Linda: Surprisingly cheesy Georgia

A dirt-road village, of which I even do not know the name, somewhere near the border of Armenia hosts a metal container in some magical way brought here from France. And that container contains fully equipped French cheese factory, with Camambert and Roquefort ripening on shelves in neat rows.

This is in Georgia, where during these two months I have found no other cheese as simple salty and sour home-made cheese and a bit tastier sulguni or smoked variety of sulguni.

I asked the cheese master- is there any demand for these cheeses in Georgia? Yes, some people, who live in Tbilisi and Batumi.

The cheese masters some time ago had decided that to make their own business in Georgia, they need to learn the skills, so they borrowed money from all friends and neighbours who had at least some and invested it in going to France and working for a cheese factory there. In the factory they kept their eyes and ears open and in a year had mastered the trade and made contacts with equipment suppliers. Bought the container with good credit terms and brought it to Georgia. The first cheeses are getting ripe on shelves, but debt is still larger than any income generated. Their hope- the change of cheese prefferences of affluent Tbilisians.

I was generously given a present of this rotten cheese, and must say- truly enjoyed it!

By the way, I have a song of your age by Marta

Yes, the tipical order of questioning here:
1.How old are you?
2. Are you married?
3. So my (son, nephew, cousin's son, neighbourg, backer...) is your age.
Hehehe, I was inside the Post office and an armenian worker wanted that I meet tomorrow his son. So many "painful" years (except for the last 2)of not being loved and the solution was as easy as coming to Georgia. Better than in other places where they would like to buyme for camels or goats. I preffer being given "gifts" hehehe. Poor guy, his father don't mind his opinion, he wants to liiert him with the first stranger that comes his way hehehe. Anyway, I just thank it and tried to say that probly he has a nice son, but I'm I didn't come here for any deal, but for write a report (yuuhuuu!)

In Ushguli, UNESCO heritage's highest inhabited european town by Marta

I rent a Jeep with a girl from eslovaquia, who currently works at Brussels european commision, her boyfriend from czesch rep. and some hungarian guy. This jeep was a Lada Niva, so it was quite strech inside. And because of the road quality, you needed 3h for 65 km, up in one of the most remote parts of the caucasus. This towers in the town are amazing, and we went till the very base of the glacier, with a couple of imponent white mountains upon us. It was a tiring day but delightful. It seemed that there would be no free plane on Monday, but insted some cheap 25 Laris on Tuesday. It is too late so I decide to departure tomorrow at 5am. Ihad to say goodbye to my 2 nights, no english speakers but great understandings family. Irina, the mother and teacher of the town, invited me to some Matsoni(yogurt) and the father, who is also teacher and ingeneer, was amussed trying to find a Spanish channel on the satellite. Again the question of that the Basque Region people are Iberians rised up. I still don't know where I missed my history lessons, wheren the iberians not suposed to live near the mediterranean see? well it was really beautiful to see all those towers iluminated at the evening against the dark shape of tall mountains.

bathing in the river by Marta

I was yesterday in the river. I meet dito there. he has saw me now a great place to go and have a bath, so I will use it the rest of the stay here.

I saw a death snake by Marta

Yesterday Linda left to Tblisi and me and the two swiss friends went to see a lake, it was a great lake with nebel, it was like been in Sweden. We saw a death snake, black one, and I still trying to find out which sneak is this.

lazy day ends even lazier by marta

Today it rained. We went to the office, but with the boys from Swiss here we came back earlier, cause they promised again to cook for us. And then after vardzia we were all in the mood of just reading and laying. pretty good. At the evening I decided to explor the up town, cause I want to know more the city. It endet up when I saw a man, over the bridge, walking with his two asian sepherd dogs chatting with his friend. That could be nothing out of the blue if it weren't for a big detail. they were driving in the auto. So I thought, pretty much lazy endeed.

The Jehova witnessess are like mushroms by Marta

they appear where you less wait for them to be there. I was walking today to see the door of Sakashwilli summer palace, formerly used by stalin and the Romanov family. Where to nice mid-agged woman, came to me and said hello and showed me a book. I tried to scape, saying I don't understand although I could well recognized this poor ink impression that characterices those books. But it would not be so easly, they had one book more to show, where you could pick up your language this time. the only thing that they wanted although was to know my name and to present themselves, so I could continue with my matutine stroll.