Thursday 22nd and Friday 23rd May

Today we visited Prometheus Cave just out of Kutaisi. These caves were only discovered in 1984 and their full extent was not discovered until the 1980s.

The deepest cavern is 80 metres below the surface. There were so many fantastic stalactites and stalagmites and weird and wonderful shapes. There was a chamber where they hold weddings and as we passed through it romantic music played. Personally I think you would want a short wedding dress otherwise it would be wet and muddy by the time you left!

We exited in a flat bottomed boat, necessarily helmeted as the roof was low and emerged into a lovely pond adjacent to a resort!

We departed for Tbilisi, capital of Georgia. Along the way we stopped at a roadhouse. Very clean, very modern with a supermarket, good toilets and food court. Anne had braised chicken livers which she rated as delicious and restaurant worthy. My Mexican chicken was tough. We have felt the chicken is often overcooked and the meat(beef, pork, veal) was also on the tough side, though good flavour.

We passed through about 13 or so tunnels which were built by the Chinese as part of their Belt and Road initiative ( New Silk Road). I can only say Thank you, because the road would have been very winding.

We arrived at our hotel- The Rooms Hotel and were instantly charmed. The lobby has wooden floors, almost a library of books and everything is really eclectic. Dark colours or wall paper, wooden ceilings in public places, very cosy yet sophisticated. We love it. Apparently designed by two sisters.

We had dinner downstairs, the food was good and the cocktails even better! Breakfast was equally impressive.

Next we hit the streets for a tour of the old city. It has a lot of charm. I am a sucker for a verandah or balcony and there were many. Tbilisi is a sophisticated city of art galleries, museums, churches and markets as well as Jazz clubs.

The churches we explored were very impressive, with the largest Cathedral in the Caucases and newest, being the Sameba.

At the Cathedral it turned out to be the celebration of the feast of Saint Simon and the Bishop of Abkhazia ( independent republic, formerly part of Georgia) was visiting. They had rolled out the red carpet and dignitaries were resplendent in their colourful robes. There was a huge Bunnings fold out table covered in bread for communion. When the bishop arrived he was greeted warmly and then they all went behind the altar doors. While they were there the choir (electronic?) was singing. The church had people all over the place. It seemed as busy as Flinders street Station! We saw so many people crossing themselves, kneeling and kissing the icons repeatedly. There is a fervour we find a bit unsettling.

The Glory of Georgia icon is beautiful and covered in donated rings and crosses as well as the gilt and jewels of the original work. It has two sides and sums up the story and the saints significant in Georgia.

We visited the church of Anchiskhati Basilica, the oldest church in Tbilisi, built in the 6th Century by the King Daichi of Iberia who granted it the status of Capital city. Even during the Arab rule the (736-1122) it was allowed to toll its bells which caused it to be called the Cathedral of the bells. It received its name in the 17th Century when the Icon of the Saviour Not Made By Hands was moved here from Anchi Monastery. The Icon is now kept in the Shalva Amiranashvili Art Museum in Tbilisi.

Today many people want the icon returned to the church but it is considered by curators to be too fragile. Anne and I saw it in the Museum later in the week and it is very powerful. People come and pray before it, touching the floor. It is very moving to see. The belief is that it was created miraculously rather than by human hands so is seen as a connection to the divine.

Our last stop was the ride up the hill to the Statue Mother of Georgia. I love that women are seen as being so significant and strong in the history of Georgia. Mother of Georgia is a huge monument which symbolises the Georgian Nation: in her right hand she has a sword to defend her country and her left holds a bowl of wine to welcome those who come as friends.

At the top were lots of souvenirs shops and food. I liked the idea of a Chimney Cake, shame it isn’t gluten free!

We came across a sign with Frank Sinatra that amused us and summed up the Georgian attitude to wine.