HERITAGE PARK, ETC.

Today we visited Heritage Park, a living exhibition of old homes that have been moved from their original local and replaced so that visitors to Georgia can begin to understand the culture. Before the war of 2008 with Russia, hundreds of people visited this site. Today, the attendance was sparse, but the opportunity to learn was great.

This particular home was built out of chestnut. The fireplace and chimney wer first put into place and then the house was built around that chimney. Three fireplaces and four rooms; kitchen, eating/living area and two bedrooms - one for the elders and one for the children. There were mattresses place on the hard board beds.

This wall hanging/blanket was made out of lambs wool, and purportedly took over two years to weave.

The two right wings of this cabinet held the dishes while the center portion contained other odds and ends that were used in the home.

The fences were made out of chestnut branches. Each home was fenced off to separate it from the neighbors.

This is a wine press. A hollowed out log was used for the grapes where men (and no women) would enter to stomp out the grapes. The juice ran from the big hollowed out lot into a jar - the clay jars were then buried in the ground for six plus monthw while the wine cured.

There was a "ladder" into this off the ground storage facility

Many of the families raised chickens, duck, and goats, all depending on the financial status of the owners. Obviously none of the families had a lots of money.

At the church, gravestones were also seen.

This is a child walker. When the child got a bit older and taller, the horizontal piece was reversed to provide the extra height.

A "unit" of people were enjoying a lunch a one of the historic homes. As I stopped by just to see what they were eating, they greeted me and invited me to join them in their special meal. I had to refuse since we needed to be on our way to a family meal.

John and Russian speaking guide at the Wine center at Heritage Park.

After the time at the Heritage Park, we went to an nearby city park and went to eat at the steak house. Great food.

Blackberry and plum flowers grew side by side - a wonderful sign of spring.

Karol buys some daffodils from a street vendor (she really wanted to sell those flowers!).

Karol looks for gifts for family back home.

At the city center, you will find the Marriott Courtyard and this statue (a statute of Lenin until 1990), located at Freedom Square built by the Russians in 1820. Now it is called the Monument of Freedom and Victory with an expensive looking statue of St. George and the dragon.

One of the big buildings facing the square.