Tbilisi To Ahmedabad - 6 July 2024

The final repacking of the check-in baggage done, we waited for the taxi to arrive for the ride to the airport. It arrived as appointed at 7 am. The driver said that he lived just next door to the hotel. I asked him why he had put up his residence for sale. He said that it was not suitable as a residential address any more due to the noise and commercial activities in the vicinity. It is ideal for a rental or hotel, instead.

The traffic, at that hour, was light and we reached the airport in about 20 minutes. The quick check-in, speedy immigration and non-invasive security saw us with plenty of time in hand before the boarding time of 9.15 am. There was enough time for breakfast of toast, egg and avocado and ham and cheese.

The flight to Abu Dhabi was on time. As the ticket was sans a meal, I utilised the three-hour flying time to work off the fatigue of the previous days. We landed on the dot for the 12-hour layover at 1320 hrs. With not much interest in duty free or souvenir shopping I launched into completing the leftover blogs with undivided attention. Before I could do that I had to attend to the needs of a growling stomach.

Lunch consisted of shrimp pasta. When coffee time came it was coffee and croissant; the blog work continued. The number of passengers did not seem to strain the resources of the airport at any time. We had to find suitable seating depending on how cold the area was. At times we found it unbearably cold. The blower was working with a vengeance, one felt. Without a jacket it meant that we had to keep moving around looking for comfortable seating. Dinner was a falafel platter. In between the meals we polished off almost a quarter kg of Toblerone minis.

Once the blogs were out of the way it was time for a comparison of the two countries covered in the trip, Azerbaijan and Georgia. The architecture and the preservation of monuments were much better in Azerbaijan. Overall, the road infrastructure in Georgia trumped over that in Azerbaijan. Massive inputs are going into the Tbilisi to Batumi sector with numerous tunnels through the Caucuses Mountain range. That said, there was much better speed limit indicators, at frequent intervals on the highways and rural roads in Azerbaijan; one was never in doubt about the permissible speed. While the limit plus 9 was the cut off for fines in Azerbaijan, it was plus 14 kph in Georgia. Speed cameras were, without fail, prewarned in Azerbaijan, while that wasn't always the case in Georgia.

While 97 percent of people in Azerbaijan professed Islam, 89 percent in Georgia were Christians; both countries are examples of a secular state. People do not wear religion on their sleeves; the number of mosques and churches that dot the country indicates the majority religion. The war in Ukraine has affected Georgia more with graffiti expressly stating which side the protesting youngsters were on. Fortunately, the unexpected, good performance of Georgia in the ongoing UEFA Cup championships led to temporary suspension of protests, against the country's support for Russia, in the Freedom Square in Tbilisi that had been going on for four months.

The cost of living in both countries is more or less the same going by what I paid for hotels, food and services. Overall, the people in Azerbaijan are more friendly; Georgians are rude and boorish, albeit with certain welcome exceptions. I felt that they were intolerant of English and the brown skin; it was the first time I felt so in my travels to 58 countries. The experience left such a distaste that I have marked that Georgia is one country I would not like to come back to.

Car rental in both the countries was easy and hassle free; the condition of the car I got in Azerbaijan was better, though. While I paid the equivalent of INR 6000 in fines in Azerbaijan, I did not pay a rupee in Georgia. Camera surveillance in Azerbaijan is stricter covering parking, lanes, speed, etc.

The biggest surprise of the trip came at the Ahmedabad International Airport where the modest Duty Free outlet was doing brisk business. I had been under the impression all along that one could not buy liquor from there because Gujarat is a dry state. When I saw passengers buying liquor, I asked the staff of it was permitted to take it out of the airport. I was told that the Duty Free invoice is valid for 24 hours (I am not sure whether the liquor has to be consumed within 24 hours or the bottles transported out of the State within that free time). Moreover, he said that if one subscribes to the Adani One App one can get an additional 10 percent discount. This was music to my ears and a superb end to a most enjoyable mid-year vacation.

Kutaisi to Tbilisi - 5 July 2024

The day dawned of our last full day in Georgia. No sightseeing was planned in the day. There was just the drive back to Tbilisi and return of the car to the rental. The deadline for return of the car was 1730 hours. The other deadline was that of the data plan I had taken for the simcard.

