Blessed Georgia
It all started back in January, when the air carrier SkyUp, with a not very good reputation, suddenly increased its flight program. For some reason, before this unexpected price offer, we did not even consider Georgia. But the price of tickets was captivating, and even at the peak of the season - the very beginning of August. We thought about three minutes, and quickly bought tickets to Batumi.
I haven't been to Georgia for many years. The last time was as a young girl, who, together with her friend, walked with a backpack from Vladikavkaz to Cape Verde. How has Batumi and Georgia changed in general? After all, so much water has flowed under the bridge, so many events have happened over the years.
Georgian flavor
Having landed at Batumi airport and getting off the plane, we immediately felt this southern bliss. It was 6 pm, and the sun was warming very much, and the damp breath of the surrounding mountains immediately enveloped us. The city is located on the Black Sea coast and, like an expensive frame, is framed by the magical flora of the subtropics. Palm trees and cypresses, magnolias and oleanders delight the eye at every step, starting from the entrance to the terminal building.
The airport is very small. We wanted to change some money to get to our apartments, but it didn't work out. Not only is the exchange rate extortionate, but they don’t want to change less than $100. Well, well... We are mobile people, we decided to walk towards the village of Gonio, where we had booked accommodation.
The map showed 6 km. On the way, we will find a normal exchanger. We will buy water and fruits. We will take pictures of beautiful views of the surroundings from the bridge over the Chorokhi River.
The bridge over the Chorokhi River on the way to Gonio from Batumi
So, at a walking pace, after a little over an hour, we reached the place of our deployment.
The village of Gonio is located south of Batumi itself, closer to the border with Turkey, and is, one might say, its suburb.
Gonio village meadow
We chose this place not by chance: we really wanted silence. We are fed up with the city and at home. We found the apartments quickly, dropped our backpacks and went for a dip in the warm sea.
Sea in Gonio
In the village, life was very contrasting. There were Mercedes and Hummers in the gardens. . .
Hammer in the garden
. . . and along the road, like many years ago, cows grazed on their own.
Cows graze themselves in Gonio
Then they also came home on their own and on time. That's discipline!
Laundry is drying in the yards like flags.
This is how clothes are dried in the village of Gonio
Local master's dogs, mostly purebred, and with them a few chipped strays, peacefully run around the yards in free range. Sometimes they resort to vacationers on the beach to beg for something or just lie next to them to sleep.
Local dog in the shadow of a man on the beach
We immediately bought fresh milk and homemade cheese from the locals. As a gift, they immediately received grapes and cucumbers from the garden. We are in Georgia! There is always something to give!
The embankment connects two villages - Gonio and Kvariati.
Embankment of Gonio-Kvariati villages
Gonio looks more like a village, while Kvariati is being built up with new hotels and apartments, there are modern supermarkets and life looks more civilized.
Beach in Kvariati
The beaches are pebbly everywhere, without coral slippers it hurts the legs. But we endured, because we weren’t going to be on the beach for only a week, without suitcases, and all the time. Yes, it wouldn't work! Even during the peak season of 7 days, it rained for 4 days.
Gonio embankment in bad weather
And a big one! The sea was stormy.
The sea is stormy– red flag
So the weather was clearly not beachy.
And therefore, it was decided to make the most of this time for independent sightseeing trips around the surroundings.
The tourism business in Georgia is still in its infancy. We were prepared for the fact that almost no one knows Russian, especially young people, and everyone speaks English. However, our experience has shown that they do not speak English either, even at the airport. And Russian is still in use more.
There are no organized excursions, as you could once buy in our Crimea on the embankments. All excursions to mountainous Adjara, canyons and other interesting places come down to an individual transfer and private guides.
It was decided to dedicate the first bad day to Batumi itself.
Old Batumi
It's very easy to get around: minibuses run every 10-15 minutes. The fare is 80 tetri (kopecks), and if there is no small money, and you pay 1 lari, then the driver does not give change. Not accepted somehow.
