Batumi, Part the First

My goodness, where do I start?  I really need to be better about updating this thing.  So, the Sunday after I arrived, my host Mom drove me and my host sisters an hour south to Batumi.  I fell in love with this city, kind of instantly

Riding the giant ferris wheel with my wonderful host sisters, Anna and Nata.

Batumi is a resort town and the Georgian government has put in a lot of time and money towards fixing it up.  I think I dig this city even more than Tbilisi.  The Black Sea is so peaceful and soothing, and there's a lot to do and see without the overwhelming bustle and hectic-ness of the Capital.  Nata, Anna, and I rode the big ferris wheel they have on the coast; I got a lot of really stunning shots but blogger is being annoying about my uploading photos so I had to just pick a few.

Afterwards we got drinks at a beachside cafe with a roof deck.  Lovely.  Then the girls and I took a long walk along the Sea while Nana caught up with some friends.

The Black Sea at sunset.  These were just two random dudes but I really love how the shot came out.

On the way home, we took a detour about 15/20 minutes south and visited the Turkish border.  Seeing those checkpoints really ignited my travel bug again.  Yes, I know.  I AM traveling.  But as Liz Gilbert adeptly notes, there is a big difference between living in a place and traveling there.  Georgia is my home now, but Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and even Egypt and the Greek Isles are all beckoning.  I'd love to get another stamp on my passport before the summer is over.