The seven-day unlimited data plan had served me fantastically well. Every time I tried to top it up with a one-day plan I got a message that a better plan was in operation and that I could not top it up then. Anyway, all that I needed the data for was to reach Tbilisi and hand had over the car to the rental office. The data plan was valid till 12.30 pm. As long as I met that, my need would be done.

We ordered the same breakfast as we had done a couple of days back in the hotel, scrambled egg and veg breakfast. As we were leisurely having breakfast, a lady came in through the open door of the restaurant asking for food. She was told away by the guy who was minding the restaurant. We were instructed not to give her food. The old lady walked away, in tears and howling; surely the poor woman was in immediate need of food.

After breakfast we went in search of the lady to give her some food we had with us. She was nowhere in sight. The picture of that poor woman crying will forever remain etched in my mind. It will stop me from ever wasting food. The woman was crying from the hunger that was tearing up her insides. How fortunate we are who take for granted a full plate on the table every time we sit down to dine and do not have to depend on the largesse of another!

The drive from Kutaisi to Tbilisi was smooth, over well concreted and sometimes bituminous roads at 110 kph. We lost nearly 30 minutes on the approach into Tbilisi city, understandable as it was lunch break on a Friday. We finally made it to the hotel parking and dropped off the luggage.

With that done, I called up Tamara of the localrent.com and asked for instructions to return the car. She asked me to drive to her office address, where she said she would be waiting. In ten minutes, I was there and, after a cursory look around the car, she said that I could take car as having been returned. I had been anxious about fines I may have accumulated in the past week. I was sure of one red light I had breached, being fooled by the bright sun that made the signal seem as if the green light was on. The timely honk by the car behind made me halt the tentative drive forward and reverse.

There were times when the speed limit board on the road and that indicated by Waze were at variance. In the confusion I may have disregarded a few speed limits. However, Tamara didn't mention any fines and she drove off in the car after we had taken a photo together. There are no tolled roads as yet in Georgia. I had done 1476 km in the 2005 Toyota Yaris, that had logged nearly 250,000 km. The fuel cost me 280 Gel and I got over 15.5 km per liter. Not bad at all for a beaten-up jalopy. 

On the walk back to the hotel we dropped into Sioni church. During the visit to a couple of monasteries in Georgia I had come to know that the original grapevine cross of St Nino was preserved in the Sioni Church. Even though I had been to the church with Ajay on 28th June, I did not know of the preserved cross in the church.

When we walked into the church quite a few priests were interacting with lay people. I approached a priest and asked him where the original St. Nino cross was displayed. He pointed to a glass fronted case and asked me where I was from. We went to the cross and saw parts of the original cross exposed in the case. The rest of the cross was covered in cloth, possibly to preserve it. There was no restriction in taking photos of the cross. In fact, a priest shone a mobile torch on the cross to explain the importance of that relic to a few visitors.

While we were praying at the foot of the cross the priest came to me and asked for our names to be written in Georgian. I spelt them out in English, and he wrote the names down on a piece of paper and said that he would pray for us for the next 40 days. Miracles never cease to happen; I experience it almost on a daily basis and mysterious are the ways of the Lord

We had soup for lunch and sought refuge in the cooler confines of the hotel room, completing the rest of the packing. When the heat had tapered off, we walked over the Peace Bridge to the Rike Park to explore the Europe Square there.

Dinner was at the traditional Georgian restaurant, Veliaminov, near the Freedom Square. Our order was Pork and vegetable shashlik and Mexican potatoes. The pork shashlik and Mexican potatoes were awesome. The vegetable shashlik turned out to be a bland serving of grilled vegetables. To make up for that, on the way back to the hotel we had milk cake and lemon gelato, both outstanding, particularly the former. 

When we got to the room the AC remote was not in working condition. The hotel staff at the reception found me a replacement and it was time to hit the sack. At the reception, I confirmed that the taxi we had booked for the airport transfer would be available at 7 am on the morrow.