A bus ticket costs half as much, but it is impossible for a tourist to use public buses legally. Traveling in them is only with a transport card, and this card is bought only at the bank of Georgia and only with a Georgian passport. Therefore, buses run half-empty, and minibuses are overcrowded. True, sometimes the bus driver can illegally take you on board for cash if you go far, but this is at your own peril and risk, before passing control.
The day turned out to be cool, cloudy, and then rainy.
Batumi is being built very hard. There are tall high-rise buildings - 28-40 floors each.
Batumi is under construction. View from the embankment of the village of Gonio
Ukrainians are also offered to invest in investments, they promise a stable and good income. The city is overpopulated. Traffic jams are huge, transport arteries are clearly not able to cope with such a flow of cars. Arriving in the center of Batumi, I once again praised myself for choosing accommodation not in the city itself.
The city center has been restored. Old houses are painted and have retained their authenticity.
The streets of old Batumi
There are many interesting new buildings. For example, in the center of Batumi, an Italian-style square was built, and in order not to bother too much, they called it Piazza Square.
Piazza in Batumi
Despite the fact that the square was created recently, in 2010, as part of the reconstruction of the Old Town, it is very visited and attracted tourists. In the center of the square there is a large marble mosaic dedicated to sea goddesses dressed in clothes of different colors.
Piazza in Batumi
There are many cafes around the square. Such a piece of Italy in the heart of the capital of Adjara.
Piazza Gallery
Near the Piazza is the Cathedral of St. Nicholas of the Greek Orthodox Church.
Church of St. Nicholas in Batumi
Walking along the old streets. . .
Old Batumi
. . . gathering a "photo collection". . .
Old Batumi
. . . beautiful. . .
Old Batumi
. . . doors. . .
Old Batumi
. . . and we go to the Batumi embankment. The first thing we see is the Marine Station.
Marine Station in Batumi
Immediately we hear screams inviting tourists to ride on a boat. But better than all these screams, live music and incendiary Georgian dances on one of the boats affect a person.
Unfortunately, the sudden heavy rain does not give us the opportunity to watch the dance to the end.
In 2012, the Batumi embankment was renovated. It was expanded, new buildings were built, a Ferris wheel was placed on the square at the end of the embankment, the Alphabet Tower was erected, and the Chachi Tower, which stood here back in the 19th century, was restored. The square was decorated with original sculptures and named Miracle Park.
Chachi Tower
The Chachi Tower is a beautiful building made in the Turkish style. According to rumors, once a week, at a certain time, chacha flows from the fountain in the tower, which everyone can taste for free. It's a pity we didn't find such a miracle : )
Waiting out the rain in the gift shop.
Souvenirs
We look at an interesting round tower from afar. Curiosity still prevails and we emerge from under the canopy in the rain and move towards the most interesting building - the Alphabet Tower.
Alphabet Tower on Batumi embankment
The architect of the tower was inspired by the Georgian alphabet: the letters in it are beautiful, with soft contours and smooth curves that turn the written words into an artistic pattern. The alphabet is printed on a spiral metal band that wraps around the 135-meter openwork tower. This tape resembles DNA, which is very symbolic, because the language is often called the genetic code of the nation. The top of the Alphabet is crowned with a ball, inside of which there is an observation deck with a small cafe.
Immediately behind the tower is the sculptural composition "Ali and Nino".
Ali and Nino
These are two seven-meter moving figures of lovers - a Georgian girl Nino and an Azerbaijani youth Ali, who either converge or diverge, symbolizing rapprochement, a kiss and inevitable separation, since they belong to different faiths, and their love is not accepted by their families. It's a pity we didn't see it in the backlight. They say that in the evening the figures look just fine.
From the embankment we go deeper into the city and go out to the Theater Square. . .
Theatre Square in Batumi
. . . in the center of which is the fountain of Neptune. . .
