Tbilisi. Mtatsminda.
We dedicated the entire second half of the day to this place. You can reach the top of Mtatsminda in several ways. This time, the closest option to our hotel was the cable car near Rustaveli metro station. We walked to the lower cable-car station - it looks like a white cream holiday cake. I wanted to say “with swirls,” but that is not true. It is a swirl by itself.
At the top there is a park for walks and entertainment. We bought boiled corn (the first one of this whole trip), and I lost about 150 RUB at the shooting range trying to knock down metal cylinders stacked one on another. Then we walked past the dinosaur park to the ferris wheel. Last time it was closed because of strong wind. This time it was open.
We paid for one round, stood in a small queue - for balance (as they said) they seated people only in every fifth cabin. We petted a local ginger cat that very willingly climbed onto laps. Mountain cat, they said: hunts snakes and bites through their heads. From the wheel there is a luxurious view of Tbilisi and the Greater Caucasus ridge on the horizon.
The contact zoo has not changed since last time. Always-hungry and therefore maximally social goats. Piggies. Absolutely non-contact but also eternally hungry guinea pigs. While eating, a guinea pig will sit in your palm.
It gets dark, it gets colder - time for a restaurant. “Funicular.” It has three parts. To the right: bistro section for proper food. Upstairs: a super-posh zone where you look at the menu, realize it is very expensive, and still stay hungry. On the left: Lagidze lemonades, desserts, khachapuri, fried pies. You want to try everything, so festive dinner turns into a mix of everything: lemonade, tea, ice cream, sweets to go. One square pastry with baked apple inside looked like the Cartesian square of a boa constrictor that swallowed an elephant.
Lagidze lemonade has its own story. It was developed by Stalin’s request as a counter to Coca-Cola. Now they sell a couple dozen flavors. You can mix them, for example tarragon + lemon. There are “forbidden” combinations. Alina really liked cream + lemon. It happened by accident.
On the way back, we rolled down by cable tram.
#trip #NewYear #Tbilisi