Georgia (country)

From MaxTravelz

Georgia is a country in Eastern Europe. It lies at the eastern end of the Black Sea, with Turkey and Armenia to the south, Azerbaijan to the east, and Russia to the north, over the Caucasus Mountains.

Contents 1 Introduction 2 People 3 Regions 4 Major Cities 5 Other destinations 6 Get in 6.1 Passports, Visas, and other documents 6.2 By plane 6.3 By bus 6.4 By boat 7 Get around 7.1 Taxi 7.2 Minibus 7.3 City Bus 7.4 Metro 8 Talk 9 Buy 9.1 Costs 10 Eat 11 Drink 11.1 wine 11.2 beer 12 Sleep 13 Learn 14 Work 15 Stay safe 16 Stay healthy 17 Respect 18 Contact

Introduction

Georgia is a land filled with magnificent history and unparallel natural beauty. Archaeologists found the oldest traces of wine production (7000-5000 BC) in Georgia. For those of us in the West, we unfortunately get precious little exposure to this stretch of land between the Black and Caspian seas. However, this is changing drastically.

Georgians are not Russians, Turks, Persians or have any ethnic connection with other people, However there are theories which link Georgians to Basque, Corsican and North Caucasian people. They are very proud of their own language, which is in its own language group, completely unrelated to Indo-European, Slavic languages, Semitic or any other languages. Georgians have been embroiled in struggles against world’s biggest empires (Scythian, Roman, Byzantine, Mongol, Persian, Ottoman, Russian, etc) for centuries. This little country was invaded thousand times and destroyed as much. However, Georgians have managed to preserved their cultural and traditional identity for 5,000 years. The countryside is covered with ancient towered fortifications, many of which house ancient churches (one of the oldest ones in Christendom) and monasteries.

Georgians gradually became a Christian nation in the first century and later officially Christianity became as a state religion in fourth century (one of the first Christian states in the world) with the evangelism of St Nino of Cabadocia. The Georgian cross is recognizable, for it was forged by St Nino with grape vines and her own hair. The grape and the vine thus hold important places in Georgian symbolism.

The conversion to Christianity meant that Georgians would have a historical cultural leaning to the West instead of the Muslims in the region (Turkey and Persia is South). Nonetheless, Georgian culture stands at the cross-roads of civilizations. Her culture and traditions are not linked to any other. They have completely independent civilization of their own.

During the Soviet era, Georgia was the Riviera of the USSR and set the highest standards for food and drink. Russians may love vodka, but the Georgian wines were favoured by the Soviet elite. The coastal areas of Georgia (Abkhazia and Adjaria) enjoy sub-tropical conditions and beautiful beaches (imagine pine trees and mountains covering the coast line). During Soviet era, Georgia flooded Russian markets with high quality tea, wine and fruits. Georgia, on the periphery of the Soviet Empire, also contributed greatly to the dissolution of the USSR with calls for independence (Georgians managed to dissolve many empires before). Georgia stood on one of the key routes of the Silk Road and now plays a role in geopolitics with oil pipelines stemming from Azerbaijan and bound for Turkey.

This proud nation is still in transition after the fall of the Soviet Union. The tense relations with Russia (and deepening friendship with the USA and the EU) has closed off the once indispensable Russian markets.

Imagine cities with narrow side streets filled with leaning houses, overstretched balconies, mangled and twisted stairways, majestic old churches, heavenly food and warm and welcoming people. All of this with a backdrop of magnificent snow peaked mountains, best bitches of the black sea.

People

The Georgians are among the most hospitable people on Earth, with strong traditions of chivalry and codes of personal honour.They believe that guests come from God. Friendship is prized highest among all the virtues. It is celebrated in the great national epic, The Knight in the Tiger's Skin, by Shota Rustaveli and which provides an insight into daily life, in which a person's worth is judged not by how much money he has in bank but how many friends he has. The Georgians are proud, passionate, and fiercely individualistic, yet deeply connected with each other through a shared sense of belonging to a greater Georgian family. Women are highly esteemed in society and are accorded a respect endowed with great courtliness. The statue of Mother of Georgia (kartlis deda) that stands in the hills above Tbilisi perhaps best symbolized the national character: in her left hand she holds a bowl of wine with which she greets her friends and in her right is a sword drawn against her enemies. Quote from the book by Roger Rosen.

