It's Always an Adventure! (with photos)

Thursday, July 28, 2022

Another day filled with the unexpected!  It started off calmly enough.  There was plenty of time to pack and go collect our last free breakfast in the cave.  A full Turkish this time and no one ever could finish one of these!  Ammar has already made our return reservations for the end of the trip and all we have to do is go downstairs and have our lady call us a cab to the central bus station.  We arrive with lots of time to spare and Ammar goes to find out if there is bus service from Batumi to Kutaisi.  Turns out it goes to the Kutaisi airport and we'll need a cab from there.  When we get settled we'll give the train website another shot.

I could sure get used to someone bringing me a latte every morning!

The omelet goes with the Turkish breakfast!!  The katchapuri is Ammar's.

We're on the bus with no difficulty, although the wifi doesn't allow everyone to be on at once, I finish what I need and let Ammar sign on as I am signing off.  The magic screen doesn't offer much in English but they do have the halftime shows from a lot of NFL games!  I'm guess they are Super Bowls because they are so elaborate!  Those of us who don't watch football are quite impressed!

Fascinating old buildings in Tbilisi

And even more fascinating modern architecture

And the remnants of the Soviet era

Is this cool or what?  And it's a puppet that moves and even rears up!

I'm such a sucker for water and mountains!

And red-roofed villages nestled in a valley!

Always hold the high ground!

We left a little after noon and stopped around four for a comfort stop and to get munchies.  There is a Wendy's and a Duncan's - fast food heaven.  But at least we can hold out now until Batumi.  I've been corresponding with Beqa, who owns (manages?) the Seaside Apartments to let him know the bus in running a little late.  He is supposed to meet us to let us in.  Little did we know that we were going to be a lot later.  About twenty minutes outside of Batumi the bus died.  Ammar and several of the other men push the darn thing out of the road as traffic streaks by us. Little by little we all realize what's going on and gather our belongings from inside the bus and our luggage from its underbelly and hope for a cab.

Horses!  We did see a cowboy a few days ago herding his cattle on horseback!

And just like the horses, the cows are on the roadside.

We snag one and I WhatsApp Beqa to tell him what's going on.  He says no problem, he will wait for us.  I've got the address and although our driver speaks no English, we're on a main road that I can somewhat pronounce and we tell the number of the building with our fingers.  When we get there, it doesn't look promising and there is no one to be seen.  Our driver phones Beqa (he's a really helpful guy)  He's actually here, inside somewhere and our driver stays with us until Beqa arrives. That's a relief!

I remember there being a lift in the booking app but he starts up some stairs!  Happily when we turn the corner the lift is there.  It just about holds three people and makes weird noises.  And you have to drop a ten cent coin into a machine before it will take you up!  Down is free!  Now I'm really nervous about this, our first apartment.  Shouldn't have worried!  It's gorgeous on the inside, even if it looks like a Soviet slum from the outside!  Two bedrooms, full kitchen, enormous living room.  jacuzzi in the bathroom, and red wine with two hand painted glasses waiting on the coffee table!! There is even a basket with ten-cent pieces for the elevator!  The only rub is that he wants cash for the rent! I can give him a third of it and we'll get the rest tomorrow while we're out, or later tonight.

Good thing you can't see the shower.  I'm sure it hold the record for world's smallest! 
But there's lots of hot water!!

I know you can't see it, but there's a sink behind Ammar.

There's also a second bedroom with twin beds.

Going...

This greeted us on the coffee table.

Going...

Gone

Not a welcoming doorway!!  You'ddnever guess what's inside!  And 13 is my lucky number!

Batumi is a night-time city!

Every night, apparently!  This was at 11:11 but the next night it was a midnight.
They only last a couple of minutes.

After some exploring and unpacking and coffee-making, we venture out for some food and an ATM.  Everything is either crowded or looks really expensive and we wind up at Mickey D's.  It's crowded, too, but it's a known quantity and we're much too tired for any more new experiences.  We do learn how to order on the machine, though!  On the way home we ask several times for the location of an ATM with no luck until Ammar spots one on a side street!  YAY!  Both missions accomplished we make it home, stop to buy a melon, and after not too long head to bed.  Our tour guide is picking us up in the morning at 7:45 which made sense when I thought we'd be able to get train tickets.  That would have gotten us in at 2:00 in the afternoon, not nearly 7:30 at night!  Oh well, it will be a great tour and the rest of the time in Batumi is our own to schedule. Saturday will probably be another down day!  Sorry - pictures probably on Saturday!!  The tour is very long tomorrow, so I might not even get to post!!  Sweet dreams!