On to Batumi
02-28-2022
Our taxi is coming at 7:30, so it's an early morning! We've left our two big bags in the room and after Alex sees us safely away he will retrieve and stash them for us. It's a fairly quick ride to the train station and we have no trouble locating the Batumi train. We are in the first carriage, upstairs, in seats that face each other. The lady checks our QR codes on my phone against our names and passport numbers and we easily install ourselves in our comfy seats. There is free wifi and everything is good. There is an announcement that is repeated throughout the trip, reminding people that if they don't wear their masks they will be put off the train at the very next station.
I just love our little boutique hotel!! |
We've brought our bag of snacks and we purchased last night on our way home, and every time Ammar feels hungry he passes me some of whatever he's having. And we text back and forth. I begin to understand why we see the kids doing this at restaurants. Sometimes you just don't want the whole world to know what you're saying!! I'm reading a really good book on my kindle called Two Days in Lisbon and occasionally taking pictures of the mountains (okay, hills - I'm a Florida girl, after all!). Ammar is reading or watching something on his phone. And we both take tiny catnaps.
Intriguing castle on the hill |
At one point Ammar gets my attention to show me that there is snow on the ground!! And a little later we can see real snow-capped mountains!
black jackets, blue jeans, short hair - in a different country I might be concerned. |
Batumi is on the Black Sea and I just read yesterday that Turkey is not allowing Russian or Ukrainian ships to pass because they are now "at war" which they had not previously stated. We see a couple of tankers; but they're certainly not Russian.
Ammar moves us close to the doors downstairs about ten minutes before we are scheduled to arrive, so as to avoid the crowding as people detrain. We left exactly on time at 8:20 and arrive just as punctually at 2:05. A taxi driver offers his services almost immediately and he is so charming and his rates so competitive that Ammar takes down his number. He shows us some color photos of places he can take us while we're here and I think we'll let him drive us to see the waterfalls one day.
We're staying at the Aisi Hotel, within sight of the beach and close to the dancing fountains and dolphinarium, a little further south than our last time we were here. We should be able tto walk to some different sights quite easily and the weather is gorgeous! We gett all checked in and I have to open the windows to cool down! Much better than Tbilisi! Breakfast is between nine and eleven on the thirteenth floor. It's always fun to see what different people mean by breakfast. I'll try to get Ammar to come with me, despite his lack of interest in an early morning meal.
views from our balcony |
After being sleep deprived for a couple of nights, we get all moved in and crawl into bed for a nap. Tonight we'll go to the fish market and have fresh seafood! I can't wait to repeat our experience from our last visit! My mouth is all set for salmon, shrimp, and Georgian salad with walnut dressing! And wine! But not so much that I can't sleep!
It's just as good as I remember! But this time I'm smart enough to just have a little wine and bring the rest of the bottle home with us. We choose to sit outside and our waitress if afraid that I'll be cold so she brings me a blanket for my lap! She doesn't get how nice it is not to be hot!!
In case we need to show this to a taxi driver! |
They've got our two kilos of shrimp and two denise (Ammar says that our fish?) It's the one on the top left. |
It appeared that the patriarch and his entourage all had to select dinner! |
This is the ear tag that the street dogs are all sporting. |
Georgian salad with walnut dressing |
We pretty much destroyed it!! |
We catch a cab to the Neptune's Fountain area to see if there is a hotel that we like better than the Aisi. The room is lovely and spacious, but the bathroom is itty bitty and the Wyndham on Europe Square is cheaper and has a large bathroom and a tub! We'll probably change hotels in the morning! (And, of course, they have a casino.)
Eventually we catch another cab home. I'm so glad I'm not in charge of all the taxi negotiations!! Along the way we stop to change money since the exchange rate has changed in our favor! Ammar goes in and I stay and chat with our driver. He proudly says he is 27 and shows me his new baby. They all seem to think it's okay to ask a lady her age! I demur and he guesses 40 and surely not as much as 50. I love this country!
Support for the Ukraine is just as prevalent here. |
I have to admit that the shower is very nice! The water is hot and the shower head can be adjusted way down for us vertically-challenged folks! But it doesn't make the room any larger or brighter!
I think you can start calling those mountains. I look forward to your waterfall day.
ReplyDeleteThat last picture looks like cardboard cutouts held together with huge paper clips. I'm sure it's sturdier than it looks.
Your room looks very nice, comfy and solid.
Enjoy your dinner!
Or maybe your lego buildings??
DeleteThanks!
Your room looks quite modern and comfy! Love the photos and altho they are mountains, the colors remind me of mountains in the great west! Enjoy the seafood dinner!
ReplyDeleteI think all mountains are simply gorgeous!!
DeleteThanks!
I agree about your room: very nice! And I’d call them mountains, too. 😀
ReplyDeleteYay for all mountains!
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