Off to the Koruldi Lakes and then to Tiblisi

Another excursion awaited me in Mestia. 

Let's go - up the mountain - 1350 m up and down again. 

The goal are the Koruldi Lakes. 

The ascent was super exhausting, but the view was worth it. 

But before we start - baking bread at Guesthouse Barbara with Marika, the guesthouse manager, and her mother. 

At the breakfast table, we could have a good discussion about the current political situation and how it affects the guests of the house. 

Two guests from Russia didn't agree at all and had to resort to their fists. 

There is also actually an effect at the breakfast table when the husband of a Polish couple refuses to sit at a table with a German. 

At this point - peace is really beautiful - do whatever you can to promote it! 

On the way to the lakes, I met a group of Turkish friends - they kindly invited me for coffee. 

When traveling, you often meet the same people in different places. 

So there was a traveler on the mountain who I had already met in Batumi. 

We hiked back together - let me tell you, my legs were like jelly... going downhill for about 1350 m - and had a beer on the roof of one of the famous towers in Usghuli and had Kutari and wine to satisfy our hunger. 

It's best to eat that with polyphonic traditional Georgian music.

The next day, I went to Zugsisi and then took the train to Tiblisi.

The mashrutka ride to Zugdidi was adventurous and with my 70-year-old Korean seatmate in the front row, we were able to wait together on the train.

However, the train ride was delayed due to floods. Luckily, I booked economy class. Haha - that means there's a curtain in the first-class compartment and that leads to the economy class. So nothing really crazy. 

But at this point, you also get to enjoy the smell of smoke from the train drivers and conductors who are still happily smoking on the train.