In Kutaisi, Georgia - 3 June 2024

The breakfast in the hotel was served in the adjacent Siam Restaurant. The modest restaurant serves Thai and European cuisine. The breakfast was very Continental. We could choose from the options of Fried Eggs, Omlette, Scrambled Eggs or Vegetarian. The last named had cheese, jam and honey as an alternative to eggs and sausage in the non-vegetarian options. The common items were sliced cucumber, tomatoes, bread slices, orange juice and coffee or tea. The breakfast was a tummy filler, without a doubt.

Last evening when we were strolling on the White Bridge we were approached by a tour operator for a day trip to Martvili Canyon. Since it was already on our plan for this day, we did not take the offer. The Canyon visit is one of the most popular in Georgia and the most visited from Kutaisi. From Waze we gathered that the distance to the Canyon is under 50 km from Kutaisi.

The last ten kilometers of the route is broken and has to be negotiated carefully. Exposed sewage covers, half topped roads, potholes and loose river stones can play havoc with the car tyres and make the ride uncomfortable. To top it, vehicles trying to avoid all of the above can be seen rushing headlong into your vehicle.

When we reached the place suggested by Waze, numerous placards with Free Parking written in them could be seen. When I veered into one, I was approached by drivers who offered to take me to five sights of the Canyon for a price of 55 GEL per person. I bargained and brought the charge down to 35 GEL per person for the 90-minute experience. We boarded a brand-new Mitsubishi SUV and set off.

The Kaghu waterfall was the first location, about 5 km away from the car park. A few visitors had come on their own too. But, the poor signposting and lack of knowledge of Georgian forces visitors like us on to the lap of such operators. No doubt, negotiating the narrow road leading to the waterfall requires exceptional skills.

We were driven to a small parking lot near a large iron bridge, linking the banks of the Abasha River. At the base of the bridge one can drink fresh water straight from a fountain. The water was cold and refreshing. We crossed the iron bridge and walked through a small residential settlement that had homestays, restaurants, cafes and vendors selling honey. These remain open when the weather is good, as it was when we visited.

As you walk along, the melodious sounds of the waterfall can be heard. When we reached the clearing from where the waterfall could be seen, it was very nice and cool. Big round stones have to be negotiated to get to the water, which is clear and pristine. The falls itself is not very tall, but one is discouraged from getting to the base of the fall because of the depth and under currents. I was told that intrepid swimmers, however, cannot be discouraged thus. Anyway, the water is so cold that it is impossible to stay in the water for very long.

From the waterfall we walked back to the car park walking steadily over the iron bridge politely refusing smiling, yet persistent, vendors of honey and local food. We were next driven back on the road from where we came to the border of the Balda Canyon Natural Monument to see the gorge created by the Abasha River. The Balda Canyon is 1400 meters long, 5 to 10 meters wide and the gorge is 25 to 30 meters deep.

The gushing waters, the deep blue of the small pools and the sheer drop and limestone rifts were magnificent to behold. The gorge that spread beneath us had mossy rocks and waters that were at times sapphire blue and then emerald green. We stood there staring, marvelling at the wonders of nature, wondering at the stories these marvels may have to tell of centuries and millennia past. The driver shook us from the reverie and said we have other places to visit too. 

The 'Georgian Niagara' was the next attraction to savour. At this point the Abasha River falls across a built-up concrete crescent shaped wall to a deep gorge below. From an iron bridge, that operates sluices of the causeway, one can experience the turquoise blue waters of the river flowing smoothly over the concrete wall.

The waters of the river seemed to be less because the entire crescent wall was not covered by the flow. When it does, I am sure the flow would seem Niagara like, albeit a miniature version. We walked to the top of the gorge from where the waters falling into the riven gorge could be appreciated. One has to be careful here because of slippery round stones and slush. The views were magnificent.

The next stop was at the gorge which was the border between the Martvili and Balda Canyons. That's when I realised that I was visiting a Canyon different from that I had intended to when i set out from Kutaisi. I would put this blooper down to my poor research. The Martvili Canyon is much longer at 2.4 km and has 50 to 70 meter high walls. One can walk the 700-meter walking trail to appreciate the gorge and take inflatable boat rides too.

