20 Things to do in Georgia, The Country

I heard a lot of people say that Georgia is underrated. That captured me then because anywhere underrated is interesting.

And the journey begins. . .

1 Tour around Liberty Square

Liberty Square is located in the heart of Tbilisi. If you are taking the train, you can take off to Liberty Square Subway Station, which is connected to Galleria Mall. Bolt (like Uber) is also a very convenient and affordable means of transportation when getting around the town.

You will find places such as Georgian Museum, Freedom Monument, Tbilisi Street Market & City Hall.

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2 Take photographs in Rezo Gabriadze Marionette Theater

The Marionette Theatre is a puppet theatre dedicated to Rezo Gabriadze. This is a popular tourist spot in Tbilisi where you could take pictures outside the theatre with its interesting clock tower.

You could also find paintings, street markets and restaurants around the area.

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3 Cross the Bridge of Peace

The bow- shaped bridge is one of the landmarks in Tbilisi since it officially opened in 2010. This sits over the Mtkvari river which connects the Old Tbilisi and Rike Park.

While crossing the bridge, don’t forget to take photos of the stunning unique architectural design. There are also a lot of people selling boat ride packages and if you have a leisure of time you can try. The price of the packages varies from each person, so be wise.

4 Climb to Narikala Fortress

You can either take a cable car from Rike park or hike up from old town to Narikala Fortress. The stunning view of Tbilisi is surely worth the visit.

5 Experience Tbilisi famous cable car

Unlike other cable cars that would cost you a lot of money, the Tbilisi famous cable car only costs 2 Lari or a dollar for a ride! This is really worth trying when in Tbilisi.

6 Taste Local Tbilisi Food

One of the things I enjoyed in Tbilisi is their affordable food. Everyone should try Khinkali (meat dumpling), Khachapuri, Mtsvadi (pork barbecue) & Lobiani. Although, there are a lot more you could try from their local restaurants.

If you just walk around Freedom Square you could find an alley of restaurants where variety of options are available to choose from.

7 Visit Sighnaghi Georgia’s City of Love

Kakheti is one of the small towns in Georgia that I also enjoyed from the trip. The town is very peaceful and the people are friendly.

Going around Kakheti would be very convenient when renting a car that only costs 40-50 Lari. The driver already knows the places which are really good to visit in Kakheti but could also get you to specific places depending on your preference.

Just for FYI. A lot of tourists say that Kakheti has the best wine in the entire Georgia.

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8 Find Serenity in Bodbe Monastery

The monastery was built in the village of Bodbe, Kakheti after the late St. Nino who witnessed the conversion of Georgians to Christianity. It was originally built in the 9th- 11th century but has been modified in time.

The place is very relaxing and would actually let you forget the hustle and bustle of the city for awhile.

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9 Lunch at The Terrace Sighnaghi

If you are like me who is fun of panoramic views, Terrace Sighnaghi is a place to dine. A nice view of the entire Kakheti is worth to see while taking a time to eat lunch.

Although, they dont have a lot of food to offer but their banana crepe is good.

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10 Walk on the Sighnaghi Great Wall

The wall is one of the most historic monuments in Kakheti and even throughout Georgia. It is considered as the second longest wall in the entire world with about 5 kilometers after the Great Wall of China.

11 Take your breath away in Gadauri

Gadauri is a paradise.

You would be in awe of the Caucasus mountains. The place is simply breathtaking that you would really want to stay longer.

There are many recreational activities you could try such as paragliding, helicopter ride, skiing (during winter) and cable car. I would suggest you stay in Gadauri for a couple of days if you would like to take hold of the beautiful nature for a while.

12 Stay close to the sun at 2300 meters high at Gergeti Church in Kazbegi

The Gergeti Church is located on top of the mountains and would need you to take a whole day of hiking or around 30 minutes 4×4 ride. The church is just the same with other Georgian churches that we visited but you will never regret the outstanding view on top.

13 Stop by Ananuri Church and Fortress

Georgia is a very historical country with a lot churches that describe their faith.

