The Grand Finale

This post is a post that is a long time coming. My summer was busy and the time never seemed to come for me to write this post about how my parents joined me for a grand adventure during my last week in Georgia.

I left Keda on a Saturday to take a marshrutka to Tbilisi so that I could greet my parents, who were due in around three in the morning. It would be the last time I would stay at the Waltzing Matilda Hostel in Tbilisi, where I had befriended the owner, Tatiana, and had stayed many times during the nine months I spent in Georgia. I went to bed early and awoke early - real early - and went to the airport to greet my parents. They came strolling through customs, red-eyed and travel weary, but also looked relieved and happy to finally make it to Georgia. We were transported to our hotel and there we slept for several hours before taking on a tour of Tbilisi - after all, with only a week and a whole country to explore, there was no time to lose.

Let me warn you, this is a long post, apologies in advance.

Day 1 - Tbilisi

After the three of us caught up on sleep and had a delicious breakfast at the hotel (which included baklava), we set off on our tour! Since our hotel was in Old Tbilisi in the Avlabari District, we took a short walk to Holy Trinity Cathedral of Tbilisi (Sameba in Georgian). The Holy Trinity Cathedral is the primary cathedral of the Georgian Orthodox Church and the church building itself is a reflection of Georgian church architecture throughout the centuries. It was constructed between 1995 and 2004. Since it was a Sunday, me and my parents visited the cathedral during mass. Even though I had been in this cathedral a couple of times before, it was special to share it with my parents and have them take in the stunning architecture and traditions of Georgian orthodoxy.

Holy Trinity Cathedral

Inside the Holy Trinity Cathedral

The next stop on the tour was the beautiful Sulphur Baths District in Old Town. This area is dominated by steep, winding cobble-stoned roads and wooden homes with intricately carved balconies. A small creek stretched alongside the sulphur baths. I led my parents down a path into a little canyon so that I could show them a waterfall that was nestled back in the cool confines of the canyon. I pointed out the homes that were built right along the edge of the cliff and the twisting staircase that led up to them. After feeling the refreshing spray of the waterfall, we were taken up to see Tbilisi's botanic gardens. A short distance up the hill behind the baths was Tbilisi's only mosque, built in 1895. It is the only mosque to have survived Lavrenty Beria's anti-religious purges of the 1930s. The interior is beautifully frescoed and both my parents and I were certainly impressed. It was the first time either of my parents had been in a mosque (it was my second or third time after visiting mosques in Istanbul).

The Sulphur Baths District

Unique balcony homes press right up against the edge of a cliff.

Tbilisi's Waterfall

Me and my parents in the Sulphur Baths District

Tbilisi's only mosque

The interior of the mosque

Somewhere during the course of the day, I got my parents hooked on Georgian mineral water. By the time we trekked up to Narikala Fortress, we were all on are third bottle of Nabeghlavi Mineral Water. Since coming back to America, Georgian mineral water is something that I definitely miss. Now, Narikala Fortress overlooks the city of Tbilisi and is located in Old Town. It was first established in the Fourth Century and was expanded over the centuries until large sections were destroyed by an earthquake in 1827. It was too bad Saint Nicholas Church was closed, but we sat and relaxed for awhile, relishing the nice day.

We took a walk along Turtle Lake while enjoying ice cream bars and yes, mineral water. Once we returned to the city, we went to visit Sioni Cathedral in Old Town. It was there that we were able to experience something truly unique and unexpected - a baby being baptized into the Georgian Orthodox faith. It was beautiful to watch the priest and godfather praying over the baby. It is something none of us will soon forget.

Sioni Cathedral

Inside Sioni Cathedral

Baptism in Sioni Cathedral

After a nap at the hotel, we walked across the newly built Freedom Bridge to have dinner. We all had incredibly tasty Russian pelmeni, which are like dumplings filled with meat and usually served with sour cream. Exhausted by the time we came back to the hotel, we went to bed early and prepared for another day of adventure.

