MIR Corporation's Travel Blog:
Treasures of the Trans-Caucasus
Follow along with MIR Corporation Tour Manager Devin Connolly as she accompanies MIR clients on MIR's Treasures of the Trans-Caucasus small group tour.
View what other past MIR travelers have had to say about Georgia.
Day 5: Crossing into Georgia, Gurjaani, Signagi
October 3, 2008
The border crossing from Azerbaijan to Georgia is not the most relaxing experience, but everyone in our group used their common sense and the procedure took less than an hour - that's pretty good time for a group of 16. We began our drive toward Tbilisi, enjoying beautiful views of the Georgian countryside along the way. The difference between Azerbaijan and Georgia is felt immediately. I don't like to play favorites, but Georgia is noticeably more lush and prosperous than its southeastern neighbor. There are vineyards everywhere and people seem to spend more time outdoors, which is quite refreshing to see.
Our first stop in Georgia was in Gurjaani, where we ate lunch in the home of a local winemaker. The vintner gave us an explanation of Georgian winemaking, followed by a tasting and then an enormous "Georgian Table" lunch complete with music from a male vocal quartet, who serenaded us with Georgian folk songs. Full of sumptuous food and wine, we boarded the bus again and made one more stop in the small town of Signagi. It is a common destination for wedding parties to celebrate and take photographs and we watched as bridal parties streamed through the town square at regular intervals, each with a huge entourage of friends and family members in tow. We arrived into Tbilisi just before dinner, glad to be off the road after a long day of driving.
Photos from this leg of the tour (click to enlarge):
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