Along the way going to Gadauri, you could stop by Ananuri Chuch Fortress. Other than the interesting history of the church, the stunning view of the river that separates the mountains is worth to visit.

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14 Feel the Breeze along Stepantsminda Mineral Water Springs

Even we visited the Stepantsminda in Summer, the weather is still at 14 degree celcius which felt like spring.

The Stepantsminda Mineral Water Springs is one of the places you could just dropped by when visiting Gadauri.

15 Gaze at the tall pillars of The Chronicles of Georgia

What I like about Georgia is that there are so many historical and tourists spots that you could visit for free and this is one of them. This is located near Tbilisi sea.

The massive pillars of The Chronicles of Georgia speak a lot of history and faith of the Georgians. There are 16 pillars and each pillar tells a story. The top half of the pillars features kings, queens and heroes while the bottom part depict stories from the life of Christ.

16 Pose in the most Instagrammable place of Tbilisi

You would never imagine that there would be a jewel inside this famous house.

A lot of people are drawn to the artistic colorful design of the windows that is very cool to take picture of.

17 Take a ride on the Frunicular going to Mstminda Park

The ride would only cost around 5 Lari / a dollar or two. There are ferris wheel, carousel and a lot more of recreational activities you could try in the Park.

Other than that, you can just sit and marvel the great view of the entire Tbilisi.

18 Pay a visit to the largest Holy Trinity Church in Georgia

The Holy Trinity Cathedral in Tbilisi, Georgia or commonly called Sameba is the main cathedral of the Church of Georgia.

19 Sight seeing in Old Tbilisi Town

Old Tbilisi town has a lost of historical things to visit and enjoy. The place has interesting architecture with beautiful terraces and colourful designs.

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20 Dine at the No. 1 Steakhouse in Georgia

What is a better way to cap off the trip than to have a good fine steak at No.1 Steakhouse in Georgia.

Their service is good and so the food. I think there are also some other restaurants you could try but we were satisfied with our dinner here. 🙂

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Aberdeen, Scotland: Where Good Things Last

I have never heard of this place before. Every time I hear the UK I would immediately think of London or England where all the bright, talented and elegant people live. I didn’t know that UK has a place where I could marvel and wish to stay.

It was almost midnight when I landed in Aberdeen. The night was cold and the streets were empty. My heart was thumping as I took the cab from the airport to my hotel but I know I wasn’t scared I was just unfamiliar.

Everything in the place was different. The stores were closing at 7pm. The buildings were made of granite giving the town a classic english era. The food tasted organic as if they were all from a nearby farm where no preservatives added. And the people, they speak Scottish specifically the Aberdeen accent, which is very different from the English language that I learned and practiced.

“hey mate.” A friendly greeting from a colleague.

“half past ten.” A different way of telling time.

“I shall post it tomorrow.” When they say they will send something i.e. mail.

“Aye.” When they mean yes. And a lot more words that I pretended I understood during my stay but really didn’t get a chance to ask, ” What do you mean?”

Not only the way they speak let me travelled back in time but also the place itself. Imagine the streets and buildings erected in 1500s? Imagine a clock that bells at 6pm and the entire city centre could hear? Imagine a cemetery located at the centre of the town and all were buried 500 years ago?

I thought I was in a theme park as I strolled around Aberdeen. I could see statues, paintings, museums, palaces, and a lot more interesting things.

Aberdeen is definitely a remembrance of the past and will continue to be a reminder of a place where good things last.

London: A Place to Visit

“London is a place to visit.”

If you are a traveller and not from England, London is one of those places that’s probably in your bucket list. It’s like a dream destination.

Yet, London was never a dream destination for me and was never included on my list. Not that I did not like England I just did not fancy going there. However, I had a chance to visit the place. It was a side trip after work. And so I found myself checking museums, parks, palaces, and even random streets, and to be honest, London did not disappoint me.

Even I guess you are already residing in England there are still so much to see, to explore, and to discover in the place.

I know all places have stories to tell, but London is different.I would say that each place has stories that bridged the past to the present. The old english streets and buildings speak a lot of noble craftsmen who put so much effort to sculpt and design beautiful statues.

