An introduction to Georgia. Not that one. The other one!

An introduction to Georgia; Tbilisi; City of Tbilisi; Georgia; Georgian; Caucasus; Europe; Central Asia; European; travel
Tsminda Sameba The Holy Trinity Cathedral of Tbilisi; cathedral; church; chapel; cross; Christian; Christianity; religion; Georgian Orthodox Church; Georgian Church; Orthodox Church; Holy place; place of prayer; Georgia; Georgian; Caucasus; Central Asia; Europe; European; travel;
An introduction to Georgia. Not that one. The other one!

It’s October and I went to Georgia!

Oi!

Not that one.

The other one!

What in the hell?

bird; piece of bread; Poland; Polish; Georgia; Georgian; Ukraine; Ukranian; Eastern Europe; Europe; travel; family travel; family; solo travel;
I’m going to Poland, Georgia & Ukraine – What fun!

For those of you just catching up, here’s what I’ve been doing:

30 years; 30 years after the Fall of the Berlin Wall; Berlin Wall; Mauerfall; Brandenburg Gate; Brandenburger Tor; Gate; Tor; Brandenburg; Berlin; Germany; Federal Republic of Germany; Festival of Lights; Freedom; Identification; FRG; GDR; DDR; German; German Democratic Republic; Reunification; German Reunification; Nur Mit Euch; Only With You; October 3rd; 1989; Tag der Deutschen Einheit; der Deutschen Einheit; Deutschen Einheit; Deutsche; Deutsche; East Germany; West Germany, the Germans; Germans; die Deutschen; Mauer; After the Fall of the Berlin Wall; Europe; Travel;
30 Years after the Fall of the Berlin Wall. Berlin, you’re not a teenager anymore!

WHY GO TO GEORGIA?

Tbilisi; Kaleidoscope House; Kaleidoscope; stained glass windows; artistic house; culture; art; City of Tbilisi; Georgia; Georgian; Caucasus; Europe; Central Asia; European; travel
Victoria at the Kaleidoscope House in Tbilisi ©Victoria Ade-Genschow – The British Berliner – Georgia – September 2019

Why not?

No seriously.

Why not?

Georgia is in Eastern Europe, has a long magnificent history, fascinating culture, and a gastronomy that you have just got to try!

And the prices?

They’re cheap!

Cheap!

Cheeeeap!!

I went to the Caucasus and I was pretty impressed!

LET’S GET A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY!

beer; Georgian beer; Georgian drink; Georgian culture; Georgian things; Georgia; Georgian; Tbilisi; beer in Georgia; Europe; Central Asia; Oriental; culture; food; food and drink; travel;
This beer is from Georgia, Europe. Not Georgia, USA! ©Victoria Ade-Genschow – The British Berliner – Georgia – September 2019

Georgia, otherwise known as the Republic of Georgia, is a country located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe!

It’s surrounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the south by Turkey and Armenia, and to the south-east by Azerbaijan, and covers a territory of 69,700 square kilometres or 26,911 sq. miles, and has a population of about roughly 3.7 million people.

The largest city, which also happens to be the capital city, is Tbilisi.

Most people have never heard of it.

Until now!

Georgia; Atlanta; American State; State in America; America; American; USA; the States; Krispy Kreme; KrisoyKreme; donuts; doughnuts; American snack; snack; American restaurant; fast food; fast food restaurant; American fast food; fast; food
When I first heard of Georgia, I thought it was Georgia – the American state – in the USA! It’s not!

In fact, when I first heard mention of Georgia, I thought it was Georgia – the American state – in the USA.

But it isn’t.

It’s Georgia.

A country in the Caucasus.

A country from the former USSR.

In Europe!