The Neptune Fountain on Theater Square in Batumi
. . . which is an exact copy of the famous fountain in Bologna.
The next area worthy of attention is Europe Square. There is a statue of Medea on it. . .
Statue of Medea on Europe Square
. . . the daughter of the king of Colchis, who helped the Argonauts steal the Golden Fleece.
And the square itself was previously called Argonauts Square, but was renamed in honor of Adjara's entry into the Assembly of European Regions.
Mosaic on a building in Batumi
But that's not all Europe Square can boast of.
The graceful building of the National Bank of Georgia. . .
The building of the National Bank of Georgia in Batumi
. . . something reminiscent of the palaces from Walt Disney cartoons, decorated with astronomical clocks.
Astronomical clock
Opposite it is a beautiful modern six-story castle-style building with three pointed towers.
Europe Square in Batumi
Ah, if it wasn't for the rain! We didn't see much, of course. We didn’t ride the cable car, we didn’t walk along the embankment to the end, we didn’t visit the Dolphinarium and the Botanical Garden. Well, then, next time for sure.
Already in the pouring rain, we return to our village. Opposite the Gonio-Apsaros fortress there is a charming cafe with excellent Georgian cuisine and excellent service.
A cafe opposite the Gonio Fortress
We had lunch there every day. And now, after a walk around Batumi, we decided not to experiment, but to have lunch there. Moreover, under such a downpour, it is still impossible to run to your home without umbrellas.
Ah, this Georgian cuisine! Eggplant with nuts. . .
Eggplant with nuts
. . . ojahuri. . .
Ojakhuri
. . . Ajarian khachapuri!
Adjarian Khachapuri
And the kebabs! It's just a work of culinary art!
Authentic Georgian barbecue
How can you feel Georgia if you don't try its cuisine?
The hostess of our apartments also treated us to something every day: homemade khachapuri, the size of a large frying pan. . .
Homemade khachapuri
. . . sometimes chacha, sometimes corn from your garden, sometimes homemade wine. Such hospitable people! You won't stay hungry and sober there : )
Little cat
Not far from our village, on the road leading to the Turkish border, in the village of Sarpi, there is a waterfall of St. Andrew the First-Called.
St. Andrew's Waterfall
The waterfall itself looks much more impressive in reality than in the photo. The area around is landscaped, there is an observation deck for tourists, railings, steps down to the waterfall. The water from the waterfall goes down to the sea through a tunnel built under the highway.
The monument near the waterfall was opened in 2008 by the President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili and the President of Ukraine Viktor Yushchenko, and is dedicated to the arrival of St. Andrew the First-Called in Georgia. It was Andrew the First-Called who built the first temple in Georgia and ordained priests. There is a version that after the Caucasus and Crimea, Andrew the First-Called preached in Kievan Rus. The inscription in Georgian reads: “The path through Georgia is the path of enlightenment. ”
The path through Georgia– the path of enlightenment
You can go down to the foot of the monument along comfortable concrete steps and sit in a chair.
Sculptural group at the waterfall of St. Andrew the First-Called
The place is very popular, there are enough people who want to take pictures.
In front of the monument there is a large wooden cross, which is clearly visible from the territory of Turkey.
Cross in Sarpi on the border with Turkey
As if in contrast to Orthodoxy, the Turks built a mosque on their cape. We didn’t go across the border, shopping is of little interest to us: we only have hand luggage, but the coast from Sarpi to Gonio went through a serpentine. What amazing views from there!
Sarpi-Kvariati coast
Another attraction in these places is the ancient Gonio-Apsaros fortress.
Gonio-Apsaros Fortress
We live nearby, so you shouldn't miss the opportunity to see it. We wanted to take a personal guide, but the woman at the ticket office hinted that we had better read everything in the guidebook. And she was right! When we heard how the tour was being conducted, we did not regret our act a bit.
