Georgia (Sakartvelo) 2001 (Georgia)

Member Name: maikli

Product:	Georgia
Date:	31/07/02 (263 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: amazing scenery, Georgian hospitality, unique food and wine

Disadvantages: corruption, electricity and water shortages, serious language barrier

When I mentioned I was going to Georgia last summer, most people thought I was planning on going to the US state of Georgia, and came up with handy hints such as "make sure you visit Florida while you're over there". I spoke to only a few who knew about Georgia, a former republic of the Soviet Union, and only one who had ever been there.

Georgia is one of the most beautiful countries I have seen, although it has more than it's fair share of problems, corruption and refugees from the long-running war in Abkhazia. Despite the problems, the people are among the friendliest, and even though next to no-one knows English or any other language well, everyone will make you feel welcome.

Tbilisi surprised me...I knew from my guidebook that it was a very nice city, I just hadn't realised how nice. I originally planned to stay in the capital for a couple of days, seeing the sights while waiting for onward visas, but through a friend, I was looked after by a Georgian family and ended up staying close to four weeks! It is a great place to explore on foot (and you won't manage to explore it any other way, as all public transport signs are written in the georgian alphabet only, and are impossible to read especially when they are speeding towards you at 60 miles per hour!). The old town is slowly falling into disrepair, which in some ways adds to its charm...and also keeps the tourists away. The cliffside houses above the Mtkvara River are particularly picturesque. The new city around the main street, Rustavelis Gamziris, is also interesting to walk around, just to see daily life. There are plenty of museums dotted around the city...whether they will be open is another matter, as electricity blackouts often limit visibility!

Outside Tbilisi, Mtskheta should be one of your first destinations...the former capital, and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Gori is "interesting" for its Stalin Museum (this was where Stalin w
as born), and the museum is a somewhat "selected" biography of this "strong leader" - be diplomatic and don't argue with the museum staff!Kutaisi, the second "city", is worth a visit, but even more dilapidated than Old Tbilisi...plus more cows on the streets than cars.

Away from the main towns, cows also like to lie in the middle of the "highway" (a bit optimistic calling it a highway...maybe "rough track" is better), and when you're not dodging sleeping cows, you're swerving to avoid potholes the size of swimming pools, and if you take a marshrutka (minibus/taxi) then the swerving and dodging will be done at high speeds!

Georgia is famous for its remote monastery complexes...it seems to be a Georgian trend to build them in the most difficult-to-get-to locations. Some of the most spectacular are at Gelati and Motsameta near Kutaisi, and in the Kakheti region east of Tbilisi. But my favourite church has to be the Tsminda Sameba on a hilltop overlooking the small town of Kazbegi. Every visitor should at least try to get to Kazbegi...the journey there is spectacular, along the grandly named Georgian Military Highway in the direction of Russia. Just before the Russian border lies Kazbegi, which is cut off from the rest of Georgia by heavy snowfall in winter. Don't expect comforts - while I was there, we had no electricity at all. But the scenery makes up for all that, with enormous mountain peaks in every direction, the highest being Mount Kazbek.

Other mountain regions are also spectacular, like Borjomi and Tusheti, but places such as South Ossetia and Svanetia have one or two security problems at the moment. foreigners have been robbed and kidnapped in these areas, so try to find out the current situation in the region you want to visit beforehand...things can change fast in Georgia.

Food is excellent in Georgia...OK, so maybe I didn't always know what i was e
ating, but I never had cause to complain. The most famous dishes are khachapuri (a cheese turnover which comes in many forms, sometimes with a fried egg on top) and khinkgali (spicy beef/pork dumplings which are quite messy to eat!). No meal in Georgia is complete without a huge quantity of alcohol...normally wine or brandy, but sometimes vodka. If you are invited to eat with Georgians, you will be expected to knock back several glasses of wine/vodka in toasts to you, the hosts, children, the dead, Georgia, and sometimes even Margaret Thatcher and Stalin! It is almost impossible for a man to refuse a drink when offered, so it is not the place to go if you can't take your alcohol...I had quite a hard time of it, not being a regular drinker at home.

Language is a problem, unless you speak Russian. Georgian is like no other language, and is full of what sound to me like death rattles. No words are familiar, and the grammar is a nightmare. The alphabet looks difficult at first, and, yes, it is! But it is possible to learn to read it within a week if you are dedicated. Any attempt at Georgian will be greatly appreciated.

Corruption is a HUGE problem in Georgia...everyone bribes everyone, so much so that it is treated almost like a kind of tax, especially when dealing with traffic police who will stop cars for nothing at all just to get a few Lari for cigarettes. If you are a female driver, you are less likely to get stopped, but for men, you don't have much choice but to cough up, even though you know it is wrong.

Beggars are everywhere too...and most are genuine. The main former Intourist hotels in Tbilisi and elsewhere are now full of refugees, many of whom spend most of their time sitting on the pavement begging for money. Another common sight are the old women...when the Soviet Union collapsed, so did the centrally run pension fund...many of these beggars could have been highly skilled doctors or lawyers...now they beg for food.


Georgia has many dangers, but I would not describe it as a particularly dangerous country. Visiting some regions is extremely risky, but on the whole, Georgia is safer than many places. Tbilisi is fairly safe to walk around at night (not on your own, of course...just like any other large city), but always carry a torch, as manholes tend to lack covers and there is no street lighting. As well as a torch, bring a good supply of candles and matches...because of the constant electricity shortages, you will need them!

All in all, I can see that in the future, Georgia will become a popular destination for tourists, but for now, there are so many difficulties that most tourists will be put off. Only go if you are willing to put up with basic conditions...don't expect hot water and constant electricity, or everything to work out smoothly, especially if you don't speak Georgian or Russian. Still, it is my "destination of the moment", and I enjoyed my trip there immensely. I would recommend Georgia to those who enjoy adventure, and see problems as a kind of challenge. The culture and scenery more than make up for the hardships and uncertainties of travel here.

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