Georgia, a Country of contradictions – day 1 Zugdidi

For more than a year, I was struggling to find time and motivation to visit Georgia. Pull factor? My dear friend Răzvan was there. At the opportune moment, the push factor also appeared … In the middle of November Răzvan was about to finish his mission .. so it was a moment of „now or never”. He and Loredana were visiting me in Brussels so I didn’t spend much time thinking about it and I decided to allocate the last two days of this year Holliday for this trip. When you listen to your intuition, the synchronicities begin to appear. At work, Like by a miracle Everything that was planned that week was postponed and the tickets … incredibly cheap: 56 euros round trip.

I prepared my luggage – a backpack, as by „wonder” the weather improved so the road to the Charleroi airport I made it by motorcycle.

The first interaction with representatives of the Georgian people … at the airport. Although it was another hour before embarkation, a queue had already formed at the gate. I stared at the clock, thinking maybe my clock stoped. I learned later that a characteristic of Georgians is the desire to be first in everything.

The embarkation began and I sat down almost at the end. A group of Georgian lady’s between two ages and very vocal passed me through the left and the right as if I were just a piece of furniture. I just smiled thinking that anyway the plane doesn’t leave until everyone gets on board … not understanding the rush … I get on the plane, someone was already on my place. I signal to him that it is my place (at the corridor) and he gives me a quiet sign that I can sit in the middle. I repeat that it is my place and the guy signs me again quietly to enter the middle. Knowing that it was a flight of more than four hours, determined not to give up, I took my frowning face and the tone of „rough”. Dismayed as if he had done me a favor, he finally moved to his place. :))))

After a rather long flight, the pilot announces that the descent has begun, you can not imagine … a few passengers for whom being the first is a principle in life, had already got up with the luggage in hand heading towards the doors of the plane. After the calm of the crew on board, I realized that they were used to this situation. Once landed, queue at border control … same story with piece of furniture :))))

Răzvan was waiting for me at the exit and I headed for Zugdidi. I was impressed by the fact that in the 80 km, I met at least 10 police crews, all on patrol with the signal lights on. Răzvan explained to me that there is a great deal going on in the American style of prevention … but in reality, they are not intervening much.

Georgia … A country with an area of ​​about 70,000 km2, and a population of about 4 million of which 80% are Orthodox, was formed by joining several kingdoms of which the most important are Iberia and Colchis. The name has its origin from Persian, Gurgan (wolf realm). Georgia can boast the oldest attestation of wine production, with 8,000 year old wine storage containers being discovered by archaeologists.

The recent independence was declared on April 9, 1991.

Zugdidi – the big hill – It is a town of about 40,000 inhabitants located in the west of the country. I started the visit with a portion of Hajapuri and a bottle of Borjomi mineral water. It is said that Stalin only had Borjomi water at the table, being renowned for its curative properties.

The main attraction of the city is the Dadiani Palace, built in the 19th century. At the entrance to the palace garden I was greeted by a I LOVE Zugdidi and … By She:

A very friendly dog to whom I offered nothing but little attention, a hug and a bag of snacks. He was a guide and guardian for me throughout the city, for 3 hours and a few kilometers. What I learned? That the love of a dog is unconditional, knows no nationality nor borders. I wonder about the way we offer our love, who is more „animalistic”, us or them?

I will continue to give you a little idea about the Dadiani garden and palace, where there would be a vestment of the Virgin Mary and Napoleon’s funeral mask.

One fine Day…

And … one of the curiosities of Georgia … Which shows that not only the Romanians are inventive. 🙂

That was Zugdidi, the adventure was just beginning. What’s next? 650 km of „contradictions” and unforgettable experiences that made me know that I will return to Georgia!

Will follow…

Ionuț MIHALACHE