Day 2 - Khevsureti off-road tour

It did not take long to leave the bustling, hectic streets of Tbilisi and enter the foothills of the Greater Caucasus Mountain Range. The first stop happened to be the glistening turquoise water of the Zhinvali Reservoir, which happens to be one of the main sources of water for Tbilisi, thanks to the hydroelectric Aragvi Dam. As we were cruising into the mountains, the road became dicier and the mountains taller. We crossed over several bridges, but one in particular had me requesting for a stop and a photo op. The river surged over rocks, cascading down small waterfalls - thick and white was the water. Both my dad and I have interest in the dynamics of rivers, especially when it comes to whitewater and after taking some photos, we both studied it for a bit, trying to figure out if this section of the river was runnable. We determined that maybe it could be run by an experienced kayaker. Then, we journeyed on.

Zhinvali Reservoir and the Aragvi Dam

My parents

The untamed river

My dad, who was riding in the back seat alongside me, suddenly said, "Greta, look out the back window!" I turned around and my heart seemed to skip as a surge of excitement flooded through me - the mountains were magnificent, tall, and craggy, cutting up towards the sky; these were the mountains that I fell in love with ten years ago and here I was, viewing them for a second time (my first was in Svaneti in April). As I write this, now in September, I long to be in those mountains again - to feel the wind caress my cheek, to smell the scent of wild flowers that permeated the air, and to hear the river in the canyon roar below. We stopped again, took photos, and a small bite to eat on a grassy ledge along the side of the road. What a view it was! We climbed higher and higher, deeper and deeper, into this mountainous wilderness.

When we arrived at the Datvis-jvris Pass (Bear Cross Pass), we stopped and surveyed the rugged peaks that surrounded us in all directions. We met a few shepherds and people from another vehicle who were all sharing rounds of chacha (Georgian moonshine) - well-wishes on the treacherous journey into the mountains. Luckily, our driver and guide, Vakho, refrained from drinking. Although, he did mention that wearing seat belts were not necessary since we were well beyond city limits and any kind of reasonable law enforcement. My parents and I all chose to keep wearing our seat belts. It is habit, I guess, or maybe just because the terrain was so dicey we felt the need to do so.

Taken atop Datvis-jvris Pass

Khevsur Shepherd 

As we crossed the pass and descended into the steep mountain valley - my mood soared. Few times in my life have I been able to escape the world and focus merely on the present. It's a strange feeling, but a good one. As I stared out the window, the wild scenery seemed to engulf me and the rest of the world slipped away. All I thought about were the mountains I saw before me, the untamed river churning below, and the wind that blew through my hair. It was purely magical.

Entering the remote Khevsureti mountain wilderness

Cattle in the road, of course.

The steep river valley

We finally arrived at our destination, Shatili, a small historic village inhabited by a dozen or so families. We were going to stay at Eliso's Guesthouse, which also happened to be home to the regional doctor. This village is the only village around for miles and miles; almost our whole ride was pure wilderness. After a short nap, Vakho took us to see the Shatili fortifications and a couple of other ancient towers. One of the most interesting places he showed us were these sanctuaries where people who had the Plague quarantined themselves to protect the rest of the people that had been traveling with them. Human bones can still be seen - I could feel the somberness emanating from these rooms. Vakho then pointed out that just across the river sat the Russian Semi-Autonomous Republic of Chechnya. For me, it was so cool to see, especially after spending a lot of time researching the area and hearing about it, to see it in person is something words cannot describe.

The inhabited part of Shatili and the dog that befriended
my dad and I along the way.

Ancient Shatili fortifications.

The buildings where the people quarantined themselves.
Just beyond these structures is Chechnya.

Human remains.

That night, we all gorged on a delicious home cooked meal made by Eliso, the hostess of the guesthouse. It was the first time my dad would taste chacha and after the first shot, he was impressed with the taste and would take many more shots before the night was through. We both ended up getting drunk; I felt the buzz after only one shot, by two, I was completely drunk. My dad and Vakho both estimated that the alcohol content in this particular bottle of chacha had to be around 65 percent. Needless to say, we were all tired and headed to bed early that night.

