Welcome back to my Georgian business journal. Today I will take you to a place like from another world. Call it time travel or another dimension - Tkibuli is truly a gem. Strategically positioned in the center of Imereti region it is truly a gate way to Kavkaz.
So what business I've been doing there you might ask. Well, I was researching some of the cheapest real estate deals in the world. Now you could argue that things are cheap for a reason, but sometimes it can be purely an anomaly which screams to be explored...
One hour drive from Kutaisi one arrives to a different world. The mountains are literary one touch away and they create an interesting backdrop.
I wouldn't know about Tkibuli wouldn't it be for an add selling an apartment for about five thousand dollars. If you ask me such offers needs to be investigated. And being it semi rural area - most deals are not to be found online either. Paying a visit to such place was hence a must. I have wandered around in search for signs in the window signaling a place might be for sale. It turned out to be harder than I thought. I have seen only one at the very center and it was probably overpriced deal. I wanted to see some old houses in the surrounding areas and so I went for a long walk.
Passing abandoned cable car station, I have realized why things are cheap for now. Lot of people left Tkibuli for another city due to lack of employment and opportunity in general. It is either old people or kids living here. Anybody of working age has to leave to earn a living. Some of the buildings don't look that great either. It is a sad bud interesting view. It feels like this town is going through autumn of it's existence. We can only hope that it will reverse for summer again and long winter never arrives...
Soon I have encounter a first local. Me flashing my camera in a place that probably never seen a tourist - or at least for a damn long time - created enough attraction to be approached and asked questions. An old guy on his way to visit a neighbor shared a little walk with me. He mentioned some good old times stories and I tried my best to explain him my plan to buy a property using my very broken Russian...
At that time I was already way up on the hill and the whole Tkibuli was laying under and around me. I could also see a lake nearby. It is truly potential tourism hot spot, but it can take a lifetime to develop it. Big eyes and empty pockets - that is more or less my problem :)
Nevertheless I have also encountered some of the other inhabitants of Tkibuli - animals.
I am not sure if it is a thing but have you ever seen a street pig? This was totally a something new for me. Apart from that for Georgia typical street cows, dogs and cats were making my walk quite enjoyable experience.
I might not found my dream house this time around, but I have found pure Georgian culture. An old mining town slowly turning ghost town, but yet somehow there is some freshness in the air and bright future might be just around the corner. After all there is construction work going on throughout the town and it feels almost on purpose. As if somebody from the government found the hidden gem themselves. New sidewalks are being build and who knows - Tkibuli might be one day serving another purpose than mining...
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