Beyond Tbilisi: Calvert Journal Writes About Georgia
The London based Calvert Journal has published an article on tourism in Georgia, and the many great attractions to be seen outside of the capital.
The article starts by mentioning the unmistakable hospitality of Georgians upon arriving at Tbilisi airport, with locals eager for tourists to try Georgian cuisine and visit the many attractions the country has to offer.
"The wind blows warm and sweet as you step out of Tbilisi airport. The taxi drivers mingle around offering you a ride. You get in a car, start the inevitable carefree chat with the driver, and it comes as no surprise when he offers you a stopover for khinkali and kindzmarauliin Abanotubani, the capital’s ancient sulphuric baths district (his treat, of course): welcome to Georgia’s faultlessly welcoming capital." the article starts.
The publication mentions that Tbilisi is a hard place to leave, with many things to see and do within the capital alone, yet goes on to say that it is well worth the Mashukta trip outside the city limits. "Signs for “Jvari” will be staring down at you from every tourist board and the dusty windscreens of hire cars around the city. Set in the mountain wilds not far from Tbilisi, it’s easy to dismiss Jvari as too touristy; the wise course, perhaps, is to set your alarm clock early, rent a car and head there before the crowds arrive. It was here on the mountain that Saint Nino, the bringer of Christianity to Georgia, erected a cross —“Jvari” in Georgian. But leaving such holy matters to one side, this is a place to lose yourself in the otherworldly beauty, where rocks and rivers meet, haze-lit in the morning sun."
Other parts of the country are mentioned also; "The cave city of Uplistsikhe (which means “the Lord’s fortress”) was one of Georgia’s first, before being abandoned by its residents in the 19th century. Uplistsikhe comprises various levels of caves and recesses carved into the rock face. It is a mirage among the sand dunes, a fairy-tale city in the middle of the rock formations known as Georgia’s “Grand Canyon”. The journey from Tbilisi, traversing Martian landscapes, brisk mountain streams and the birthplace of Joseph Stalin, is around two hours from end to end. Getting there on your own is complicated (you’ll have to take a bus to Gori and change, before walking several kilometres), so the best option is going with a driver and staying at Jvari en route. Rental cars start at 140 lari ($58) per day in low season." says the author.
Read the full article here
Photo courtesy of Georgiastartshere.com
By Tamzin Whitewood