Shatili's ambulance 

Eliso's Guesthouse

In the early morning hours, we had a medical emergency. I awoke Vakho, who, in turn, and to our incredible luck, woke the village doctor. My mom was successfully treated at no cost, thanks to Georgia's all-inclusive healthcare system.

Day 3 - Kazbegi 

The next day, we journeyed leisurely out of Shatili, taking in the sights of Khevsureti once more. On the other side of the pass, Vakho took a small detour to find a village and an ancient cross, taking us on a narrow unpaved road that on one side was a steep mountain side and the other, sheer cliff. Normally, I don't get too nervous about heights, but this time, even though I knew Vakho was a good driver, I could feel my stomach churn a bit. I wondered how on earth we were going to be able to turn around. After driving for awhile, we found a place on the road where it widened out and where trees hugged the steep mountain side and we were able to make the turn.

We circled around the Zhinvali reservoir until we reached the other side where the Ananuri Castle was located. We stopped there to check it out. We walked around the premises and stepped into the Church of the Assumption where we were greeted by beautiful frescoes and richly decorated facades.

Ananuri Castle

The road to the town of Kazbegi, also known as Stepantsminda, is called the Georgian Military Highway. It is the only road in Georgia that has official access and links to Russia. Russian trucks and vehicles were abound along this road. I also want to mention that unlike the road to Shatili, this one was paved and would probably have to be one of the nicer roads I have been on in Georgia. It is also more populated.

Like the road to Shatili, at first the mountain scenery was softer, but it did not take long for tremendous peaks to emerge from the rainy fog. We stopped for a bite to eat in Gudauri, which is an upscale ski resort, before continuing on our way. Suddenly, as we were driving along the highway, Vakho suddenly veered left off road and came to a stop at an interesting Soviet monument. He told us that it was built to symbolize the friendship between Russia and Georgia; it certainly was thought-provoking for me because of all the research I have done on Russian-Georgian relations throughout the centuries. It is something I want to continue studying and will do so by starting graduate school in a few short weeks. As we strolled around the monument, we came upon an extraordinary view of the mountains. My dad remarked to me that he had not quite expected the mountains to be like this - so jagged and wild; he told me that it was mind-blowing.

The Soviet monument built to symbolize the friendship
between Russia and Georgia

My parents taking in the view.

The stunning view of the Khevi Region of Georgia

More fabulous views.

We drove along the highway, passing tunnels that are used in the winter when the snow becomes too deep and the threat of avalanches too real. There were waterfalls cascading off cliffs, travertine, and small villages that we passed by. When we arrived in the town of Kazbegi and came up to our guesthouse, it began to rain again. There is nothing quite like a mountain thunderstorm. After a quick rest and some hot tea, we decided to visit the Gergeti Trinity Church that sat perched high above the town. Mount Kazbek loomed tall in the background of this church, although at the time we were traveling up to see the church, it was shrouded in clouds. It would not be until later that this 16,000+ foot mountain would reveal its grandeur. I must confess that the road up to this church had to be the worst road I have ever driven on, it was in terrible condition and barely drivable even in the sturdy four wheel drive of a Lada. The host of the guesthouse was the one who took us up there because Vakho's car would not have been able to make it up there unscathed.

Gergeti Trinity Church (Tsminda sameba) is at an elevation of 2,170 meters and sits below Mount Kazbek. It was built in the 14th Century. It is probably one of the most iconic churches in Georgia due to its location and the vastness of nature that surrounds it.

Gergeti Trinity Church

Gergeti Trinity C

Yours truly standing in front of Gergeti Trinity Church

Kazbegi and the village of Gergeti (immediate lower center).