I could not justify with words the hard work all artists have accomplished to make the city a place of great art. But, I could give them my utmost appreciation for putting London on top of the many places to visit in the world.

Ras Al Khaimah: Weekend Break

Have you had that feeling when you just wanted to move around a bit? To wake up in cities you don’t know your way around? Have you had that longing in your heart to be lost, to be someplace else, to be far far away from all the chaos?

I found myself waking up on a friday morning in Ras Al Khaimah. It’s bizzare to be in this place, firstly because there is nothing too great to see here. Secondly, it’s located in the far north of the emirate which is quite far from Dubai and so what am I even doing in this state?

The cold sea breeze hugged me as Im walking to the balcony of the villa. The calmness, the serenity, the silence, “Ah! Peace!” I exclaimed. I am searching for peace.

When your world has been too much, when everywhere you go you hear people, chattering, whispering, making you feel troubled of their own stories, you start longing for a place to rest. You start looking for a quiet haven where silence is comfort.

There is always a season in me that I wanted to disconnect and to disengage, not because I am sick of all the people, I just wanted to hear my heart and mostly, I wanted to hear God completely.

This place isn’t like a paradise, it’s not like an oasis you imagined to see in a desert. This place is probably the usual beach resort you would see in postcards or magazines or internet.

But, one thing I would cherish here is the soft voice from the Father telling me, “You are home in My arms.”

Abu Dhabi: A Quick Tour

A two hour bus ride going from Dubai to Abu Dhabi is quite long just to visit one place in a day.

“It’s not worth it,” I convinced myself not to waste my time in a not-so-interesting place. I didn’t like going to popular spots. It’s because when I read good reviews of the place I tend to have high expectations but when I arrived in the place, I get disappointed.

“But, it’s holiday and I got an extra day to waste just in case I would not enjoy.”

My friend and I headed directly to the Grand Mosque. And I would say, the place was interesting. . .

The Grand Mosque is the world’s largest marble mosaic. The architectural details, the material used to construct the Mosque and the inlaid floral design were gorgeous.

But what really captured my interest was when we entered the mosque barefooted, the floor was flawless. It was immaculate! With hundreds of people visiting the place, I wonder how they would able to maintain such spotless floor.

I am in awe of how they continue to preserve and keep the Mosque worthy of its beauty.

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Kuala Lumpur: Chinatown

The rain started to pour on my way to Chinatown. The thunder was loud. The streets were wet. People were hastily getting off the street as they hid themselves to the small canopies of the stores, enough to keep them dry.

I did not mind the rain. Instead, I happily walked around with splatters on my shoes. I searched for nothing in particular. I entered to different shops while my eyes wandered. I found stores selling dried leaves for tea, dried fish, and dried meat. I saw vendors selling Asian fruits like Durian and Jackfruit. Souvenirs were displayed and items were offered cheap. It would have been nice to have bought something, but my eyes were full, my feet ached sore. The rain subsided. I left the place telling myself, “it is time to write.”

Singapore: First Travel Abroad

I once told myself “Go write down your journey with your feet aching from long days of strolling in places you do not know, in sceneries you have not seen before, and in shops you visited to haggle for a souvenir. Do not forget to take photographs.”

So, here I am writing down lessons and experiences, not to brag and boast an underserved blessing but to share something deeper than a shallow travel abroad.

I want to share arts and culture I have witnessed, hope and faith I have observed, and wisdom and knowledge I have learned from my short trip.

1. Arts and Culture

It’s the every detail of each place that makes the city extraordinary. There is an elite form of craft in every place of the country. Their canvas is their streets where the building’s aesthetics, the landscape, and the parks are worthy to gaze upon. The city speaks of its own kind of art that involved its culture and lifestyle.

There is this kind of harmony even if there are differences of language, races and religions. I learned during my trip that Singaporeans have Malay, Chinese and Indian races. These made me realized that the country is a heritage.

I can say that the treasure of the city is not the fast moving economic growth but the preservation of the arts and culture of the people that make the country one of the most visited places in the world.

Marina Bay Sands, Singapore ©aylinyee 081217