For those of you who have never really heard of it, Georgia is a beautiful remote country located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe. It is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the south by Turkey and Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of Georgia is Tbilisi. Travelling there can turn out to be a magical experience. Discovering a totally different world, with deep Communist scars skillfully blended with really old churches and breathtaking views, here are 6 pieces of advice for rookie tourists visiting Georgia.
1. Don’t get yourself involved in drinking contests with the Georgians.
There’s no doubt about the fact that they’ll get you under the table – this is a euphemism for they will get you extremely drunk. The only people who can enter drinking contests with them are probably the Russians. Moreover they seem to have some strange alcohol related habits, such as giving toasts all night long or drinking from some kind of sharp cones.
2. If you’ve recently been to Abhazia, consider visiting Georgia another time.
Abhazia shares the same territory, but considers itself an independent state, despite the fact that The Georgian government and the majority of the world’s governments consider it a part of Georgia’s territory, though Georgia is not in control of it. This region is located on the eastern coast of the Black Sea and the southwestern flank of the Caucasus. Should the Georgians catch you coming from the adversary’s territory you’ll probably end up in jail. They have laws that specify this exact detail.
3. Don’t kiss in front of churches.
This behavior is considered offensive by inhabitants who are generally speaking pretty religious. They might even beat you up in the name of Orthodoxy. Traditional behavior is highly respected in these parts of the world. I wonder how they deal with this problem during a wedding.
4. Don’t use your clothes for seaside wear when you visit a church.
Don’t wear your beach dress or beach pants if you want to visit a church; any church. This would automatically be interpreted as defiance and senselessness. Some of their churches are over 1,000 years old and considered sacred places. You might find someone in front of a church who would lend you a scarf, but don’t push your luck.
5. Georgian drivers are a special type of driver.
Georgian drivers appear not to have a license. They follow no rules and have no fear. They just seem to know where they want to get and do whatever it takes to get there, missing the fact that the road is not theirs alone. So don’t mess with them and take a defensive driving course before hitting their roads. It may come in as useful; although it’s unlikely you’ll learn anything about anticipating a cow’s next move in traffic. No one knows why, but cows are a big deal in Georgia.
6. The public roads are full of cows that wonder freely, as well as a strange type of pig wearing a strange triangle-shaped yoke around their necks.
These animals are definitely suicidal, but the sad thing is that because of their quite impressive measures, they are the number one public menace of the country. At least from a humble outsider’s point of view.
