Guernica is Alive and Kicking

Until a short while ago, the only association I had with the name Guernica -- or Gernika, the town’s official Basque name -- was the famous huge painting by Pablo Picasso. I first saw it on our trip to Spain in February 1999, at the Reina Sofia Museum in Madrid. It was awesome in the original sense of the word, i.e., truly awe-inspiring. And scary and heartbreaking. The kind of art that can give you nightmares if you look at it carefully, at length.

Then, just recently, we watched Season 2 of the TV series Genius. The 10 episodes of this season were dedicated to Pablo Picasso. Though I’m sure some will find fault with the series, I found it interesting and well-made, and it filled a few gaps in my education. Though the series didn’t go into the story of the bombing of Gernika at great length, it did provide some background, and even made me curious to find out more.

Anyway, when we were planning our trip, the first company we consulted (but ended up not hiring – too expensive) suggested popping over to the town of Gernika-Lumo as part of our route. So we did.

Gernika, Oct 2018

Gernika, Oct 2018

 It was Friday, October 12, which happens to be no less than Spain’s national holiday, commemorating the arrival of Columbus in the Americas. The streets of the pretty little town were full of strolling families, the bars and cafes filled with local residents enjoying their day off in the fresh air, quickly filling it with cigarette smoke, drinking vino or cerveza, and having the time of their lives. I sort of wished that whichever Nazi had given the order to bomb Gernika in April 1937 could see them now.

We were given to understand that the main point of going to Gernika was to visit the Museum of Peace. So we parked our rented car among all the other cars on one of the main streets, and went to the museum.

Museum of Peace, Gernika

Museum of Peace, Gernika

War museums are designed to be unsettling, I suppose. But the trick isn’t to say that war is hell; that’s been said and shown in countless novels, documentaries, and movies – War and Peace, All Quiet on the Western Front, The Longest Day – to name but a few well-known ones; and more recently, the TV series Sharpe which, though riveting, caused me to leave the room every once in a while, when the cruelty and bloodshed got too much for me. (My son dissuaded me from reading the books, saying they are even more gory…) Here’s the series’ theme song. (Apologies. I’m a Sharpe fan.)

In January 2017 we toured Vietnam. When in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), we went to the War Remnants Museum. Keep in mind that, if you Google “Vietnam War Museum” you’ll reach an American website of a museum in Texas… For the Vietnamese, it was “the American War”. A matter of perspective, obviously. Anyway – I’m afraid I didn’t have much patience for all the blood-curdling photos and relics. (Unlike my American cousin who felt morally obligated to scrutinize and contemplate the displays.) I know what war is. I was born on a kibbutz in pre-State Israel and lived through all of Israel’s wars. In fact – I’m lucky to be alive: the nursery that housed the kibbutz babies was bombed by Egypt the very day after we, the babies, were evacuated…

Babies' nursery, kibbutz Hatzor, 1948

Kibbutz Hatzor dining room, 1948

Kibbutz Hatzor living quarters, 1948

Kibbutz Hatzor public toilets, 1948 (there were no private toilets!)

Later, in the IDF, I didn’t serve on the front lines… But my then-husband did; and some of my school friends never made it back alive. I’d like to believe that anyone who has lived through a war would be ardently pro-peace. Sadly, this does not seem to be the case.

But I digress. The whole idea of the Peace Museum is not to commemorate war, but rather to encourage and extol peace. As one visitor wrote: “I was touched by the initiative to promote peace rather to condemn war”.*

Which doesn’t mean that the Museum completely refrains from touching that [exposed] nerve called The Horror of War. They have a short audio-visual show that places you in the pleasant, comfy home of a family, where you sit listening to a very convincing narrator representing the mother of the family… when suddenly the siren sounds, the bombers fly overhead, the bombs fall, and the next moment you’re sitting in a pile of ruins. It made me sick to my stomach.

It also reminded me of a TV series we watched recently, based on Terry Pratchett’s Johnny and the Bomb, a novel for young readers. Though the main theme may be time travel, the parallel theme is war, and the way it affects civilians: ordinary people living in an ordinary town. You know – like Gernika, or Coventry, or [insert city name of your choice.] I think a film like that is perfectly in keeping with the Peace Museum, whose entire objective is to encourage people from all over the world to work for peace. One cannot travel in time; we can’t change the past. But changing the route that leads to a future of war is still a possibility. Or is it simply an ineradicable feature of the human race?

