Saturday and IWA Bazaar

So here it is Saturday: the day of the annual IWA Bazaar.  We have attended and/or participated in this event since about 2001.  Seems like a long time ago now that we first came and later Marty exhibited photos or her amber jewelry (that was around 2002).  She has been involved with the IWA (International Women's Association) for this entire time.  Usually this has involved helping with the setup on Friday evening and last evening was no exception.  The biggest plus for this year is that last night she left at 00:35 (12:35 am) and was home by 1:00 and in bed by 1:15!  Given that we are still both dealing with jet lag and are sleep deprived, getting to sleep was not so much a problem.

While Marty was at the Sheraton helping with the setup, David was with Larry Good, a friend of many years.  Later in our visit when the weather is good, we're promised a ride in Larry's Pobeda (Victory): an antique Russian convertible, which Larry acquired years ago and had restored in the Georgian city of Telavi.

Bright and early, well, as bright as a cloudy, foggy morning can be, Marty headed up to the hotel to assist in the setup of the IWA's White Elephant table.  The scene at 08:00 was already crazy with the arrival of crafters and exhibitors who didn't know where their tables were.

Mid morning scene in the ballroom where the craftsmen exhibit.

Lobby area where the embassies set up their displays

The embassy workers are generally all decked out in some type of national costume such as this lovely young woman from Lithuania.


Of course, there were good foods to be bought and from the Lithuanian Embassy we got some wonderful Christmas bread, unfortunately it won't keep (we freeze it).  It is a dark, dark whole grain bread that is hearty and moist with quite an amazing flavor.  (Right now it is in the freezer so it might come back to the US with us.)  We also got treats from the Polish and German embassies and these treats will come back to the US.

The challenge of the day, however, was to find David some new hiking boots.  We're not sure what it is about Georgia but this has been the final resting place now for two pairs of boots!  One pair bit the dust up in Ushguli several years ago while we were hiking (there might even be photos of those boots somewhere in an earlier blog).  This time the boots failed right here in Tbilisi!  And when David's boots fail, they fail big, big time.  Check these bad puppies out.

Nearly soleless hiking boots!

We needed a quick stop for groceries after finding new boots at one of two North Face stores in the city.  Because it is near our house we went to the newer Carrefour.  Carrefour's interior is much like any grocery store in the US or Europe.  This store occupies a space that in the early 2000's was an old fashioned market with long tables of vendors selling everything from fruits and vegetables to whole suckling pigs!  It was a great place to shop and for someone from "away" it was quite an experience.  Mounds of flour and corn meal on some tables with carefully displayed dried beans or hanging dried peppers and other tables with fresh beef cuts (and huge hanging pieces of critters behind the tables).  This shop is quite a contrast to what was before and reflects on the changing times into a more modern commercial way of life.

Check out area of Carrefour where a security guard was upset that Marty was photographing.

Pano of the square near Carrefour and the flower market.

Our day is not be fninshed yet as there are plans underway for dinner ahead with friends.  Sunday will be haircut day (yes, barber and beauty shops are open on Sunday).