackberries and cherries (the sweetest!) Fruit is twice as cheap as in our country!

The sea was still stormy, it knocks you off your feet. Sat in the surf. Had dinner in cafe “Retro”, took lobiani (13 GEL) and lagidze lemonade (4 GEL). I did not like it at all! But natakhtari lemonade is not bad).

25th of July, 2021. Sunday. Mountainous Adjara!

In the morning, I went on a tour of mountainous Adjara. Minibus for 8 people, driver Mamuka is an excellent guide! Provided mood and cheerfulness during the whole trip! He described Georgia and Georgians colorfully, criticized  the parasite Saakashvili and Turks, called the police “wolfhounds”, pigs – “piglets” and “shashlik”, bull-calves – “khinkali”, saying that ” it’s a pitiful (to eat them), shameful but so tasteful!”

We reached Sarpi, 14 km from Batumi – on the very border of Turkey! We visited the waterfall of St. Andrew, Gonio Fortress, Apsaros (entrance – 5 GEL) – II century AD roman stronghold, 30-meter Makhuntseti waterfall and the XII century arch bridge of Queen Tamara.

Far away in the mountains – the wine house of the Shevarshidze family, surrounded by stunning views! The hospitable host was a descendant of a family that had ruled this land for centuries. They even had their own fortress. A vineyard – 3.5 thousand bushes and 12 tons of grapes per year!

They welcomed us very sincerely, Georgians have an amazingly bright identity! There were 8 of us – guests from Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, and me from Kazakhstan. Lunch for 30 GEL – like a real feast in a tavern, with wine tasting – they have a whole program. We tasted 6 wines, cognac and chacha. Dry, semi-dry, semi-sweet, white, pink, red – all possible varieties! I liked semi-sweet Khvanchkara and Dirbula. Such a rich bouquet! Chacha – “tears of grapes” – too… fiery, for my taste. Between tastings we were regaled (otherwise you can’t say) with cheese soup, delicious trout, cottage cheese flatbread and french fries. Delicious!!

And in their yard they have sturgeons swimming in a pool. Diospyros kaki and chestnuts grow.

We went back down the serpentine, up and down. A real “Adjara roller coaster”.

Everything grows here – laurel, feijoa, lemon, hazelnut, eucalyptus, persimmon.

On my return I finally bathed in the sea! The depth begins at the very shore. It was cloudy, cool. The climate here is humid subtropical, it rains almost every day. Observed the city from the Alphabetic Tower. And at night I swam in the sea again. Noisy surf, empty beach. And the water is like steamed milk!

26th of July, 2021. Monday. The Batumi Botanival Garden

In the morning I leisurely bathed in the sea, rested in the cafe “Veranda”, which is on the shore. I visit it every day. After breakfast I went to Batumi, sent postcards to friends, walked to the Piazza Square. It is decorated in Italian style, like a patio, with a square gilded tower with a clock in the corner. Then I went to the Botanical Gardens.

Magnolias, sequoias, plane trees, cedars – so many different kinds! The trees are huge, it feels like being in a forest from Lord of the Rings. Plants from everywhere – Japan, Southeast Asia, America, China, New Zealand… Huge bamboo and sprawling laurel.

At the end of the garden is the exit to the beach. I went for a swim, collected shell fragments (they can be found only there). Returned to the entrance and went down to the second beach – Green Cape. Swam to the buoy)

And then it started to rain. I went back to Batumi (9 km from the Garden) by bus #10. Took a ticket for the cable car (funicular) for 30 GEL, went up to the observation deck, but because of bad weather and increasing rain I had to come down almost immediately.

I returned to the city, walked along the embankment on the puddles (Luckily I wore flip-flops today) and looked at the statue of Ali and Nino. The figures converge and diverge every 8 minutes. Interesting show!

On the way back I watched the dancing fountains on the boulevard, at 11pm I returned to the Veranda and found the other guests of our TJ Guest House with the owner, Jack.

Swam in the night sea, tasted wine – homemade, Jack makes it himself and, by the way, gives it to each of his guests for free upon check-in. I returned to the guesthouse and sat in the gazebo with other guests, we ate fruits and talked under the stars until three in the morning, couldn’t talk enough. Great end to the day!

27th of July. 2021. Tueaday. The sea

Had a swim in the morning, but the weather quickly spoiled, a threatening black wave of heavy clouds came from the sea. The storm began, the wind rose, and then a huge wave rolled over, overflowing my head and I immediately rushed back to the shore! Which, however, turned out to be a difficult task – big waves knock down and roll from above – you need to seize the moment to escape from water quickly.

I had breakfast at the Veranda (I tried Megrelian khachapuri and Turkish coffee in a tiny mug – complete bewilderment X) under the roar of the waves, looking at the bubbling downpour, trying to rip off the canopy and roof, tear out the shutters and flood the tables. This downpour, by the way, accompanied me all the way to Kutaisi and even further, through the Caspian Sea and to Aktau. Georgia met and saw me off with pouring rain. J And when I was leaving Makhinjauri, I had another shaggy guide who, despite the rain, accompanied me to the very stop, as if showing the way, trotting ahead, waiting at the turns of the steep descent of the path and faithfully looking into my eyes. Georgia is generally a country of dogs. They are everywhere, run wherever they want, and are very friendly.

I was fascinated by the hospitality, friendliness and originality of the emerald shores of Adjara and will certainly return here again, to a generous land that gives an inexpressible feeling of freedom and serenity.