 --       --       --

* Thing Thing Lee, contributor to Google Maps

San Sebastian - it's the little things

And this time, I don't mean the little things that make San Sebastian different and special. I haven't been here long enough to observe the peculiarities of this beautiful city. We only arrived here yesterday (Wednesday), and are leaving tomorrow (Friday). Pity. Had I done my homework, maybe we'd have stayed one more day. By the time I begin to get the feel of a city, it's time to pack and move on. Unlike our stay in Tbilisi, say, Rome, or Catania, where I began to feel at home.

"Are you packing your slippers?" asked my trusty travel planner.
"Nah, not necessary," I answered, having packed so much stuff, that I really didn't feel like agonizing over which slippers or flip-flops to take with, and where exactly in the suitcase or backpack I'd put them.
Humph :-(
Had I really forgotten what hotel floors were like in Spain?
I was fine during the TLV-Madrid flight. I could be comfortable with simply loosening the shoelaces of my sneakers. The flight was just over 4 hours long. And the connecting flight to Bilbao took about an hour. But here at the hotel...

Amara Plaza hotel, San Sebastian

The Amara Plaza, part of the Silken chain, is fine, really. No complaints. Or at least, no serious complaints. The room is tasteful, in a no-frills, minimalist style. Nothing to distinguish it from its brethren at other 4-star hotels. Not a single picture on the bedroom walls (but plenty of beautiful art  in the public areas); nothing noteworthy or unique re drapes, bedspread, desk, etc. And the floor tiles are lovely -- grey ceramic, with a wood-like texture, exactly like the ones I chose for our bathroom floor, when we did renovations some six years ago.
What can I say? I suffer from cold feet. Literally.

What I'd really like while jotting down these persnickety notes is a cup of latte, or cappuccino. Neither appear in the Room Service pages, and the room has no electric kettle, so even had I brought my fave black coffee ("botz", in Hebrew), it wouldn't have done me any good :-(
We noticed this morning, at breakfast, that the coffee machine was out of order. The ready-made coffee in the pitchers was very strong. Not sure about the flavor. But surely in the Piano Bar they serve decent coffee?...

Gosh, don't I sound like a spoiled brat!

Listen, hotel staff and owners: It's a good hotel. The staff are friendly, capable and helpful. Young Yuliya, for example, is a gem; I hope you appreciate her and nurture her. Your range of artwork is diverse and admirable. I love your choice of complimentary green-tea toiletries -- good quality and a delicate scent. Please add shower cap to said toiletries.  Oh - I couldn't help wondering: why isn't there a toilet-brush in the bathroom?... [I thought it might be just a glitch, but later noticed that there simply are no toilet brushes in hotel or restaurant or other public toilets. A deliberate policy?]

Anyway -- San Sebastian is beautiful. It has a river with several bridges, including a French-style one with ornate statues.

Urumea river, San Sebastian

It has tree-lined boulevards with colorful flowerbeds. It has interesting architecture, beautiful, renovated old buildings, a bay and a beach, museums and a huge public library; and scores upon scores of bars, cafes and restaurants.

Items from Amara Plaza's private art collection

San Sebastian beach

San Sebastian Old City

Recommended bar, a short walk from the hotel:

The delightful Azul

delicious tapas, or pinxtos in Basque

P.S.
It's bad enough that I hadn't brushed up on my university-days Spanish before the trip; but not understanding a word in Basque makes things even more complicated...

Crete - Xania or Chania

View #1 of Theotikopoulou St. from the hotel balcony

View #2 - the sea at the other end of Theotikopoulou St.

