Sunday 31.05.2016
Souvenir from Mestia: A clay jug and horns for wine.
Mountains, rocks and waterfalls over the road...
and the sharp turns among rocky mountains...
In early spring when snow melts, the water reaches the trees...
(Yes, yes, after winter the water reaches the trees and
the driving wheel in this Mitsubishi Delica is on the right side :)
Beehives at the road on the way Mestia - Zugdidi.
fot. Justyna Kochańska
And we:)
(Faded jeans always "in" ;)
In Zugdidi, where Gaga took us to a large, street market, we were at about 2 p. m. There were plenty of stores with cheese, fruit and homemade products. We walked together, but in one moment I stayed behind looking at something and they disappeared. I got lost in the marketplace. Then, we all met at the car park. (I did remember the way, uf) Each of us bought bakery products chachapuri and two kilograms of sulguni cheese. The price was about 2,5 EUR per kg. Cheap and delicious!
It is allowed to transport such cheese in the luggage, but you should pack it really well (in plastic bags), so that fresh "juice" from the cheese does not damp your clothes in the bag!
Market in Zugdidi.
fot. Justyna Kochańska
fot. Justyna Kochańska
fot. Justyna Kochańska
Kutaisi again!
We arrived at 5 p.m. We dropped the ladies at the bus station as they wanted to catch the bus - marshutka - to Tbilisi (we told them not to worry: there was no timetable, the bus would leave as all the seats got full. We got off at the central square with the fountain (Kolkha Fountain). Let me recall, the price for this ride was 300 GEL (120 EUR), 7-passengers, which gives 17 EUR per person. Quickly, comfortably and in good company!
More information: Guesthouse Kaldani Mestia Svaneti
Saying goodbye to Gaga, we were standing in the same place - in Kutaisi, where we started our trip eleven days ago... We got sad that it was the end.
- "Hey girls! We still have afternoon, evening and night ahead!" - One of us said optimistically. And the other added - memorable words:
- "Exactly! We have plenty of time before departure, so many things can still happen!" Hahaha
We all were in great moods, laughing and joking that we can still have some adventures!
In order to move easier around the city, we had decided to leave the backpacks at our hostess Laila and to pick them in the evening before going to a restaurant for a long dinner. It was very close from the square to Laila's hostel. (Kutaisi Hostel Centre, Jibladze Street 3) Uf! So good to have a place to leave the backpacks!
Laila was very pleased to see us and she willingly agreed to store our luggage. (When we were leaving Kutaisi the first day, we did not have this idea)
Then, we went for a walk along small streets on the way to the Bagrati cathedral, but we did not climb the hill to see the cathedral. We left it for the next time.
We wanted to find a store with large selection of Georgian wines and to buy a few souvenirs there.
(the limit for transport of alcohol is five litters per person, so pretty enough) Very soon we came across a small supermarket with a big shop window full of bottles. Perfect!
I think I have already mentioned that Georgian wines are probably the best in the world! Definitely, one of the best and the tastiest! According to the guidebook, the word "wine" itself, derives from Georgian language!
This store had a wide range of wines with the price from 7 to 15 GEL. So, you could buy a good wine already for 3 EUR, an excellent one for 6 EUR! There were also artistic bottles of wine; beautiful, colourful, made of clay (with the wine inside! for 15-25 GEL (6-10 EUR). Great for a gift!
An artistic, clay bottle of wine. Great gift!
- "One bottle of this wine please" - Claudia chose and ordered a bottle of wine.
After a while, as the waitress took the order and was about to leave, Kate said - as if she had forgotten something:
- "... And five wine glasses, please."
Hahahah "Kateeeee! Did you think she would bring only one wine glass?" Hahahah, Really good that you said it! You never know" - we were joking.
- "So maybe we should order like in this joke: One spaghetti and five forks, please. - I added.
"Our full order would be: One bottle of wine and five wine glasses and one spaghetti and five forks, please. " Heheh
Anyway, we ordered various dishes: Justina and I took stew meat, Michelle - still opposing the flour dishes - ordered some salad, Kasia - traditionally, Georgian chinkhali and Klaudia took some meat dish too. Of course, everything was very tasty and filling. While eating and drinking we were recalling the entire trip, appreciating the weather, the people we met and each other - how nicely and cheerfully we survived these eleven days together.
- "Well, we could get to know each other better"
- "Yeaaah, for example, I learnt that Claudia collects the city maps, I did not know you from this side" heheh
Kate: "I am impressed by Claudia's good space orientation."
Michelle: " And I am impressed by Maggie's l a c k of space orientation." hehehe
Laughing at myself I added: "Well, sometimes it happens."
We ordered another bottle of wine. As we say in Poland: "One bottle for us is nothing!" and Claudia poured equally half of the glass to everyone. After a while (a longer while!) she poured the remaining wine, singing cheerfully a song invented on the spot, with the melody of psalm.
- "All our glaaaassseeesss will be full of wiiiiiinneeeeeee!"
And it started... - we were making up the lyrics to the melody and repeating the chorus: "All our glaaaassseeesss.... (...) (so much fun!)
After a while the waitress came to us with a bottle of wine and started to open it. We were surprised: "Eeee???!!!"
- "We haven't ordered the third bottle y e t... " - and explained that just started the second one.
- "It is a gift from the gentleman from that table" - She smiled and pointed with her hand.
What?!?!?! We were shocked! Three tables ahead, there were two men eating, drinking and talking, and the one sitting sideways to us nodded his head.
We responded together: " Madloba / Spasiba!" (Thank you!)
