TBILISI - 217 kms 14th JULY 2026

MORE POLICE HARASSMENT 

The traffic entering Tbilisi is hectic, stop and go and stop, and they don't  drive very nicely either. Got to my hotel in Old Town and hence the hotel is just as old but just love the quirkiness and the room is huge with a view and seating area. 

Got here at 1pm ànd then walked up to Freedom Square and then along the main tree lined street and with some fancy shops and old classic Soviet era buildings. The locals are friendly and helpful even in this big city, the police, not so much. 
I went and bought some essentials, beer and soap, and was walking back to my hotel, the next minute a cop car stops and two cops jump put and stop me. You are kidding me ,what now ? Well one of them saw thee clip of my knife on my pocket and asked what it was, so I pulled oout my knife and that was it. The blade is 2 inches and it's  illegal,  so they confiscated it and sending it to an expert to see if it is a cold weapon and if so it is a 500Lari fine ($185) and if not I get it back. I expressed my disappointment  in them that there are no warnings and do I look like a knife wielding nut case. You have to carry it in a back pack then it's okay apparently. I have since seen them stopping many people and searching them, all tourists. 
Two doors down from my hotel is a South  African  bar, so stopped in there to check it out and the one is from Riversdale and has had the bar for three months. Watched the world cup game, where Spain beat France 2-0 .


   View from my room

  The knife, sealed in the bag. 😅

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