Off to the Old City to see the "famous" Clock Tower and other wonders

 October 15, 2021

I fell asleep hard and early last night, so I was able to wake and shower and yoga and dress at a reasonable hour. I tell Ammar I'm going to breakfast and he tells me to go on.  Later I realize that he did that all in his sleep and he just makes it down to breakfast before they close at 11:00! 

During breakfast I chat with the girl from reception who sent us to Marani's last night.  She wants to be sure we had a good time!  And I smile and wave at several of the other staff whom I remember from the previous week.  They all are so friendly and make me comfortable eating by myself.  I even meet a Georgian man who went to University in the States.  He allowed me go to before him in the omelet line and we have a pleasant chat.

Ammar said this heart was coming straight to me!

We are both doing our morning check-ins before heading into the Old City for shopping and sightseeing. Then we head to reception so they can call us a cab.  I want to see the crazy Clock Tower!  At the top of each hour there is an angel that comes out and strikes a bell to announce the time.  It's reminiscent of the astronomical clock in Prague;  but not on nearly as grand a scale. The level of whimsy is its charm, all askew and odd, even with a steel beam to attempt to hold it up straight!  What a hoot!

Our cabbie winds up at a street that is blocked;  but we're close and we tell him it's fine.  We'll find it.  And we do, of course, and have time to check out a little of the area.  There's a church that dates from the fifth or sixth century and a lady selling actual art work, not just tourist stuff and a marvelous bench complete with two occupants.

This type of red brick construction is typical.

Two paths diverged...

Isn't it adorably weird?!

details

"Anty covid juice"

Ammar called this Melodie and Her Cats

There's a puppet theatre, too, with shows at noon and seven.

The ancient church is just peeking out.

more clock details

We follow the river to the pedestrian Bridge of Peace and cross to the other side to try and find out what the structure is that has been fascinating us.  I get caught up taking pictures while Ammar asks a man what it is. Turns out that it's a theatre but that it isn't open.  We can't decide if it just isn't finished or it is being renovated. We can hear the workers inside, so something is happening.

Theatre

Bridge of Peace

wedding venue!

The presidential palace (is that an oxymoron?)

I really want to go back to the park where they were selling Soviet souvenirs and handmade goodies. Ammar knows that it's close to the Galleria Mall and asks directions to the mall.  From their he retraces our steps and I find what I'm looking for.

We continue to follow the river, feeling sure that there will be another bridge  so that we can get back to "our" side.  Other capital cities, like Paris and Dublin, with rivers in the middle have lots of bridges.  Not this one!  By the time we hail a cab we've walked about five miles.  And this crazy man wants fifty GEL to take us home!  When Ammar can't convince him of the error of his ways, we give him ten and get out. Soon another stops but he looks at our hotel's name and says no!  In Jordan you can turn a cabbie into the police for refusing to take you!  Obviously not here!  We d

o finally find someone willing to make the trek and he takes the back way (read that - very long!). and I'm not sure we'll get home!  Ammar is, though, and he's right!

We're way too beat to go out to dinner and just go downstairs to see what's on offer.  There's a buffet for only forty GEL;  but it doesn't start until eight o'clock and we'll never last that long!  We ask for the menu and at first the only option is the QR code.  I don't have internet in the dining room, so I'm out!  Ammar does;  but I've already comments on how much I hate those stupid things and our cute little waitress brings paper menus.  I choose the chicken burger and Ammar asks about the steak.  Is it really beef, like from a cow?  Oh, yes, she says!  And it comes with vegetables!  My dinner comes with fries, so that works out, we just swap sides!

I've never seen a steak like this.  It's nearly spherical, quite tough, and the color of over-cooked liver.  The flavor is quite unusual as well and he asks again if it is from a cow because we've never seen anything like it!  We're told that's what steak looks like here.  Lesson learned!  Breakfast here is great.  Dinner, not so much.  But it's food and, actually, my chicken burger was quite good.  I feel a little guilty;  but at least he got his French fries!

No, it's not vodka or chacha, just water.

The olive oil on the left and butter on the right!  And isn't the bread gorgeous!

Well, the veggies were delicious!

And the chicken was very good.  I wound up leaving most of the bread and swapping
my fries for Ammar's veggies.

Back upstairs we go and another day is in the books.

In the meantime, my driver for tomorrow's tour into the mountains has reached out on WhatsApp to see what time I want to be picked up.  I'm a little confused;  I thought the time was eight o'clock.  I guess that was negotiable?  I stick with it;  but I wonder if there will be anyone else on this tour?? Should be interesting!!