New Day, Lazy Day!

 October 3, 2021

We get kind of a late start to breakfast and finally wander back upstairs to consider the day.  Consensus is that a nap might be in order after all the jet lag and four miles of walking.  During that time the plumber comes to fix the issue of water on the floor (the bidet hose was leaking a little) and the handy man fixes the bathroom light that seems to go out as if on a timer and housekeeping is turned away altogether! 

Tomatoes and cucumbers are s staple everywhere but at home!  And delicious cheeses!

Only two people at a time in the elevators, and in opposite corners.

One of Tbilisi's claims to fame is the hot sulfur springs for which the town was named and which caused the king to move hiss capital here.  But everything I read describes the baths as a significantly NOT relaxing experience.  One woman spoke of a man as strong as a half bear/half wolf scrubbing the skin off her body before she was plunged into a freezing bath.  Oh!  No!  I just need a real massage!  Turns out there's a spa that is part of the hotel, in an adjacent building.  We make appointments for 4:00 and 5:00.  Our masseuse has the strongest fingers!  She found places I didn't know I had!!  I feel so much better.  It was described as a Swedish massage and I loved it.  Afterwards I came out to drink my tea and Ammar is already there, waiting his turn, and drinking his own!  He goes in and I finish my cuppa and wander back upstairs, stopping for some photo ops and to talk to the girl at reception about wine tours and dinner possibilities.

Ammar drags back upstairs complaining that he has been broken!  I guess Swedish isn't his cup of tea, so to speak.  We debate the dinner possibilities and after checking again with the front desk we settle on Marani's in the Old City.  And I make reservations for one of the many, many wine tours on Tuesday.  I'm pretty sure we won't be able to get up early enough tomorrow since we're getting such a late start on dinner.

We go down stairs and plan to stop at the bank in the lobby for car fare but there is a small group of Saudi's who don't seem to be in any hurry to leave!  We give up and go to the ATM instead.  And now, of course, the Saudis leave, so we can at least break one of the hundred-lari notes into something suitable for a taxi!  

And speaking of taxis, our new friend at the front desk calls one for us. It will be eleven lari or just under four dollars.  We are delivered safely, although there is some doubt as to where the front door might be.

Eventually someone inside opens it and we are admitted to party central!  The music is loud and upbeat and there are groupies having a blast dancing too the music and entertaining the crown and themselves.  The menu is on a QR code attached to a block of wood. Oto, our waiter, identifies it as such as he puts it down on the table.  No way can I convince my phone to open it;  but Ammar's is much more cooperative.  But that doesn't change the fact that it is all in Georgian and there are no pictures.  Ammar is able to get his favorite shrimp dish and I ask for the two Georgian specialties I can identify.  And Oto suggests a red, semi-sweet wine.

Ammar's shrimp arrives first and I succumb to hunger and temptation.  Delicious!  Then my Chakapuli arrives.  It looks like a pizza to me, nothing like any of the dozens of phots I've seen!  But Oto assures me that's what it is, and whatever you call it, it's fabulous!  And the dumplings, khinkali, arrive last.  I only ordered three thinking I'd have one or two and Ammar would eat the rest.  Ha.  It took all my efforts to convince him to have a single bite! They remind me of soup dumplings, in that they are filled with spiced meat and broth.  Very yummy.

Ninja flower seller!

The band has played almost continually!  Oto says they play one night a week and that there are three other bands who have similar weekly gigs.  I want to take some night time shots from the other side of the dining room and leave Ammar to deal with the check.  When I come back we're ready to venture out into the light drizzle which has started up. He's ready to find a taxi but I've read that there's a waterfall and that it is light at night!  The hunt begins!

As I said, a light drizzle!

Okay, now I'm happy and the harder hunt begins - finding a taxi who knows where out hotel is located!  After being refused by several cabbies we find a brave man who stops a group of his compadres to be sure he's heading in the right direction!  He's done a find job and we are delivered home.  We stop to thank our reception lady most profusely and head upstairs to turn into pumpkins!