4-10 Tbilisi Day 1

The contrast between Baku and Tbilisi is so interesting.  Both have a similar history, but fate plays a part as well.  Azerbaijan is an oil rich country.  And the country has made a priority of making it safe and beautiful.  There is a lot of money coming from Turkey.  There are a lot of security cameras everywhere and also a lot of policemen.  Our driver in Baku kept asking - how do you like it here - it is so safe and secure.  I did feel a little put out by all the cameras - but you know it is like that in New York city as well.  I have seen a few cameras in Tbilisi as well as a lot of policemen.  But it is not over-whelming. 

And I do have to say, I hate it when someone asks- what was your favorite thing on this trip.  Because things are so different in each country and I liked so many things - but it is like comparing apples and oranges (that is if you like them both)  - I can't decide.  I would rather tell you about different experiences I have had.

But on yo Tbilisi - and Pushkin Square.   In the middle of the round-about is a statue of St George - Georgia is named after him.  Georgia is a Christian nation.  Everywhere you look there are churches.  I can't tell you if people actually go to these churches.

Just down the road -

We discovered a flower market.

While Tbilisi is trying to improve the way the city looks - just a block off you see buildings like this.

They also have the underground pedestrian walkways - but these are not quite as clean as in Baku ad have a lot of stores.

You see a lot of buildings like the ones below.  Some fixed up and a lot in disrepair.  Late 19th century - would you call it Victorian?

Lots of statues of dancing figures.

And the famous crooked clock tower

Lots of people waiting for the hour - to see the life cycle of humans.

Finally - we begin with marriage.

Then family

Then Old age and funerals.  And then it starts again.

Down the road - this accordion player.  He had a beautiful voice.

Next to the Glass bridge.  Not the bottom as I was thinking it might be - but the top.

Not sure what it actually is - but we called the building below, "the Fallopian tubes".

Another fantastic voice -near the glass bridge.

This building is the start of the Gondola ride to the top of the hill across the river.

Looking back as we ride up the Gondola.

And finally at the top.  This is an old fortress called Narikala Fortress.

And the statue up here is "Mother Georgia".

We choose to walk down the staircase so we could see more of the area.

And looking back up you could see the front of "Mother Georgia".

I think this is Metekhi Church. 

Our legs were aching at this point of our downward journey.  But I took a side trip to take pictures of this building almost falling down.

We grabbed a taxi back to our airbnb.  A couple of views from our deck.

So many Ferris wheels are on the water front.This one seems to be at the top of the mountain!