Some West Georgia Sites

Below are a few pics from our time in West Georgia:

In Kutaisi we visited several more beautiful churches. Here is one and also a view of the city.



We made it up the mountain thanks to our driver, Nugzar, and his Indian-made SUV. He and Irakli work for GIPA. They are based out of Kutaisi and served as our guides and translators while we were there.


Traveling to the “sea side” was a relaxing experience. The Black Sea literally sparkled as we sat on the beach and ate our first fresh fruit of the trip (oranges, bananas, and apples we picked up from a local market). The beach wasn’t so much sand as it was rocks, but they were smooth and oddly comfortable to sit on.


“Don’t drink the water … ” Well, we did. This spring was located at a water-bottling factory in the mountains.


“Don’t pet the animals …” Rachael tried to get close to one of the cows on the side of the road, but wasn’t quite able to pet it.


As we drive through the small towns, down the windy mountain roads, past the small farms, and along the expansive hillsides my mind can’t find enough words to describe the beauty of the country. Around every turn is another picture for a postcard. Gazing out the window takes our minds off the road (and the zigzagging cars).








Georgia is a country of diversity. There are many differences between city life and the subsistent rural culture. For an economically depressed country, people are unusually hopeful and hospitable. Dilapidated and neglected school buildings are filled with bright and energetic young people. Abandoned factories and crumbling cement buildings stand out like ghostly landmarks of another time, yet just beyond the horizon is the breathtaking view of the snow capped mountains. An old woman sells bread along a mountain road, while a young girl walks through the city with the most sophisticated cell phone on the market. An old man works the land with a hoe, or an ox and plow … he’s lucky if someone in the community has a tractor to borrow… and a young man races a Mercedes through the crowded city street. We feel so lucky to have experienced so much in such a short time.