Finding the Consolato Boutique Suites & Rooms was easy, once we managed the tricky bit -- finding parking in one of the streets leading to the entrance to the Old City. Our charming host, Thanasis, was waiting for us at the door. He ushered us into the Hermes suite, explaining everything in great detail, pointed out the restaurant right across the street, for which he gave us breakfast vouchers; and recommended the Tamam restaurant down the road for dinner.
The luxurious suite took me by surprise; I'd forgotten that Michael had taken the "what-the-hell, let's splurge" approach for our last couple of nights in Crete. It was worth it. Some good points about the Consolato, and the Hermes suite:

• Large bed, comfy mattress... a welcome change after the typical hard mattresses encountered on our Greece trips, as far back as 1991; excellent pillows, soundproof windows, powerful yet quiet a/c, large shower stall with fragrant shower-gel & body lotion, etc.
• Fridge. Nespresso coffee machine & capsules. Tea-bags for Brits like Michael ;-)

Hermes Suite bedroom

Hermes Suite front room

• Perfect location: Walk out to the left, and you can either take a right and within minutes find yourself at the Maritime Museum and at the gorgeous Venetian Harbor; or you can continue down Theotikopoulou for a 100 meters or so and be at the beach, that blue blob in View #2 in the above pics. If you exit the hotel and turn right, you can enjoy walking along the meandering cobblestoned lanes with their eye-catching artistic shops and boutiques, ending at -- you guessed it -- the beautiful Venetian Harbor. Most Israelis are familiar with the old-world charm of Old Cities, e.g.  the Old City of Jerusalem, the Old City of Jaffa, the Old City of Acre and Safed. But it's different when you're abroad. Otherwise what's the point in traveling?...
• Aspros Gatos Wine Project right opposite the hotel. Friendly service, tasty breakfast, cute name -- at least for cat lovers. We didn't go there in the evening so I don't know what it's like as a bar, but there are plenty of favorable testimonies online. The vouchers given us by Mr. Thanasis provided for a more-than-satisfying breakfast.

Michael reading the menu @Aspros Gatos

Breakfast menu (yes, the tattered pages are intentional...)

Nina @Aspros Gatos

• The two restaurants recommended by Thanasis -- the Tamam nearby and the Chrisostomos -- were both excellent, but it is advisable to book a table. We were lucky, and on both evening we apparently came an hour or so before the crowds, so a table was found for us. At the Tamam I had the best moussaka since my previous trip to Greece... and an imaginative, original salad that was yummy. You know how the desire for an "original" dish can be a booby-trap for an ambitious chef? Well, this certainly was not one of those! As for the Chrisostomos -- Sorry, I didn't write down what we ate; but it was well worth it. As for desserts at both places -- we tend to skip dessert and just stop by the nearest kiosk or minimarket and treat ourselves to a Magnum...
• If you like museums, there's more than one. I like maritime museums. The Maritime Museum of Crete one was not as impressive as, say, the historic Dockyard at Chatham, but it had plenty of historical info about wars and such... plus some interesting pieces. 

Alexander the Great

Alexander the Great

•  If you're not into shopping for souvenirs, arts & crafts etc., the best thing you can do is stroll back and forth along the waterfront -- including up to the lighthouse and back -- and take pictures from every possible angle... Then choose a random cafe, order your fave drink, and drink in the view... You will miss it once you get home!

Xania Venetian Harbor

Nina @ the lighthouse, Xania Harbor

One last note: I have very little idea what the "real", i.e. modern, city of Xania is like. Sure, we drove through it. It looked like a city. You know, with shops, houses, traffic lights... But other than that, I haven't a clue. We did the common touristy thing. If we go there again, I'll make time to explore the city. Even if it turns out not to be "special". Just like in Georgia, I am sure that authentic local restaurants, where the locals eat, are worth the effort :-)

My favorite souvenir from Crete

Crete - The Old Phoenix

... so we checked out of the Georgia B&B on Friday (Aug 3rd), and began driving towards Sfakia, a.k.a. Hora Sfakion. Some of the roads twist up and down hilly land, and our rented car, a Nissan Micra, is not very powerful. But then again, we were only two passengers, with relatively light luggage - one mid-sized suitcase and two trollies, none of which were stuffed to the max.
Stopped mid-way at one of those places that sell olive oil and a huge selection of other olive-based products. Was brave and didn't buy anything... Except for a cold drink at the adjacent kiosk.

