1. The trip to Georgia started with the visa processing, and the process was surprisingly smooth. All you need to do is submit a scanned copy of your passport and a two-inch photo with a white background, and you will get your visa in no time, which is valid for three months, allows you to stay for 30 days, and can go back and forth as many times as you like. On the day of departure, fly from Beijing to Urumqi and then transfer to Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia. The price of the air ticket is more than 2,000 yuan, which makes me feel distressed for a while. During the six-hour flight, I was in a low mood, and the in-flight meal looked good, but I had no appetite, just mechanically reminiscing about the past, and passing the time in a daze.
2. When the plane landed at Tbilisi airport, I looked out of the porthole over the city, and I was greeted by green valleys, flat grasslands and stylish churches, which made me look forward to this country. Walking out of the airport, I hit a Mercedes Benz, which was somewhat old and still pleasantly surprised me. When I arrived in Georgia, I found that there are a lot of second-hand cars here, most of them come from Europe, America or Japan, and the eliminated vehicles can still be used here, because there is no scrapping life, as long as they can be started, they can continue to be used. It is not uncommon to see many old "antique cars" on the streets.
3. Many people are not familiar with Georgia, a small country located in the central and western part of Eurasia, bordered by the Black Sea to the west, Turkey to the southwest, Russia to the north, and Azerbaijan and Armenia to the southeast. The country has an area of only 70,000 square kilometers and has its own language, and quite a few people also speak Russian. The law and order were good, and I walked through the streets of Tbilisi after 11 p.m. and did not feel any danger at all. Learn a few everyday Georgian phrases, such as Garmajoba (hello), Madroba (thank you), and Naxvamdis (goodbye), to quickly get closer to strangers.
4. The pace of life here is slow, and the local area is not rich, but people live casually, and their personalities are gentle and friendly. Many tourists like to travel to Georgia, which is a relatively unpopular destination, with pristine attractions, low commercialization, and cheap prices, which can be enjoyed for 2,000 to 5,000 yuan. Locals have average mental arithmetic skills, and they will always use a calculator for even simple calculations when checking out.
5. In Georgia, most of the people in the service industry are locals, hardworking and excellent service attitude, responsive to requests, and quick in action, which makes people can't believe that this is a white country. The 4G network coverage is almost 100 percent, and even on the deserted Kazbek Mountain, which is more than 5,000 meters high, it is full signal at full speed, and only a very small number of subway stations with a depth of 73 meters will there be a brief loss of signal during driving.
6. Urban transportation in Georgia. There are few zebra crossings, and crossing the road is basically based on underground sidewalks. Sometimes, even though there is only a 20-metre distance across the street, you have to take a 200-metre detour through an underground walkway to get to the opposite side. The design looks a little inconvenient, perhaps for the sake of pedestrian safety.
7. About 1,000 yuan can play here for a week, and the accommodation option is an ordinary hotel, 80 yuan per night. The daily diet is even more satisfying, and you can eat enough for 10 yuan. If you choose a high-end restaurant, three people order five dishes, plus a bottle of fine wine, a total of only more than 200 yuan. Compared with China, this price is really cost-effective, after all, it costs more than 300 yuan to eat a barbecue in China. A standard Georgian dinner consisting of a naan, a kebab, a bottle of local soda Borjomi, and a lentil soup. There is also a delicacy called "xiao long bao" Khinkali, which tastes somewhat similar to the domestic xiao long bao, but is more special. My favorite is the grilled chicken wings and hot and sour mushroom soup.
8. In Tbilisi, the ticket price of tourist attractions is mostly between 20 and 160 yuan. The temperature in September is around 23 degrees during the day and drops to 18 degrees at night, which is very pleasant and pleasant. In the evening, take the cable car up the hill to overlook Tbilisi, and the night view is breathtaking.
Another must-see attraction is the Ananuri Fortress Complex, which is surrounded by an emerald lake with breathtaking views. The fact that it was chosen as the cover cover of Lonely Planet: Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan shows its importance.
On my fourth day in Georgia, I headed to the famous Kazbek mountain. From Tbilisi, it takes about three and a half hours by journey bus. In the car, I met a local girl who was chatting in WeChat and Chinese, she was an international student at Lanzhou University, which made me feel very cordial. Once at the base of the mountain, I started trekking up the mountain, where I met enthusiastic locals who greeted me in a friendly manner and taught me some climbing tips. The scenery at the top of the mountain is indeed worthy of its name, overlooking the mountains in the distance, and the mountains are full of flowers up close, which is fascinating.
At an altitude of 5,047 meters, Mount Kazbek is the place where Prometheus was imprisoned by Zeus in Greek mythology for stealing fire, and it is also the third highest mountain in Georgia and the seventh highest in the Caucasus Mountains. It shares a border with Russia, and over the hill is the Russian Republic of North Ossetia. Temperatures in the mountains are cooler, around 8 to 12 degrees in September, so be sure to pack thick clothes before traveling.
