I wasn’t expecting to have a constant companion on my solo vacation to Tbilisi, Georgia. I knew that my travel agent had booked me tours each day, except my arrival day on January 1st. I had that day on my own because everything was closed. I anticipated my upcoming tours to be on a packed…
Category: Europe
Tbilisi, Georgia – Afternoon Fun Part II – With Some Added Morning Moments and Last Bits of Sharing on My Final Day in Georgia….
Dachi took me to an outdoor flea market as a final place to buy the one last black papakha hat I needed to purchase! This was filled with lots of relics and antiques from the Soviet Union! So much cool stuff to see! By this time, I was so exhausted, I could hardly take it…
Tbilisi, Georgia – Final Afternoon Fun – Part I
While at the Narikala Fortress, Dachi bought me a crown of fresh flowers from this woman! We started walking down from the Narikala Fortress to see the waterfall at a steep wall of Sololaki Hill. On our way down the hill we see this Azerbaijan church: Lots of traditional Georgian homes made of brick, wood, small…
Tbilisi, Georgia – Narikala Fortress
This fortress was built in the 4th century and has been expanded and reoccupied over the centuries. Parts have been destroyed by either fire or earthquake. Walking along the wall this wall leads you left, to the pathway that takes you to the bottom entrance of the fortress. Below this right side of the wall…
Tbilisi, Georgia – Sololaki Hill – Kartlis Deda – Mother Georgia
This twenty meter aluminum statue, situated next to the Narikala Fortress on Sololaki Hill, is known as Mother Georgia: Dachi told me that the statue was built by Russia/Soviet Union and that he thinks she looks like a strong, hard-working Russian woman. What is Georgian about her, he said, is that she represents the Georgian…
Tbilisi, Georgia – Narikala Fortress – View of Old Town Tbilisi
This day I learned that, simple put, the view of Tbilisi from the fortress is referred to as Old Town Tbilisi. Dachi and I rode a cable car up to the fortress. When you exit the cable car, you don’t enter the fortress – you enter an area just to the right of it. Here…
Tbilisi, Georgia – Sulpher Baths
The story goes that the 6th century King of Iberia, Vakhtang Gorgasali was hunting with his falcon in the ancient Abanotubani district. He set his falcon out to catch a bird. The falcon and its prey fell to the ground…… King Gorgasali went looking for his beloved falcon, and found it and the prey it…
Mtskheta, Georgia – Svetitskhoveli Cathedral
Dachi, my awesome tour guide told me that the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral is the most holy of churches in Georgia – here is where the robe Jesus wore during or shortly after his crucifixion and members of the original Royal Family are buried. The Svetitskhoveli Cathedral is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Anything that is restored…
Mtskheta, Georgia – Jvari Monastery
In the 4th century, this is the location where Saint Nino converted the King of Iberia to Christianity and erected a large wooden cross on the sight of a pagan temple. The cross worked miracles and started drawing pilgrims from the area. The Jvari Monastery is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Again, I had to…
Signagi, Georgia – Walking Around Town & Lunch!
The town itself is charming!! A wonderful walk back in time…… Lots of locals selling homemade wool items! I bought a pair of wool slippers like these yesterday! Colorful mats and souvenirs! Handmade wool socks! A seller…. Monument to those Georgians who died in WWII: Names of those who died… View of the city…. Papakha…