A missed opportunity, but surely the government could have put up better signs along the route to help first time tourist like me. In fact, the Martvili Canyon is approached from the Inchkhuri village! The last two attractions on the list of the Balda Canyon visit were views of the gorge. The views were good and the trip concluded in the car park where we had parked the car.

We drove back to Kutaisi, negotiating the bad roads gingerly. The Bagrati's Cathedral is only a ten-minute drive from the Kutaisi city centre. The walled cathedral, a masterpiece of medieval Georgian architecture, is perched on top of the Ukimerioni Hill. The church, built in 1003, evidently has been through many reconstructions as could be surmised from the many artefacts in the church compound. There are ancillary stone buildings and a bell tower adjacent to the church.

The controversial conservation works in 2012 prompted UNESCO to include the building in the list of endangered World Heritage Sites and later to remove the church from the World Heritage Site list altogether. The church is imposing, to say the least. The ruin around the church gives one a glimpse of the troubled times it had been through especially during the Ottoman times. Many old women sit at the entrance of the church seeking alms and donations for the church. The massive interior of the church is awe inspiring in itself.

We headed back to hotel for a break from the heat, even though not oppressive. Two important visits planned during the stay in Kutaisi had to be given up. The road from the city to the Gelati Monastery was under extensive repair and I could not find a way out of that morass using either Google Maps or Waze. The Kutaisi Great Synagogue is only open for two hours each in the morning and evening and the hours didn't suit us.

That left us with the Holy Annunciation Church, the disputed church between the Georgian Orthodox and Catholic factions of the Christian Church. The 15th century St Sophia church survived till the 19th century, when it completely destroyed. Franciscan missionaries, known as Capuchins, settled on the banks of the Rioni River in the 17th century. They were commissioned by the King in 1862 to build a Catholic church in the place of the destroyed St Sophia church.

The Catholics conducted service in the church till 1989 when the control of the church was handed over back to the Georgian Orthodox church, thereby igniting a dispute which is as yet unresolved. However, the Vatican style paintings and artefacts are still preserved within the fantastic church. The exterior of the baroque style church is undergoing massive restoration works.

Unable to find our way to the Gelati Monastery we landed up in the Gelati Theological Academy and Seminary. Church service was going on within, which we participated in for some time. The setting of the seminary and church is unique, and we spent a few minutes lounging on a bench with the flowing waters of River Rioni, cascading over rounded stones, ringing in our ears.

When I returned to the hotel I got a parking slot right in front of the hotel. As we were set to leave early for Batumi the next day, when breakfast wouldn't be ready, we requested the reception for packed breakfast. She confirmed a while later that she would rustle up something for us by 7 am. 

I had a pint of Kayaki draft beer before we went down to a small park right opposite the hotel. The Park had a cafe overlooking the river, which seemed to be a popular hang-out for locals. The Park has many stone sculptures, mainly of women, set up in circles.

Dinner was in the restaurant adjacent to the hotel. The Thai food we ordered at the Siam Restaurant was superb. We had vegetable spring rolls, that was advertised as the specialty of the restaurant, a salad of greens, tomatoes and peanuts without fish oil and a portion of vegetable Phad Thai.

When the orders were served on the table, we thought that we would have to pack some of it. But slowly we got through the entire order, and I washed it down with another round of Kayaki draft beer. It was time to take one last walk over the White Bridge and enjoy the peaceful and healthy environment.

Kutaisi To Batumi And Back - 4 July 2024

After the itinerary was finalized to include Batumi, at the very last minute, I was anxious to ensure that I had enough time there to savor a city that has rave reviews all through the years and from different types of travelers. When we came down to the reception at 7 am a packed breakfast of boiled eggs, tomatoes, cucumber, bread and cheese was waiting for us.

We started the day's journey, all excited to spend a day in Batumi. There were many diversions on the road to Batumi due to ongoing highway works. On the way, we had the packed breakfast and thanked the hotel staff for being so considerate. As we neared Batumi city, the traffic became heavier and vehicles ground to a crawl. I thought it to be the normal office hour rush. As we got to Batumi, after more than 30 minutes extra on the road than anticipated, I knew that it was the rush of tourists.

