After searching the streets of Tblisi for a couple of hours I could duck into an internet cafe on Rustaveli street, the main drag in Tblisi. The city is love for me and there are so many photos out there waiting to be taken.
I was lucky to find a place to stay just close to the center and the streets around the house is filled with old men and women selling veggies, fruits, soap and books. One can explore the strange russian/nouveau riche/alcoholic/friendly atmophere here for weeks.
I crossed the border to Georgia a few days ago, it was in fact already late when I came into Batumi, a town on the Black sea and reading the shear madness in the traffic I knew I would have to stop somewhere soon. Here it is not a matter of left or right, it is a matter of where there are less holes in the road and where there is free space to run the car into. In northern Europe we would call it madness. I picked a house, or rather a shackle, not more than some planks and some corrugated iron stiched together, just outside town to get some water. A short man without teeth offered me to come in and have something to eat.
The livingroom in the little house, a table, two couches and a small tv was hosting already six people. I was seated and the food was brought in. The men, three brothers and I were eating melted cheese with butter, sausage omelett, soups and bread from some small plates. Soon the vodka was brought in and since we finished the first bottle for fast another one was sent for, and another. By that time I was well drunk and I promised to attend a wedding that was going to take place in the village the day after. I do not remeber quite well, half a liter of vodka on an almost empty stomach after 145km of biking, that is just more than necessary.
I woke up in a room next to thew livingroom, in a bed shaped like a bathtub. The morning was spent drinking coffee and resting. Around three the brothers that apperently slept somewhere else arrived and we were of to the wedding. It is another story but for sure it was quiote and experience to live through that mount of food, people and wine that an georgian wedding suggests.
I got my kit together on my third day in the country, ready to get myself going. I bed farewell to my hosts and rolled of into the streets where the traffic still was a complete mayhem. Soon I understtod that my back rim was just too crooked to continue, I did an atempt to get this sorted but after another 60km I had to give in a get a minibus to Tblisi. It is all well, it was an experience as well and after seeing how they drive I know now it is the small roads with less traffic that are the only feasible option.
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