This is Tbilisi summer life 🇬🇪
Here we are sitting at a vegan cafe, “Good vibrations” are playing in the background. Living the digital nomad life in Tbilisi. While I’m drinking my kombucha it’s over 30 degree’s outside and Daniel asks our waiter where we can find vegan mayo. Which to our confusion she looked surprised and said that almost every shop sells it. They just don’t call it vegan they call it “samargo”
It’s pretty unreal to sit here and write this. I’m also now having pancakes (which we call flapjacks) and savouring this moment. Working in a vegan cafe in beautiful Tbilisi. This feels a lot like summer although I was a bit cocky thinking it’s not going to be as hectic as the African sun. Oh, how I was wrong. It’s closer to the equator so there’s that fact I’ve missed.
“Define success on your own terms, achieve it by your own rules, and build a life you’re proud to live.” Anne Sweeney
Is it real? 🧐
I’ve found that my body and my brain are not yet aligned. My body is in another country but my brain seems not to know that yet. I was walking alone at night I couldn’t help but feel a tad anxious. No, I didn’t encounter any dodginess or empty streets. On the contrary, the city was vibey with kids running, shops open, people having a good night out! It was special it was surreal to my brain, just me in these streets at night with people, Georgian chatter and laughter.
A walk, metro, bus and cable car? 🚠
That’s what you call convenient transport. I’ve met my friend Iri at her train stop to head to Vake park, although Vake park was closed due to rehabilitation we ended up going up to Turtle lake. We took the cable car — much smaller than going up to Table Mountain. It’s used often and even have bicycle racks. Up we went with kids and their bicycles. On our way up the conductor asked where I’m from and asked me which team am I going to support that weekend? Georgia rugby team was playing against South Africa. He did mention that I need to choose wisely. Not sure if that was a threat or sarcasm but I wanted to get to the top ;) At the top, it’s breathtaking yet again seeing this same city from another angle. We took a walk around the lake and headed back down, cable car, bus, metro and walk to our apartment.
Same but different? 🌲
We went for a 14km hike from Kojori to Tbilisi. The last time we were in Kojori it was white with snow, this time around it was green and flowers blooming. Both totally different experiences and feeling. This time the sun is out and we took a beautiful hike all the way to Tbilisi.
We found a camping site with a hammock — which I could totally fall asleep in! This was the perfect picnic spot. From there we headed down to Mtatsaminda park. Afterwards, before we got on the metro we treated ourselves with ice cream after a sweltering 29 degrees celsius.
A night out in the city? 🌃
I met with my friend at the Rustaveli Metro we walked past cafe’s, wine bars, restaurants, people salsa dancing, this city is alive. We enjoyed wine under the night sky and then we headed to the round garden where we listened to jazz music — magical. That night I arrived home at 11 pm, I was walking with my phone in my hand chatting with another friend from Croatia and it was totally “normal”.
Eating Khinkhali’s the “right” way? 🍴
Yes, there is a technique in how to eat khinkali’s. Two ways with your hands or a fork. With the fork, you press in on the head of the khinkali. Then you add pepper, take a bite, drink the “juices” and eat the rest of the Khinkali. You don’t eat the head you leave this to count how many you ate — cause these things are addictive!
Water or lagidze water? 🍋
We took the funicular to the Mtatsaminda Theme park. Besides going on the rollercoaster 🎢 and enjoyed a nice view from the big wheel.
We enjoyed the authentic lagidze water — it’s a soft drink with natural syrup from a soda fountain.
This is real 🙌
While it’s common to celebrate birthdays here with fireworks — which every time I forget and for a split second think who is attacking us. Just to be clear this is at 12 am so….If you sleeping that’s a bit of a shock. In Cape Town we had the noon gun going off at 12 pm. Well, the only difference is it’s not to indicating time for that they have churchbells. In our previous Airbnb, we also heard piano and trump music while in our bathroom but that was simply our neighbours practising.
While they celebrate birthdays we will celebrate the surrealness of this reality we are living in.
To real life
Anina & Daniel