By dinner time, Mount Kazbek had emerged from the clouds and I was able to see it in all its glory. Gergeti Trinity Church glowed up on its perch - it truly made the perfect picture. I suddenly remember feeling the momentousness of that moment, my heart swelling as I stared out at that mountain. There I was, at the foot of a grand peak, in a region that has captivated me for a decade and which I have spent countless hours studying and researching, and I was there, in person, sharing this with my parents. Traditional Georgian music streamed out from the television in the dining room and I could feel myself tearing up. I felt such pride, such love, and such gratitude for finally getting to see this place, and for being able to share my interests with my parents in a way I had never done before.

Evening shot of Gergeti Trinity Church and Mount Kazbek

Morning shot of Gergeti Trinity Church and Mount Kazbek

Day 4 - The Trek to Kutaisi 

Early the next morning, I was able to view the gorgeous light that had swept over Mount Kazbek. We left the guesthouse and drove up the Georgian Military Highway so we could catch a glimpse of the Georgian-Russian border crossing and see the Russian semi-autonomous republic of North Ossetia-Alania beyond it. It really was another amazing, thought-provoking sight. We also witnessed the remains of trucks destroyed in a mountainside collapse that had occurred around a month earlier. It had blocked access between Russia and Georgia, and much to my surprise and relief, they worked together to clean it up so the border could open again.

Georgian Military Highway above Kazbegi

Mountainside Collapse

Destroyed trucks and vehicles due to the collapse

Russian border crossing into North Ossetia-Alania

The thing about Georgian roads is that pretty much anything goes - the rules of the road are for the weak, nothing more than suggestions that are usually ignored. The first thing you will notice about the roads, other than a large majority of them being questionable and poorly maintained, is that you have to share it with livestock. For some reason, cows and goats love to congregate on the roads and highways, especially on bridges where the only option you have to get by is to honk aggressively on the horn and slap the rumps of the animals to try and get them out of the way. Another thing, and as I mentioned earlier, seat belts are merely so you do not get fined by the police, they have nothing to do with safety and a majority of Georgians will unbuckle once they are outside of city limits. The third thing you will notice is that lanes are also suggestions and passing can happen at almost any time, even when there is a vehicle coming in the opposite direction. Lastly, I can tell you that I have seen approximately one traffic light in all of Georgia, and that was in Batumi, and I had roughly two seconds to get across the road before the light turned green again. Roads are probably the most dangerous thing you will encounter in Georgia, otherwise, it is a pretty safe country.

All this crazy driving and lurching was enough to give my dad adrenaline rushes about every thirty seconds. After nine months, I was used to this kind of driving and usually had no problem with it (except when someone tries to pass as a vehicle is approaching in the other direction). It did not help that the road that you usually take to get between Tbilisi and Kutaisi was closed due to a landslide; the detour was absolutely torturous.

By the time we arrived in Kutaisi, my parents were tired - there had been no opportunity for them to nap on the way over. But, before we could settle down at the hotel and take a nap, we were rushed to a cave just outside the city. My dad and I walked through, looking at prehistoric dinosaur tracks, bee colonies, and the stalagmites that filled the cool, wet cave. We also checked out Bagrati Cathedral, which overlooks the city, and I explained to my parents some of the history behind the place. Luckily, the cathedral was close to our hotel and there we were able to rest for a little bit before heading out again. I took my parents on the aerial tram that crosses the Rioni River, taking you into the heart of Kutaisi's old town. There, we ate at one of my favorite restaurants called Palaty, sitting outside enjoying Mtsvadi (kebabs) with pomegranates. Afterwards, I took them to the Tea House which was one of my favorite places in Kutaisi. We had delicious blood orange tea and bliny with chocolate sauce and bananas.

Stalagmite Cave

Bagrati Cathedral - A UNESCO World Heritage Site

Inside Bagrati

Aerial Tram

A view of Kutaisi from the aerial tram

Kutaisi's Old Town

Sitting at Palaty Restaurant in Kutaisi

Kutaisi's Tea House

Day 5 - The Grand Supra 

The significance and events of this day cannot easily be summed up. It was a day that I will remember for as long as I live and will keep in my heart and soul for just as long.

