Tbilisi for the OGP Summit, between two stints in Batumi. THE FOOD.
A few days of enjoying Batumi, in all it's supreme weirdness. Bizarre architecture, empty buildings, black stoney beaches, hot rainy skies, far more Turkish food than Georgian food. I went up the Alphabet tower (which displays the Georgian alphabet around its spiral) and wandered around the coast and town. The center is chaotic and difficult to navigate and learning to play chicken with drivers and potholes is a necessity. I did a walking tour, which included a sneak peak into an old banya which is now embedded in a hotel building, and a 1+ hour break for a wine tasting... this is Georgia.
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The ferry was delayed a day, so I checked into a hostel and took the opportunity to take the cable car up to the big hill overlooking Batumi. And to eat more khinkali of course, on the beach.
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Giant bread supplies for my upcoming voyage, and then killing time before departure. My last meal in Batumi was from the one Chinese place. And eventually I managed to find the port and board the ferry across the Black Sea.
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Ajarian khatchapuri and coffee for breakfast, then a dramatic mountain bus ride from Batumi to Tbilisi. A pizza in the wonderful Kiwi Cafe before settling in for the Open Governance Partnership conference, which was up the cable car on the hill.
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Traditional Georgian dancing as well as general pretension at the OGP Summit reception in the Georgian Parliament..
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More OGP Summit hillside theme park antics, and some wandering around town.
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FINALLY khinkali (5 potato, 5 mushroom) at Pasanauri. And lobio of course. Then a walking tour and an evening in the banya.
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A weekend drive to the mountains; hammocks, more amazing food, hiking, rainstorm, landslide.. and back to Tbilisi.
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A walking tour of Tbilisi, featuring cable car and castle (and food).
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A trek through the city to the big ol' Cathedral (seriously big). Then a final meal in Kiwi before taking the train back to Batumi.
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