Regions

Administrative divisions

• Abkhazia Autonomous Republic (apkhazetis avtonomiuri respublika)
• Ajaria Autonomous Republic (acharis avtonomiuri respublika)
• Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti Region
• Guria Region
• Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti Region
• Imereti Region
• Samtskhe-Javakheti Region
• Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti Region
• Shida Kartli Region
• Kvemo Kartli Region
• Kakheti Region
• Mtskheta-Mtianeti Region

Major Cities

• Tbilisi - Capital
• Batumi
• Sukhumi
• Poti
• Kutaisi
• Rustavi
• Tskhinvali
• Mtskheta

Other destinations

• Svaneti - Highest region of Georgia
• Ushguli - Highest Village in Europe - UNESCO Heritage Site
• Mtskheta - Old Capital of Georgia - UNESCO Heritage Site
• David Gareja - Cave Monastery
• Mt. Kazbegi - Picturesque Mountainous Area
• Vardzia - Cave Town - 12th c.

Get in

Passports, Visas, and other documents

For citizens of US, Canada, EU, Japan and Israel visa will not be required upon entry. However, this regulation was adapted recently and changes might not have been implemented yet. Please consult Georgian embassies and consulates abroad before planning your trip. Citizens of other countries require an entry Visa into Georgia which can be obtained from the embassies/consulates or upon the entry in the airport or on the border. Entry visa to Georgia cost about $10.00 USD.

By plane

There are flights to Tblisi from a number of European, North American and Asian cities, including London (British Airways), Paris (Airzena), Vienna (Austrian Airlines), Moscow (Aeroflot), Koln/Bonn (GermaniaExpress http://www.gexx.de), Frankfurt (Lufthansa), Athens (Airzena). Flights from Prague by Czech Airlines were cancelled; however you can still fly from/to Prague via Georgian Airlines (Airzena). Just recently, KLM also cancelled their flights to Tbilisi but just as in Prague case you can fly with Airzena from/to Amsterdam. Please note that Georgian Airlines AirZena has many flights from many different cities. http://www.airzena.com/

By bus

There are direct bus services from Istanbul, Turkey, which stop at various places on the route and terminate in Tbilisi.

By boat

There are boat services to Batumi from Istanbul and Odessa. At the time of writing the Turkish Black Sea port of Trabzon was closed to passenger services.

Get around

Taxi

Taxi's in Georgia are best move around methods and they are considerably cheap. In Tbilisi it ranges from 3 to 5 lari depending on distance but you can always negotiate the price with the cab driver.

Minibus

Minibuses (Marshutka in Russian and commonly used name for minibuses in Georgia) operate on fixed lines. After finding out the number of your route, flag down a Marchriutka at the street. In Tbilisi, they will take you most anywhere for under half a lari. There are also Minibus lines from city to city. These usually terminate at bus stations. (30 to 50 tetra).

City Bus

There are brand new Dutch buses operating in Tbilisi. They are comfortable and cheapest way to go around (10 tetra). However, in the country side or outside of the capital the buses are old and slow.

Metro

Tbilisi has a metro system; only two lines.

All signs inside metro are in Georgian only (no Russian, no English) -- and stations are announced in Georgian only. Take a bi-lingual map with you if you are not proficient with the alphabet / pronunciation.

Talk

Languages 

Georgian 71% (official), Russian 9%, Armenian 7%, Azeri 6%, other 7%
note: Abkhaz is the official language in Abkhazia

Alphabet 

Georgian uses the Mxedruli alphabet, which is unrelated to both Latin and Cyrillic alphabets.

For language-fans, Georgian and its related languages are a real treat. For everyone else, they could be a nightmare. Georgian is a Caucasian language, which is not related to other languages nearby or to any languages spoken on the European continent. While the formidable consonant clusters are frightening enough as is, the addition of a foreign alphabet will render communication very difficult indeed.

Buy

Costs

Eat

The cuisine of Georgia is justly famous throughout the region (visitors to Moscow will have noticed the amount of Georgian restaurants). The two "national" dishes are "khachapuri" (A cheese filled bread, it more resembles cheese pie) and khinkali (minced, spiced meat in a dumpling, served in enormous quantities). A traditional Georgian feast, or "supra" is a sight to behold.

Drink

wine

Definitely try out Georgian wine. Unfortunately, you are not allowed to export home-bottled wine, which is often the best kind. Georgian wines are actually quite famous. It may be true that they are little to be known in the West, but this does definitely not include some 280 million people. This is roughly the population of former USSR where Georgian wines used to be a welcomed drink at any dining table.

beer

Georgia has a number of beers, the most common brands are Kazbegi, Aluda, Tbilisi, Bavariis Herzogi, Argo, Khevsuruli, Tushuti, etc. Outside of Tblisi it is very difficult to find anything other than Kazbegi.

Sleep

Outside of Tblisi (where there are numerous options for 3 star plus accommodation thanks the the NGO presence in the country) private homes are always the cheapest and most enjoyable option. If you can master a little basic Russian (which everyone speaks) going to the central square or market will probably land you a place to sleep and a hot meal for an an agreed price.

Learn

Work

Stay safe

Stay healthy

Respect

Contact

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