Still in shock.... Hehehe, We couldn't believe our happiness - "Welcome adventure!"
"It's soo kind of him! Very kind gesture!" - we commented.
Claudia continued to sing: "Okay, so: All our glaaassseeesss ARE NOW full of wiiiiinnnneeeee!"
Creative Michelle followed:
-"We have another bottle of winee,
which was given by the man sitting in that liiinee.
We will drink this bottle, yet not shyly
So we might board the plane too smiley."
Hahahha "Stop, I can't anymore !!! "
I didn't remember when I had laughed so much before, my face, my belly were hurting and my eyes were crying. If the laughter prolongs life - as they say - that evening, we definitely prolonged our life by many, many years.
In the meantime, I was taking some notes in my little notebook. When I was writing, the waiter came over and set the plates on the table!
Again, we made big eyes and muttered: "Whaaaat ?! Why?!?!"
The waiter: "Rubiani from this gentleman"
"OOOOOOO nooo! Sooo nice!!! Girls! ready?"
- "Mabloba !!!"
The man smiled and continued conversation with his companion.
The waiter brought a large plate with round dish, similar to chachapuri.
And we were so full! - "I will not fit it, it's too much!" - "But we should try a least little bit, hm? We shouldn't leave it untouched, hm?" - we were discussing what to do.
"But I'm full!" - "Someone has to eat at least a piece!" - "Come on Michelle, for mom, for dad, and for the generous man" - we pretended feeding eachother.
Soon, as I was sitting facing the bar, I saw the waiter preparing five cups of ice cream on a tray...
- "Ooooh noooo ..." - I didn't finish and the waiter was already walking towards us and the girls noticed him too.
- "Dessert for you, from this gentleman."
Michelle as if in panic: "Oooo noo, what shall we do now?! In such situation?!?! How shall we behave ?! Let's open a savoir vivre guidebook!"
Justina: "Google Michelle, Google!"
I said: " Maybe, we could say thank you once again, this time standing up?"
We turned, stood up to say thank you, but the gentleman waved his hand to sit down. He stood up and walked over to us.
He was about 50 years old and was from Russia, but for six years he used to live in Warsaw. That is why he was very fond of Poles and Poland.
He spoke to us in Russian, but slowly, so we could understand something. At the end of his short story, he raised a toast to the Polish- Russian friendship, he greeted us and went back to his table.
- "Wooow! What a nice gesture! "
We were very impressed. A true gentleman!
- "The scene like from the movie!" Heheh " Never happened to me! Nobody ever did something like this; buying me wine, dinner or dessert from the other table!" Heheh
Claudia: "I already had such situation..." and she told us her interesting story.
- "But you need to admit, this - now - also made a great impression on you?"
- "Yeaaah, sure! Great gesture! And look, a Russian man"
- "It seems that the Poles and the Russians like each other, but the 'politics' n o t" - Justina summed up quite seriously.
The three young men sitting next to our table kept watching us and seemed also very surprised when this Russian man approached us. They tried already before to talk to us by asking where we were from, but they were probably too shy to keep up the conversation.
Claudia noticed it and said: "And those three are still looking at us, so surprised! They could buy wine or ice cream for us, so they could pick-up the Polish girls, hehe and now... phi! Heheh, let them learn from the mature Russian man"
And so, in wonderful moods we left the restaurant after midnight, probably as the last ones.
- " We are going now to the airport,
And this is our last transport.
That's how we finish our Georgian dream,
When at the end the man bought us ice -cream!"
A happy taxi! :)
The driver laughed and Michelle, who was sitting at the front, explained to him in Russian the reason of our great joy. They kept talking but our singing interfered 'a bit' their conversation. When we arrived, the man asked Michelle for ... a kiss! :) Hehe, She felt embarrassed and we were laughing.
-"Oooo maaaan, at the very end Michelle has broken the driver's heart!" :) - we were joking.
-"Good that she hasn't broken the window!" :D hahaha
-"Come on Michelle, go on! Give him a kiss! KISS for Georgian CHRIS" :D Heheh
"Goodbye beloved Georgia!!! and... SEE YOU next time!" ;)
POLAND, Warsaw, Chopin Airport.
And this moment came... the time to say goodbye. Michele with Kate were staying in Warsaw, we were going further by PolskiBus to Krakow, having another five hours drive ahead!
As if from a dream we were coming back to reality...
- "I cannot believe this is the end ..."
- "Mmmmm but always there is the end...
- "And I cannot believe it was so amazing! In every respect, till the very end!"
- "Yeaaah" - we all agreed.
- "Girls, a big hug and THANKS for everything!!! It was a pure pleasure!"
***
Still in the restaurant Justina said very wise words:
"Personally, I like returns, then it is real fun to share your experience with your family, with other people after you come back.
For me the journey consists of three stages: preparation, trip itself - sightseeing and return. All are exciting in their own way. Look, so many things have happened, so many sensations, emotions, adventures. Now, it's fun to tell about it."
- "You are absolutely right Justina!" - I commented - "Good we're coming back, because I am literally 'overwhelmed' by these sensations. I am sinking! Help! help! Hehe, I have to transfer it! Transfer to the paper - I mean to the keyboard and tell everyone!
And I did it! Eleven unforgettable days, described for the whole year! In Polish and English, so that everyone could read it.
So, this is the End of the story about our great adventure in Georgia!
THANK YOU!!!
to everyone for reading and waiting patiently for the next Day!
I told you! I would not stop till I tell you everything!
That's already everything!
Will you miss it? You can read it again from the beginning :)
