Kutaisi to Gori

A lazy start and a breakfast with real eggs, blintzes, dumplings, cherry compote, and walnut pastries began our day as we stepped off from the B&B for a walk up to the Bagarati Cathedral and the ruins of the old city walls and fortress.

Afterward we ventured into the local market for produce, supplies, and vodka. A fellow was selling "cha-cha" (Georgian fire water) so who could resist. Our livers will probably all explode!

We then hit the road and were on our way to Gori, birthplace of Stalin. Soon we were into the Caucasus Range and climbing fast. On a meadow overlooking a small valley we stopped to make lunch. Cows were grazing amongst us and along side the road. It was very peaceful under the blue sky.

Back on the road we started a chess match. The roads were a myriad of potholes and the going was slow. Soon we were in a canyon followed a meandering trout stream. The architecture changed and for a while I thought we were in Tennessee.

We arrived in Gori at sunset. Rainy and bleak, the city is a complex of rundown former USSR government buildings. Our hotel is on Stalin Ave. and was at one time the only hotel in Gori. Marble columns and chandeliers in the lobby, no furniture, and a stark marble stairwell to the third floor. The second floor was closed and had no lights. Flashlights were required to get further up. Surprisingly our rooms were quite nice with full baths and really comfy beds...AND...hot water for the first time in three days! Dinner was next door, included, and was a nice braised chicken breast with shroom sauce and a "few" glasses of wine! Can't stop thinking of that Beatles song, "back in the USSR."

We ended the night with a room party to sample the vodkas we has purchased earlier! Ugh....long night and an early start. LMAO!