Tbilisi - History and Future

May 27, 2024. Day 2 of 13. Bright sunshine greets us this morning. Perfect for exploring the bustling city of millions on foot. The difference in altitude was noticeable through winding alleys and some crooked stone steps. Numerous Christian Orthodox churches show the still deeply connected Christianity. The Georgians believe that this is the only explanation for the fact that they still exist despite the painful, changeable fate! According to legend, hot sulphurous thermal springs, which are still used, were the reason for the founding of Tbilisi. The city's founder is said to be King Wolfshaupt, who used to wear a wolf's skull on his head. The beauty of the city is reflected in the picturesque alleys with filigree wooden balconies, which often look a bit dilapidated. Some buildings are also crooked. An aged patriarch still enjoys great respect and a financially skilled oligarch makes no secret of his influence on the city and the country. Georgia still has a rocky road ahead of it towards joining the EU. The population is currently demonstrating loudly for a westward orientation. A sea of white and red stripes of fabric blow along the large boulevard past the parliament, museums and opera house, expressing the strong national consciousness. After almost 7 hours, we are happy to be able to cover the last few kilometers of our impressive city tour by metro. After a very fast and incredibly long escalator into the depths, this is a real hell ride in rattling but functioning Soviet technology. Today we got to know the soul of the Georgian people in an impressive way: very humorous, pragmatic, with a strong will to survive and creativity. In the evening, we enjoyed a breathtaking view of the city from a restaurant above the city and an opulent banquet in the Georgian tradition. The wine is not enjoyed without a toast. The first toast always begins with a toast to peace. Our tour group has now adopted this beautiful tradition and so this time I started with this toast. Since the dishes follow one another quite quickly, it is possible to slow down the pace of the banquet with more or less long toasts. In the meantime, dark storm clouds had risen on the horizon. Nevertheless, a small group of daring people decided to take a nighttime ascent in a tethered balloon. At around 10 p.m. we saw the white balloon rise silently into the night sky above the city. Unfortunately, our waving, light signals and shouting went unnoticed and we only received strange looks from the other restaurant guests. Thankfully, the weather had calmed down, so everyone returned safe and happy.