We left Kutaisi for Batumi early that morning so we would get to Keda at a reasonable hour. My parents and I wanted to spend as much time in Keda and with my host family and friends as we possibly could. I told my parents long in advance that in order to truly experience Georgia, they had to ride in a marshrutka and the perfect chance to do so was between Batumi and Keda. We were dropped off at the marshrutka station and immediately everyone was staring at us - I had become a usual sight, but my parents were new and so that created a lot of intrigue. The three of us piled into the marsh and immediately I was peppered with questions by curious Georgian passengers. My mother had pictured marshrutkas as something dilapidated and crude, with bald tires, holes in the seats, and parts peeling off every time it went somewhere. To her surprise, it was far nicer than that and both my mom and dad actually enjoyed it. It's funny, I actually kind of miss riding in marshrutkas - I just loved to listen to my music and drown out the world, focusing only on the scenery that passed by me. It also certainly helped that marshrutkas were dirt cheap.

Batumi's marshrutka station

The time had come when we finally pulled up into the center of Keda. Immediately, we were greeted by my host father, Roman, and neighbor Tengo, the former offering to carry some of our bags to the house.  Before we could make it to the house, one neighbor, Nargizi, came bursting out from her home, rushing out to welcome us. She gave me and my parents giant hugs and insisted we have pictures taken together. Only a week or two before, when she had seen my packed bags in my room, she lightly hit me and with tears in her eyes, told me that I could not leave.

Nargizi

Once we approached the house, I could feel the excitement build inside me. As I stepped into the foyer, I said, "Cico, Giorgi!" (pronounced like Tsitso). Giorgi, my wonderful, mischievous host brother came rocketing out and gave me, my mom, and my dad giant hugs. Cico rushed out to greet us, as well, and I could tell that she was already hard at work preparing for the coming evening supra. However, she was not about to let us go unfed and immediately ushered out a table full of food for lunch. It did not take long before some of my neighbors, Mzia and Tamuna and Nini to come over and meet my parents. After my parents took short naps, I requested to Giorgi that they be given the grand tour of Keda. Giorgi would be our guide and quickly other kids started to congregate around us - Tamuna, Nini, Niko, Vitaly, and another boy whose name I cannot remember.

Tamuna, me, and Giorgi

First, we went to one of my favorite places in town, the pharmacy. The pharmacy was where Tamuna and Nini's mother, Maka, worked and was a place where I spent countless afternoons hanging out and enjoying Turkish coffee with her and her daughters. I wanted to have my parents meet Maka - one of the many neighbors I had come to love over my nine months living in Keda. It is a little bit silly, but there are so many things that I miss about Keda and about being in Georgia in general, sitting in the pharmacy, hanging out at neighbors' homes (I had gotten so accustomed to living there that I often did what Georgians would do and simply walked into neighbors' homes to see who was there), and hearing the constant blare of Turkish soap operas playing in the living room. Anyway, I digress - back to the tour led by Giorgi and his entourage.

Tamuna and me in the local pharmacy

Me and Maka at the pharmacy 

Next, we went down to Keda Public School, the place where I had worked for the past nine months and where my patience was tried more than once. It was a place filled with memories, some good, some bad, most just plain mundane. I want to say that despite the difficulties I had with teaching at times, I by and large loved all of my students. We walked in and after a little bit of wandering, found a classroom that was not locked. Some teachers were sitting inside, writing up final grades. These were women I had gotten to know over the course of nine months there and one woman in particular, although I do not remember her name, even invited us up to her house. Ah, there was so much to do in so little of time. I had to politely decline - hopefully, one day, I can knock on her door to accept such an invitation. After more photo ops, we left and as we exited through the school gates, where we were met by another woman - a neighbor - whom I had come to know after running into her all the time around town. We talked for a little bit and I introduced her to my parents.

