The Passenger ⋆ Page 36 of 302 ⋆ Memories and hints of a travelling IT professional.

October 3, 2023November 12, 2023

BakıKart

Do you want to travel through Bakı using public transport? Then you’ll can’t get around the BakıKart, a rechargeable plastic card that you can use on buses, the metro and the Airport Express bus oscillating between the city center and the airport. It can be received from vending machines primarily at the airport and in metro stations. There you can also add money to your card; afterwards you only need to put it on entrance gates in the metro or readers in buses.

October 3, 2023November 12, 2023

Heydər Əliyev adına beynəlxalq hava limanı

The international airport of Bakı (GYD, Azerbaijan) has two terminals (an old a new one) and is located 15 kilometers northeast of the city center. It was opened in 1980, has two runways and is operated by the state-owned airline Azal. I arrived with Azal from თბილისი and landed at terminal 2 which is rather small: just go through passport control, pick your bag, pass the toll control and your done. You still have the chance to exchange or withdraw some money, but there around much other facilities at the terminal.

October 2, 2023November 12, 2023

Mtatsminda

The highest mountain of თბილისი is easy to spot: on top of the holy mountain (Mtatsminda) the TV tower with its special shape is located and it is illuminated at night. The 750 meters high mountain is holy because Davit came to Georgia in the 6th century CE to teach Christianity to the Georgians. He was living in a cave within the Mtatsminda and often went to the city to preach. Later the inhabitants turned against him and went to the David Gareji monastery until the end of his life.

October 2, 2023November 12, 2023

Sulphur baths

The legend says that თბილისი was founded exactly at its current location because of hot springs that existed in different places throughout the city. The water coming from these springs contains sulphur and iron and is therefore a bit smelly, but it is also said to be healthy. I cannot prove that, but at least it is relaxing to hang out in hot water. 😉 The hot springs of თბილისი are typically between 24 and 45 degrees Celsius warm and today you’ll find the spas using them only in one place: the spa quarter underneath the Nariqala fortress next to the old city center.

October 2, 2023November 11, 2023

Inside the gorge

The botanical garden of თბილისი is vast in size but unlike typical botanical gardens in western Europe packed with flowers and trees. It is more like a large park with different smaller sections of flowers, a Japanese garden, a waterfall and endless rows of cypress trees. What makes it so special is the location: it can be found within a gorge behind the mountain on which Kartlis deda monument and the Nariqala fortress are standing.

October 2, 2023November 11, 2023

Leghvtakhevi

It is one of the coziest places of თბილისი: the Leghvtakhevi canyon. From the Metechi church you can see the spa quarter on the opposite side of the Mtkwari river. A tiny stream runs through this quarter and you can follow it on narrow paths and by passing on several bridges. Atop the high rocks next to it houses are standing directly at the chasm and their balconies are also reaching out; a really nice view. At the end of the canyon you will find the small Leghvtakhevi waterfall.

October 2, 2023November 11, 2023

Chronicle of Georgia

It is one of the lesser visited sights at თბილისი, probably because it is located outside the city center on a hill and you need to travel by taxi to get there. You can also reach this place by metro and bus if you like to accept the challenge – it takes you to the suburbs of the capital city and shows you ordinary life. The Chronicle of Georgia is an impressive monument created by Zurab Konstantinovich Tsereteli in 1985, still during Soviet time. The massively high columns were never fully completed and show the history of Georgia at the top and the story of Christ at the bottom.

October 2, 2023November 8, 2023

ანალფაბეტი

When travelling throughout Georgia you might feel a little bit like a ანალფაბეტი (=analphabet). The Mkhedruli alphabet used most often looks really beautiful but is completely undecipherable for visitors from abroad. In the capital city most often English translations are available (except on and in buses) and this doesn’t cause any problem. The Georgian language belongs to the Kartvelian languages – together with Mingrelian, Svan (both spoken in northwest Georgia) and Laz (used in northern Turkey, south of the border to Georgia).

October 1, 2023November 7, 2023

Fabrika

Maybe the best place to stay and party at თბილისი is Fabrika. It was once a Soviet sewing factory but has been turned into a fantastic multi-functional space with a hostel, bars, restaurants, artist studios and a co-working space. At daytime the large shared living room invites you to hang out, read or work. In the evening hours the inner yard transforms into a party zone with many people enjoying the atmosphere and some drinks.

October 1, 2023November 12, 2023

Metromoney

At Georgia they seem to like rechargeable payment cards. Whether its for the Mtatsminda fun fair or public transport at თბილისი, you just need to lend a plastic card for a small deposit, top-up some money, pay as often as you wish and later return the card. Already when you reach the international airport you can go to a vending machine, buy a card and put money on it to use the bus bringing you to the city center.