Overland to Borjomi

Suitcase out at 7:00 am, bus leaves at 8:30 am. I’m not sure why such an early deadline for bags but it seems to work. Eight hour bus ride westward today but several stops along the way. We started through the outskirts of Tbilisi, passing by mid-Soviet era utilitarian apartment buildings and then to more modern apartments and businesses.

The Jvari Monastery was built in the 6th century on top of a “hill” which looks more like a small mountain to me. It’s surrounded by grassy slopes and grazing cows are nearby. It overlooks the city of Mtskheta where Christianity was declared the official religion of Georgia in 319 AD.

Svetitkhoveli Cathedral is the second largest in the country. Built in 11th century over a 4th century church, it is the burial place for many medieval kings. The Soviets destroyed most of the murals, took the gold icons, art, and religious artifacts. Much has been replaced. Outside the walls are stores and

food vendors for the many tourists. Maia bought an assortment of churchkhela (sweets made out of nuts in a jellied grape juice/flour mixture) for us to try.

Then to a restaurant in Gori for a lunch of salads, mashed potatoes with a spicy meatloaf, baked cheese with tomatoes, pudding-type dessert with raspberries. Next stop was the Stalin Museum which told stories of his early years in Gori, his rise to power, artifacts from his life. Missing was any information about the purges that killed millions or sent them to Siberia, gulags. Instead this is a museum dedicated to a hometown hero who defeated the Nazis.

The rest of the drive to the mountain spa resort of Borjomi was through agricultural lands and smaller towns on a high plateau, then gradual change to pine-forested mountains and narrower, bumpier roads. Borjomi has been a resort town since Imperial Russians begin to build summer palaces here. It now has striking hotels situated right against a steep mountain — a forest of pine trees right outside my 3rd floor window. It is known for its mineral water (sulphur smell) and many people come for medicinal treatments. We walked trails in the Central Park and tried the water before dinner in the

hotel.