Joseph and I traveled to Georgia from 7 July to 1 August 2017 for a father/son adventure featuring some trekking in the Svaneti region in the Caucasus and exploring Tbilisi, Kazbegi and Batumi
This is Part 1. Tbilisi.
DAY 1. Departure from Adelaide.
The beginning.
Joseph and I depart on our long awaited father/son adventure and I bid adieu to my home of 22 years.
Farewell Adelaide.
DAY 2. Doha to Tbilisi.
We arrive in Georgia … but not the Georgia you’re thinking of.
DAY 3. Tbilisi.
Joe and I discover Old Tbilisi, the sulfur baths and the botanic garden.
Visual proof that ‘Seldom Seen’ Joe is actually with me on this journey. We spent our first morning walking through narrow cobblestone alleys in the Tbilisi Old Town. We bee-lined it for the Botanic Garden, my favourite place in any city of the world and Tbilisi did not disappoint.
The ‘Old Tbilisi’ was restored after 2010 and many of the old buildings were renovated and cobblestone streets repaired. Tbilisi is an ancient city and has traces of human habitation for nearly 5,000 years. Permanent settlement dates back 1500 years.
The botanical garden is massive and is an easy walk from our hotel. Joe and I got lost amongst the countless kilometres of paths and I had to use my GPS to find our way out. Here’s a path in the arboretum section of the garden. The garden is 161 hectares and was first mentioned in the 17th century.
Joseph and I get the ultimate Georgian cultural experience and share a long table of food and wine with our Georgian friends. The four-hour feast featured numerous toasts. The Georgian culture is very rich in tradition and that is abundantly clear during a meal.
After enjoying our starters and excellent Georgian wine for two hours, we dug into the dish of kings, Mtsvadi. We had a choice of pork, beef, fish or vegetables and it was delectable.
DAY 4. Tbilisi
A double dose of Joe. Crikey, Joe is everywhere. We took the cable car to the Narikala Fortress and got a good overview of Tbilisi and the valley cut out by the Mtkvari river
The Old Town comes to life at night. The city is well prepared for a heavy influx of tourists from Russia, Eastern Europe and Central Asia during summer. There are endless choices of al fresco restaurants serving hearty Georgian cuisine match by Georgian wines and beer. The Narikala Fortress has been looking down on Tbilisi in one form or another since the 4th century.