Keda Public School

Inside the third grade classroom

We then crossed the bridge to show my parents the other side of town. Along the way, I pointed out the date the bridge was constructed, which was during the Soviet era, I reckon, considering the hammer and sickle that adorned the plaque. Sometime during the nine months that I was there, it had been painted over in white so that it was barely visible. Giorgi insisted that we go to 9 Aprili Park because there was a "pool" there. Really, what Giorgi meant by a pool was actually a small fountain filled, at least in part, with rainwater. Many of the kids decided to take a dip anyway and engage in all sorts of shenanigans.

9 Aprili Park

Then, it was up the hill to check out Keda's church. It was much simpler than some of the other churches and cathedrals that my parents had seen on this trip, but it was still nice and special to see. While there, my dad was able to bear full witness to Giorgi's mischievousness. It was extremely windy at the top of the hill by the church and Giorgi took this as a perfect opportunity to bend down and "tie his shoe" with the real intention of looking up Tamuna's dress.

Inside Keda's church.

Keda's church

We also checked out Keda's small museum where the curator kept trying to coerce us to his place to have food and drinks with him. Finally, somehow, Giorgi got him to back off.

On our way back to the house, we ran into Nargizi's daughter, Malvina, and there I introduced her to my parents. She was quite proud to show off her English language skills.

Once back at the house, my mother and I called Giorgi into my bedroom. Now, I am not sure if I mentioned this in earlier blog posts, but Giorgi is a big Chicago Bulls and Michael Jordan fan. He loves watching videos, playing basketball himself, and "slam dunking" the top of the door frame to the kitchen all the while proclaiming that he is Michael Jordan. My parents were at one time season ticket subscribers to the Chicago Bulls so we had all sorts of Bulls paraphernalia. My parents were able to get Giorgi a lot of stuff - and much to my parents and my delight, we watched as he pulled out goody after goody. All in all, there was a Bulls jersey, a Michael Jordan tee-shirt, an old Sports Illustrated with Michael Jordan on the cover, a newspaper picture of Michael Jordan, playoff tickets, a car decal, and a Bulls baseball cap. This adds to the Bulls winter hat that I gave to him over Christmas. He immediately tore off the shirt he was wearing and slipped on the jersey, then rushed out to brag to his friends - but not before giving my mom a big hug and thanking her profusely.

We also gave Cico a handmade bowl and Roman a handmade mug.

Finally, the time had come for the evening supra. My neighbors and teacher counterparts all came over for what would end up being a whirlwind of a night. The guest list, other than my parents and I, included Cico, Roman, Mzia, Geno, Nargizi, Malvina, Maka, Nino, Natia, Sopo, and Duri. My neighbor Tamuna would also make several appearances throughout the night, as well as Giorgi, who spent much of the time playing computer games. Around seven, plates teeming with food came flooding out onto the table - there was so much of it, that, in true Georgian fashion, stacking of plates one on top of the other began. We all took turns toasting even though Roman was the Tamada (official toastmaster). I also acted as translator between my parents and Georgian friends and family. My dad took quick note to pace himself with the chacha and wine consumption lest he end up totally out in the deep as far as being drunk is concerned. Despite this, however, Roman and Geno (Mzia's husband) found ways to keep him drinking well into the night. While all this hullabaloo was happening, the television roared in the background, playing none other than Turkish soap operas dubbed into Georgian. After two rounds of dinner and dessert, my parents and I felt sufficiently full, well, bursting was more like it. Everyone ended up taking pictures of each other that night. Once things began quieting down, Roman and Geno invited me and my dad out onto the porch - they wanted him to drink more and me to translate. They pointed to this giant canister full of homemade wine and remarked that they would spend the whole night drinking it and insisting that they should finish it before the night was through. My dad, futilely, tried to refrain from drinking anymore, but they caught him in their snares and there he drank while I translated toast after toast. It did not last all night.

Tamuna and the table before evening festivities began

From left: Natia, Sopo, and my mother. I worked alongside both Natia
and Sopo at Keda Public School

Duri, Natia, me, and Sopo (all the people I worked with over the
previous nine months). 

