Humans of Tbilisi

Shukhuti villagers play Lelo Burti to celebrate Easter. The Rugby-like game is between the upper and the lower village, and uses a leather ball filled with dirt and wine. The village priest blesses the ball and the game starts in the local church. There are no rules, and the whole village plays. The team that drags the ball to their part of the village wins. The winning team takes the ball to the cemetery to honor a recently passed away person.

“Nope. That would be me,” she replied with a serious face.

“A textbook on the theory of evolution,” Zviadi replied.

“We lost our son during the war in Abkhazia in the early 1990s,” Iuza told me as his wife was fixing the details on the collar.

“Well, that’s true, but you still need to shave more hazelnut wood. Practice makes perfect,” Kvicha told him.

The electricians working to install the lights around the St George’s monument saw me taking pictures. They suggested to take me up with them to see how they work up there. How could I say no? I was so close that I could even reach out to touch the top of the 35-meter-tall monument.

Churchkhela: a sweet concoction made out of boiled grape juice and nuts. He explained to me that just like wine, the type of grape will make a difference in the final taste and color.

Hanukkah in a Tbilisi synagogue.

“Not many, as it takes around 3 months to make a good sword,” he replied.

“Shout louder! I can’t hear well! ” he said.

She didn't mind going back and forth a few times so I could get this shot of her bringing us the plates full of piping hot khinkalis.

Taken during the Tbilisoba festival.

Sheikh Vagif, the head cleric of Georgian Muslims once told me he enjoys listening to Pink Floyd and Deep Purple.

The Kiacheli street is full of pubs with pretty loud music. I guess that’s quite a good alibi to hold your little sister to take a peek!

“As soon as she picked up a pencil to draw, I know I was wrong. I guess some things are just in your genes,” she explained.

We were deep in our discussions when we noticed the group of people coming out of the adjacent synagogue to conclude their Saturday service with Kiddush Levanah (Sanctification of the Moon) in the same yard shared with the coffee shop.

He smiled big.