GEORGIA
After hearing many people raving about this country I have decided to see with my eyes if Georgia is really so amazing.
I entered Georgia from Azerbaijan ( read here ) on an overnight train. This time I have decided to avoid 3rd class compartments and I booked myself on a second class ticket. If you want to know more about my adventures in 3rd class Russian trains, you can read more here and here). Buying the train ticket was very straightforward and I have done it online at this address: https://ticket.ady.az/en
Unfortunately, they don't issue an e-ticket so you have to go to the train station to collect the ticket in person. the ticket price was 34 AZN, the train departed at 20:40 from Baku and arrived in Tbilisi the next day at 8:55 AM. The border crossing was pretty straightforward with very little controls on the Georgian side.
For my stay in Georgia, I decided to base myself in Tbilisi and do day trips to discover different destinations. Tbilisi has been quite a disappointment, too many tourists and except for a few nice socialist architectures nothing that really captured my interest. People in Tbilisi were quite rude and probably because of the wave of tourists that invaded this country in the past couple of years.
I still managed to find some really cool and interesting things in Georgia. these are the list of the things I enjoyed the most:
STALIN UNDERGROUND PRINTING HOUSE
This was definitely my favourite place in the whole Georgia. The man that is taking care of this place was super nice and he showed me around. Plenty of soviet iconography and Lenin Statues.
EXPO GEORGIA
Plenty of soviet mosaics and interesting statues.
STREET ART
SOVIET ARCHITECTURE
Bank of georgia head office
2. Laguna Vere
3. Central post and telegraph
Dry Bridge Market
Kashueti St. George Church
DAY TRIPS TO SEE MONASTERIES
Since Georgia became super touristy, you can find in the centre of Tbilisi many tour agencies selling packages for day trips. Just make sure and confirm that the guide speaks English.