eMisja Gruzja - eMission Georgia: Day 1. Kutaisi - Gelati Monastery and Motsameta [EN]

Gelati Monastery - another place where we went with the Driver. One of the most important points, a "must see place" when you are in Kutaisi, ha, when you are in Georgia!

In 1994 it became UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The entrance to academy is decorated with four columns with different reliefs.

Above the main door you can see a book with the sun inside, a symbol that knowledge is the light. Inside the building there is a huge hall, a separate room where the scientists observed the stars and cellar - the winery.

In the main church you can admire frescoes depicting the scenes from the Bible and the life of King Davit. It was the first Monastery which we have visited, so we thought that we would not be able to enter in shorts. However, our tour guide showed us wicker baskets filled with scarves and skirts in front of the entrance. Now, covering the legs, the knees and the heads, each of us could get inside to see a beautiful church.

Visiting another monasteries - all beautiful and modest - we knew that first we need to get a scarf from the basket.

Motsameta

Another place was Motsameta, a monestery situated on a pictureque hill over the river.

It was late, around 6:30 p.m. We were already very tired after the whole day, full of excitement and attractions so we were falling asleep in the car.

Exhausted we made a decision to go to the hostel. We were also worried about the Driver.

- "Driver, now home."

But our friend insisted, "Dziewushki, you must see Motsameta, Motsameta and home".

"Harasho" - "Okay, let it be, especially when it is on the way to Kutaisi".

At the end of the first day - the first Khachapuri and Georgian wine!

Very tired but still excited we headed to the city to try the first time Georgian cuisine and wine!
Driver showed us the place where they had the best Khachapuri - Georgian cheese cake.

(Khacha - cheese, puri -bread)

We ordered tree Khachapuri; with meat, with different kinds of cheese and one bottle of red wine.

- "Well, first toast: For today! So that each day ahead will be like this one!"

- "Oh sh... this Khachapuri is sooo huugeee.."
We were soooo full. We could not eat all the pieces, so we asked for take away. "We would have for breakfast" Two Khachapuri would be enough. We will know next time.

After eating we wanted to change the place for a typical bar, preferably with tables outside. In the center of Kutaisi there is a park and a bar, however, we went on...

(A matter of choice in such a group is not easy, but we were really peaceable and willing to compromise)

Another toast: "For our trip!" "For being so lucky to be here!"
Next bottle: "Girls, this is on me! For my birthday! Because as we said yesterday, it seems not right to have birthday drinks at the airport"
We were drinking cherishing the taste of Georgian wine and talking, that the best gift that you can make for your birthday is a trip!
Joking, laughing, telling stories and lots of toasts ( hm lots of toasts as a lots of wine ?)