9. In recent years, as Georgia has gradually been known by the public, housing prices have risen, and compared with China, it is still very cheap. In Tbilisi, a house with a garden costs about $300 to $600 per square meter, and a house costs about 200,000 yuan. If you are in Borjomi, you can buy a house for less than 100,000 yuan.
10. Georgian women, with high nose bridge, big eyes, have a typical European beauty style, they are well educated by the family, loyal to the family after marriage, and take good care of their husbands and children, so that the divorce rate here is very low. In Georgia, women who do not know how to cook are hardly considered suitable wives, and this traditional belief is deeply ingrained in the local society.
11. Georgians have a strong sense of self-esteem and a passion for people that goes beyond my experience of contact with other countries. Even people who are less economically off tend to dress neatly and appropriately. This enthusiasm in Georgia is visceral, unlike some economically backward regions, where enthusiasm is often motivated by economic interests. My mother-in-law, a frugal and traditional old man, often suggested that I tip Georgians a little more as a token of appreciation.
12. In Georgia, there are strict etiquette requirements for getting along with elders. Young people should not bow their heads to play with their mobile phones or move frequently in front of their elders, but must look directly at each other with their eyes and place their hands appropriately to show respect. When eating, you must sit on the left side, keep yourself upright during the meal, do not talk or laugh loudly, and leave from the right side when you are finished.
13. Georgian society attaches great importance to the respect and care of the elderly, and special seats are set up for the elderly in public places, and service personnel are arranged to help the elderly with reduced mobility. When it comes to family relationships, Georgian parents interfere less in their children's lives. When children get married, parents will not get too involved and tend to keep an appropriate distance from their children. Seniors prefer to travel by car and enjoy their retirement rather than staying at home.
14. In terms of economy, the average salary in Georgia is not high, with a salary of about 1,300 lari, or about 2,600 yuan. People with less education tend to work in simple jobs and earn less. The basic salary of a restaurant waiter is only about 1,200 yuan, and the monthly income can reach 2,800 yuan through overtime and tips. Occupations with a high level of education, such as doctors and teachers, can earn a monthly salary of 6,000 to 10,000 yuan, which belongs to the high-income group. Education in Georgia has a high penetration rate, and free education and a high literacy rate contribute to the overall level of education of the population. Many Georgian families are investing more in their children's education in the hope that their children will receive a better education, and the quality of Georgian universities is uneven, and many families choose to send their children to study in Europe.
Georgia's healthcare system provides free medical care to the entire population, and foreigners can see a doctor here at a relatively low cost. Private specialist hospitals, although they charge fees, are still cheaper than in other countries.
15. Agriculture is an important industry in Georgia, the price of meat is relatively low, and the locals rarely eat pork, mainly consuming beef and chicken. In supermarkets, a box of 10 eggs costs 4.5 lari, and chicken and beef are also very reasonably priced.
16. Georgia, the pace of life is soothing, most people choose to walk or take public transportation to work, the subway and bus are not divided into many stops, and the uniform fare is only 0.5 lari (about 1 yuan). The percentage of households owning a private car is not high, and most of them are affordable used cars, such as a used Mercedes that can be purchased for as little as $3,000.
In Georgia, due to the lack of local production, the prices of goods such as electrical appliances are relatively high and they are mainly dependent on imports. For example, LCD TVs priced at more than 2,000 yuan in China may be sold for about 3,000 yuan here. Georgians generally do not have a high income, but many are happy to spend money in advance, especially when buying a house. Perhaps because the local housing prices are relatively low, you may be able to buy your own property after working for more than ten years.
17. In Georgia, it is easy for foreigners to apply for banking business, they only need a passport to open a bank card, without any proof of residence or other complicated documents, fill out a form and leave a phone number, and it can be completed immediately. This is not at all the same as the onerous requirements of neighboring countries such as Turkey.
18. When it comes to Georgia, we have to mention its wine culture. The black soil of eastern Georgia is extremely fertile and is a well-known wine-growing region, where grapes are grown in almost every household. The wines here are known all over the world for their exceptional quality, and Georgia is also considered one of the birthplaces of wine-making techniques, even the word "wine" is derived from the Georgian language. The price of local wine is very affordable, and you can buy a bottle of high-quality original Georgian wine for 50 yuan. I was fortunate enough to be taken by a local friend to visit a wine cellar where nearly 200 different red wines are stored, and the various bottles are lined up on the shelves of the underground cellar in a variety of colors.
In addition to wine, Georgians also have a soft spot for tea. In the 19th century, a Chinese surnamed Liu brought tea to Georgia, and tea has taken root in the region since then, so the locals call it "Liu tea", and this tea has become one of the daily drinks in Georgia.