Tamuna, my mother, Geno, my father, and Malvina

Nargizi, Mzia, my mother, me, Giorgi, Maka, my father, and Malvina

My mother, Tamuna, Giorgi, me, Malvina, and my father

My father, me, Roman, Cico, Giorgi, and my mother

I must say, it did not take my parents long to fall in love with these people - and this just after one night. I have fallen in love with them, too. They are my family.

Day 6 - The Sad Goodbye 

We spent the night at my host family's house and by morning, I had a heavy heart. Tamuna came over early, as did many other neighbors, and we shared a breakfast - leftovers from the previous night's feast. Tamuna, who had become a dear, dear friend of mine, a sister really, stuck close and would not leave my side. She kept asking me, in Georgian, "Greta, ratom midi khar?" (Greta, why are you leaving?). I told her I didn't know - I knew at the time that I couldn't stay, that teaching for another year would not have been ideal, even though I hardly knew what I would be doing next at that point. I knew I couldn't stay, but how I love and miss the people I met in Keda.

Hugs were abound - Cico, Nargizi, Malvina, Maka, Mzia, Giorgi, and Tamuna. Down in the center of town, we said goodbye to Roman, who gave my parents and I each a kiss on the cheek and wished us safe journeys. As one last parting gift, Tamuna gave me a bracelet she bought with her own money and Nargizi bought each of us an ice cream for the road.

Not far down the Batumi-Akhaltsikhe Highway, we stopped at Makhunseti to check out the waterfall and ancient bridge built by Queen Tamar centuries ago.

Makhunseti Waterfall

Ancient Bridge in Makhunseti 

The plan was for us to visit Mtirala National Park and we did, for a short while, but it was not what we were expecting. Georgia is like that, though, always unexpected, always throwing your plans for a loop. The road to the national park started okay but deteriorated rather quickly and it ended up taking more time than any of us had expected. It was real hot and humid and the time we spent in the park was short - we all agreed to head back to the hotel in Batumi to nap and prepare for dinner. In hindsight, I would have stayed longer in Keda, but what can you do? The past is past. My parents and I took a long stroll along the Black Sea beach front, walking quite awhile before reaching a seaside restaurant and having dinner. After dinner, I showed them around a little bit, pointing out some of the sights of Batumi's historic old town district.

Batumi beach front

Black Sea beach in Batumi

Batumi's Georgian Alphabet Tower

Day 7 - The Return to Tbilisi 

There is not too much to be said about this day. My parents and I woke up early to prepare for the six hour drive back to Tbilisi and for the possibility that we would again have to take that awful detour. As luck would have it, we did not need to, and we were able to go the normal way. I do want to mention quickly that along the detour there was a mining town very much in disrepair, but the interesting thing about it was the aerial trams that crisscrossed the canyons above the town. If you can believe it, those trams have been around since the Stalinist era - that is since the 1930s. I found it pretty cool; although, you would not find me riding in one of those any time soon. Here is an article about them: Risking Their Lives In Stalin's Rusting Cable Cars

Once back in Tbilisi and settled into our hotel, we went out for a final dinner. By that point in time, I was thoroughly sick of Georgian food and so we ate at quite possibly the most delicious Thai restaurant that I have ever been to. The Pad Thai was beyond great and the sorbet perfect. While we ate outside, we could hear Georgian Orthodox chants in a nearby church.

A statue of Mother Georgia

The three of us then returned to our hotel room and gathered all of our things together. We went to bed early because we would have to get up early to catch our flight back to America the next morning.

Day 8 - Goodbye, Georgia

So there you have it, in detail, the adventures my parents and I had during my final week in Georgia.

I also wanted to mention that plans have changed and I will be starting graduate school at the University of Washington in Seattle in the fall where I will be studying Russian, East European, and Central Asian Studies.

Me shen miqvarkhar, Saqartvelo. I love you, Georgia, someday we will meet again.

A final Georgian sunset over Tbilisi