"Kutaisi: My Georgian Story" K'alak'i K'ut'aisi by JohnniOmani

Kutaisi is Georgias second city and according to legend, it is one of the oldest cities on Earth. The city has a long and dramatic history and it has been the capital several times throughout the nations long history. Kutaisi is often skipped over by travellers because they are in a rush to go to the northern or eastern parts of Georgia. To be honest, Kutaisi ended up being one of the true highlights of my life thanks in part to a local family I encountered on my first day of travels. Eventhough I had very special people showing me around I couldnt help but notice the reality of the place. The area has suffered problems over the last fifteen years. The city itself is economically depressed but after spending five full days here, I realized that the people are optimistic and good spirited. The people of Kutaisi are super friendly and you can easily spend a few days taking in the sights around the city. It was Kutaisi that showed me what true Georgian life was all about. Whether it is the marvelous Gelati monastery nearby or Bagrati cathedral, Kutaisi offers travellers an opportunity to see nd experience a city with warm people that are struggling to make ends meet which is sadly the true reality of Georgia.

Gorgeous Gelati

The Georgians are proud of this masterpiece and they should be because it was one of the most overlooked yet impressive sights in the region. It is situated about 10km from the city and I was lucky enough to not only be brought to this wonderful place by my host family but they negotiated with the Russian/Georgian speaking tour guide for a full hour tour and my friend Eka translated every word the man said into perfect English making this place special in my memories of Georgia. Gelati was founded by none other than King David in 1100s and for the next several hundred years Gelati became a place where scholars studied and obtained high level education. The Turks later burnt it but monks over the next several hundred years took care of it and this place was said to have been as equally important to Georgian scholars as Jerusalem and Athens. The entire sights demands a few hours and it is an absolute must see. Fantastic :)

The King that United

Kutaisi new heart and soul is this square which contains the statue of Davit the builder aka Davit Aghmashenebeli and the opera house. King Davit was actually crowned king in Kutaisi and the statue is evidents of his influence on the areas past. All Georgians know the story of King David very well because he was the first King to unite the Georgian Kingdom in the late 1100s. He drove the Seljuk Turks out of the country and made Georgia is regional powerhouse which led the countrys golden age of development. Every Georgian speaks highly of this ancient ruler and statues are everywhere. This area of town is a great place to relax and people watch and if you are lucky you may be able to catch a traditional show in the opera house.

• Pros:Too many to mention
• Cons:a bit run down but usually overlooked
• In a nutshell:greatest introductory experience I ve ever had