Traveling for the first time in my life. Part 3
Continuation. Start here:
Day 10. Nature has no bad weather)
We woke up under the gloomy sky of Georgia around 8:30. It is impossible to say that this fact upset us: our order to the heavenly office was completed - we just wanted to take a walk around the Botanical Garden in the cool. Having eaten everything for breakfast, including reserve pancakes and sweet croutons (oatmeal with fruit was swept away earlier), slowly restoring beauty, we left the guest house at 10:00.
At 11:00, our driver dropped us off at the gate to the Batumi Botanical Garden, promising to meet us from the other side. For 8 GEL per person, we plunged into a beautiful green park with so many different plants that I won’t undertake to list them. I will say one thing: this is a damn beautiful place). However, nature decided to overfulfill our meteorological order - and the best, as you know, is the enemy of the good - and at 12:30 in the upper park overlooking the sea, we were caught by a typical subtropical rain. However, this did not spoil our mood: in short dashes, breathing in the sharp green freshness of the park, we ran to our caring driver, who at 13:00 took us into a dry car at the exit from the Botanical Garden.
Mountain Adjara, namely the Makhuntseti waterfall, quickly dispelled the drowsiness that had fallen, and from 14:20 to almost 15:00 our cheerful team enjoyed the view first of the waterfall, and then of the bridge of Queen Tamara (XII century, it seems). You can see the reincarnation of Queen Tamara in the photo))).
And then there was Batumi. . . He met us with his best achievement (as it seemed to us, hungry and chilled) - Adjarian khachapuri, they are also adjaruli (7 lari per dish). I didn’t have time to capture the beauty itself, because the aroma simply drove me crazy, and when I came to my senses, the main feature of this dish was lost - the egg, which is placed in the very middle of this yummy, had already managed to be mixed with the filling. But it still looks recognizable. I admit honestly, I did not master it, and this is only the smallest portion). There are legends about Georgian heroes who can master a portion of the Titanic in one sitting...
Being pretty heavy, our team decided to split up. My like-minded people went to the Batumi bazaar to buy those special products that each of us associated with Georgia. For me, it was Svan salt (1 lar glass of 100g with a slide in half of this glass), dried figs (20 lari kilograms, but they weigh how much you ask, despite the fact that it hangs in beads) and tlapi - an incredible thing, which saved me from motion sickness on the bends of the serpentine of the Georgian military road. These thin pancakes made from frozen fruit juice, a lar piece, I could not resist and scored all the types that were: from kiwi, cherry, pear, grapes, plums and tkemali).
The rain did not stop, but for some reason we did not want to leave Batumi, but the clock showed already 6 pm. Intuition whispered to us to go to a restaurant near the Seaport to drink a cup of real coffee brewed on the sand - and a miracle happened: already at 18:35 the rain went behind the mountains, the sea was completely calm, and we, with a sigh of relief, went to get acquainted with the renewed Batumi. We spent a little less than an hour ascending to the observation deck and descending to the embankment, but this time was definitely not spent in vain - proof in the photo). A cable car ticket cost us 5 GEL per person.
When we went downstairs, the city was already lighting up the lights. The narrow streets of the old town may be prone to traffic jams during the day, but in the evening they are very conducive to a walk on foot. We decided to meet at 9 pm at Piazza, it is also the Italian courtyard, where there is a modern clock tower and figurines in national costumes. Then we turned to the seaport to go to the Boulevard, a favorite vacation spot for tourists and citizens. And the lights kept multiplying. . . The famous singing fountains personally left me the most vivid impressions: surprisingly matched dances of water jets to pleasant classical and not very music). The end point of our walk was the square with the statue of Medea with the Golden Fleece, where we, full of impressions, got into the car and headed for the guest house.
After khachapuri (yes, the one that was eaten at 4 p. m. ! ) Dinner was obviously superfluous, so at 23:30 we went to bed) See you tomorrow)))
Batumi Botanical Garden on Green Cape
Mahu Waterfallntseti
Bridge of Queen Tamara in Mountain Adjara
Adjarian khachapuri
Batumi port
Streets of old Batumi
Panorama of Batumi from Mount Feriya
On the cable car
Belfry in Piazza
Singing fountains
Ferris wheel on the embankment and the lighthouse
Alphabet Tower
Europe Square
Day 11. And again the sea)
Walking around Batumi was great, but the body already demanded lazy wallowing on the beach. Without delay, we immediately went to the sea after breakfast, since the strength appeared after egg rolls with tomatoes and greens and oatmeal with bananas for breakfast (at 9 am, yes, yes)).
