Day 1 in The Republic of Georgia – A Cure for Melancholy

After arriving in Tbilisi on Tuesday afternoon, still feeling melancholy, I checked into our hotel, the Iota Hotel, and then walked around for a few hours to check out Tbilisi. I decided to buy street food and eat dinner at Rike Park, located across the Kura River, which runs through the middle of the city. It is one of the longest rivers in the entire Caucuses Region. 

To get across the river, I walked across the beautiful pedestrian Freedom Bridge. After exploring some more, I went back to my hotel and watched some World Cup Soccer – still feeling melancholy. 

The next day, our first full day in Georgia was to be spent in Tbilisi, the capital. Because I awoke at 1 a.m. and could not fall back asleep, I went for a run along the Kura River at 5:30 a.m. As with Boston, Chicago, Paris, Florence, Rome, London, NYC, Philadelphia, and other cities that have rivers running g through them, I love running along the river early in the morning, before the city wakes up and rumbles to life. And I needed this morning’s run more than most.

At breakfast I met my fellow 10 travelers. I have been on 13 Backroads Trips with my friend Pete. The trips always include memorable cycling or thinking routes, beautiful scenery, interesting cultural experiences and amazing food and wine. But the most rewarding and interesting part of every trip is getting to know our fellow travelers. Always… And my 10 fellow travelers, who I got know as the day progressed, are amazing. They became the tonic for my melancholy. When I called Elizabeth after today’s activities, she could tell that I was back – I was Johnnie the Traveller again. 

Tamara, our amazing guide, took us through Tbilisi’s Old Town, the famous sulfur baths and a cable car ride to the Mother of Georgia statue at the top of small mountain that overlooks Tbilisi. We then had an Amazing lunch at Pictograma, famous for its Khinkali, or soup dumplings. Afterwards we visited the Georgian National Museum, which had both beautiful and emotionally difficult exhibits. After the museum visit, many of us went back to the hotel for much needed naps, including me.

This IS a food and wine trip so before dinner we had a wine tasting at Warehouse, a hip wine bar, owned by the extraordinary John Wurdeman, who actually led the wine tasting and then joined us for dinner. Now, that was unexpected and mind-blowing. 

Wurdeman, who also founded Pheasant’s Tears Winery in Sighnaghi, which we will visit on Day Three of our trip, is truly a visionary. A very successful entrepreneur, John is from Virginia originally, trained at one of the leading Art Institutes in Moscow, and eventually ended up in Georgia to become one of the cadre of folks who have led the burgeoning growth of Natural Wines. I could write paragraphs on what I learned from John Wurdeman today. 

Our dinner at the restaurant Poliphonia  included polyphonic singing, which was truly unique and beautiful. The four gentlemen who sat with us and sang for us in an intimate setting is on Spotify and have done concerts all over the world. It was truly special. As one of my fellow travelers said last night, “They literally sang for their dinner.” But what a dinner! 

Poliphonia in Tbilisi features an unpretentious, seasonal menu of elevated Georgian-fusion dishes. Because the rotating menu relies entirely on the freshest market produce, they are particularly famous for their vegetable-forward plates and highly curated natural wine list. As I sat there eating a six course meal accompanied by beautiful natural wines, and being serenaded by gifted musicians, I think to myself, “There is no way any other day on this 12-Day trip can top today!” I cannot wait to find out…