TravelswithCharie

Holy Trinity Cathedral (Sameba Cathedral) It's taken me a long time to write about Tbilisi. This city has so much going for it that it's hard to know where to begin. Tbilisi is a cosmopolitan city with deep historical roots that provide a nice contrast to its forward looking modern architectural structures. It was also the melting pot of various cultures over centuries. So where do I begin? The easiest way for me to give you, my reader, a taste of Tbilisi is to show you the places where our small tour group was taken. It was a full day tour so I got to see quite a bit of the city. Our first stop was at the Holy Trinity Cathedral. Hope of Georgia , Holy Trinity Cathedral  The Holy Trinity Cathedral is the seat of the Georgian Orthodox Church. It has a prominent position on Elia Hill in the Avlari district. It holds the distinction as the third tallest Orthodox church and one of the largest in the world. It was consecrated in 2004 after years of civil unrest in Georgia delayed it...

The Chronicle of Georgia, front entrance The Chronicle of Georgia (or the History of Georgia) monument was created by Zurab Tsereteli when Georgia was part of the Soviet Union. Soviet funding made possible the production of this monumental piece which many refer to as the “Stonehenge” of Georgia. After the fall of the Soviet Union and the Russian Georgian War, work on the monument was halted due to lack of funds. The monument has yet to be completed.  The three figures at the front entrance columns are those of the poet Shota Rustaveli (left), David the Builder (right) and the Chronicler (center).  Notice the Chronicler holding a scroll. The verses alongside these three figures explain their prominent place in Georgian history. Translated verses:* “He made wisdom into a shield, he made the sword into a wall, he made Georgia into the fortress of the east.”  David the Builder  “Mozar the engraver of our past, the spinning wheel, the proof of our glory, the master histo...

Khinkali Khinkali is a soup dumpling that resembles a lot like what you order at a Chinese restaurants but much bigger in size. The way to savor this dish is to hold the top handle, perforate the flour wrapper a little bit and drink the soup before eating the dumpling. These khinkali are from Pasanauri in nothern Georgia. Pasanauri is widely known to have the best khinkali in the region, if not the country. Trivia: khinkali is supposed to ease a hangover.  Khachapuri Megruli (cheese pie) There are several kinds of Khachapuri. The one we see most often in social media is the Acharuli which is boat shaped and has a raw egg in the center. There are also Imeruli with cheese on the inside and Shampurze which is on a metal skewer. Breads of Georgia This bakery is in the Old Town off of Kote Afkhazi Street. In addition to selling a varied selection of local breads, they also offer hamburger, pizza and hotdog. Badrijai Nigvzit - Eggplant with walnut paste and pomegranate Grilled Dorade Thi...