I didn't want to be distracted from the waves at all, because jumping on them (and in them))) is very cool. Lunch break at 14 pleased with vermicelli soup and pilaf. We, gradually imbued with the Georgian spirit, began to add adjika to all dishes))) it turns out very well)))
A light vegetable dinner (guess what time))) set me up for a peaceful evening and walking under the pine trees to the sea. It should be noted that although the sea here is not very salty, the air saturated with needles compensates for this. Having walked for tickets to the Ureki railway station, we appreciated the convenient location of our guest house in the village - closer to the center, the buzz of cafes and discos grew, and we had natural silence, the one with cicadas and nightingales).
Good night, friends))) see you tomorrow)
Day 12. We are still not tired)))
For breakfast, the guest house team surprised us with sour cream). They had to explain long and hard, the difference from cheesecakes and pancakes, but there were more jokes and laughter than culinary meticulousness - we agreed that it was just very tasty. Rice milk porridge did not raise any questions, therefore, without delay, we went to the sea.
The sea today decided to please us with almost calm at first, which, closer to noon, was replaced by slight excitement and current in the other direction. In swimming, this was affected by the game “guess where the warm current is”, because the masses of water mixed up. However, this only spurred our mood - we tumbled into the sea like schizophrenic dolphins))
We were strongly recommended to satisfy our brutal hunger with Ukrainian borscht, pasta and light chicken cutlets, which we did (there was no point or desire to resist)).
I was hopelessly late for dinner, because it was our last evening in Ureki (or rather, the last one), and I set myself the goal of catching the sunset. As it turned out later, I could not sacrifice the delicious ratatouille (although it turned out that in fact it was a free interpretation of the national Georgian dish, the name of which I did not remember... something with toads and sandals... ), as my colleagues on vacation came to the beach at sunset full and satisfied. But the sunset was worth it... especially since ratatouille (or whatever they called it? )) I got it anyway)))
Tomorrow I will say goodbye to the sea... Good night)
Day 13. Goodbye sea…
Here it is, the last day of our vacation at the sea. . . A hearty breakfast of milk porridge with pasta and fried eggs with sausage at 9 am smoothly turned into preparations, which dragged on almost until lunchtime - the weather decided to finally please us with the hot Georgian sun - to it was almost impossible to leave the cool house on the beach at noon.
For a hearty breakfast, there was a no less hearty lunch at 15:30 (everything so that we would not be hungry when we went by train to Tbilisi) - borscht and boiled potatoes with mullet fried in adjika and a green salad of cabbage and cucumbers . But I couldn’t help but say goodbye to the sea, and in 40 seconds I changed into a swimsuit and rushed to the sea). Transparent water (already without cold currents) gently stroked the skin, also saying goodbye, I want to believe that not for long))).
Our train arrived at the station at 19:11, so we were already there at half past six, looking out for this pink miracle))). We arrived in Tbilisi at 23:45, periodically falling asleep on the road. We were hospitably greeted by Eka with a laid table, from the dishes of which I recognized only dolma... well, fresh vegetables))).
It looks like another day in Tbilisi awaits us. . . Good night, see you tomorrow)))
Day 14. And again in Tbilisi!!!
Although our ranks thinned overnight due to those who flew home by plane at 6 in the morning, we decided not to be bored and spend the day, granted by the grace of the carrier, positively in Tbilisi. Moreover, he met us as old acquaintances). A simple breakfast of fresh lavash with two types of cheese (one - Imeretian, with a milder taste, the second - sharper, I have safely forgotten the name), jam from figs and prunes, cookies and other little things was leisurely and measured and ended only by 10 o'clock .
Of course, the weather was discussed, or rather, its whims. Yes, yes, the same downpour that washed away the zoo in no way touched our hospitable hosts - they generally learned about what had happened from the announcement warning about wild animals. We didn’t see any animals on the streets either, although, according to rumors, we haven’t caught a couple yet.
After breakfast, I sadly took my friends to a meeting with the city, and I myself sat down to put my notes and photos in order. I hope you will forgive me and understand. As it turned out, this was not the worst idea, because a scorching heat hung over Tbilisi, clearly foreshadowing new rain. Or rain, as it turned out later).
