A Short and Lovely Trip to Tbilisi, Georgia

24 Friday Feb 2017

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Georgia, Gudauri, Holiday in Georgia, Lake Lopota, Mtshketa, Tbilisi

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I had a lovely long weekend last week. Made a short trip to Tbilisi, Georgia with 2 of my colleagues from work for 3 nights and had a blast!

A beautiful country and one that would be much more appreciated in the spring/summer than in winter. It is much too cold now and being someone who loves the heat, I still enjoyed the beauty of the place.

We went on Thursday evening and got back Monday morning. Visas are upon arrival in Georgia and that is one major plus-factor for most us expats from the GCC who needs to get visas prior to travel to any country. So any expat holding a valid Residence Permit from any of the GCC countries can travel to Georgia without any visa fuss .

I was also told that Georgian immigration greets all visitors with a welcome drink! Which didn’t happen with us, though 🙂 . Must have been wishful thinking on somebody’s part!

Our guide (Nino) and driver (Zaza) from Wonders Infinity Group (Tour Operator) were the most fun-filled guide and driver I have ever met! Kept us in peals of laughter with their camaraderie on whose village is the best kept secret in Georgia and general bickering. What was so charming about them was how passionate they were about their country. They tried to show us every little thing there was to see with so much enthusiasm, it was infectious. And what we loved most about the place was how genuine, friendly and unpretentious the people were.

We visited Georgia’s best Ski Resort – Gudauri – where I had my first ever paragliding experience! It was amazing and although I am glad I did it, I wished with all of my being that it wasn’t so freezing cold! I was almost on the verge of frostbites and I could actually feel my feet and fingers frozen in places and desperately wanted it to end. Minus 20 degrees is no joke!

On the Road to Gudauri

A lone Tea Stall on a hill along the way. They even had a hammock to swing on 🙂

Gudauri

Me in the air with my pilot.

The second day took us to Lake Lopota in the beautiful wine-making region of Kakheti. If it was summer, the place would have been lush green. But winter saw us passing acres of snowy and brown landscape in Kakheti that were actually vineyards with millions of stems sticking out of the ground. Come August, they would be ripe for harvest. Lake Lopota is a resort perfect for families and also corporate events with a private lake, surrounding which are hotels, cottages, swimming pools, sauna, spa, restaurants and even a stable. We took turns to ride a lovely chest-nut brown horse named Nisha. That was a first too, for me. We also spent a few moments admiring the rakish, stable-boys. I couldn’t help thinking how one of them looked a little like Jake Gyllenhaal 😀

Lake Lopota Resort and Spa

Lake Lopota Resort and Spa

The Lake Lopota – frozen a little bit here and there

All of us except Zaza

Nino and I

A bit of Horse-Riding

The last day was spent in the city of Tbilisi and a long drive to Mtshketa. The quaint old town of Tbilisi, the museums, the monasteries and churches in both Tbilisi and Mtshketa all had their own charm. If you like touring places where old is gold, then Georgia is definitely a must-see. The Svetitskhoveli Cathedral located in Mtshketa preserves the cloaks of Christ and the Prophet Elijah. We can’t see them, though, because they are buried underground. But I was still in awe at being so close to something so historically and spiritually powerful.

Inside the Stetitskhoveli Cathedral – Under this column is the robe of Christ buried

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The Zhinvali Water Reservoir – It looks more beautiful on my phone where the water is actually turquoise colored 🙂

A small frozen waterfall in town

The Bridge of Peace – a little bit at odds with the oldness of the city

View of Tbilisi at day

View of Tbilisi at night

Tbilisi St. Trinity Cathedral

Dining and shopping is very, very, very reasonably priced. They do not have brands in the likes of a Dior or a Chanel. But they do have brands like Zara, Mango, Aldo, Charles & Keith, Clarks etc to name a few with prices being half of what I would have paid for in Kuwait. Their food is fresh and all produce comes from their local villages and mountains. I am told restaurants are not allowed to use frozen stuff which is not so hard to believe because we could actually taste the difference in the food there and what we are used to here in Kuwait. We got the chance to try out the Georgian Chacha too! Burned down my throat all the way to the tips of my toes!! All I could muster were 3 sips. Its supposed to be a drink for real men, apparently 😀

At a traditional Georgian Restaurant with live music

The Tsiskvili Restaurant – Tbilisi’s best – On our last night

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The country will soon be a part of the EU in another 3 months and tourism is still in its infancy. English is not widely spoken, so having a guide with you to tour around is the way to go.

A totally charming place with great value for money and definitely worthy of a visit.

Post-Trip Blues

01 Thursday Sep 2016

Posted by Bessie V in Holidays, Travel

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After a wonderful and refreshingly beautiful holiday in Europe, I am now glad to be back home.

Actually, no, that’s not entirely true.. I’m not truly glad to be back. There were plenty of moments on my holiday when I desperately wished with all my being that I could live there forever. Especially as the end came near.

We visited some of the most gorgeous places in Europe – Norway, Denmark, Germany – the Norwegian Fjords being the highlight. We selected Norway only because the fjords were featured on the top of my bucket-list since forever (I am glad to be able to cross it off that list now). I have seen countless pictures of the place full of tall mountains and peaceful waters and imagined myself in the center of it all!

