We went to Jinvali, Ananuri, Gudauri and even braved the extremely cold weather by hiking all the way up Kazbegi Mountain to see Gergeti Trinity (a 14th-century church situated at an elevation of 2170 meters) up close. If full blown hiking is not really up your alley, you can actually rent a truck instead driven by locals. The rough road up was scary and it still required a short hike to go all the way up to Gergeti, but I'm telling you, the stunning view from the top is definitely worth the climb. Will do it again in a heartbeat for sure.
After a scrumptious late lunch in Restaurant Gagieti (where we ate Georgian-style barbecue, fried chicken and their must-try dumplings which they call Khinkali) somewhere in Gudauri, Armen (our friendly Armenian guide) drove us back to a snow-filled Tbilisi night. It felt like a scene straight out of a romantic movie. We explored all around the old city's streets on foot, looked inside a lot of stores, discovered a Christmas-lit park next to a whimsy Georgian cafe, danced under the snowfall, and took a million photos exactly like how silly tourists would.
Rustaveli Avenue was a stone's throw away from our hotel so it was easy to roam around. It's a good thing that Courtyard is located at the heart of Tbilisi and everything is just a few steps away. Of course, their famous winemaking method being tagged by UNESCO as an intangible heritage should be enough reason for us not to miss their wine. We've even tried some of the scrumptious wine-infused dishes being served at Cafe Restaurant Kala along the charming street of Erekle II.
We went to Peace Bridge, the famous old baths area, and met a lot of wonderful strangers who were very willing to take our photos for us. It was a fun experience. :)
We went to Peace Bridge, the famous old baths area, and met a lot of wonderful strangers who were very willing to take our photos for us. It was a fun experience. :)
Magical is not enough to describe the past three days. I've never visited that many churches in one day! With the help of our new-found friend Marine, I managed to finally conquer my fear of heights and stairs by trying every snowy stair of Tbilisi hills (first stop was Mama Daviti Church on top of the Holy mountain no less) and even trying out the cable car ride to get to Narikala Fortress and enjoy a perfect view of Mother of Georgia. It's just perfect beyond words. My only regret was not wearing proper boots. Snow can be dangerously slippery!
To be honest I feel extremely blessed to be at this point in my life right now. Really can't think of a birthday wish anymore, because I only have gratitude inside me. THANK YOU.
I've posted more photos of our trip to Georgia in this post.
I love your outfit!
ReplyDeleteWhat is the date you've been here?
ReplyDeleteI was there second week of December :)
ReplyDeleteI was actually planning on going to Georgia myself this weekend and I'm so glad to have seen a post as such. Your blog is just amazing. I'm actually a resident of Dubai too so it felt good to read an article on the experience of someone from Dubai who went to Georgia. ( Also where did you get your boots , I wanna know so I don't make the same mistake also even I've made reservations at the Courtyard Marriott!!)
ReplyDeleteThanks Carol! Really so jealous that you're going to Georgia. Have fun! :)
DeleteI got mine from a store in Hong Kong way way back. They looked awesome on photos but I really regret wearing them. Lost count how many times I landed face-first on the road because roads in Georgia could get really slippery during the winter months. Get yourself trusty proper boots so you don't embarrass yourself like me ;p