By Tathee Belga
Kamurjuba!
I flew to Kutaisi, a city in west Georgia that is home to the centuries-old Bagrati Cathedral, and decided to get a bus to Tbilisi after being mesmerized by the place.
On the Kutaisi’s outskirts is the Gelati Monastery, a medieval cathedral with elaborate frescoes. The nearby hillside Motsameta Monastery has martyrs’ remains. Historical Georgian manuscripts, ceramics and textiles are on display at the Kutaisi State Historical Museum. To the northwest, Prometheus Cave features petrified waterfalls. Lovely indeed!
I know it sounds weird to fly to Kutaisi rather than just fly straight to Tbilisi instead. My plan was just to unwind and enjoy the weather in Kutaisi. It was a spontaneous trip to Tbilisi, so I decided to spend the night and get some rest.
Flying to Kutaisi and spending some five hours on the bus to Tbilisi wasn’t easy and it’s very exhausting. Hungry, I had this beef stew called Kharcho, a traditional Georgian soup with very rich flavors, and spices, and that made the meat very tender.
And I also got an incredible thick choco for dessert.
Tbilisi has always been a good place to chill and enjoy the food. The people are very accommodating. The children and elders love to give you a flower to show they are happy to see you. That’s their way of breaking the language barrier. Amazing.
The following morning, I decided to go to the Sagarejo region which is 45 mins away from Tbilisi. The town dates back to the 11th century and is where is the fortified ruins of the ancient Ninotsminda Cathedral can be found.
From Sagarejo, I went to a vineyard named “Gurami Papa’s Winery”. Guro the owner, let us (with co-travelers) experience the beverage from different types of grapes.
According to archaeologists, Georgia, home to a 12th century, sprawling cave monastery and the old town’s labyrinth of cobblestone streets, is also an ancient wine-growing region, with evidence of production dating back to 6,000 BC. And one hears stories of friendly villagers offering their cellar grapes to visitors.
And so, grapes tasting in the Sagarejo region was one of my favorite and best experiences in my 48-hour trip.
Guro served us a charcuterie board with some cheese, traditional churchkhela, pickles, and some bread with different dressings. Churchkhela is a traditional Georgian candle-shaped candy.
Guro also offered a traditional barbecue dinner and degustation classes for Georgian food making.
All said, it was indeed a fun 48 hours!
Next stop: Spain.
For more information, group classes and amazing experiences. Check them out at Mobile: +995 557 42 8941 Instagram: bestwineryever Tripadvisor: Gurami Papa’s Winery Facebook: Gurami Papa’s Winery Email: bestwineryever@gmail.com