As tourists for 2 or 3 days we saw and walked the old center of Tbilisi, the quarters Kala, Bethlemi and Abanotubani (the baths) towered by the Narikala Fortress and bordered by the river Kura.

Our very first impressions were those of decay very closely aside of upraise. We saw elegantly built volumes with left and broken houses nearby. A lot of damage may be caused by earthquakes, the last one in 2002. Many wrecked house are supported by massive iron braces. So these buildings seem to be preserved for some time to reconstruction. Due to speculations the price of land here in the old quarters is said to be extraordinary. Many public and commercial buildings look costly renovated.

And the people? Frustrating for us was the strangeness of the Georgian language and writing. Despite of this we met friendly and helpful persons, without exceptions.As the old quarters are full of day and night life for tourists and locals we easily found nice restaurants and bars.

At the northern end of the old quarters showily buildings in the spectacular style of former president Micheil Saakaschwili such as the Public House, the Bridge of Peace, a Congress Hall or the presidents palace shall attract the visitors eye, but mostly makes him raise his eyebrows instead.