TBILISI, GEORGIA: POLAROIDS & MEMORIES

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jul15. Tbilisi, Georgia.

TBILISI, GEORGIA FOOD & DRINK: KHACHAPURI!

Adjarian (Acharuli/Adjaruli) khachapuri! Delicious traditional Georgian dish. They form the dough into an open boat shape and then top it with a raw egg and a ‘pat’ of butter. The bread is filled with cheese and Georgians are said to prefer it to pizza:

 

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19jul15. Tbilisi, Georgia.

TBILISI, GEORGIA: ABOVE THE OLD CITY

The new concert hall:

IMG_6118 IMG_6119The Metekhi Church:

IMG_6120 IMG_6121Narikala, ancient fortress from the 4th century:

IMG_6122Statue of King Vakhtang Gorgasali:

IMG_6123 IMG_6124 IMG_6126 IMG_6127 IMG_6125 IMG_6128 IMG_6129 IMG_6130Kura River:

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18jul15. Tbilisi, Georgia.

TBILISI, GEORGIA: A MIX OF OLD AND NEW

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Kartvlis Deda (Georgian: ქართვლის დედა; Mother of a Georgian) is a monument in Georgia’s capital Tbilisi, which has become a symbol of the city. The statue was erected on the top of Sololaki hill in 1958, the year Tbilisi celebrated its 1500th anniversary. Prominent Georgian sculptor Elguja Amashukeli designed the twenty-metre aluminium figure of a woman in Georgian national dress. She symbolizes the Georgian national character: in her left hand she holds a bowl of wine to greet those who come as friends, and in her right hand is a sword for those who come as enemies. (wiki)

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Old City area of Tbilisi

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“Think you’re escaping and run into yourself. Longest way round is the shortest way home.” ― James Joyce, Ulysses

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“I wandered through the streets thinking of all the things I might have said and might have done had I been other than I was.” ― Erich Maria Remarque, Three Comrades: A Novel of Germany Between the Wars

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Gigantic bicycle sculpture by French artist and architect Jean Dupal. “This monument is a reflection of the ideas of those people who maintain their healthy lifestyle and love to travel by bicycle…” It’s located at the Rose Revolution square.

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Sculpture in front of Tbilisi Concert Hall

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Rear view and Front view of The Monument of St. George in Freedom Square.

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On April 9, 1989 at the Georgian Government Building, it was the “Soviet Crackdown” in Tbilisi. “Georgians took to the streets to demand independence from the Soviet Union. At the peak of the demonstrations, many thousands of people — some of them on hunger strike — gathered in central Tbilisi. On April 9, Soviet Interior Ministry troops moved in to crush the peaceful protests, killing at least 20 people and leaving hundreds injured or poisoned by gas. The crackdown became one of the turning points in the final years of the Soviet Union.” (radio free europe)

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An example of the more modern architecture coming to life in Tbilisi ~ The Bridge of Peace.

IMG_611718jul15. Tbilisi, Georgia.

TBILISI, GEORGIA: CHATEAU MUKHRANI WINERY

About 25 mins. outside of Tbilisi city center is the Chateau Mukhrani Winery. Here are photos featuring the entry onto the winery grounds, the cellar tour, Georgian cuisine, and of course, some of the wine:

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18jul15. Tbilisi, Georgia.