Curious Objects in Tbilisi (2) - "No Credit Cards" Sign

The photo above is taken at the reception of the hotel I booked. I stayed at the hotel only one night.
The obvious interesting thing is the message about "temporary" not accepting credit cards is engraved in a chuky metal piece.
The above proves there is nothing more permanent than temporary things.

Curious Objects in Tbilisi (1) - Abacus

In almost all shops the shopkeepers use abacus. I doubt its ubiquitous presence is because shopkeepers have no money for a cheap chinese calculator. My view is shopkeepers love to use abacus. Perhaps they also know that working on an abacus improves development of a right brain - side responsible for creativity, artistic sense and spatial arrangements (dimensional sense).

 So my conclusion is that all shopkeepers using abacus are artists. If anyone wants to practise on abacus and work on development of a right side of a brain - itunes may help - since last year they offer russian abacus app.

Alternatively one can buy an abacus on Tbilisi flee market.

Court hearing for Yulia

This morning centre of Kiev was full of Yulia's supporters. They came from all over Ukraine to support Yulia who appeared in the court today.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/06/24/us-ukraine-tymoshenko-idUSTRE75N17M20110624
Yulia was in the court for the pre-trial hearing which was to decide if there is a case against Ms Tymoshenko accused for abuse of power over the 2009 gas supply agreement. The prosecution alleges Yulia forced in Jan 2009 at that time the head of Naftogaz to sign the gas deal with Russia's Gazprom. Following the signing of the deal the gas delivery resumed.

To refresh the memory - in January 2009 - as the New Year present to Europe - Russia stopped its gas supply to Europe because of a dispute with Ukraine. Half of the Europe (13 countries) was for two weeks without gas supply.

Tbilisi

Last Friday evening took an evening flight to Tbilisi, Georgia. From Kiev to Tbilisi is a bit more than two hours.

Tbilisi always sounded exotic to me and I wanted to visit for some time. But the August 2008 war with Russia in Abkhazia and Ossetia in a way delayed a trip.
On May 26th this year there were demonstrations in Tbilisi. For a brief moment I was considering cancelling the trip - but finally decided to go.
The town charmed me. It's leafy - the vines are everywhere. Palms and cyprus trees are next to maple, linden and yew trees. Every few steps there is a small park.
Roads are infested with potholes. Majority of buildings in need of restoration. From some houses facade is peeling off. On some balconies are hanging on some tiny wires.
It seems as since the 1917 revolution not much was spent on the city maintenance.
But restoration works are under way. While now the city looks a bit rough and neglected I expect the works which are underway will turn it into highly polished gem.

Tbilisi

Georgia is poor country and most of the shopping is done in small grocery stores. I found one big supermarket which was empty. It was full of imported (expensive) goods.
Some cloths store sell imported second hand things from Europe - at quite steep prices. I saw an H&M second hand dress for about 150 EUR.
Photos of city shopping:

Tbilisi Shops

I was most fascinated by inventive shop signs:

Tbilisi Shop Signs

People are very friendly. Unfortunately the younger generation does not speak much English and does not speak Russian at all.
Older generation speaks Russian. But I admit I felt uncomfortable trying to converse in a language of aggressor. Once I told I am from Croatia some mentioned the war, some recalled Croatia voted for Georgia in Eurovision. But people were very kind, friendly and helpful.
People are religious and men will stop to cross when they hear distant sound of a church bell. Taxi drivers will cross themselves every time the church is passed along the driving route.
Many dark haired men have blue or green eyes which made me stare.
On a warm sunny day most men take off their shirts and expose publicly their hairy chest and backs. Women often wear headscarf or a head band.
National History Museum in the basement has some fantastic jewellery dated 1-2 century AD. On the forth floor is very impressive and emotional Soviet Occupation Museum.
In the National Galery they have one whole floor dedicated to Niko Pirosmani - a self-thought Georgian 19 century painter who liked painting animals.
Food was great. For three days I enjoyed shashlik, kebabs, sweet tomatoes, crunchy cucumbers, delicious herbs, khachapuri, lavash bread.
Over few days I got a nice taste of Georgian capital. I truly hope I will be back soon.

Documents Review

I showed Igor my new temp driving licence and the police report of the accident. Photos say it all.

The Car Accident

I had the small car accident. On Friday evening coming back home jut in front of my house. The good thing is nobody is hurt. I was in the car alone. The couple in the other car is fine. Both cars have only some minor damage. Here is how the accident happened:

From the street where I live I have to go through the arc. On Friday evening I could not go through the arc as some car was parked in front of it. I stopped and indicated to the driver I need to go through the arc. The driver in the parked car was initially hesitant to move but finally understood I need to go through the arc and started to go. When I started to move to enter the arc I heard the thump. From my left side the red VW Polo hit me.

It was 19.55 hours. The couple was in the car. The man was driving. The man get out of the car and started to shout at me how stupid I am to drive backwards. Through the window I told the man I have not drove backwards.

Polo driver: "Oh you are foreigner. You drove backwards."

Me: "No I have not was my answer. You tried to pass me over two white lines".

Polo driver: "We tried to escape from you driving backwards".

Well - case of different views. No point in arguing. I stayed in the car and called Volodya - one of the bank drivers. I described what happened. Volodya told me the police will come to make a protocol I need for insurance.

Than I called Mirna to calm myself down. Than I called Kati to help me with some Russian vocabulary.

