Not that Georgia! You know, the one over by the Black Sea. Yeah, that one. I’m working on pipelines for a big oil company. Got any questions about this part of the world? Maybe I can answer them. Maybe I can’t.
Since when did Alaska become a suburb of Tbilisi?
Did you fly eastwards to get there? Are they going to do Ireland a favour by taking points off Russia on 10 October? How are relations with Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia? Did the Iraq conflict have much of an effect, positive or negative, on the Georgian oil industry? How’s the nightlife?
Yessir, I flew eastwards to get here. My flight was: Anchorage-Seattle-Amsterdam-Tbilisi. The trip takes about 28 hours from start to finish, which won’t be a problem when I go home on my normal 28 days off - I won’t have to deal with “jet lag” at all.
Are you talking about the World Cup qualifier on 10 October?
Georgia, as you may know, was a state of the USSR until 1991. When Russia left Georgia, they took all the capital and almost everything that they could transport out of the country. I would say that the relations with Russia are strained. Georgia depends on Russia for lots of things, including natural gas and military support, so I think the ties are still pretty strong.
Azerbaijan is another matter; the cultures, beliefs, and backgrounds are vastly different between these two neighbors. I think each considers the other a necessary evil in their attempt to get along with the rest of the world and promote their collective resources to the global market.
Armenia is a country in dispute with Azerbaijan over a segment of land that juts into the Azerbaijan territory. There are “freedom fighters” that want autonomy and, of course, both countries claim the strip of land as their own. Some of the fighters use staging areas all over the Caucasuses, including Georgia. At present, things seem to have cooled down somewhat, but only time will tell about the next development.
The Iraq conflict seems to have had little effect on the Georgian oil industry because many of the projects just now being brought on line have been in the planning and development stages for years. Of course, the less oil that Iraq can bring to market, the better it is for Georgia and Azerbaijan.
The existing pipeline, WREP (Western Route Export Pipeline) runs from the Caspian Sea to the Black Sea, and has been in operation for six years. It is a very well-operated and well-maintained system. The next pipeline, BTC (named for the three principal cities that will be involved - Baku, Tbilisi, and Ceyhan) Pipeline will run from the Caspian Sea to the Mediterranean Sea, and will provide a means for Caspian Sea oil to reach the world market.
Night life is… different. I have been to a few bars (very Westernized) that cater to European tourists and I have also been to a traditional Georgian restaurant. Old Tbilisi House (the name of the traditional restaurant) was amazing. In addition to lots of food and wine (your wine glass must be drained at each toast made at the table - and there are lots of toasts at the table) we were treated to male dancers performing traditional Georgian “ballet,” women performing Georgian traditional dances and Turkish-influenced “belly dancing,” and a five-part male singing troupe performing Georgian folk ballads and martial songs. It was a rare treat for myself and eight others of our work team and our Georgian host. Mostly, I just hang out at the bar of the hotel where I am staying, the Sheraton Metechi Palace - a very nice hotel, by the way.
Tbilisi is considered to be “the cradle of wine country” in Georgia, so the wine is quite good. I am planning to take a few bottles home to have for holiday parties. I can’t wait to see the look on the face of the hostess when I tell her where the wine came from. I suspect I’ll get a few double takes when I say, “Yes, ma’am, the Georgia over by Russia. Not the Georgia over by Virginia.”
Do you know a 20 year old girl called Ketevan?
Tell her a guitar-playing physicist says “hi”.
She says, “Hello. When do I get that Corvette Stingray for the wild week-end we had?” What shall I tell her?
Let’s get to the hard questions, such as, how do you pronounce the “Tb” in “Tbilisi?”
What do the Georgian media think of their team’s chances in the World Cup this year? I ask 'cause I’m kinda counting on them to beat the Poms in their match in Perth.
And yes, I actually spent $20 on a Georgian team supporter’s cap.
Hey, I’ve got some of that wine! I brought some Georgian troops back to Tbilisi after a stint in Bosnia (1996), and we were greeted with a VERY warm reception! They treated us to a full, multi-course meal with the Chief of Staff of the Georgian Armed Forces. We gave them some patches, and they gave us wine. I’ve still got it - saving it for a special occasion.
Well, BigNik, I doubt that I would find anyone here in Georgia who would say they don’t have a good chance to win the World Cup.
pilot141, which wines do you have? I’ve been told that the Kektechi is very full-bodied, but one of the best. I have a few bottles set aside that I will be taking home this trip, but I don’t really know how good they are. BTW, 141 as in Starlifter? I reckon you’re in the B model, eh?