I spoke to Orbi City D Block reception wanting to know when the accommodation would be available. When I was told that it would be ready only by 2 pm, I looked for a free car park not far from the attractions. Many car parks were full, and I steered into quite a few before I found one close to the Marriot Hotel.

We had about four hours to explore the city before reporting at the booked accommodation. The major attractions that we covered on foot, in sweltering heat, punctuated by imbibing copious quantity of water and a couple of ice creams were:

The Japanese Garden is set up stretching over 1020 sq.m. near the university building. The garden features a miniature lake, decorative bridge and plants typical of the Eastern culture.

The Nuri Lake was originally a swamp, in the 19th century. It is a natural lake that uses groundwater. The city's garden was transformed into a children's park in 1933. The park and lakeshores were renovated. The canal was connected to the Black Sea.

According to legend, a child called Nuri was drowned in the lake. The mother used to go to the lake every day and call out to her - Nuri, Geli - in the hope that the child would return. In 1947, the first ship "Pioneer" was launched in the Lake and hence, it is also known as the Pioneer Garden. People use the lake for kayaking and boating. 

Near the Nuri Lake is the May 6 Park, also called "Central Park of Batumi", which is the best place for leisure. The park has small children's entertainment areas and a small zoo with ponies and deer. It now occupies more than 165,000 square meters.

During the Soviet Union, a Dolphinarium was built in the park in 1975, the largest in the world. Dolphin is the symbol of Batumi. It became a hit with locals and tourists alike. However, in the 1990s the attraction fells on bad times due the breakup of the Soviet Union. After 20 years the dolphinarium was reopened with 7 dolphins, thanks to the combined efforts of the Batumi City Hall and Cartu, the charity fund. The population has since doubled and is also home to the bottlenose dolphins.

The Batumi Boulevard signifies the continuous development of the area and gives it historical meaning. It became Batumi's visiting card, where everyone found something of interest to indulge in. The Boulevard is the most visited sightseeing attraction in Batumi.

The Batumi Boulevard is an integrated seven-kilometer seaside promenade, a popular beach 4 historic alleys and more than 40,000 trees, planted in the area at different times of its development. There are cafes, restaurants, kiosks and souvenir shops, besides entertainment centres supporting the Boulevard. 

The Colonnades in the Batumi Boulevard area has been embellishing it since 1934. It is indeed one of the most interesting signs in the city. But its original raison d'etre is lost on the present-day visitors. The idea for the Colonnades was borrowed from the Italian city of Sorrento. Originally, the colonnades were the gateway to the sea, but in time the coastline receded and the Colonnades do not exactly fringe the waterline. The beautiful park that surrounds the Colonnades enhance the beauty of the Colonnades. 

'Romeo and Juliet' is possibly the most well-known tragic lover's tale. Georgia has its own, though. The story of Ali and Nino was first told in the 1937 Austrian novel by the same name. Ali, an Azerbaijani Muslim, and Nino, a Georgian princess, fall in love amidst the WW1 setting. When they are finally able to get together, Ali gets killed in a bomb attack on his home. The novel is an Azerbaijani national classic.

The story inspired the huge, automated statue of the lovers that stand by Batumi's seashore, at one end of the Batumi Boulevard, since 2010. The giant metal work is also known as the 'Statue of Love' where the two figures move towards each other, eventually merging as the metal segments pass between each other, without actually touching each other. The illuminated show in the night is said to be enjoyable.

The Chacha Tower in Batumi is almost an exact replica of the Clock Tower in Izmir, Turkey, with a major change, though. The 25-meter clock tower in Batumi has four fountains, where Georgian Chacha - a grape distillate - comes out of the fountains instead of water. The eye-catching clock tower was built in 2012 and hosts a tourism information center. The fountains have been nonfunctional since 2015.

The 139 meter tall Alphabetic Tower symbolises the uniqueness of Georgian alphabet and the people. The huge tower combines the design of the DNA double helix pattern that rise up the tower holding 33 alphabets of the Georgian language. Each of the alphabet is a 4 metre tall aluminum structure. At the centre of the tower is an exposed elevator leading to the very top of the building, in the crown of the structure, where the colossal silver ball, that can be seen from miles away, is located. This is yet another failed project near the Batumi seashore. The tower is currently on lease to a Spanish company for the next twenty years to operate a restaurant.