HERE’S SOME FUN FACTS!

lamplighter; lamp; light; statue; sculptor; man; man lighting a lamp; Irakli Tsuladze; culture; art; Tbilisi; City of Tbilisi; Georgia; Georgian; Caucasus; Europe; Central Asia; European; travel;
The statue of a lamplighter in Tbilisi by the sculptor Irakli Tsuladze! ©Victoria Ade-Genschow – The British Berliner – Georgia – September 2019
  1. Georgia, is the first country in the world, to ever produce wine. Ever! In fact, experts calculate that the fist wine discovered was deemed to be as far back as 8,000 years ago. Wow!
  2. The word – Tbilisi or თბილისი, the capital city – is the Georgian word for “warm” or literally “warm location” because of it’s spas and beautiful hot sulphuric springs!
  3. The locals don’t call their country Georgia, but rather Sakartvelo or საქართველო used as far back as the 9th century meaning “land of Kartvelians.” Not, as some people think – the Kardashians. Not too far off obviously, but they’re from Armenia!
  4. The patron saint of Georgia with dragons n’ all, is St. George!
  5. The Georgian language is one of the 14 most unique languages in the world. It’s so unique that no other nation in the world speaks the Georgian tongue, except the Georgians themselves, and it even has it’s own writing system and alphabet – the Georgian script which is used to write three different Georgian languages – Nuskhuri, Asomtavruli and Mkhedruli!
  6. The Jewish community in Georgia is one of the oldest communities in the world! The community is divided into two groups – Georgian Jews who have lived there for 2,600+ years, and Ashkenazi Jews who arrived from Germany and France, in the 19th century
  7. Georgia has several UNESCO World Heritage sites including the ancient capital city of Mtskheta, the Bagrati Cathedral and the magnificent complex of the medieval Gelati Monastery!
  8. The highest settlement in Europe is in Georgia! It’s called Ushguli. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site consisting of four (4) ancient villages in the mountainous region of Svaneti, and about 2,100 metres (6,900 ft) above sea level!
  9. Georgia has sixteen (16) of Europe’s oldest cities!
  10. Veryovkina Cave – the deepest cave on Earth – took half a century and about 30 expeditions for Russian cave explorers to reach its record depth of 2,212 metres or 7,257 feet deep and would take an average of 27 days to reach the bottom. Gulp!
  • 11. Georgia has a weirdly candle-shaped-toffee-like-stalactite thing called a Churchkhela. It’s a type of stalactite toffee dipped in thickened grape juice and then dried in a sausage form! I couldn’t try it of course, as the main ingredients are flour, grapes and nuts!
  • 12. Joseph Stalin – leader of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union was born in the town of Gori. In Georgia!

WHERE DID VICTORIA GO?

Tbilisi; Tbilisi City Hall; City of Tbilisi; Georgia; Georgian; Caucasus; Europe; European; travel
The British Berliner is going to be in Georgia, as a guest of the city of Tbilisi!

I went to Tbilisi!

In fact, I went there as a guest of the city of Tbilisi.

Even though Tbilisi will never ever beat Berlin in terms of trend and fashion.

Ha! Ha! Ha!

No!!

Tbilisi is the place to be in 2019/2020 ‘cos everyone I know is rushing there, so you’d better get out there before the hordes come!

You heard it here first!

ANYTHING ELSE?

Victoria Ade-Genschow; The British Berliner; Andrea Vannahme; High Tea; rbb Abendshow LIVE; rbb Abendshow; rbb; Abendshow; live TV show; rbb evening show live; rbb evening show; rbb; Berlin; Brandenburg; broadcasting; live show; live broadcast;
Myself and Andrea Vannahme having High Tea on the rbb Abendshow LIVE!
© Pascale Scerbo Sarro

This trip was a media visit and will showcase the best that Tbilisi has to offer.

I was there for five (5) days in September getting to grips with the fact that I was in the historical city with links to the history of the Silk Road, trade, and a diverse mix of fascinating architecture coupled, with absolutely beautiful weather, and really interesting food!

Gasp!

Georgia was awesome!

Obviously!

I flew from Berlin to Tbilisi – via Turkish Airlines ‘cos even though I’m going to be in Ukraine later on in the year, I’m not yet ready to experiment with Ukraine International Airlines!

I took the train instead!

I was in Istanbul for just a couple of hours.

