Don Curry occasionally likes it when his everyday life is well-ordered and regular. This brings peace to his existence and prevents any unwanted stress. Ultimately, his sophisticated vacation planning also serves this goal: it is meant to impose at least some organizing structure on the new and unknown. Curry already knows today which monastery he will visit the day after tomorrow; he doesn't have to think about it on that day. But to prevent any impression of impending monotony, Don Curry deliberately plans contrasts, as far as the traveled country allows. From the tranquil idyll of Tusheti to the bustling city life of Tbilisi. From the abundance of various shades of green in the Armenian Switzerland to the parched steppe landscape of southern Armenia. Don Curry likes such contrasts; and that's exactly what he has planned for today.
It was much quieter to sleep with the balcony door closed. So Don Curry could calmly pick up Xerra from her parking space and drive up to Aliance Palace. He was able to make it clear to the immediately approaching security guard, who wanted to shoo him away, that he just wanted to pick up his luggage from upstairs. He was allowed to do so. After one last look from the balcony at the Black Sea, Don Curry threw himself into the traffic chaos of Batumi, which probably rages around the clock. First, he had to catch up on a program point from the day before yesterday. South of Batumi, just before the Turkish border, is the fortress of Gonio, which was built in the Middle Ages on the ruins of the ancient city of Apsaros. Don Curry strolled briefly through the fortress grounds, which could actually only bore him compared to the Rabati fortress in Akhaltsikhe. Only the ongoing excavations brought something interesting into the facility. However, Don Curry found it remarkable that the grave of the apostle Matthias was shown here - according to ancient Georgian tradition. Don Curry doesn't know what the people in Trier think about it. After all, the same apostle is buried there.
After this detour, the basic direction of the day consistently pointed north. Don Curry drove past Batumi and parallel to the coastline to Poti. The forests of Colchis were declared Georgia's first UNESCO World Heritage Site there. However, the national park can only be explored on multi-day hikes or with boat tours if enough fellow travelers are already available. As a third option, a view from the shore of the large lake, which is part of the national park, must suffice. This is exactly what Don Curry settled for. Poti has another special feature: the only cathedral in
Georgia in the neo-Byzantine style. It looked a bit like a smaller version of Hagia Sophia, but it couldn't remotely match its splendor and dignity. Don Curry almost scared a cleaning lady to death when he entered, who hadn't noticed his entrance at all and screamed as he suddenly passed her. But Don Curry quickly reassured the poor woman.
Beyond Poti, Xerra gradually left the coastal area, as this is where the region of Abkhazia begins, which is recognized by Russia alone and which seceded from Georgia 25 years ago. The flatland gradually gave way to hills, and Xerra could finally show off her curve qualities again. In the small village of Tsalenjikha, another cathedral awaited Don Curry's appreciation, dating from the early Middle Ages. But unfortunately, the metal door to the church grounds was already locked, so Don Curry couldn't even get close to the church. Instead, he admired the peculiarities of the local village cemetery, where some family graves had developed into covered pavilions so that people could mourn with sun protection.
Now the hilly landscape smoothly turned into real mountainous terrain. Don Curry returned to the High Caucasus. He drove on a paved but often poor and pothole-ridden road to Upper Svaneti, to the land of the Svans. Like the Tush, this mountain people also has its own language and culture. The Svans are famous for their spicy cuisine and their warrior past. Until the end of the 20th century, one had to expect robberies in Svaneti, until the Svans realized that the emerging tourism represented a much more elegant method of exploiting foreigners. The numerous defensive towers are outstanding witnesses of Svan history and culture. In earlier times, every house had its own defensive tower, in which the whole family could take refuge during attacks by other peoples or sieges. Don Curry arrived in Upper Svaneti with radiant sunshine. Soon he could see snow-covered peaks in all directions, including the famous Ushba, the Terrible. And he also saw his first Svan defensive towers in the villages he drove through. Along the way, he passed several medieval churches, most of which are small and located on a hill above the village behind a defensive wall. Unfortunately, they are almost always locked. After Don Curry had completed two unsuccessful climbs, he gave up and drove directly to Mestia, the capital of Upper Svaneti and Don Curry's destination for today. He could only describe his first view of Mestia as breathtaking. In the gentle evening light, dozens of defensive towers were illuminated by the sun's rays, against the backdrop of the white glittering peaks of the High Caucasus - a real dream image!
Don Curry quickly found the Suntower Hotel, which was currently in the intermediate stage between not yet finished construction (parking lot) and slowly decaying (facade). It fully met his needs and offered a beautiful view over Mestia with its defensive towers and the surrounding mountains, even from Don Curry's balcony. Since his apartment in Batumi did not provide breakfast and there was no time for lunch, Don Curry's stomach was rumbling noticeably. The centrally located "Café Laila" is considered the best restaurant, and Don Curry wanted to have his dinner on the terrace there. Reservation notes were on all the tables, but a waiter pointed Don Curry to a table that was not reserved until 9:00 pm. Until then, Don Curry could eat and drink in peace for 2 hours. Don Curry ordered Badridzhani, chicken BBQ, French fries, and red tkemali sauce, along with a draft Zedazeni beer. Everything was delivered in excellent quality and partly very decoratively arranged. After a homemade chacha served with a slice of lemon, Don Curry returned to his hotel, extremely satisfied. He ordered breakfast for 9:30 am and looked forward to a night without traffic noise. From his balcony, he watched as the farmer from across the street sorted his cows, which were returning from the mountain pastures in small groups in the evening. The farmer's own cows were allowed through the gate onto the farm area, while the others were driven on quite aggressively. Don Curry had rarely seen cows move so quickly.
What a contrast: from the noisy Batumi to the tranquil Mestia, from the beach of the Black Sea to the high mountains at an altitude of 1400 m above sea level, from tourist spectacle to a Mecca for hikers and nature lovers, from the infernal honking of cars to the tinkling of cowbells. There can hardly be more contrast...