And now that I’ve seen them, I cannot find the words to describe how beautiful they are. Truly a feast for my eyes. We cruised along the Sognefjord (supposed to be the 2nd largest fjord in the world) during the early hours of the morning with the eerily majestic and misty fjords looming around us and a feeling of awe at the wonder of it all totally rocked me. The sights were one of absolute breathtaking beauty and I remember having a similar feeling when I stood among the Alps in Val D’Isere during one of my official trips. Of course, the fjords cannot compare to the grandiose of the Alps, but it still managed to evoke that feeling of being in the presence of something mysterious, ominous and magnificent.

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Misty fjords early in the morning

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Villages along the way later in the day

Bryggen – The Wharf

Before we traveled, I did worry about the kids. Especially our 2 yr old. That he would get cranky and tired and unbearable and generally be a pain. But he surprised us! Even woke up at 5 am without a peep, to get ready for the Fjord tour. I couldn’t ask for more! And my 11 yr old did a grand job of being the ideal sister to him throughout. Both of them became wonderful companions for each other and bonded more on this holiday. Although the occasional squabbles between them did exist, they were both stars! One friendly lady from Spain on the Fjord cruise even took the time to tell me how impressed she was with my daughter. Impressed at the way she took care of him. It was a proud moment and I couldn’t stop beaming 🙂

Another highlight of our trip was the long daylight that we thoroughly enjoyed. I think that was the best part! That we got to be out until 9:30 or 10 pm almost every day without a care in the world!

I miss it all. I miss all the places we went to. I miss the glorious weather, the long daylight hours, the blue skies with clouds that look like they’ve been painted, the quiet beauty and solitude of the countryside with its gently rolling green and golden hills and fields, the liveliness of the cities, the friendly people and not to forget, the wines!

Fields in Vejle, Denmark

Copenhagen

And I suppose when one resides in a country that is severely lacking in all the above factors, its quite normal to not want to come back.

But, there’s nothing like home either, isn’t it? Even if your home is in a blistering hot, developed desert. On our flight back, thoughts of my cozy corner of the sofa surrounded with yarns managed to lighten the gloomy thoughts of getting back to the norm. And surprisingly, I found that I did miss the chaos of our routine life too. But just a tiny bit, mind you.

And my plans of crocheting while on holiday definitely didn’t work out. I had some grand ideas of finishing at least 1 WIP by the end of it. But every time we got back from a full day’s sightseeing, I was too beat to even contemplate the thought of lifting my hooks. And this was the case every single, unforgettable day! But I’m eager to start hooking again and I’m hoping to at least begin work on some more squares of my CAL that is long over-due.

Its been almost 10 days now since we’re back and I’m writing this post from work. The phones have already started doing their job of startling me out of my day-dreams.

Oh yes, I am thoroughly back to reality.

India.. and Me.

20 Wednesday May 2015

Posted by Bessie V in Travel

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India, Tourism, Travel

“If we were to look over the whole world to find out the country most richly endowed with all the wealth, power and beauty that nature can bestow – in some parts, a very paradise on earth – I should point to India”. ~ Friedrich Max Müller

India

India.

A land that is so rich in beauty, so colorful and so spiritual, that it evokes a sense of patriotism even in my totally unpatriotic soul.

Being an Indian, I, unfortunately, have seen only a tiny fraction of this great country. But I cringe every time my husband suggests touring it little by little whenever we visit our parents (which is every year!).

Why?

Because India is not really a place for the faint-hearted. There are a lot of issues plaguing the country that will shock you. It is hard to close your eyes to the poverty, the gender inequality, the uncleanliness, the pollution and commotion on the roads, the lack of proper infrastructure, the lack of privacy and to the injustice of it all! There will be people staring at you too long trying to figure you out or sitting too close. There is no such thing as “personal space”. When I am there (which is for a month), I just go with the flow, trying hard to look the other way and not care because, honestly, there really isn’t anything I can do otherwise. The problems are just too huge.

But having said that, somehow, 6 places in India have found their way to my bucket list and I do hope I will, someday, get to see them.

Jaipur

Jaipur & Jodhpur (above)

Jaipur, dubbed “the Pink City” after the color-wash of its old city’s walls. Also famous for its palatial hotels (like the one pictured right on top).

Jodhpur, dubbed “the Sun City” because the sun shines brightly here every day of the year and also as “the Blue City” because most houses in the old part of the city are painted blue.

Udaipur

Udaipur (above)

Often called the ‘Venice of the East’. It is also the ‘city of lakes’. The Lake Palace located in the middle of Pichola Lake is the finest example of architectural and cultural marvel.

Darjeeling

Darjeeling (above) :

High up near the Himalayas with Mt. Kanchenjunga as a backdrop, where, ancient forests, quaint houses and friendly people make the trip to this most famous hill station of India worth it. They also have a toy train that enables travelers to explore the wonderful hill station at a calm pace, soaking in the environment and culture of Darjeeling.

valley-of-flowers

Valley of Flowers (above) :

A paradise on earth and home to over 300 species of wild flowers, the Valley of Flowers offers a once-in-a-lifetime experience to naturalist and nature enthusiasts.

and

Manali

Manali (above)

Holding a magical allure for tourists with its incredible landscape abundant greenery and exquisite scenery, Manali evokes many images… fairy-tale snow-capped mountain vistas, flower-covered meadows, glaciers, winding rivers, temples and Buddhist monasteries.

Here is a short and cute ad on Indian Tourism by one of India’s Tourism Organizations – Incredible India.