Cheese and wine by the fireplace — the best night in Kakheti, Telavi.
Breakfast refugees and the park dog
We went to two restaurants looking for breakfast. But both of them opened at 11. And we had to catch the 11 o'clock bus to Telavi.
In the end we bought bread at a nearby supermarket and ate it in the park. I had lobiani and a chocolate roll, David had a khachapuri bread. A dog caught the smell and came over. I didn't give any because if I did it would keep asking for more.
David tore off pieces of khachapuri and fed them to it. It ate them looking really happy. I figured it must have been starving. Another dog came and it became a hassle. A child's voice in my head shouted, 'I'm not giving you anything!'
Through the vineyards to Telavi
We checked out and took the bus to Telavi. On the way there were vineyards as far as the eye could see — truly Kakheti. Traveling like this with David will be a memory that lasts a lifetime, and the time of today will never come back. That's why I wanted to enjoy it to the fullest.
As soon as we arrived in Telavi we went to our guesthouse. The lady running it was very kind and said the room was already ready, so she let us check in.
Dagestan beyond the mountains
We walked around the town. We went to the spot with a statue David had visited as a child and took in the view. Mountains stretched out in front of us, their peaks capped with snow.
Beyond them lie Russia's Republic of Dagestan and the Chechen Republic. I could really feel that I was here.
11 khinkali
We headed to a restaurant his friend recommended for lunch, but they didn't have khinkali. Apparently David really wanted khinkali. In the end we ate khinkali and a salad at the restaurant next to the high school.
It was really delicious for the price. A chicken, tomato, and cucumber salad and 11 khinkali. It was so tasty.
Bazaar and winery
We walked to the bazaar. He bought almonds there. The bazaar doesn't seem to be David's favorite place. He said he dislikes negotiating and hates being thought of as odd by others — he wants everyone to see him as a good person.
But when I go to a bazaar my personality changes; I go into alert mode. I try to judge whether someone is overcharging, and if they quote a high price I won't buy. I kept that attitude. In the end, since prices were posted everywhere, I thought it was fair.
We walked to a winery. While walking, David taught me about car downforce and aerodynamics. When we arrived at the winery, the man there never once looked me in the face while speaking.
Tastings were 35 lari, but we declined. Seeing that man, I didn't want to drink his wine. It's not about salesmanship exactly, but I think those things matter.
We walked up to the hill and wandered around the town.
Possibilities are endless
After returning to the room to rest, we went to a cheese bar the owner recommended. As we walked, we shared past experiences and talked about relationships. I thought we were similar, and I hoped he'd move forward and do his best, even if only a little.
After all, you have to be happy yourself before you can make someone else happy. That's why being fulfilled yourself is important, and it's you who decides your own possibilities.
Possibilities are endless. Sometimes people label themselves as bad at something when in fact it's actually easy for them. So I thought you shouldn't limit your own possibilities.
A cheese bar I want to come back to in ten years
The cheese bar was the best place. It was probably the most memorable place in Kakheti. The restaurant was run by a couple, and the cheese bar was apparently created at the suggestion of the woman's daughter.
Inside, it was a very fancy, European-style place with lots of cheeses being aged. The room smelled of cheese — a truly unique experience. We ordered amber wine and five kinds of cheese.
The cheese with coriander and the cheese with mushrooms were absolutely delicious. The jams and honey had very unique flavors. The bread we ate with them was also really good and paired perfectly with the cheese. To be honest, I felt we didn't even need the wine.
Eating cheese and wine by the warm fireplace at night relaxed my whole body. It was the best time. I'm sure I'd like to come back and eat here again in about ten years.
We walked back to the guesthouse, and after that we did some work and relaxed together.
・・・
The next day we had breakfast made by the guesthouse owner. It was insanely good. For the first time, I ate homemade khachapuri.
After the meal they gave us some homemade rum to drink. It was incredibly delicious. Later they asked if we wanted a souvenir and poured a little rum into a flask for us.
The hostel's hospitality was off the charts.