Turkish Airlines; airline; aeroplane; airport; flying; flight ticket; ticket; Turkish; Istanbul; Europe; Central Asia; European; travel; air travel; travel by air; transport; flight; flying; come fly with me;
I flew from Berlin to Tbilisi via Turkish Airlines! ©Victoria Ade-Genschow – The British Berliner – Turkey – September 2019

It’s been years since I’ve been to Turkey, but this was not the time!

Not only that, but I stayed at the historical and yet lovely boutique Museum Hotel Orbelani!

Museum Hotel Orbelani; Museum Hotel; Orbelani; historical hotel; boutique hotel; history; boutique; hotel; Tbilisi; stained glass floor; peacocks; feet;artistic house; culture; art; City of Tbilisi; Georgia; Georgian; Caucasus; Central Asia; Europe; European; travel;
Victoria’s feet at the historical boutique Museum Hotel Orbelani in Tbilisi! ©Victoria Ade-Genschow – The British Berliner – Georgia – September 2019

Wow!

p.s If you’re booking hotels, houses and apartments, use this link to save 20% or more, between 5th January and 31st March 2021!

Booking.com

AN INTRODUCTION TO GEORGIA. NOT THAT ONE. THE OTHER ONE!

outdoors; chapel; cross; Georgian mountain; mountain in Georgia; Georgia; Georgian; Caucasus; Central Asia; Europe; European; travel;
An introduction to Georgia. Not that one. The other one!

This article is possible thanks to the support of Tbilisi City Hall who invited me to discover the city of Tbilisi nevertheless, all views represented here, are my very own!

For travelling across Europe, or from Germany, please take a look at the tabs at the top of the article, my country destination page and book your hotel here!

It’s Autumn!

If you’re not in Berlin, I really can’t help you!

Watch this space!

the Chronicles of Georgia; Chronicles of Georgia; the Chronicles; Chronicles; Soviet Brutalist architecture; Soviet architecture; Brutalist architecture; Soviet monument; monument; jumping; leaping; jump; leap; Tbilisi; Georgia; Georgian; Caucasus; Central Asia; Europe; European; travel;
Victoria at the Chronicles of Georgia – Jumping for joy in Tbilisi! ©Victoria Ade-Genschow – The British Berliner – Georgia – September 2019

DISCLOSURE!

Please note that The British Berliner is a participant in affiliate programmes designed to provide a means for sites to earn fees by advertising and linking to World Nomads Travel Insurance & Booking.com.

In short, there are two affiliate link companies connected to this post!

Every time one of these services is used, booked, and paid for via my link, I get a little percentage, but at no extra cost to yourself!

A win-win for all!

Note! I never travel without insurance as you never know what might happen.

I learnt my lesson in Spain. And obviously, in countries like Qatar, where technically the risk is higher, I can’t imagine going that far beyond WITHOUT INSURANCE. No siree! You can get yours here, at World Nomads!

So what are you waiting for?

Thanks a million!

An introduction to Georgia; Tbilisi; City of Tbilisi; Georgia; Georgian; Caucasus; Europe; Central Asia; European; travel
An introduction to Georgia. Not that one. The other one!

Did you know there is a Georgia in America and a Georgia in Europe? Comment away!

See you in Berlin.

If you have any questions, send me a Tweet, talk to me on Facebook, find me on LinkedIn, make a comment below or send me an Email: victoria@thebritishberliner.com

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4 Comments on “An introduction to Georgia. Not that one. The other one!

  1. How great is Georgian food? I think I legit gained 6 lbs in 3 days – bc the locals try to stuff you with khinkali and khachapuri till you’re half-dead!

    • Thanks so much Anna!
      Georgian food is yum! And it’s true, piles of food kept being delivered, and simply didn’t stop. I’m surprised I was able to fit into my dress! 😀

      Ha! As for the food, I haven’t even started writing about it yet. That’s the next blog coming up.
      Very soon. 🙂

  2. Pingback: The British Berliner is 6 years old. It's my birthday and I'll sing if I want to! - The British Berliner

  3. Pingback: An introduction to Tbilisi - 5 places you have to visit! - The British Berliner

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