Zugdidi and around

From Tbilisi I went to Zugdidi (West Georgia). Koba , friend from Hospitality Club, met me at the station.
We left my small backpack in the Koba's studio in the Regional TV building, and he made me short city tour. The most significant attractions - Dadiani palace-museum and nearby Botanic garden. In the museum, by the way, death mask of Napoleon is kept. Unfortunately it was Monday today and museum was closed due to day off. We just passed it around and walked in the garden.



After that I met Koba's friends and we went by car to the border with Abkhazia near Rukhi. Abkhazia - it is separated part of Georgia, which is occupied by Russia now. Georgian borderguards allowed us to walk in the neutral territory to the bridge over Enguri river. There is symbolic monument on the Georgian side of the border:



On the way back to Zugdidi we stopped at the ruins of ancient fortress.







We continued to Zugdidi but car suddenly stopped. Nothing serious, tank was empty. What to do? To the closest gas-station happened to be about seven hundred meters so we pushed the car to it.
With fuel replenished we decided to go to swim.
Anaklia - is a town on the Black sea coast at the Engury mouth. Plans are to build there new port and resort area. So far just new Youth camp is finished.



After swimming in the warm sea, we returned to Zugdidi and spent the evening in Koba father's house. It was traditional Georgian party with plenty food, wine, toasts, music and songs. By the way - Koba is a composer and musician
http://www.last.fm/music/koba+meskhia .

Tbilisi. Open-air Museum of Ethnography

Next day I visited Open-air Museum of Ethnography. Cable car line was broken, so I went by bus. There is no information signs along the street and I missed my stop again. And next helpful driver explained me how to get there. So I get off the bus and walked half an hour up the steep road.

Mtskheta

Mtskheta was capital of the early Georgian Kingdom of Iberia during the 3rd century BC – 5th century AD. It was the site of early Christian activity, and the location where Christianity was proclaimed the state religion of Georgia in 317.
It is located approximately 20 kilometers north of Tbilisi. You can easy get there by minibus ("marshrutka") from the bus station at the subway ("metro") station Didube . And I did just that on my second day in Tbilisi. I do not know how it happened but I missed stop where I had to get off. "No problem," - said driver, turned around and dropped me at the proper place. Such kindness and readiness to help is very common in Georgia. It is just normal way to treat people.

Svetitskhoveli Cathedral







To Jvary monastery I walked. Firstly up the stream along Aragvi river, passed the small pedestrian bridge,  crossed highway on the left bank of Aragvi and continued up the mountain by the trail through a forest and meadow.



Jvari Monastery



View of Mtskheta and the confluence of the Aragvi and Mtkvari rivers.