– English Lyrics

Lyrics & Translation

[English]

Today I'm exploring what could be one of the most underrated capitals –

Tbilisi, the beating heart of Georgia.

The city combines 19th century wooden buildings, Soviet high rises,

amazing food and beautiful views.

I'll visit one of the legendary sulfur baths,

taste Georgian dumplings

and descent to a secret underground area of the city.

We'll also check out some nightlife.

Tbilisi is located in the center of Georgia and is the largest city in

the country by far.

I'm starting my day at Tbilisi's cable car,

a pretty efficient way

to reach our first highlight of the town.

Join me for some amazing views!

The cable car takes me over the river and the old town,

offering fantastic 360° views.

The ride only takes a few minutes.

And even better views await me.

Pretty, isn't it?

At the top are the ruins of the 4th century Narikala Fortress

and the 20 meters high "Mother of Georgia" monument.

She looks out over the city from above,

holding a bowl of wine in one hand for friends

and a sword on the other for enemies.

A leisurely stroll downhill will take you to the old town

with its charming alleyways and famous balconies.

Most houses have those wooden carved balconies and are often

built around courtyards.

Let's find out what this has to do with typical Georgian lifestyle.

Baia Dzagnidze is a travel blogger who grew up in Tbilisi,

so she knows her way around here well.

She shows me one of the most famous courtyards in the old town.

The balconies here don't only look good,

they are the heart of social life.

It's very easy to gossip between each other or also know what your

neighbor is doing or what kind of guests they are getting.

Or what their daily routine is pretty much every day.

Another thing I notice in Tbilisi is that there are often renovated houses

next to those that are in need of work.

This is what I call a "Soviet mentality".

Because when we became part of the Soviet Union,

everything started to be cared for you.

The government was doing everything for the people.

They were giving flats for free

and there were services for free, as well.

So a lot of people even today think that the government should do it.

We continue to the Clock Tower, one of Tbilisi's landmarks.

But there's something unusual about it—

it's leaning.

A few steps later, I reach the 1500-year-old Sioni Church.

Religion is very important in Georgia and the Orthodox Church

has a lot of influence.

I think it's about time to relax.

The area surrounding me is the perfect place for that.

Why?

Let's find out.

This is a thermal bath with sulphur water from a hot spring.

Georgians love to bathe in this water, which is around 35°C.

Smells a bit like rotten eggs, but it's apparently good for your health.

The sulfur water is said to be good for the skin and respiratory system

and helps promote blood circulation.

And also, of course, what we really need, the neurological system

to calm us down and to really feel the ease and relaxation.

The rooms are rented out individually.

Interestingly, these springs once gave the city its name.

Tbilisi translates to "warm place".

The history of these baths spans centuries.

I'm hungry now and I really want to try some Georgian food.

Georgian's love to order lots of different dishes like beetroot and

spinach spreads as starters,

salad

and the national dish Khinkali,

which are basically soup dumplings.

There's a special way to eat them.

You grab them by the tail.

Turn them around,

bite a little hole in it,

and sip out the soup.

Delicious.

Georgia was part of the Soviet Union until 1991.

This also left its mark on the architecture.

Take these brutalist style buildings for example, with their exposed

concrete and geometric shape.

The bridge that connects these residential buildings

is also open to tourists.

Traces of the Soviet Union can also be found underground.

Tinatin Goguadze loves exploring the city's underground system

of former bunkers, tunnels and torture chambers.

This was the control panel room.

She shows me the largest command bunker in the country.

This is where the KGB, the Soviet Secret Service, was based until the

fall of the Iron Curtain.

With the control panel for communication with the outside and

tubes for measuring radiation in case of a nuclear attack, you quickly feel

transported back to the Cold War period.

It's very interesting to imagine how it was before.

And that is very interesting for me.

That's the main reason why I like to look for this kind of locations.

Tinatin Goguadze now also guides tourists

through these underground areas.

She first had to clear trash from the bunkers, but she felt that should

be done anyway.

And then we started to renovate and clean these kind of places.

Because in case of something happens, we think we must be ready.

These places are very useful and people can survive in some way,

like if something happens.

Do you think you might need those again?

I think you should always be ready.

I end my day in Tbilisi here: in Fabrika.

This former sewing factory is a thriving cultural center

with a hostel, artist studios, cafés and bars

where people can enjoy the nightlife.

It's time to try some Georgian wine.

Cheers.

Or, as Georgians would say, Gaumarjos!

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
explore /ɪkˈsplɔːr/ B1	verb - to travel around a place to learn more about it
capital /ˈkæpɪtl/ B2	noun - the city where a country's government is based
underrated /ˌʌndəˈreɪtɪd/ C1	adjective - not given enough respect or recognition
beating /ˈbiːtɪŋ/ B2	adjective - pulsing or throbbing, like a heart
visit /ˈvɪzɪt/ A2	verb - to go to a place for a short time
legendary /ˈlɛdʒəndəri/ B2	adjective - famous and admired for a long time
sulfur /ˈsʌlfər/ C1	noun - a yellow chemical element often found in volcanic areas
descent /dɪˈsɛnt/ B2	noun - the act of going down
nightlife /ˈnaɪtlaɪf/ B2	noun - entertainment and social activities at night
efficient /ɪˈfɪʃənt/ B2	adjective - working well without wasting time or resources
ruins /ˈruːɪnz/ B2	noun - remains of ancient buildings
monument /ˈmɒnjʊmənt/ B2	noun - a structure built to remember a person or event
charming /ˈtʃɑːrmɪŋ/ B2	adjective - pleasant and attractive
lifestyle /ˈlaɪfstaɪl/ B2	noun - the way a person or group lives
gossip /ˈɡɒsɪp/ B2	noun - talk about other people's private lives verb - to talk about other people's private matters
renovate /ˈrɛnəveɪt/ B2	verb - to repair and improve something old
influence /ˈɪnfluəns/ B2	noun - the power to affect someone or something
circulation /ˌsɜːrkjʊˈleɪʃən/ C1	noun - movement of blood through the body
promote /prəˈmoʊt/ B2	verb - to encourage or support something