Hit the Wall

Sunday May 31.
We woke up in the guesthouse in Tevali with plans to tour the countryside for wineries, monasteries and fortresses. Did none of that. Instead we just lounged around the guesthouse and its garden for the morning and into early afternoon. While the guesthouse needing some updating care, the gardens had wonderful rose bushes of many colors. Realized that we needed a break so we read the NYTimes, swung in the hammock, watched the antics of three little, but energetic kittens, drank coffee and caught up on some correspondence and bill paying. One of the kittens acted as if he had swallowed a Mexican jumping bean and he hopped around. Another climbed up a tree to investigate my tea cup, but then could not get down without my assistance. The mother warily observed.

We roused ourselves in the afternoon and began a walk around the town, The area is rich with fascinating places to visit, but even though the town is the biggest in the Kakheti wine region and was a major medieval trade center, there is not actually much of interest in it. The Batonistsikhe Castle is very large and was the site of the capital of the Kakhetian kings in the 17th and 18th centuries after the Persians drove them out of Gremi, but it was closed for restoration. Outside there was a giant statute of Erekle II, who was a wise and benevolent king in the 18th century

We walked up to old town. It was recently renovated and had a lot of nice looking typical Georgian homes, featuring the large wooden balconies that protruded in the front, but not much else. Even the dogs were just lying around.

By mid afternoon we found a small cafe that was pleasantly appointed where we proposed to eat lunch. Sat out in the patio, but we needed more help with the menu than the staff could provide with limited English. A tall man approached our table to help. He was not Georgian and he spoke South Asian accented English. Turned out he is the owner of the cafe. He is a retired officer who had served with the UN peacekeeping force on the Arkhazia border following the 2008 conflict. (One of Russia's many frozen conflicts in the countries that surround its borders.) He married a Georgian woman, retired and moved here.

After lunch he sat down with us over cigarettes (his) and coffee and we had interesting and multi hour discussions, ranging from Pakistani relations with the US and India, the Pakistani army, his impressions of Georgia and how to improve the economies of these countries. He stressed the need for education and infrastructure, and told us about his experience as an entrepreneur and economic opportunities and issues facing Georgia and other developing countries.   I was surprised that he felt that the average Pakistani is better off than the average Indian.  We will soon have the chance to see firsthand India, and after our wonderful conversation, perhaps Pakistan as well in the near future.

We resumed our walk around town. Saw a 900-year old tree and a sculpture that to me looked like Robert Taylor's time machine from the Julius Verne novel. From another angle it looked like a set of three snails.

We had dinner at a local brewery restaurant. Had some kabob without a stick and a lamb stew. Renewed plans to tour the countryside the next day. Kittens were asleep.