There was no way to miss lunch, because the hostel's hostess prepared a real kharcho for us, and her husband brought "not very sweet, they have just begun" watermelon. I'm afraid to imagine what watermelons taste like in the season itself)))) because this one, "off-season", would give ours 100 points ahead!
The heat began to subside at about 5 pm and we, a purely female company, decided to take a walk “for color” along the quiet residential streets of the city. Yes, to be honest, you pass by the male companies of local residents as if under X-rays, but! no exclamations, vile jokes or harassment in the spirit of “wah, beauty, let's go, you will be a wife! ” was not in sight. Through steep streets we climbed the mountain and came out from the back moan to Sameba, the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity. The scale is impressive, what can I tell you. . . Light rain added coolness and special effects to the sky.
From the gate we went to Avlabar - one of the oldest districts of Tbilisi, an ethnically Armenian district. Here at the local market we bought tomatoes for 2 lari per kilogram and cucumbers for 80 tetri. Near the Avlabar metro station at the fountain, we turned onto the embankment. We did not go down to the embankment itself, but walked along the road that runs along the mountain, on which, next to our hostel, there is the president's residence. According to local belief, whoever washes his eyes with water from the Weeping Mountain will see everything very clearly. In the middle of the way, we had to return to the metro due to the lack of a pedestrian sidewalk and go to the other side, which overlooked the park near the Peace Bridge and the new theater.
Despite the beckoning lights lit up all over the city, we headed back to the hostel around 8pm to get ready for the road and get a good night's sleep. Of course, after a dinner of chicken wings in adjika and fried potatoes)
And tomorrow on the way back! Good night)
Watermelon for lunch
Fountain in Avlabar
Samoeba in the afternoon
The secret passage in the mountain, where the waterfall flows
The New Theater on the Embankment
The Peace Bridge lights up
Day 15-16. Road home.
While we were waiting for our long journey, we never got tired of marveling at the culinary talents of our hostess (I'm serious - this is the most delicious khachapuri I've ever tasted in Tbilisi), but this pleasure came to an end when we set sail at 10:00 from the hospitable harbor of our hostel.
The road was familiar, but it was interesting to look at everything from the other side. So, we managed to see the famous lake Zhinvali, which we missed in the dark on the way to Georgia. See how clean and transparent the Aragvi flows between the mountains. Her contrast with the Terek was especially striking - it was dark, gloomy and, in places, frankly dirty.
But the greatest joy for us was Kazbek in all its glory, which opened to us exactly at noon. As we were told in Tbilisi, this is not exactly a rarity, but it was not often possible to catch a peak that was not wrapped in fog and clouds. Yes, we were definitely lucky on that trip))).
Several times I had to stop on the way for a photo shoot, then for shopping (I didn’t miss the opportunity to buy the tlapi I liked so much), so we passed the Georgian border at about 15. Here we were in trouble - in the neutral zone there was a traffic jam from cars are almost two kilometers long. Already at the Russian barrier, when our patience had almost run out, we found out that literally 2 hours later, after we drove past Kazbek, a mudflow descended there and traffic was paralyzed. We were lucky here too) after such news, we were even glad that we were at that time near the Russian border. Nevertheless, at 18:00 we entered the territory of the Russian Federation.
And then fatigue took its toll and almost the entire car (except the driver, of course) periodically fell asleep, emerging only for short intervals for document checks, which are so much arranged at Russian posts. In Malka, despite the very late hour, we were even asked to enter the building for control. However, this did not interfere with the further path, and we continued to sleep.
We drove non-stop for rest (food and coffee is a must for all passengers), as this time our driver took the co-pilot, and they replaced each other along the way. We left the Rostov highway at 12 noon, and arrived at Shebekino by half past seven. Here we crossed the border easily and without delay, and a border cafe in Ukraine met us with a boringly thorough owner with a rather good shish kebab by Ukrainian standards. Mobile network operators were in no hurry to welcome us back to our homeland, so we had a hasty dinner and headed for Kharkov at 21:25.
Zhinvali Lake
Kazbek in all its glory
On the Georgian border
Thanks to Rostik, Olya's son, for driving us from the district straight to the house)
Thank you, friends, for the cool motley company))
Thank you, Irina Valeryanovna, for this trip)))
Thank you, Georgia, just for being you))))