Next to my house is a Belgium restaurant. In front of the restaurant stand parking guys. The driver I saw the Polo driver taking to the parking guys. I shortly get out of the car to make the photos of the accident. In about 40 min the police came. The first policeman who approached me was very polite. He asked for my documents and than after asking me if I know Russian explained I have to fill the report. I had to fill it in Russian. With help over phone from Kati I tried to explain the situation the best I could. Than the second policeman approached me and asked to move the car not to obstruct the traffic. I moved the car. Than with the form filled but not yet signed tried to find a police. There were on the other side of the road and the Polo driver was talking to them. Bad sign. I approached the car and two policeman I have not seen before were in it. When I approached the car the driver stopped talking. Bad sign confirmed. Than the policeman started to talk to me:

Policeman: "How can you drive backwards?"
Me: "How do you know I drove backwards?"
Policeman: "The other driver said you drove backwards. It's you fault."

Me: "Will you write in the report it is my fault? I thought the court will decide whose fault is it."

Policeman: "Well we can do an experiment for USD 200 that it was you fault."

Me: "Interesting. Would you please put in the report you offered me to do an experiment for USD 200 and that I declined such."

Policeman: "You drove backwards."

Me: "For someone who was not there you are pretty confident of this. I am impressed with you confidence. But I have not drove backwards."

The conversation took place while the policeman was sitting in the car and I standing next to the car along the busy road. The policeman continued to write the report. He started to look at the traffic code to find which one was violated. He looked at one but the picture there missed two white lines and I told him so. He looked at me and told me: Please sit in the car. I joined him. He started to read me the report. The address he put there was 46 which was wrong. I told him so. He said the address describes where is the police car the scheme of the accident will show the address of the accident. OK. Than the report stated I drove backwards. Once again the conversation that I have not drove backwards continued. I told him I will not sign the protocol.

At that point I called my friend Alexey and he confirmed I should not agree with the protocol if it states what I do not consider to be correct. I returned to the policeman and said I disagree with protocol and will state why. So I wrote in Russian: "Disagreeing with the protocol as it states I drove backwards. This is incorrect". When I wrote that the policeman looked at me and said "Molodyec". This is usually something you said when the kid is good so I did not know if he is saying this sarcastically or not and decided to ignore it. But somehow during our conversations I sensed that the arrogance and hostility kind of thawed.

Than the policeman said to me: "Look you are saying you have not drove backwards. The other driver and witnesses state you drove backwards."

Me: "What witnesses? The other driver has witnesses?"

Policeman: "Yes - he does."

Me: "Why you have not told me that before? I could get witnesses too. Did you tell me that?"

Policeman: "Yes I did."

Me: "Are you sure?"

Policeman: "Yes I am."

Me: "Are you sure that when you asked me I understood the question?"

Policeman: Silence.

Me: "If you have not been sure I understood the question why have you not repeated the question so I could understand?"
Policeman looked as he looking to answer
Me: "Well I will add I have not known the other party has witnesses otherwise I would have them too."
I took the report added the sentence. I added the time of signing: 21.40 hours.
Than came the accident scheme. I insisted the scheme has the right street number on the top.

In the meantime the other driver was getting nervous. The policeman told him I have not agreed to the protocol. The police also found out they do not have forms for insurance - which is the most important piece of paper.

The policeman suggested I go on Saturday morning to the police station to pick it up. I told him unfortunately I have other plans for Saturday but can come on Monday.

The Polo driver did not like this but the policeman explained him I have other plans. I thanked him for that.

He than explained me where I should go and - gave me his name and phone number.

He also explained because I disagree with the protocol there will be a court case. Because of the court case the police will keep my driving licence and gave me a temp one. I got some small piece of paper as my temp driving licence. And that was finally it around 22.00 hours.

When I was leaving I thanked both policeman. The Polo driver stayed with them. But after two hours being very clear myself it was not my fault and clearly disagreeing with the police report - I stopped to care if the Polo driver still wants to struck the deal with them.

So tomorrow I go to the police station for insurance paper. And I wonder how long I will have to wait for the court case.

National Opera Flowerbeds

Until few days ago if one would ask me about appropriate plants for city flowerbeds I would come up with petunias, marigolds, pansies and other usual flowers one sees in any city.

The other evening I have not had much time to take Igor to the park. Opposite to my apartment is the National Opera. Next to the National Opera is a patch of grass - big enough for Igor. Around it are flowerbeds. In flowerbeds - instead of marigolds - there is nice looking green salad. I was quite impressed. The roof vegetable gardening still has to reach Kiev. But healthy looking salad in flowerbeds next to the National Opera - is strong proof that a significant progress concerning city's vegetable gardening is made.

Blonds Day

This year it seems we skipped spring and jumped from winter to summer within days. For almost a week the temperture is about 30+ degrees. One of the best way to spend hot summer evenings is in the park.

As days get hotter and evenings warmer - the park becomes more crowded. People relax on benches or on grass. Play guitar. Talk. Watch other people. Drink.
Yesterday walking Iggy some men congratulated me the blonds day. As these men were drinking vodka I thanked them and moved on. Later some men drinking beer congratulated me the blonds day too. Again I politely smiled and thanked them but was sure there has to be some "blonds park joke".

This morning I shared with my colleagues' how men in the park congratulating me the blonds day. My colleagues response was - "Ohh yes - yesterday was the international blonds day". Never heard of such day. But it seems in Ukraine - it is taken seriously. In Latvia the "blonds day" is taken even more seriously - as blonds organized a parade in Riga:  http://www.euronews.net/nocomment/2011/05/30/blonde-parade-in-latvia/