Random Thoughts: Two weeks into our trip

Here we are now two weeks into our time in Georgia and we have been experiencing the cold and wind that only cities can deliver in December. It is not the -10 F with wind, but just below 30F with gusts up to 40mph. This type of wind blows the dried leaves in parallel to the street as well as any dust and dirt particles, of which there is much. We watched workmen atop a new building struggling with a large panel hanging down from their crane unable to control it at all...dangerous to put it mildly. And our eyes watered as though we were weeping.

The flea market vendors on the Dry Bridge located near our flat have been pretty much absent for three days because of the cold and wind. The few who were out yesterday, Friday, were packing up at 15:30 as we made our way home from our daily excursion. This flower seller in the Flower Market was only one of a handful and has built a fire in a pail plus is using foil over his legs for some additional warmth.

We have started our annual shopping for walnuts and outside the market where we buy cheese and nuts saw one of the vegetable vendors from whom we have purchased produce all bundled up against the cold. Her only advantage was that she could sit in the sunshine.

Our walk yesterday also included having lunch in the DineHall, a new restaurant on Rustaveli. We were very pleasantly surprised upon entering when we were asked if we wanted the smoking or non-smoking section. As far as we can recall this was the first time where this happened to us where the sections were really separated...separate room and separated by the entrance area! The food was a little more expensive than we were used to and we may have adjusted our order somewhat because of that, however, the total was under $12 for two bowls of soup, a bread basket, water and coffee. So, probably a reasonable cost for such food if we had been in the U.S. It is interesting that once one has been in the country for a while you adjust your thinking from automatically calculating the price in the local currency into USD into thinking only of the cost or price in the local currency. In the restaurant Marty saw the price of the pumpkin soup at 10 GEL which is high for Tbilisi..and both of us thought this was a more expensive restaurant. In reality, it was a lower price than we would have paid for comparable food in Hallowell or Gardiner. Enough said, check out the beautiful pumpkin soup below as well as the bread basket.

On Thursday we also got out for a walk in the wind and cold. This one in our own neighborhood where these photos were captured. A new store front with a dog sculpture..looks and feels cold with the blue sky reflected in the window.