Day 30 : 21st June, 2012 - Tbilisi, Georgia

I decided to stay back in the city today, just to experience the better side of it. Thank god it rained last night making the air cooler. I share my room with 2 other Jap boys. There is a big Piano apart from three of us. On both the days one of the Jap boys returned at 2 a.m. While we got to stretch out on portable and tastelessly showy beds, the other boy got sofa to sleep. 

English dentist and his Jap girlfriend were going to some hike and would come back after a day. They offered me to join them. But today in the morning I thanked them, and  decided to go to Gori- another town about 60 km away from here. Old mother brought fried potatoes for me when I was having breakfast of Marie biscuits and tea. Soon after my breakfast I went to the Station Square and asked for bus to Gori. Surprisingly, there was just one mashuka (mini or micro bus) at the station. I was allotted the last seat on the bus that made me dropped the plan and I decided to go the next day. I took a metro and came to Rosilove Street which is the main street of Tbilisi. Same place where I came yesterday and spent my day. In Tbilisi town there are a large number of small and big bronze sculptures on both sides of the woods and many other areas of this road.

Art Museum, Tbilisi

I came out of the metro and decided to go down from here. There is a big Radisson Hotel and further National Museum of Modern Art. The museum with the Modern Art lured my thoughts and I spent an hour inside. There was an exhibition of French Photographs of 1903-05 and later years that displayed the French life at that time. Many Georgian paintings were adorning the walls. There was one painting which I really liked. It was of a rider fallen from the horse. You see paintings of riders but not fallen one. It was unusual and creative. Unfortunately I could not take a picture of it. Next was National College of Film. It was under renovation. Many youngsters were sitting and were practicing to act. I walked further and reached the same place where I came yesterday also. This is the old city. I saw a very old Armenian Church. There was an Armenian school also. I found an interesting small shop where a couple in their middle age was preparing patties. They prepared a fresh rolled cutlet and wrapped it in a thin chapatti (bread). I bought for the first time in this trip a bottle of coca cola as nothing else was available. I enjoyed eating the freshly prepared wrap with the chilled sips of coke. This couple is from Armenia and they work here. When I told them that I am going to Yerevan tomorrow, they got very happy. The woman immediately packed one potato patty and gave it as a present to me. They refused to take any money and I couldn’t spoil their idea. I was moved by their gesture. 

Ameusument park, Tbilisi 

My next destination was Rusteveli Avenue. Just next to Courtyard Marriot Hotel is Maria Hostel. I went inside the hostel. There is a security bell. Their Director was not available but the reception girls were quite active. They speak good English and showed me the hostel. The hostel is geared up with 90 different types of beds. The dormitory bed is 25 Gel in 8 bed dormitory. 3 beds in one room and 22 beds also. The hostel supports very neat and clean toilets. This hostel has come on hostelworld.com last week only. Metro victory square is 10 mts away from here. The receptionist brought cold water and a cup of tea for me. I also used internet for a few minutes. Tea and coffee and internet is free here.

Old people passing time in Tbilisi

Then I boarded the metro and came to Station Square. Here I bought some fruits, bread and aborigine salad for dinner. After an eventful day in the city I came back to home stay.