- Date
- 24 February 1999
- Lodging
- Sheraton Betechi Palace
- Distance
- 372 KM
- Total
- 9897 KM
For dinner, we met Zsa Zsa Alexander – a Georgian professor Jim met on his last trip. Zsa Zsa helped us order local food – we began with red bean salad and spinach mousse, both loaded with garlic. Then Jim had cheese pie, a local favorite according to Zsa Zsa, which tasted and looked like a cheese pizza. Then for dinner I ate grilled pork, Zsa Zsa had grilled veal and Jim ate chicken in garlic milk. The shape of the bread – a fat area in the middle and two points on either end – looked extremely odd. We drank Georgian dry white wine, which was not very good but better after the first glass. After entrees, fried cheese arrived along with dumplings filled with cheese. I thought I might pop, but the food was excellent, as was our conversation with Zsa Zsa. He is an inspiring man who believes in the future of Georgia in spite of knowing the present economic situation.