Day 1,500

Tbilisi

Georgia has been one of the most fascinating and beautiful countries we have visited so far, so the decision to spend some time exploring the capital Tbilisi was an easy one. We found an Airbnb apartment which ticked all our cycle tourer boxes, ground floor, large outdoor space to work on the bikes, shower, washing machine, great WiFi, desk, sofa, hey there is even a Lazy Boy chair, a decent mattress on the bed, within walking distance to the old town but super quiet and finally, very cheap. We're ‘home’ for a week! 

The Chronicles of Georgia - massive but no match for Shumen

As we rode into the city we took the opportunity to visit the Chronicles of Georgia, looming over the city it sits atop Mount Kenisi. With magnificent views of the city and even the sea! Well the Tbilisi Sea which is actually a reservoir, although it even has a beach! A relatively new monument, it was designed in 1981 by Zarub Tsereteli, who also designed the gold statue of St George killing the Dragon which dominates Liberty Square, and also a rather interesting piece of artwork called the Apple of Love, which we've not visited yet. Work started on the Chronicles in 1985 and continued, though never finished for 18 years. Years of neglect followed and it was generally ignored, decaying away and hidden by scaffolding. Fortunately the decision was taken to complete the monument and work is almost finished. From being ignored, it is now one of Tbilisi’s must-see attractions. The idea of the monument was to celebrate two major anniversaries, 3,000 years of Georgia's statehood and 2,000 years since the arrival of Christianity. There are 16 tall pillars, with each one covered in metal sculptures telling the story of Georgia's history and Christianity. It is truly impressive,  some call it Georgia's Stonehenge, a combination of the design, artwork and setting make it a truly memorable place to visit and definitely worth the effort of cycling up there. 

We rode into the city through a massive graveyard and then descended down the steep hills that surround the capital, through narrow streets lined with traditional houses, some near derelict, others clearly being gentrified. 

To get to our apartment we had to ride across the river. We rode over Dry Bridge, which overlooks Dedaena and 9th March parks. This area is famous for its open-air flea market. Thousands of small stalls with locals selling just about everything you didn't realise you needed. A fascinating mix of antiques, Soviet memorabilia, jewellery and so much more. We took in as much as we could as we cycled by, and fortunately as our Airbnb is just a short walk away we've visited it several times since. 

Rising above us, lining the hillsides was Tbilisi. Magnificent churches, endless winding streets of ramshackle buildings, some damaged by earthquakes others by the Soviets, the rest by the passage of time. Despite the heat we walked up to the Holy Trinity Cathedral, or Sameba, as the locals call it. Built in the post Soviet era, started in 1995 and completed in 2003. It was designed as a symbol of the revival of Georgia as an independent country and paid for mainly by donations. In a city that has many stunning buildings that draw the eye, the Sameba dominates the skyline by its sheer size alone. The third tallest Greek Orthodox Cathedral in the world, and by total area one of the largest religious buildings in the world. On reaching the building we were wowed by the views of the surrounding city lying below and on the hillsides opposite. The cathedral itself is magnificent, but inside we were not as moved as we have been by many smaller older churches we've visited. It felt just too new and modern for us, still it was well worth the hike up for that view alone. 

Holy Trinity Cathedral

We've loved wandering the streets of the old town and the many parks full of fascinating statues and artwork. Near to us is the Leaning Tower of Tbilisi, which looks on the verge of collapse, propped up with a metal bar. It's actually a recent construction, housing a small puppet theatre, with regular shows. Built by the puppeteer Gabriadze himself, over a period of 30 years using materials scavenged from abandoned and earthquake damaged buildings, it's quirky and fun, and certainly draws the crowds. We've people watched, tried the many beers and wines available, chatted to locals and fellow tourists who all love this amazing country. The blog has been updated and the latest film completed, so we have time to explore some more. 

We do have more work to fit in before we leave, our 4 years on the road kit update film, and more importantly, we need to decide just exactly where we are going too next!

The courtyard to our Airbnb - perfect for bike maintenance, and pondering where to go to next