Our daughter and son-in-law, who were already comfortably settled at The Old Phoenix, had warned us about the very tricky drive from Sfakia to Phoenix Bay. Apparently the road is very rough, steep and winding, requiring extreme concentration and caution. As Noam drove, Daria tried to distract the children (aged 2 1/2, 4 1/2, and 7) who were tense and scared. Far better to take a water taxi. You can also take a ferry, then walk for about 15 minutes. But who wants to hike along a footpath in the sweltering midday sun, schlepping a suitcase, two trollies, a shoulder-bag and a backpack... For more practical suggestions and details, see the Visit West Crete page.

At Sfakia harbor, we found the Controlled Parking area and the guy in charge managed to squeeze our Micra into a tight spot, charged us 9 euro for three days paid in advance, and told us to wait for our boat by the tall crane. I honestly don't know the full meaning of "controlled" parking; we just paid and hoped that, other than dust and bird droppings, we'd find our car just as we left it.

Tall crane, Sfakia harbor

Interesting wall along Sfakia harbor

I neglected to mention that the amazing Elisabet at the Georgia Hotel had phoned Taxi Boat Sifis ahead of time and booked the trip for us. (Check out the link and copy-paste the number into your smartphone!)  The fee quoted was 40 euro, but we got a 5-euro discount because another family joined the ride. 'Bye, Sfakia! See you in a few days!

On board Taxi Boat Sifis

Some 25 minutes of chugging along on the clearest, bluest, calmest water I've ever sailed on, and there were the white buildings with the blue shutters, so typical of Greek islands. Before I even had a chance to wonder which of those buildings housed the Reception of The Old Phoenix, and how I'd find our daughter and her entourage, I caught sight of a skinny boy (7) in bathing trunks running towards the pier, waving excitedly at us. We hardly set foot on solid ground when our youngest grandkid, two-and-a-half year-old Tamzie, who'd heard M's voice, dashed forward calling out "Michael sheli!" ("my Michael") and jumped into his arms. 

Okay, that made our day :-) 

Soon enough the whole family escorted us to the Reception desk, and walked us to our room.

Michael and Daria enjoying a cold drink shortly after our arrival

The room itself was pretty basic, nothing to write home about, or rather, to blog about. The shower stall was a joke: it had a shower curtain on the two sides which weren't walls, but no matter whether you placed the showerhead in its holder way up on the wall or held it in your hand -- the water somehow escaped the stall and flooded the entire bathroom floor. Luckily, it also dried up of its own accord pretty fast. How come? - window, air conditioning, whatever.

But the most exhilarating aspect of the place is the view from the balcony! And I'm not referring to the towels, bathing suits and other items hanging up on most balconies, although these had their use:

Our balcony at the Old Phoenix

Spread them out on the line properly, and you've got a lightweight barrier between you and your neighbor, which is rather useful when you spend much of your time minimally dressed, if at all, with the balcony door/shutters often open to let in the sea breeze, and -- well, you get the picture.

View from our room, morning

View from our room, later in the day

In the mornings we were awakened by a beautiful jingling of bells, lots of bells. Simply had to jump out of bed to see where it was coming from. It came from a herd of goats taking their morning walk up and around the nearby hills. Early morning is the best time to do hiking and sightseeing in nature, both for goats and humans. You can walk from the Old Phoenix to the nearby village of Loutro either the short way -- about 700 meters -- or the longer but easier way of 1300 meters. (0.43 and 0.8 miles, respectively.) I didn't do it, but since my grandkids did, I'm sure you could, too. 

If you want to stock up on something (booze? Pringles? flipflops?) or want to buy a new pareo, if you run out of sunscreen lotion, Ibuprofen or crayons for the kids -- Loutro has it all. Oh -- and a propos flipflops: what you really need on this beach is lightweight water shoes to protect your feet from the pebbles and rocks. (As an Israeli, I'm accustomed to the gloriously soft sand on our beaches.)

The plastic sandals I wore, a popular brand called Moses, are fine and dandy, but not for stepping into the sea surrounding [most of?] Crete. You don't have to invest in expensive swimmers' or divers' shoes. You can find really cheap versions at any supermarket in villages and towns along the coast. 

