Date: 30 Jul, 2024
Departing from Tbilisi at 8AM, I boarded a minibus bound for Kutaisi, a journey that typically takes about 3 hours. Interestingly, the bus encountered a tire issue midway, prompting a transfer to another bus. Upon reaching Kutaisi, the bus deviating about 4 kilometers from the hostel as the bus did not travel directly to the city centre. Regrettably, my Tbilisi city bus card was not functional. However, I encountered a kind lady who graciously provided me with a ticket. It seems that women in Georgia are not only beautiful but also possess compassionate hearts.
The Hostel I stayed at is the best hostel so far I have stayed while travelling across the world. Check out Bao Hostel and is very close to the main center.
Before Tbilisi became the capital city of Georgia, Kutaisi held that title. This small and charming city may have only a few tourist attractions, but it is definitely worth visiting for a day. I especially enjoyed exploring the Green Bazar, Bagrati Cathedral, and the city center square. While some tourists opt for canyon rides and cave visits, I personally didn't find them to be particularly awe-inspiring enough to prioritize.
The city center is a pleasant place to explore and spend time in the vicinity.
The construction of Bagrati Cathedral dates back to the 11th century, and it is recognized as a UNESCO site. Although it was damaged by the Ottoman Empire, restoration work began during the Soviet era by the Russians. Some images show the use of steel frames instead of stone in the restoration process.
During the day there was a wedding ceremony with around 20 to 30 people gathered to wish the new couple. I wished to take photos of them but then shyed away as it would be encroaching their privacy. There I met a georgian lady came in this absolutely stunning red dress. Unlike lady in red dress in Matrix movie who was slender, this georgian lady is slightly bigger with nice S-shaped curves which makes her look like real feminine women rather than like a model. My curious spirit made me to know more about her not just appreciate her beauty. She was shy or not that interested in engaging conversation with me. I tried to ask whereabouts, apparently she travelled from Gori city about 2 hours to get here. As my non-spontaneous brain doesnt think much later I wished would have taken her photos overlooking at the cathedral, oh well :(. She might have thought I might be a creep anyway.
I came back again to the cathedral in the evenign to take more photos, here are some of them.
One other location that I thoroughly enjoyed is the Green Bazaar. It reminded me of visiting a Thai or Vietnamese market due to its vast size and the abundance of vendors selling various items like vegetables, fruits, nuts, meat, and more. I have a fondness for exploring markets; it's unfortunate that Tbilisi lacks a similar market.
A small museum of Georgia and Kutaisi history is there, dont forget to visit it. It costs around 6 GEL thought felt pricey for such a small piece.
For the first time, to my surprise, I encountered a Crypto ATM, a sight that was completely new to me and unlike anything I had seen before.
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