Maybe it was the wine…
A Little Crush… Discovering the charms of Tbilisi
Maybe it was the wine. Or perhaps it was the latticed balconies? The unfettered hospitality played a part. And the idyllic scenery was persuasive. For the life of me, I can’t pin down precisely what made Tbilisi, Georgia so charming. Each cropped and straightened photo rekindled my crush on this beautiful little city in the far east of Europe.
Like any good crushes, I immediately wanted to know my crush’s backstory and history. Before I left for Georgia, I told my parents where I was going. Their eyebrows shot to the sky and they released a single, sceptical “hmm.” My parents have long accepted my decision, because I will forever be their little baby. They don’t always love the places I visit solo, but they trust my judgement. In the absence of context, it’s hard to imagine what Georgia’s like. On the edge of the Caucasus Mountains, the country is neighboured by cultures as varied as its topography. Once a stop on the Silk Road, the city became a confluence of the civilizations over the millennia. This peculiar positioning means Georgia is considered a part of Europe or Asia, depending on who you ask. And you would be forgiven for wondering if it’s a part of the Middle East. But the actual vibe: It’s really European with a hint of Asia.
A patchwork of cultures
The patchwork architecture in Old Tbilisi is reason enough to visit this pretty capital city. Intricate balconies sigh from tired buildings. Cobbled streets ramble through historic neighbourhoods. Sweet, shady trees along Rustaveli Avenue belong as much in Paris as in this tiny Eastern European city. Each day I leapt from bed, energized by the idea of wandering adrift on the streets of Tbilisi, camera in one hand and a coffee in the other, because let’s be honest, who can really survive without this good brown drink that saves life’s every day.
The interesting thing about Tbilisi is for sure it’s mix between the beautiful historical aspects and the recent modern buildings. Now that the city is getting more and more popular there are architectures from all over the world that come to build their own masterpiece. Tbilisi has a complicated history that has continued into the present. Either way, the city has an eclectic mix of styles that keeps things interesting.
Delicious Food & Wine
Real talk: The food and wine culture is wonderful. And I mean who doesn’t love a good glass of wine while seated on a balcony checking out some pretty local guys.
The reason I started this blog with a short introduction about the Georgian history is only for one good reason; the history shapes the food culture and this upcoming food destination. In addition to meat in large supply, the country offers Mediterranean fares like salads, bean soups, cheese, and Georgian pizza. Let’s just say that as a vegetarian, I didn’t starve, THANK GOD.
Then there’s the wine, the one drink that is even better than coffee in the morning. It’s divine. During my stay in Tbilisi, I took part in the city’s beautiful café culture, which is reminiscent of so much of Europe. Spread out through the boutiques and sidewalk cafés are thousands of wine shops and tasting rooms. Wine is the icebreaker with new Georgian friends, and maybe even future lovers… Each time I befriended a local, they shared their favourite variety. Even more often, they boasted of their delicious homemade wines. Who needs a men that can make you dinner, get you a guy who makes you wine! Georgians love nothing more than to spend a night, or many many many nights, sipping wine with friends. This alone already makes the city amazing.
Good music and even better dances
Everybody knows them, the singing or guitar playing people on the side of the road or at the café’s. But never have I loved them so much as in Tbilisi! The people don’t sing for a coin or two, they just do it because they love music so much, and I can tell you, it is absolutely stunning to hear.
With this singing and making music, the Georgians dance. The men jumped incredibly high, and the women twisted and persuaded. Each dance told stories of dating, stories from history, and stories of joy. Get yourself a local who can tell you everything about the introduction for each dance to make it even more intense.
Hospitality and the most kindest people ever
Kartlis Deda, better known as mother Georgia, watches over Tbilisi from Sololaki Hill. Her approachable aluminium figure is a touch point visible from almost anywhere in the city. The statue represents hospitality and freedom, she wears a bowl of wine in one hand and a sword in the other. I mean, who doesn’t love some wine!
Hospitality fills every aspect of traveling Georgia and the Georgian inhabitants. Welcoming visitors is entrenched in the culture. Though I often meet kind travel friends in each new city, there is a intense quality of joy to Georgian hospitality. If you visit Georgia as a friend, like their statue bids, you leave warm with wine and hospitality. You never have to feel unsafe or unwelcome if you go to Tbilisi, warmed and happiness is everywhere around you!
Georgia, the little country in the eastern part of Europe won me over. The combination of everything that Tbilisi has to offer have formed a nice little crush that I will take with me for quite some time, or maybe even forever. Not really able to pin down exactly what I love about it so much, it might just be the Georgian-ness of it all. All I can really really really advise you my lovely little readers: JUST GO. Go and explore it for yourself, go and come back with new memories and stories. Because this world is too big to just tell one story!
Kisses!
