Ancient Tbilisi, tourists in Georgia, Georgian wives and chakapuli recipe

The content of the article

1 About antiquity
2 About tourists
3 Married to a Georgian
4 About faithful wives
5 Chakapuli recipe from Alena Vatiashvili

About antiquity

Tbilisi is an incredibly beautiful, ancient and mysterious city. In the historical center, on Pesky Square, you find yourself in the distant past. At the beginning of the twentieth century, an island existed here between the main channel of the Kura River and its left sleeve. In the 1920s, the sleeve became shallow and dried up. Hastily fortified embankment was built up, and the area - the former bottom of the river - was called Sands. Here the city is surrounded by the Narikala fortress, something like our Kremlin. But the main difference is that there have never been temples and palaces, the purpose of this ancient structure is purely defensive.

The Kura (Mtkvari), flowing in the center of the city, is dirty, and all the waste seems to merge into it. It is clear that they don’t swim there, they just ride tourists on a ferry. True, I saw cranks who caught fish in the river. I wonder who ate it? Absolutely - not local residents. Several quite old monumental bridges connect the banks of the Kura. These gray statues are very harmoniously combined with the mountains, which, like giant warriors, protect Tbilisi from the winds and adversities.

And quite unexpectedly, an ultramodern building - a crystal bridge - was recently erected in the center of this archaic. By itself, it looks gorgeous, especially in the evening, when in the dark its arches are poured by LED lights. But in the historical part! In my opinion, it simply violates the harmony of Old Georgian architecture and absolutely does not fit into the image of the city. So many locals who are proud of their ancient culture believe. The bridge is uneven, symmetrically wavy, curved by an arc with wings at the edges. By the way, the people who were well-aimed at the word immediately dubbed it “Olweis”.

Nearby is the cable car, which leads high to the fortress and to the huge statue of Mother Georgia. This statue is a gigantic woman, in one hand she has a bowl of wine, in the other a sword. It symbolizes both hospitality and militancy, the ability to stand up for oneself and one’s homeland. It is simply impossible to take a picture of her near: it is too big, and by no means fits into the frame.

About tourists

When my friends first brought me to Pesky Square, I looked around, looking at the mountains, monuments and ancient walls of the fortress. Suddenly a group of tourists turned to me unexpectedly. With the suffering that affected their faces, the visitors formulated the question: “Now to get to cableway?” (How to get to the cableway?) I only know English with a dictionary, so I asked my friend: “What do they want?” He didn’t have time to translate me as an exclamation of joy was heard: “Yes, you speak Russian! How amazing! And where is the cable car? ”Yes, yes, these were our compatriots! Of course, I was delighted; there are still few Russians there.

From confusion and mixed feelings, I turn to my companion: “Sasha, they ask how to get through ...” And then he cuts me off: “Yes, I actually understand Russian too. Don’t translate! ”In general, I was completely confused then. The fact is that now in Georgia, for the most part, only middle-aged and older people speak Russian. Children and youth do not know our language. However, when I come to Georgia, my friends and acquaintances (and sometimes just passers-by with whom I have to communicate) recall with such joy the long-forgotten words and turns of Russian speech! At first they speak heavily, choosing words for a long time, and then they get a taste. And they are drawn to me, as if I were the personification of all of Moscow and Russia as a whole. It should be noted that with such love and warmth they relate to each of our compatriots.

Although sometimes, for example, in a conversation with taxi drivers or sellers in the market, you should not advertise that you are a tourist from the Russian Federation. Otherwise, prices will instantly increase at least twice.Russia is a rich country, which means that all Russians have bags of money. I had a case when I bought some kind of trinket. I gave the money, received the goods, and barely beg for the change. The seller pretended to owe me nothing. This is perhaps the only unpleasant thing in dealing with Georgians. And if you keep your eyes open, and the prices there are about the same as in Russia, then no one will deceive you.

Married to a Georgian

In the first months of my marriage, I was worried. Am I doing the right thing? She changed the country and so far left from her parents and twenty-year-old daughter. Is this what blondes have such karma for: first do, then think? Then I realized that my initial impulse to leave for Georgia was not without meaning. I found what I was looking for so long: love, protection, firmness of principles and nobility in a relationship. In the husband’s family, respect, comfort and warmth awaited me.

