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Architecture

Markets

Links

Faces

University

Places

Well it has been 3 years now since I was in Tbilisi and not a week goes by that I don't think of the wonderful people and the good time we had there. My brother-in-law has made it back and keeps me posted on what I am missing. And .. as old as these pages are I still get e-mails from people who enjoy seeing it. Ah well, maybe next year! I teach Cisco and computer networking here in the US now, but I can't help thinking about maybe opening a school there. Who knows, someday ...

Georgians tell the story that the day God allocated all the lands to different peoples, the Georgians were busy drinking and feasting. When they arrived late to the ceremony God told them that they were too late and he had no place on earth left for them. When they insisted that they were raising a glass and feasting in His name He was moved by their devotion. He said that He had a place on earth that he had been saving for Himself. And the Georgians were awarded that place.
The story itself may be a little thin but if God were to chose a place on earth Georgia would be high on the list. Georgia has long been a tourist mecca for East Europeans. From the Black Sea coast with it warm Mediterranean climate to the ski resorts of the snow-covered Caucasian Mountains this place is beautiful.




First I should start by dispelling some of the mis-information we found on the Internet before our trip. The war is over and the Abkazia situation has been resolved for the time being at least. We found the streets safe even in the wee hours of the morning. I wasn't any more concerned there than I would have been in Kansas City or most American cities, maybe less so. We drank the water, ate the foods from the street shops and enjoyed ourselves where ever we went. Actually we found a surprising number of Americans there. We weren't "ripped-off" by the vendors, and even if we found only a limited number of people who spoke English we managed to easily get through things. (If you can't find a Georgian phrase book, try Russian or German, the later is more preferable to the Georgians)
The links at the top take you to some of the photos I shot while I was there. I took 300 and wished I could have taken that many more. Some of these are arranged in a slide show dealing with different topics.



The architecture link shows some of the Cathedrals and ruins dating back to the first century. Many were damaged or destroyed during the Communist times, but many of the frescoes and buildings are being restored. (a self-sufficient artist or archelogist with some time to kill might find it rewarding to do some volunteer work here. If you might be interested drop me an e-mail and I will see if I can get you a connection) This country is where Jason and the Argonauts went on their journey to find the Golden Fleece. One history of Georgia I found said they even trace their roots back to the great-grandson of Noah who landed his Arc on Mt. Ararat in Armenia. The way they make their wines and drink their wines.. this could be a very plausible link!!!

There are pages, again with slide shows, for the markets we saw in Tbilisi plus the faces of some of the people we encountered there. This has to be my favorite photo of all though.



We made many friends and aquaintences there that it is hard to find room for them all here. Or in what order to put them. Click on the highlighted links to quickly see their pages.

Dear Nani This lady is the greatest!! Did you ever meet a politician who was a real person?

And my good friend Konstantine Talking with him gives you another meaning of the word "proud". He is Georgian and proud of it. (as are all Georgians)

Enough can't be said about Rushiko . She was our mentor and guide through the week. It must have been a hectic period for her with everything she organized to make our stay so enjoyable.

Pretty Inessa went with us up and down mountains, in and out of all the sites we were off to see. She conducted herself with the utmost of charm and grace in some trying times. She is the perfect example of the beauty and strength of the Georgian woman.

And last but certainly not least, Mama!! (at least that is what we called her) Manana along with her husband Alexei, ran the Bed and Breakfast where we stayed. We called her Mama because of the way she looked after and provided for us. If you plan on seeing Georgia I heartily recommend you book a room at her house. Click on her name to find out more about it and see the rooms.

Marieke's Page!

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