September 3rd 2016, Yerevan, Armenia
Jakob & Ernest:
Change of Scene
The feeling was unbelievable when we saw the Georgian flag on the horizon: the red cross on a white background. The first Georgian village surprised us with old stone houses with thatched roofs and walls made of dried cow dung, which is also used as burning material. We passed carriages which were packed with hay, and smelly, well 40-year-old Soviet trucks and cars, which drove loudly and honking past us.
We stopped in that village in front of a nondescript building, which was 50 m previously touted as supermarket. The fridge was filled with nothing but beer brands and liquor bottles, and we had trouble finding a water bottle. The owner of the small market praised us the best beers and said we should try from this "Grunt-Grunt-Sausage". Yes, finally, there was again pork, and with a grin the man stuck the sausage into the plastic shopping bag, which was already overflowing from beer cans. In a small wood we celebrated the new country, the favorable delicious beer and the last two months in Turkey.
The mosques and their minarets were no longer visible on the horizon, and the Orthodox churches surfaced along the way. Finally we could sleep undisturbed through the night without being torn from the sweetest dream by a muezzin ;-)
The next day in the afternoon we met a Turk at a market, who was also traveling by bicycle. We drove together along a track, and then beat up our tents in a valley close to an incredibly dirty river. After a while a car came up with three older Georgian men who curiously approached with sausages, bread, fish, and with a full bottle of vodka on us.
It happened the way it had to. Three bottles of vodka later we six were very close friends and sang Georgian songs late into the night. As there was much to tell whilst none of the parties mastered the other language, pantomime was the means of communication.
The night was rainy and very stormy. The three decided to go home, but this failed due to the striking car battery. After countless attempts to push-start the car, we finally gave up and retreated to our tents. Sometime in the night friends of our three came with a jeep and dragged them off.
Georgia - Food and Drink
The Georgian culture has surprised us with yet other aspects. But for us eating and drinking was one of the most interesting points of this rich culture. As we know from our own countries [Spain and Germany], people meet a friend or acquaintance to drink a beer. But in Georgia, it is often the case that you do not just go to meet somebody. Instead, it is then always eaten and drunk plentiful. When we went to pick up a backpack with a friend, food and wine was placed on the table immediately after arrival.
In Georgia, there are many regions where wine is cultivated and produced. It is tradition that each family makes their own wine. When eating at a restaurant, there is every time a reason to clink glasses. There are enough reasons, and they never end: love, friends, family, life, and even those people who are no longer with us. By doing so, drinking is given a sense.
The Georgian cuisine is very versatile. There are specialties in this country that you've never seen before. For example Khinkali or Kachapuri ... delicious! (But our stomachs needed some time to get used ;-)).
In Tbilisi we spent wonderful days. In the sulfur baths we let the dirt scrub away that had accumulated over the last few months. We could also visit the nearby wine region Kakheti and enjoyed the incredible, Georgian hospitality.
We already left the country, but our sense tells us that we will eventually and definitely return again to this land, to discover even more.
We would like to thank all the people who received us in Tbilisi, especially Gvantsa (Ernest’s girlfriend) and her friends.
{Translation from German: Webmaster}
^ Big hangover after Vodka-night ^
^ Little FC Barcelona bracelets for the kids ^
^ Tbilisi! ^
^ Gvantsa and Ernest ^
^ Wine-growing district ^
^ Border crossing in Armenia ^
Comments to this report:
Heimgard und Ewald writes:
September 06th 2016, 20:42
Hallo Jakob und Ernest!
Es ist schon unglaublich, welche Strapazen ihr hinter euch und super bewältigt habt. Durch die vielen schönen Begegnungen mit der einheimischen Bevölkerung, deren Hilfe und Gastfreundschaft werdet ihr sicher reichlich dafür entschädigt. Wir begleiten euch weiterhin in Gedanken und wünschen euch für die nächsten Etappen alles Gute!
Martin Heilscher writes:
September 17th 2016, 13:28
Wow, euere Reise fesselt uns immer mehr. Nach unserem kleinen Radtrip von 525 km fasziniert uns eure Reise mehr und mehr. Die Freude, die eurer Bilder in uns auslösen ist unbezahlbar. Wir hoffen euere positiven Begegnungen reisen nicht ab. Tragt das Lächeln weiter in die Welt, sie hat es verdient.
Burkhard writes:
September 19th 2016, 21:04
Jetzt seid ihr schon lange im Iran, und ich freue mich für euch, dass ihr dort reingekommen seid. Gespannt bin ich, wie es weitergeht-übers Wasser oder an der Küste entlang. Bis Teheran bin ich mal gekommen, aber das war noch zu Zeiten des Schah. Ich beneide euch darum, dass ihr dieses Land jetzt mit eigenen Sinnen erleben und den Wandel zumindest äußerlich wahrnehmen könnt. Eure Berührungen mit dem Volk sind sicherlich sehr interessant. Weiterhin eine erlebnisreiche und spannende Reise wünscht euch Burkhard
Helga writes:
September 22nd 2016, 20:09
Hallo Ihr Lieben, es ist immer wieder spannend von Euch zu lesen. Wir wünschen euch weiterhin eine gute Reise und Bewahrung auf allen Fahrten und vorallem Gottes Segen auf allen Wegen an dem bekanntlich alles gelegen, oder?? mit lieben Grüßen aus Kitzbühel herzlichst Helga und Freunde
Can Onur writes:
January 02nd 2017, 12:31
Hello my brothers. I am so lucky to meet nice friends like you. That night that we drunk vodka with Georgian people and the hangover the day after was unforgettable. I hope to meet you again and if it is possible I want to host you in our house. Good luck and have fun.
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