Georgia

 

Tiblisi, Georgia

We took the overnight train from Armenia to Georgia. The train ride totaled about 14 hours long which is not bad considering the train got up to a good 45 mph! The train ride simply was like the worlds slowest train wreck with shaking, screeching, and bending and it lasted all night long as if to echo the sound of the failing Titanic. It was fun to do once but one time is all I would recommend again to echo seeing the film version of the Titanic which is good to see once.

Lucky me I got top bunk

The Toilet that emptied onto the tracks

This was some of the scenery we saw on our way, look at all those sheep!

First thing that the missionaries in Armenia told us was that there is a McDonalds in Georgia!

The best part about the McDonald's was their version of a drive through Window. Now you don't have to bother with opening a door to order you can just walk right up to an outside window (walk through window) and order your food! 

Being in a foreign country is always entertaining when it comes to reading how signs and menus have been translated. Below are a few favorites of the Georgian Cuisine and street signs.

Just in case you got lost on your way up one of the 4 stairs to the Whiskey house they had these helpful signs. One more subtle suggestion and Derek might have gone all the way inside.

The city was really beautiful! It had several mosques and churches all within walking distances complete with all the flavor and history that one could hope for.

We had a day of flee market shopping where we were able to buy some fabulous paintings that were fabulously priced! My best find was this 1950's Soviet Camera called a Kiev. You may not know but I have a weakness for old quirky cameras like the Holga, pinhole cameras, or Diana's. I just absolutely love them! Here I find this crazy Soviet camera in a flee market and take a chance on it not knowing whether it works or not. We spent the whole day shooting with it and to my delight we develop the roll and find that it actually works! Best day ever!

One big tourist attraction in Tiblisi is the Sulphur Baths. I know right how can you relax to the smell of sulphur but we did it and got their version of a massage along with a full body exfoliation, done with a rough glove that literally smelt like a foot.

 

 

We were here for Derek's 24th Birthday! So, what he wanted to do more than anything was  #1 go on a hike #2 use his SteriPEN. So, we hiked to the top of this Church which had a spring at the top and we also found it is the Georgian version of Temple Square . When we got to the top there were about 7 brides running around getting their photos taken. 

For the extended story of the hike ask me later about stumbling into a Georgian military outpost, complete with soldiers and fox holes...

In the church they gave me a scarf to cover my head with and I asked out of curiosity why they do this and they said, "Because Mary did." Good enough for me, so I tie it on bandanna style before I look around and see that there is a very chic way to wear the scarf...I guess it's the Pirate in me

Next we are off to our last part of the journey in Istanbul, Turkey for the opening of NuSkin Turkey!