Like many travelers, I'm a sucker for high-quality, or at least fragrant, toiletries. Chapeau to The Old Phoenix for their choice of shampoo/shower gel (pity there was no corresponding body lotion): 

Oliva(mo) shampoo & shower gel

When in Loutro, we went into a minimarket where I actually saw these products on a shelf, but failed to grab a few... consoling myself later with the thought that I'd find them at some other place. But I didn't :-(   Of course Google was quick to show me where I could get them. So if I'm really desperate, I could order the stuff online. But who knows -- we'll soon be traveling to Spain, where I fell in love with the Prija toiletries... then there were Algotherm treats, picked up at I-don't-remember-where... and... but enough is enough.

Next post: Xania, a.k.a Chania, a.k.a. Khania

Crete - Heraklion

... so we booked a week's vacation in Crete, made up of three parts: Heraklion /Gazi; the bay of Finix (sort of the other side of Loutro); and Xania, a.k.a. Chania, or Khania, take your pick.

First of all I must confess that I hadn't done my homework for this trip. I was still trying to get as much of my Georgia experiences down in writing, while keeping up with yoga and other daily activities and also trying to finish reading a very moving memoir-novel (long story, will elaborate later on my other blog, Take Nina's Word for it.) So I didn't even peek at the two tourist guidebooks about Greece - the Michelin and the Baedeker's, which we probably bought before one of our previous Greece trips. I also dug out my handwritten travel journal from August 1999 and read it, to refresh my memory... For example, how to order my coffee: "Cafe frappe sketo, me gala, parakalo." Even though that caused waiters, both then and now, to roll their eyes at me in disbelief...

So I still hardly know a thing about the history of the places we visited. Except for the fact that Crete had undergone many wars, fighting for dominion over their land but being conquered and governed by Rome, the Arabs, the Byzantines,Venetians, the Ottoman Turks, and I've probably left out some conquerer or other. You want history? Go to Wiki or the University of Crete, for example. It's not that I enjoy being ignorant, god forbid; but what with recently learning about the wars that ravaged Georgia, and what with the seemingly pointless and endless fighting along the Gaza border, I just want to escape war and focus on peace, fellowship, camaraderie, and goodwill. All of which I found in today's Crete.

The accommodations we booked in Gazi, just outside Heraklion, were actually a B&B place which belongs to the Georgia Hotel. We hadn't been aware of that. So if you go to the hotel website and look at pics of the rooms, keep in mind that they are far more luxurious than the plain, basic B&B located in a separate building right by the hotel. All we had to do is walk out of the building, make a right, walk through a small parking lot, and emerge in the lovely garden of the hotel:

Georgia Hotel garden & pool

I didn't even bother taking a picture of our room... Plain white walls, plain wooden wardrobe, bed, night-tables. A very hard mattress. But it did have a kitchenette, complete with fridge and electric plate, which one could use to prepare/store food.
If we ever visit the place again, I'd probably go for the double room with a sea view... Or the Studio. But as it was, I can't complain: we were entitled to all the hotel's amenities and services, provided by a friendly, charming and helpful staff, such as Elisabet and Mira, to name but two.

Georgia Hotel breakfast buffet

Georgia Hotel pool, bar in the background

The pool was inviting, but I declined. The beach was just around the corner, but I wasn't interested. All I wanted was to relax, enjoy the fresh, flavorful food, savour the local beer (Mythos or Alfa), and unwind. Oh - and drive into Heraklion, for some shopping...

Re shopping: Generally speaking, Greece isn't the ideal place for shopping. Yes, if you want a cheap beach towel or basic food, you'll do fine, so long as you buy it in the village market rather than in the arty boutiques within the walls of the Old City. But I was looking for Marks & Spencer. I knew exactly what I wanted: a couple of pairs of cotton/linen shorts. Plus M&S knickers, which are the best in the world as far as I'm concerned. While M wanted summer socks. But Alas! The M&S store was relatively small. No socks. No knickers (just as well -- I have plenty...) and only one pair of shorts in my size. Which I promptly purchased.
Next on my list was a one-piece high-neck bathing-suit, not because I'm shy or particularly modest, but to protect my sensitive skin. Online research showed that a shop called Cosmos Sport had a decent selection, but instead of systematically looking for it, I went into the nearest alternative, InterSport, and a sweet salesgirl helped me choose a flattering yet comfortable Arena swimsuit. Sorry to say the neckline is not high enough to protect my delicate decollete, but I said to myself that, if push came to shove, I'd just wear a T-shirt over it. (Which I did not. Though the sun was definitely "pushy" enough.)

