group tour – Growing With Leala

The next morning we are off to visit the market in the nearby town of Telavi. It is a smaller market than I have visited earlier in my travels but this one has more things for sale targeted towards locals – you’d see things like raw meat hanging in the walkways or pickled vegetables in large jars.

We continue more into town which is very quiet today except a main square area where they are setting up for the Independence Day festivities later. We pick up some small flags to participate in the celebration. Our tour guide also helps us purchase some sparklers to use to celebrate later.

Last stop before lunch is the Gremi complex where we see some old frescos and an attached fortress.

It is our second day in the wine country and we are heading to a family’s house for a traditional meal and a lesson on how to make the sweet treat churchkhela.

The food is all amazing and there is plenty of wine and chacha to go around. I have a very persistent cat at my side much of the meal that digs his deep nails into my legs on occasion to let me know he requests some food. He takes breaks from me to scare another person on my tour between the times he is bothering me.

We now learn how to make the sweet treat called churchkhela – typically nuts covered in thickened grape juice. Our sense of humor really comes out during our churchkhela making session. It is then I realize I have found my people. I am sure we have made our hosts and tour guide blush a time or two during this activity.

We finish our day trip with a visit to a local winery where we learn about the qvevri wine making process. Qvevri are large clay pots where everything about the grape is stored: fruit, skin and seeds. They are left to ferment for up to 6 months. After the wine juice is filtered out from the byproducts, the leftovers is used to make cha-cha, the very strong liquor I have had much of during my travels.

We try three wines and three cha-cha during our tasting. Our host is very funny and animated and shares his wines with passion. It is soon time to go so I buy a bottle to later share and we head back to the resort and spa because other ladies have their massage appointments today.

As soon as we get off the bus I head underground to start the wine tour at our winery resort. The guide shows us the wine making process. We head back upstairs and try three generous pours of their wines.

We have another long dinner, a sunset and some fun with sparklers.

After a late start we start our journey back to Tbilisi. We have some free time before dinner and some choose to use that time to enjoy the city but I spend the time packing since I have to leave for my flight at 2:30am in the morning.

We attend a dinner show with more Georgian dance and singing. I am pleased to find out it is different than the one I previously attended. I enjoy the dance, food, wine and good company. In the midst of this there is a feeling that even though some will continue their adventures together after this we are at the end of our journey. We have a fun bus ride back to the hotel that includes singing. Off the bus I give my hugs because I don’t think I have another late night in me. The tour has been such a fun experience. I am glad I have taken a chance on a new group. I hope to run into these lovely ladies in my future travels.

Thank you Georgia and thank you ladies for a great time!

We made it back to Tbilisi. I have one day with my friend and then she flies back home.

We check into the hotel quickly and then walk to Fabrika again since the new hotel is closer. We stop at a fancy wine store on the way and grab a bottle just before it starts pouring rain again. This is will be the last bottle of Georgian wine we enjoy together before my friend takes off soon. But tonight we have reservations for a dinner show. The show we are attending is a traditional Georgian show with music, dance and food. We’ve been wanting to see one of these shows but they no longer have any like these in Kutaisi so this is our last chance before my friend leaves.

Tonight’s dinner show is at the Georgian House. They serve traditional Georgian food but we try something new -pickled cabbage similar to kimchi. There is a large traditional band that plays folk songs and periodically dancers come out to entertain us with the unique dancing style of Georgia.

The night is great but after lots of wine and it being a travel day I decide to sleep in a bit the next morning. We try a sulphur bathhouse close to our hotel, a great low key idea. This bath is recommended by another passenger on our bus ride back from Kutaisi yesterday. The spa is close, less crowded, and much cheaper than the ones in the main part of town. I am not much of a sauna person but I do alternate between the hot sulphur water and the cold bucket plunge. I may have even acted out a scene in the movie flashdance.

After the spa we visit more markets, view artwork, and of course there are more cats to admire.

There is once more another visit to the wine window and more town to explore. Having our fill of Georgian food we try italian food, some ice cream and dodge more rain again.

I cut the fun short because need to return back to the hotel to meet with my tour group for the next part of my adventures. The second half of my visit to Georgia is with a tour group from Girls Love Travel. I have been wanting to check out one of their tours forever.

I am introduced to everyone in our upcoming travel group and we talk logistics. After the meeting we head to a nearby bar with a DJ to celebrate a birthday of a new person I have just met on the tour. Only one other girl and I has never been on a tour with this company. It seems like a tight knit group but everyone seems open and nice. Looking forward to the next few days.

My travel companion leaves early in the morning while I am still sleeping. I am sad to see her go but I know she needs to get home. I am thankful I have some more people to spend time with. I love solo travel but there are moments I get lonely so this is nice for a change.