But, of course, it takes time to get used to everything. To the slow rhythm of life, to noisy and frequent holidays, to political conversations everywhere and everywhere. And of course, the relationship between men and women. It should be noted that everything is different here. I can’t say where it is better: in Russia, or in Georgia. Just a different relationship. And that’s all. This is a fact that all Russian wives will have to put up with. And do not try to remodel, retrain, re-educate anyone. The woman is the queen. But the main thing here is a man. And the point.

By the way, in Russia I worked on a par with the stronger sex, sometimes ten hours a day, and often seven days a week. And she always bitterly thought that she had never fought for equality and had not entered into feminist societies. Then for what? Why am I so complicated, hard work and endless side jobs? There was a time when I held a serious position in school. Not only children and adults were afraid of me. At home, the dog was written from one of my piercing eyes. Do we even notice when a woman dies in us and some kind of asexual, unnatural creature is born?

In Georgia, clearly defined roles still remain. One of the characteristic features of the local families is that women generally do not work. If they still earn, this is their personal desire and need. And so no one will drive you out of the house to serve. The main duty of the wife is taking care of the family, her husband, raising children. By the way, I noticed one detail. Men do not seem to be engaged in offspring, as if watching from the side. But this ostentatious alienation, they do not cherish souls in their children. And especially (contrary to all our prejudices) they adore girls.

The relationship between husband and wife in Georgia is an endless inexhaustible topic, on the verge of drama, tragedy and ... comics. I remember one fight with my husband. It is noteworthy from a psychological point of view. Here, for example, how a Russian husband reacts if his wife suddenly starts up. And sawing, and sawing! What will he say, bark, growl? Most likely: “Well, that's enough! Shut up! ”(Or -“ Shut up, please. ”). It all depends on the level of education and passions. But even in a cultural phrase, note - the imperative mood of the verb is involved. And this commanding tone provokes an aggressive response: “Shut up yourself!”

Do you know what my husband, a Georgian, did? He somehow very unpleasantly calmly asked: “Why did you open your mouth now?” Do you feel the difference? It was a question! Here is what to answer? Why did you open ??? I was bewildered. I knocked out. And did not have time to respond in time. Everything. Dead end. The quarrel has dried up.

About faithful wives

But back to the center of Tbilisi. If you go from Pesky Square along the Kura River, the old Metekhi temple rises to the left on the rock, which, since the 12th century, was destroyed and rebuilt several times. Nearby is the majestic bronze founder of Tbilisi, Vakhtang Gorgasali on horseback.

And then - the unique Avlabar district. The houses were erected on the very edge of the cliff. The architecture of these buildings is amazing; wooden and wrought-iron balconies decorated with old Georgian patterns are noteworthy. Imagination prompts pictures of being of distant times. According to legend, the most faithful wives lived in these houses.Why? Yes, because the hot Georgian husbands, jealous, did not think for a long time. And they simply threw offenders from the cliff into the river. That is what Tbilisi residents Avlabar call the district of faithful wives. I can not vouch for the authenticity, but they told me about it with such pleasure and gambling gleam in my eyes that I believed.

In this part of the city there are a huge number of hotels, restaurants and cafes. By the way, the prices are incredibly high, designed for tourists. There I tried chakapuli. And I think that this dish should be tried at least once in a lifetime by anyone who cannot live without meat! And my Tbilisi friend is happy to give this recipe.

Chakapuli recipe from Alena Vatiashvili

Chakapuli is a Georgian national dish of young meat stewed with herbs and spices. More often they use mutton, but veal is also suitable. A special piquancy to the dish is added by fresh tarragon (tarragon) and tkemali, which give the meat a slight sourness and a delicate aroma.

Georgians usually eat chakapuli in spring and early summer, as during this period there are the most necessary foods for him. Now is the right time to cook this dish.

We will need:

3 kg of meat (veal or lamb);
5-6 large onions;
100 g of mutton fat tail fat (if it is not available, you can replace it with butter);
50 g butter;
greens: 300 g parsley, 200 g cilantro, 300 g dill, 3 bunches of green onions, 3-4 stalks of young green garlic, 10-12 bunches of tarragon;
0.5 kg of tkemali;
salt, ground pepper (black and red).

We will cook with veal. To begin with, we wash the meat well.