Day 14

14. May 2000, Rest day in Tbilisi

Since we spent yesterday afternoon walking through Tbilisi, we decide to take the rest day for... a rest, so here is a report from our Tbilis excursion yesterday. We walked from our hotel to the end of the main boulevard which is quite a bit since our hotel is outside the city. Tbilisi is a big city located in midst of hills. Just like Batumi (and probably many other former communist cities in the world) it has a lot of old, beautiful architectural structure which is mostly run down but sometimes nicely rebuilt. Tbilisi is certainly an interesting city to stroll through and people seem to be friendly and nobody is "going after" tourists. Even in souvenir or arts shop you can enter and exit without someone approaching you trying to sell stuff. Many people are religious, they make crucifix signs on the street, passing churches and there is no channel 13 programmed in our TV. Overall the atmosphere in Tbilisi is a strange mix between Europe and Asia, Orient and Occident.

Where is the city center? Just follow the golden arches

The hotel Iveria, in a top location must have been the top address in former days. Today it seems to be a block of rental flats.

 

the castle of Tbilisi is located on a hill and can be seen from most parts of the city

the national theatre

Tbilisi towards the evening, seen from our hotel.