Another stunning structure in Batumi is the Batumi Tower Ferris Wheel. It is considered to be the first skyscraper with a Ferris Wheel built into the facade. The tower was to serve as the Technological University and was completed in 2012. The Ferris Wheel hangs 330 feet above the ground and has eight air-conditioned cabins that can accommodate 40 persons. The cabins were supposed to offer unparalleled views of the city.

The 280 feet mast with a sail on top of the tower was a challenge to designers and architects due to the seismic zone in which it was built and the windage. The building was never used for what it was built and was finally sold to private interests in 2015 for conversion to a hotel. Even to this day the building stands empty and mute. 

The Batumi seaport is the largest in the country for general cargo, containers and ferry services. It is one of the major transit points for refined products from Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan. The five terminals of the Batumi seaport are equipped with the latest generation cranes that facilitate fast and timely handling of cargo and containers and ensure quick turnaround of vessels.

The Batumi Europe Square, also called the Era Square, is surrounded by buildings with the signature of 19th and 20th century architecture. In the Square stands tall the Statue of Medea with the golden fleece, the symbol of the glory and cultural development of old Colchis, on its outstretched hand. Standing in front of the statue, the story of Jason and the Golden Fleece, that I had read in my younger days, came alive in front of my eyes.

The buildings and the lively attractions in the Square link the city's heritage past and the colorful present. The Europe Square is indeed one of the main focal attractions in the city. There is something here for everyone, cafes and restaurants for the young and old, the Dancing Fountains for children, shops and souvenir kiosks for the shopping tourist. 

By the time we had been on foot to all the aforesaid attractions it was getting to 2 pm and we were soaked in sweat. Fortunately, a kilo of fresh cherries we bought in one of the lanes leading from the Batumi Piazza kept the hunger at bay. We decided to leave the rest of the sightseeing for the evening after checking into the hotel.

When we reached Orbi City D Block we saw no place to park the car. It was one huge sea of cars and people. After driving around a fair bit we found a slot. We reached the reception of the D Block and was told that we have to go to Room 2473 of the A Block.

When we reached the said room, we were in for a shock. A family group was being handled by the lady and gent in the room. Once that was done in about 10 minutes, I handed over my booking.com confirmation to the gent, who sought my passport too. While we waited, anticipating the allotment of a room, the two were talking in conspiratorial tones and their giggles and conversation continued for quite some time. When I enquired if everything was alright, they said that they were checking my booking.

After a while they wanted to know when I had completed the booking. Then came the bombshell; they said that the price had gone up since my booking and the new price would be 50 GEL higher than what booking.com had confirmed. Moreover, as we were talking, I received an email from booking.com about the "successful modification" of my booking, which I had never asked for. The two nincompoops insisted of my paying the higher tariff if we wanted to stay there or else cancel the booking at my cost. I did neither and walked out of the place. 

The next shock came when I found another apartment in the near vicinity. I confirmed the booking on the booking.com site. Having faced the experience in Orbi City I tried to call the apartment and my calls were refused multiple times. I also received a weird message on WhatsApp asking for my photo. That was the last straw.

I cancelled that booking too and decided to head back to Kutaisi. Fortunately, the Hotel Old Town was available, and I confirmed the accommodation using booking.com. The advantage of returning to Kutaisi is that I would have that much less to drive the next day to Tbilisi. In fact, I would have just about 225 km for tomorrow from Kutaisi and we would be able to leave leisurely too. The sad part is that we had left quite a few attractions to be visited later in the evening in Batumi.  

We reached Kutaisi by about 6 pm and lugged all the bags to the room. We took our time to pack the bags so that we would not have much to do in Tbilisi. After that was done, I went to a store and got myself a 2.5-liter bottle of Kayaki beer! After imbibing quite a bit of it we went down to the Siam Restaurant, next door to the hotel, and feasted on Vegetable Spring Rolls and Thai Green Curry, starting the end of the three-night halt in Kutaisi.