Sounds like an interesting place. Still Beyond Petroleum?
radar ralf the wine I have is a white wine…everything on the label is in Cyrillic letters, so your guess is as good as mine!
And yes, the 141 in my username refers to the Starlifter (B model). You’re only the second Doper to make the connection - Bravo! I left the 141 in 1998 and left the active duty Air Force in 2000, though. Great airplane, great missions, lots of fun.
What is the city like that you are in? Old-New. Old-Old, Semi-new-medium Old?
How are the people when they realize you are a forgiener?
What is the time difference there if it is, say, noon in NYC? six or seven hours behind?
How long do you expect to be there?
How’s the weather?
Why would your flight fly that direction, rather than over Russia since you were practically over there anyways? It kinda makes no sense. Couldn’t go ANC-TKY-something-something? I dunno. My world map has been taken by my midget vandels.
What is the TV like?
Can you send me a post card 
Ringo - Yessir, still the same big oil company. I’m surprised you remember that.
pilot141 - Did you ever have any “tailgater” missions?
Shirley Ujest - Tbilisi is an old city that was on the Silk Road. It, and the country, was modernized by the Russians when it was a part of the USSR. When the Russians left in 1991, everything started going to hell in a handbasket. The city now is pretty much in a bad way.
The people of Georgia are very friendly, even when they find out I am a U.S. citizen. I am amazed that they seem to be so upbeat in the face of such disarray in their country.
The time difference between here and my home in Alaska is thirteen hours. So the difference between Tbilisi and NYC is nine hours.
I work a rotation of 28-and-28, so I am here for four weeks and then home for four weeks. I am on a 3 to 5 year contract, so I’ll get to see a lot.
The latitude of Tbilisi is roughly the same as South Dakota, so the weather ain’t bad. This trip (which started in the middle of August and endstomorrow!), started out hot and is finishing up wet.
The flight that I took was pretty much dictated by my company. I’m happy with it, though, 'cause I only had to change planes three times and the return flight will do away with jet lag (I’ll be flying westward).
The hotel where I am staying in Tbilisi (the Sheraton Metechi palace - they have a website, BTW) has fifty television channels. The ever-present CNN is what I watch most. There is also a Showtime channel that airs a mix of old and new movies in English. I sometimes watch the National Geographic channel, 'cause it’s in English. The rest of the channels are either local-language broadcasts or movies made in English, but dubbed over into the local language.
Sure, I can send you a postcard. It would be my pleasure. Is your postal address on your profile? Help me figure this out, and you’ll have a picture postcard of Tbilisi on the way.
Are the people racially Slavic like the Russians or a Middle Eastern blend like surrounding Azerbaijan and Armenia?
What’s it like being from a country that created Stalin? Does it irk you when people bring it up?
I have another Stalin question. When your people were creating the greatest mass murderer before Mao, did they leave any blueprints on how they did it, so that I may borrow them to look them over and totally get them back to you by Tuesday?
Does the population generally speak English?
What’s the country like, in terms of safety/crime?
CaptBushido - the people here in Georgia are very much like the folks in Azerbaijan and Armenia. Georgia is a place where many cultures and backgrounds have come together. If I had to make a calculated guess, I’d say that Georgians are a blend. Sorry I can’t be more precise - I’ve only been here for five weeks.
Eternal - I beg your pardon? I am not from Georgia; I am working here on assignment with my employer. The blueprints you refer to must be a closely-guarded secret, as I have not heard of anything such as you suggest. You might try to contact S. Hussein for guidance.
Tusculan - Most of the folks I work with are very well educated. There is mandatory education for children through what we would call high school in the U.S. It is state-sponsored and generally adequate to prepare young people for the world. Higher education is usually reserved for those students who show special aptitude in the lower grades and that, too, is state-sponsored. There is, of course, the option to attend excellent schools both inside and outside of Georgia, but that is beyond the financial capabilities of most Georgians. English is spoken with some regularity, but most of the craftspersons and professionals prefer to speak Russian because it is a more technical language.
There seems to be some organized crime in Georgia, possibly a hold-over from the days of the Russian Mafia. Generally speaking, the masses suffer from the same kind of low-grade crime found throughout the world. Having said that, there was the instance just last week of a large prison break of over one hundred inmates from the Rostavi internment facility. I’m not sure how many have been taken back into custody, but it was the hot topic of conversation for several days. As for personal safety, it’s just a matter of exercising common sense in an unfamiliar area. That, and staying close to your bodyguard carrying the submachine gun! Just kidding - it’s really not all that scary here.
So, how do you pronounce “Tbilisi”, anyway?