A Quick Report From My "Third City"

About the time I was getting ready to leave for the airport, my business partner called to wish me a nice trip. He asked how it felt to return to my third city after so much time. When I inquired about what he meant by referring to Tbilisi as my third city, he said that it was the city where I have spent third biggest portion of my life so far. He was right, strangely as it is, Tbilisi holds a significant space in my life.

I like Georgia and I like Georgians. I like their pride and patriotism. They have won my sympathy with their struggle as a relatively small nation against and in between imperial powers in one of the most problematic geographies. That's why I find myself to be much more tolerant to problems I encounter in Tbilisi as compared in other cities I travel to frequently. Subjective? Oh yea.

Although I like this city, I must admit it gets a bit difficult to get around at times. You have to prepare yourself that people may display sudden acts of aggression as aggression seems to be a social norm in Georgia. Especially if you are a man, you have to be aggressive, speak loudly, be demanding. At any night out spent with Georgian guys, the possibility that you get involved in at least one quarrel is much more probable than any of the Murphy's rules.

Last night it was pretty mild though. I was in a night club called Night Office. A house music club that was opened in the beginning of 2006. By then it looked as if a magic hand had carried the club from space into the heart of Tbilisi. It was such a big change.

I went there out of a nostalgia lust. To remember about certain memories that still make me smile today.

At the entrance, I had to wait in a line (well; let's don't call it a line but a herd of people pushing each other near some door) with cool young crowd at their early twenties for about half an hour. The contrast between them and myself (I'm 31) gave me the chills as I remembered how much I despise the expat "working in less developed countries" stereo type. A big red nosed westerner, at his 50's, having a huge beer belly, with constant lust for local young girls, acting like god possibly due to lack of self confidence and constant repression back at home.

Anyway; the music sucked; but the drinks were fine. I made myself quickly drunk, found my way to the middle of the dance ring and danced for about an hour with my eyes closed. In Tbilisi, as a single guy, there is no way to dance on your own with your eyes open without catching an angry look from a guy who thinks you're hitting on his girl. So you have to close your eyes, look at the floor at best and dance. Quite a meditation!

I left the place at about 3 to catch an early morning flight back home after two days in this dusty but beautiful city.

I took the picture from this website by the way:

http://foto.rambler.ru/public/bakuri9/15/tbilisi/tbilisi-web.jpg.

Pity but I don't feel like taking pictures nowadays. Topic for another post maybe...