Lost in Old Tbilisi

By Monday of our residency I’d been in Tbilisi for two days, but between the tour to the countryside on Sunday and meetings for our project, there’s hardly been any time to wander around the city to get a flavor for the architecture.

Luckily, a group of the ladies from MAGP was able to sneak away to one of the famous sulfur baths of Tbilisi where we could recharge from the exhausting flight to Tbilisi. The drive from my afternoon meeting to Old Tbilisi also gave me a quick windshield tour of the city.

Driving down the main road by the river you’re able to get a sense of the impressive 21st century architecture of a city that also retains some of the flavor of Soviet times in its residential buildings. Cars are limited in the Old City, so my taxi dropped me off at the end of a street and gestured me towards what would end up being the wrong direction.

Streets of Old Tbilisi.

Luckily, getting a little lost in this part of town is a welcome diversion. Although the city streets can be deceptively steep, the side streets are a delight to wander through. The bathhouse itself is housed in a gorgeous blue tiled building, reflecting the influence of Georgia’s time as part of the Ottoman empire.

While I enjoyed the trip to the sulfur baths themselves, I am also grateful that the trip unexpectedly gave me the opportunity to see a different part of the city that we will call home this week. 

-- Lori B., Cohort 4