Ashes in the Light

After leaving Kazbegi, we arrived back in Tbilisi in the late afternoon.

Returning to the city after a few days in the mountains felt strangely familiar.

The busy streets, the cafés, and the familiar view from our hotel all welcomed us back, almost as if we had never left.

We checked back into Amante Narikala, unpacked once again, and decided to rest for a while before heading out for dinner.

Rather than searching for somewhere new, we found ourselves returning to the same Thai restaurant we had visited earlier in the trip.

It had become one of those comforting places that felt familiar after days of travelling.

Sometimes, it’s nice to revisit somewhere you already know you’ll enjoy.

After dinner, we spent some time wandering through the streets one last time.

There were still a few souvenirs we had deliberately held off buying at the start of our trip because we didn’t want to carry them around Georgia.

Now that we were back in Tbilisi, it was finally time.

We picked up a few packets of Georgian tea to bring home, along with churchkhela — the traditional Georgian snack made by dipping strings of nuts into thickened grape juice before allowing them to dry.

They made simple souvenirs, but somehow felt more meaningful because they were something we had enjoyed throughout the trip.

The following morning, we set out for one last walk around the city.

One landmark that had been catching our attention throughout our stay was the Holy Trinity Cathedral of Tbilisi, more commonly known as Sameba Cathedral. From our room at Amante Narikala, we could clearly see its magnificent golden dome rising above the city’s skyline.

As the main cathedral of the Georgian Orthodox Church and the seat of the Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, it holds great religious significance for the country. Completed in 2004, it is also one of the largest Orthodox cathedrals in the world.

Curious to see it up close, we made our way there.

The walk itself was peaceful.

The weather was cool and breezy, making it the perfect morning to wander without any particular rush.

When we arrived, we spent some time sitting outside, chatting and reminiscing about the past two weeks.

There was no agenda.

No checklist.

Just the two of us looking back on everything we had experienced together.

Perhaps because our journey was slowly coming to an end, the conversation naturally drifted towards our favourite memories, the little surprises we hadn’t expected, and the places that had quietly left the biggest impressions.

Somehow, it felt like the perfect place to pause before continuing our final day in Georgia.

From there, we continued towards the underground bazaar near Meidan.

What was once an old trading passage has now become a small marketplace lined with souvenir shops selling handmade crafts, magnets, local products and keepsakes.

Even though we had already bought most of what we wanted, it was still enjoyable wandering through the little shops one final time.

Lunch that day brought us to Khinkali Collection.

By then, we had already developed quite an appreciation for Georgia’s famous dumplings, so naturally, we couldn’t resist trying them one last time.

This restaurant served an interesting twist on the traditional khinkali, including fried versions alongside the classic boiled ones.

It was a fun variation on one of Georgia’s most iconic dishes and a fitting final lunch before leaving the country.

With nowhere urgent to be, we continued strolling through the city before eventually stopping for coffee.

There was something especially enjoyable about that afternoon.

No sightseeing schedule.

No attractions to rush between.

Just two cups of coffee and the quiet satisfaction of knowing we had experienced Georgia at our own pace.

That evening, we had a traditional Georgian folk performance.

It became one of the highlights of our final day in Tbilisi.

The lively music, colourful costumes and energetic dancing were a wonderful way to experience another part of Georgian culture before our trip came to an end.

The hotel also served a generous dinner alongside the performance.

To be honest, there was far more food than the two of us could possibly finish.

Unfortunately, Daniel wasn’t feeling his best that evening.

The winding mountain roads from the previous day had left him with lingering motion sickness, so he didn’t quite get to enjoy the meal as much as I did.

Even if he had, I think the portions would still have been far too much for the two of us.

As the evening drew to a close, it slowly sank in that our time in Georgia was coming to an end.

Somehow, returning to Tbilisi didn’t feel like going back to where our journey had begun.

It felt like coming full circle.

The city that had first welcomed us into Georgia was now gently seeing us off.

And I couldn’t think of a better place to spend our final evening.