There is an opinion that the name Apsaros comes from the ancient Greek myth of the Argonauts. According to legend, it was on this place that the son of King Aeta, Apsirite, killed by Jason, was buried.
In ancient times, the fortress was an outpost of the Greek and Byzantine empires in the North Caucasus. In the Roman era, there was a theater and a hippodrome. In the Middle Ages, a Genoese trading post was located here, later Gonio was part of the Ottoman Empire, and then part of the Russian. The total length of the walls of the fortress is 900 meters, the height is 5 meters. 19 out of 25 watchtowers have been preserved.
Gonio Fortress Towers
On the territory there is a small museum of excavations, as well as the remains of a Roman aqueduct (I-II centuries AD). What surprised us the most was that already in those days the inhabitants of the fortress had a warm floor! We thought it was a modern invention.
It is believed that the Apostle Matthew may be buried in the fortress, whom Jesus accepted into his own environment instead of Judas Iscariot, who sold the teacher for thirty pieces of silver. After the crucifixion of Christ, the Apostle Matthew spread the Christian faith in Colchis. The tomb of the Apostle is located on the ground of the Roman Praetoria, which in Latin means "Tent of the commander".
On the territory of the Gonio fortress
Since the Gonio-Apsaros fortress was built at the beginning of our era as a stronghold of the Roman troops, the residence of the Roman general commanding the garrison was called the praetorium. This version looks very plausible. And on the territory of the fortress there is a grave, which is considered to be the grave of the Apostle. The Georgian government prohibits excavations near the grave. Other excavations in the fortress are being carried out. Particular attention is paid to the Roman period.
At the moment, the camp of Roman soldiers has been reconstructed on the territory of the fortress, the central place in which is occupied by the commander's tent.
Roman tents in the fortress of Gonio
We have two days left, and we have not yet seen the most significant places of mountainous Adjara. The owner of our guest house solves all problems! She agreed with her nephew, who, in his minivan, took us through the mountainous Adjara for very reasonable money.
In Batumi, local drivers on the embankment vying with each other offer such an excursion. All of them with minivans, so if there are more than four of you, this is not a problem. But the cost of an excursion in Batumi will be one and a half times more expensive than in Gonio.
The first and most significant object in this excursion is the Makhuntseti waterfall.
Makhuntseti Waterfall
Huge, stormy, over 20 meters high, it is incredibly impressive. At the foot of the waterfall there is a bowl in which you can swim. The bottom is slippery boulders, there is nowhere to change clothes, there is a crowd of tourists around, constantly taking pictures.
There were those who wanted to swim, but it wasn't us : )
The place is very crowded. The flea market somewhat overshadows the pleasure of contemplating the waterfall.
There are cafes and souvenir shops. After walking and taking pictures, we go to the next object - the bridge of Queen Tamara.
Queen Tamara Bridge
Stone bridge of the 11th century, without railings, which is built of rock stones and connected with mortar. Built during the reign of Queen Tamara, the stone arched bridge is a centuries-old witness to Georgian history. He survived several earthquakes. Its width is only 2.5 meters. The length is 29 meters, and the height above the river level is 6 meters. When there are a lot of people on the bridge, it is difficult to disperse. There is a rafting club right next to the bridge. Everyone is invited to raft down the Adjaristskhali River.
And one more unique place we visited as part of this trip is the confluence of two rivers.
Confluence of two rivers
The two rivers Chorokhi and Adjaristskhali flow in parallel, have different colors and do not mix. We saw such a natural phenomenon for the first time! The driver stopped the car not in a tourist place, but a little higher up the river. And in all this space we were alone!
It was a beautiful day! The natural beauty of Georgia is its biggest attraction. And people, of course! The people there are wonderful: kind and helpful, simple and sociable! And they pass these values from generation to generation.
Seven days is so little for such a wonderful country! The eye does not get tired of rejoicing at this beauty, and the heart does not get tired of the sincere Georgian hospitality.