Then we just wandered about with the general flow of tourists, and found ourselves in a picturesque maze of cafes, near a small public garden. One place in particular caught my eye:

Swing Thing Cocktail Espresso Bar, Heraklion

Swing Thing Cocktail Espresso Bar, Heraklion

I peeked in. "Yes, we've got air-conditioning!" Said the charming Helen. - "And a toilet?" I asked hopefully. "Yes, we have everything!" she retorted brightly. And good food. And good music.
Wow, was it ever perfect! The toast, the frappe, and the Hang On Little Tomato, by Pink Martini.
Unfortunately I can't make any comments on the booze, since I didn't have any, simply because it's not my thing (as opposed to swing...) But judging by other customers' comments on Swing Thing's Facebook page, if you appreciate a good bar and a real pro of a barman, you're in for a treat.

Still with me? Great! I'm looking forward to writing and uploading my next post - The Old Phoenix.

Goodbye, Georgia

No point in going on about Georgia endlessly, when I soon have to pack for our next trip. So here are just two more issues that made a lasting impression on me, for better or for worse. And I'll start with the worse:

Women. Don't get me wrong -- the women themselves are fine. The young ones even speak fairly idiomatic English, thanks to TV series, the Internet, and so on. What bothered me is their relative absence from the public space. Public spaces belong to men. As if women still belong in the kitchen. What struck me most is the number of women in black. We saw an inordinate number of them, both in Tbilisi and in smaller towns. Imagine -- in mid summer, women dressed in black from head to toe. Obviously not for elegance sake. Seems that, according to Georgian tradition, a widow must wear black. Forever and ever. For the rest of her life. Didn't Queen Victoria do that? But that must have been her own choice... To be fair, modern women apparently wear black "only" for a year after being widowed. At least in the main cities. I doubt that applies to small towns and villages. And even then, it probably depends on the extent of social pressure -- or tolerance -- they're exposed to.

And now for the better: Sculpture. Statues. Beautiful. Everywhere. Anyone who's used to the gorgeous statues in cities like Paris, Rome, St. Petersburg -- might not see anything exceptional in Georgia. But to me it was a revelation. A Russian friend said to me - Well, what did you expect? It's a legacy of the Russian era, the Russian occupation of Georgia. Perhaps he's right - I don't know.

In the park in center of Kutaisi

Thing is, Israel suffers from a woeful dearth of artistic, aesthetic, inspired and inspiring statues in public places. Yes, there are monuments to this, that, and the other. But even those are for the most part an awful bore: klotzy, unimaginative, ugly structures. When they're not an eyesore, they're just so boring and lacking in charm or character, that you're better off just ignoring their very existence.

On the bridge in Kutaisi

Batumi promenade

Batumi promenade

So no wonder I couldn't get enough of statues in Georgia. I've uploaded just a few pics, which won't necessarily impress everyone. But I assure you there's a wide variety of styles and subject matters. TripAdvisor provides a few examples.

I've been told that the lack of statues in Israel stems from the religious commandment in Exodus, chapter 20, verses 3-4: "Thou shalt not make unto thee a graven image, nor any manner of likeness, of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; thou shalt not bow down onto them, nor serve them;..."  I don't know to what extent this commandment is taken at face value by authorities in Israel. After all, you can find busts of prominent personalities sprinkled here and there. But I am told that there is, nonetheless, a long-standing aversion to placing statues in public places. God forbid someone might bow to them, idolize them, and bring upon us the wrath of the creator: "... for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate Me"...
[Hebrew readers: See an interesting article on the subject on the Israel Public Broadcasting Corporation site.]

To end on an optimistic note, here is one of my favorite works of art in Tel Aviv: Dudu Geva's Duck:

The Duck, by Dudu Geva, Masaryk Square, Tel Aviv.
The inscription says "Always optimistic"

   

Georgia - It's the Little Differences, Part 2

As promised, below are some more of the not-so-little things that make Georgia different and fascinating:

The water - it's delicious, and plentiful. You can drink it out of the tap, out of a natural fountain or rivulet, or if you insist - out of a bottle. It's as clear and fresh as water ought to be. And it did wonders for my hair and face. I suppose the [mostly] unpolluted air, and the dry air, contributed to that.
As for the Georgian lemonade (which I went on about in a previous post) -- you can easily get addicted to it; I found it far tastier than stuff like Sprite and Fanta.
Can't vouch for Georgian tea (ordinary tea bags, for the most part), nor for their coffee. Both were unremarkable.

