Georgia > A typical Russian hotel

We wake up late. We were probably in need of the sleep. It doesn’t matter much, as it’s raining outside. The view from the apartment on the eleventh floor is somewhat bleak. Sea view of the Black Sea doesn’t help much today. At our leisure, we bring the luggage downstairs. We are out of coins for the elevator. As an alternative, we fill the elevator and have someone downstairs call it. Then we press the button for the eleventh floor again to get it up. The owner and his wife of the apartment arrive as well, asking if we can take a group photo for Facebook with them. When we ask about the statue of Nino and Ali, they offer to drive ahead for us. On the coast stands the Statue of Love by the artist Tamara Kvesitadze. The sculpture of a man and woman twists and slides into each other several times a day to form a single image. There is also a Ferris wheel and the Alphabet Tower, both closed—apologizes the owner. The season only starts at the end of May. We say goodbye to them. On the central Europe Square stands the statue of the Georgian princess Medea, holding the Golden Fleece in her hand. This also symbolizes the close ties between Georgia and Europe. This is also depicted on one of the buildings, where the Georgian flag blends into the European flag. The fountain and the other stylish buildings around the square are also worth seeing. In the park along the boulevard stands the striking Technological University Tower. Halfway up the tower is a Ferris wheel with eight gondolas. The tower is still under construction, and unfortunately we cannot go inside. The beach consists of coarse pebbles and stones—not very inviting to lie on even if it were dry. The park immediately next to it, on the other hand, offers more entertainment. Several terraces, playgrounds, and wide avenues. On weekends, it’s probably very lively here.

Georgia - The typical Russian hotel in Enguri

Today, there is no one. It is still raining. By now, it’s three o’clock. We leave Batumi. We are starting to get used to the Georgian driving style. It is also clear that drivers take into account our car and foreign license plate. Outside the city, it is less hectic. Everyone is going in the same direction without intersections. Yet everyone overtakes where they technically shouldn’t. Drivers swerve slightly to the side, and everything works out. Some drivers find it necessary to overtake a car that is already overtaking. On the road, there is really never a dull moment. Cows wander freely on the roadway, and traffic navigates around them. There are also frequent large potholes in the road—either from wear or missing manhole covers. When avoiding these potholes, it is important to check if someone is overtaking at the same time. As we head further north and into the mountains, we also encounter many wet patches. The roadside ditches are almost overflowing. In some places, large puddles cover the road. Water sprays meters high as we drive through. It must have rained heavily here. When the navigation instructs us to turn left, we encounter an unpaved stretch of road ten kilometers long. Asphalt probably existed here once, but now only deep potholes remain. Carefully, we maneuver the Land Rover left and right, depending on which part of the road is best. Progress is slow. The cows on the road glance up at the yellow giant. Just past Zugdidi lies the residence of the Archbishop of Georgia. Just as I am about to take a photo, a train approaches. I am practically on the tracks. I am so startled by the train that when I step back, I almost fall down the embankment. Fortunately, I manage. How many trains pass here per day? Slightly shaken, I get back in to continue driving. By late afternoon, we arrive in Enguri, a small town near the world’s second-highest dam. This is also where our hotel is located—a typical Russian hotel, with wide, uninviting stone and concrete corridors. Nevertheless, it is a fine place to stay. When we want a beer—purchased at a small shop across from the hotel—a complete meal immediately appears on the table. The appetizer alone would have been enough, but the dishes keep coming. When a sort of cheese pizza finally comes as dessert, we don’t know where to put it. In the hotel, there is also a group of Georgian and Italian geologists. They are jointly studying the risks of a potential earthquake at the dam. They invite us for a chacha, a strong Georgian drink. Together, we toast to everything we can think of.