Tbilisi, Tbilisi, Georgia
This morning I had arrived in Tbilisi Georgia after my sleeper train from Yerevan Armenia. I exchanged my leftover 9000 ARM for 50 GEL ($25). Tbilisi central station was a new shopping complex compared to the Soviet style station in Yerevan.
Nearby was the metro station. You have to buy a card for 2 GEL ($1) and load it with a balance. Fare is only .50 GEL ($0.25 cents).
Tbilisi had scary deep escalators I'm not comfortable with in Soviet metros. I had to travel 4 stops to get to my station. Stations seemed a bit more bland then typical Soviet decorations.
Unfortunately the rain had followed me again after clearing out in Armenia on my last day. It was scheduled to rain again the next 2-3 days. I made my way to where my apartment was and wanted to leave my bags as they were getting soaked. I had to knock on one of the doors to ask the wifi password so I could message the apartment that I was here. I was able to leave my bags in a lower room.
They told me to come back at 12pm as it was only 930am so it was back out in the rain. My apartment was facing the Mosque so went inside. This had interesting plaster work on the ceilings similar to Uyghar Mosques in China.
At the foot of my streets are the sulfur baths. I thought it was just one, I didnt realize there would be so many.
I thought the large ornate building was another Mosque but they told me inside this was another sulfur bath and probably the most touristic.
You can follow the stream all the way back to a waterfall but nothing too exciting. I was already getting soaked in the rain.
I found an underground passage that wasnt mentioned on any tourist site or youtube video I'd researched. This was the Maidan Bazaar an old shopping arcade from Turkish times. It goes for about a block at the base of the old quarter and is now very touristy.
Walking up Kope Abkhazi St I came to the Synagogue. There was also a Jewish Museum somewhere near but I didnt want to walk off course.
The street let to Republic Square from where I took another route back down to the river. The modern Peace Bridge spanned across.
Nearby was another large distinctive church.
The history museum was located in the old Caravansarai. I didnt want to pay as you could see most of it and it didnt seem like much. I made my way back to my apartment now it was noon and I could go inside.
It was nice to be in the warmth out of the rain and I had a shower to clean up after my overnight sleeper and rested for a couple of hours. I didnt know Stalin had stayed in my home in 1906.
Later that afternoon I walked up the fortress since the stairs were behind my apartment. I wasnt going to do too much exploring as I planned to come back on the ropeway when the weather was nicer.
At the top was another small church. The fortress was spread out but I was too tired to walk around so came back down. I needed warm food so looked around for choices.
I got some chicken for 10 GEL ($5) plus grilled vegetables for 9 GEL ($4.50). He also recommended a pear drink. I wanted the dumplings Georgia is famous for but you have to order a min of 5. I got the mushroom ones but it was maybe a bit too much for one go.
See also vlog of today - https://youtu.be/6FqqrxUwbtE
2025-05-22