What a welcome we received at our Bonjomi hotel! Our hosts are not particularly gregarious people but quietly they did their best to make us welcome at their hotel. Jim and I without doubt would be the very first western people to stay with them. At one stage we had five people standing around us and staring.
The hotel was one of the better buildings in the town. It is designed along the lines of a ski chalet. They have tried hard to get a business up and running and the place was tidy.
The first issue we had was the credit card. Yes they had credit card facilities but had never used them. Out came the instructions and they had a staff meeting. After much turmoil and no success getting the machine to work they decided that Jim's credit card was at fault. In the end Jim helped them through the process - he was a bank manager after all. Success and all is good in the world - everyone has to have a first time - this was theirs.
Time to eat and down to the restaurant. They had an English menu prepared - that was good but that didn't stop them from ringing a friend who did speak English to assist in the process. Yes the dreaded credit card thing again because the restaurant is run by another member of the family as a separate business.
Later in the evening Jim went off to a little lounge room with his computer to speak with his wife in private. He was away for an unusually long time before returning to the room. I was ushered out the back door of the hotel to the boiler room where two men were waiting. Jim's new friends had distilled some liquor and were wanting to share with us. A thimble sized glass full down the hatch. I hope surgery can replace the lining of my throat and stomach.
He turned up at our room later wanting to drink late into the night. We broke his heart when we declined. Poor man has to be a bad alcoholic.
The Georgian economy is still emerging out of what remained of the country after the conflict with Russia and then a civil war. It is a beautiful country and given twenty years of peace and the opportunity to improve their infrastructure the economy will boom.
First thing this morning I looked out the window hoping for a dry day. Yes the sun was out and the BBC World news said it was going to be good day. Fine weather with a short ride into Tbilisi the capital city.
Can it happen twice? We were struggling to find our hotel in Tbilisi and we parked the bikes. I needed some local currency so I walked to a bank with an ATM. Standing at the ATM I checked to left and right for any unsavoury characters and what should be next to the bank but a 'tourist office'. Yes first in Bursa now Tbilisi - on both occasions when we have been struggling to find our accommodation a tourist office pops up. Thank you.
In I go and out comes a map of the city and we are on our way - but before I go - the information must be paid for - that will be five Georgian Lari thank you. Only about $2.50 but very strange - what no receipt.
Walked in the central business district. Took a few random pictures.
The hotel was one of the better buildings in the town. It is designed along the lines of a ski chalet. They have tried hard to get a business up and running and the place was tidy.
The first issue we had was the credit card. Yes they had credit card facilities but had never used them. Out came the instructions and they had a staff meeting. After much turmoil and no success getting the machine to work they decided that Jim's credit card was at fault. In the end Jim helped them through the process - he was a bank manager after all. Success and all is good in the world - everyone has to have a first time - this was theirs.
Time to eat and down to the restaurant. They had an English menu prepared - that was good but that didn't stop them from ringing a friend who did speak English to assist in the process. Yes the dreaded credit card thing again because the restaurant is run by another member of the family as a separate business.
Later in the evening Jim went off to a little lounge room with his computer to speak with his wife in private. He was away for an unusually long time before returning to the room. I was ushered out the back door of the hotel to the boiler room where two men were waiting. Jim's new friends had distilled some liquor and were wanting to share with us. A thimble sized glass full down the hatch. I hope surgery can replace the lining of my throat and stomach.
He turned up at our room later wanting to drink late into the night. We broke his heart when we declined. Poor man has to be a bad alcoholic.
The Georgian economy is still emerging out of what remained of the country after the conflict with Russia and then a civil war. It is a beautiful country and given twenty years of peace and the opportunity to improve their infrastructure the economy will boom.
First thing this morning I looked out the window hoping for a dry day. Yes the sun was out and the BBC World news said it was going to be good day. Fine weather with a short ride into Tbilisi the capital city.
Can it happen twice? We were struggling to find our hotel in Tbilisi and we parked the bikes. I needed some local currency so I walked to a bank with an ATM. Standing at the ATM I checked to left and right for any unsavoury characters and what should be next to the bank but a 'tourist office'. Yes first in Bursa now Tbilisi - on both occasions when we have been struggling to find our accommodation a tourist office pops up. Thank you.
In I go and out comes a map of the city and we are on our way - but before I go - the information must be paid for - that will be five Georgian Lari thank you. Only about $2.50 but very strange - what no receipt.
Walked in the central business district. Took a few random pictures.
A couple of weeks of mosques so I have now included a church.
Back to streetscapes.
The odd monument thrown in.
Not every street is quite so well maintained but they have a charm.
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