Wine & booze - Georgians are rather proud of their ancient wine-making technique, but I guess I'm too accustomed to the wooden-barrel notes in my drink, and didn't fully appreciate the clay-pots-buried-in-the-ground flavor. The local beer is fine, if you're into experimenting. If you prefer your good ol' British ale or American beer - it may be available, and it's inexpensive. If you're into something stronger, the local version is a brandy, or vodka, called chacha. Go ahead, try it and report back! Be sure to assign a designated driver!

Food warning - The baked goods, including the simplest bread, are delicious! Always super-fresh and mouth-watering. If you are trying not to gain too much weight -- beware! Also: most of the food is generously salted and often fried or cooked in plenty of oil.

Taking a bus in the city - In Tbilisi, for instance, public transport is ridiculously cheap (for tourists!), and your hotel (or Google) will tell you which bus to take. Make sure you have small change, because the driver doesn't deal with that, there's a small machine inside the bus. Don't take chances, don't try to cheat; you'll regret it when the conductor reaches you. Besides - it's pennies: a longish ride in the city, one way, cost us half a lari each. That's equivalent to  US$ 0.20; or 0.18 Euro; or 0.75 Israeli Shekel. For the sake of comparison: in Israel, a local bus ride (e.g. Tel Aviv to Rishon Lezion, where I live) costs NIS 6.- (but only 3 shekels for a pensioner.) And a propos small change...

ATM - We all take for granted ATMs and the ability to withdraw cash not just at the bank. But Georgia has taken it one step further, and has these advanced automated units which let you do a variety of financial and bureaucratic transaction. These units are located not just at the entrance to main banks, but also as stand-alone units in various spots around town:

Bank of Georgia self-service unit

If you're merely a tourist, you probably don't care much which bank's ATM you're using. But if you're interested in doing business there, opening an off-shore account, investing or the like, you'll be pleased to know that Georgia tries to make it as easy and trouble-free a process as possible.

Pharmacies, drugstores, chemist's, toiletries - Weeks before our trip, I asked on TripAdvisor whether I could easily find low-cost Western staples such as Nivea and Dove soaps and body lotions, Johnson's baby shampoo, and so forth. I was assured that Yes, no problem. Well - the situation was better than I dared to hope... You can't walk five minutes without passing an Apotheka, as it is called. And the prices are low, definitely compared to the outrageous prices in Israel for the above brands.

Nevertheless, I didn't go mad with shopping. Only what I needed... E.g. face lotion, body wash (the mug w/toothbrush just to illustrate size of bottle),

Johnson's body wash

Garnier(?) facial cleanser

  
Socks, because I'm a socks freak
   
  And cheap, lightweight sneakers, because I love anything purple (well, nearly anything.) I'm not giving you the prices, but everything was considerably cheaper than back home. And that also applies to 2 casual tops and one pair of casual pants/trousers that I bought at Mango, a brand I never buy "back home" because they're expensive. But that was sort of a last minute spending spree, at the huge East Point Mall on the way to Tbilisi airport.
Reservation re the adjective "cheap": As you know, everything's relative. What is cheap for a tourist can be expensive to a local resident.

Personal safety - Police stations are quite visible in every city or small town. I think the only consistent thing about them is the colors -- red and blue -- which are used, to varying degrees, in the construction or decor. They come is Small, Medium, Large, or Original & Dramatic. What with being used to the old, British Mandate monochromatic, squarely-uniform police stations (known as Tegart forts), I found the Georgian version refreshing and amusing. But the main thing is, that Georgia is considered a very safe country, in terms of the rate of crime and assaults. The fact that pairs of policemen were patrolling the streets practically wherever we went added to our feeling of All Quiet on the Eurasian Front.

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I've written and written, and still feel that I have totally missed the essence of Georgia and its beauty, both natural and artistic. I'll try once more, in my next post. [Update: I did it! You can just go there and see for yourselves.]