A winter's day in Senaki

When it's raining sideways and 40 degrees in Samegrelo, we light a fire, drink some wine....
Play nardi with Zuriko while Shorena tries to distract him...
Roast a just plucked and dressed chicken in the fireplace...it's free range!
Johanna enjoyed the day getting her hair dried...that's hospitality!







Hey everybody. (written December 5th) I hope all is well in the world although I have heard some troubling things of late. There has been some pretty wicked weather out in the Pacific NW and my Cleveland Browns continue to find ways to lose. I have come to realize that no news truly is good news, as the only time I find out things is when they are disastrous enough to make the BBC world report….like President Bush’s recent news conference! Blech! Sometimes I’m very glad not to have to teach government during a presidential election cycle.
Winter has come to Senaki and the weather has been very cold and rainy. My friend Johanna came down to spend a weekend that basically consisted of us hanging by the fire, eating and drinking and watching movies. Very relaxing and good for both our souls…enjoy the pics!
I don’t have anything specific to write about, so I thought I would give you all chapter two of “Fun Georgian Cultural Curiosities”. If you remember, the first edition came out during the summer and I’ve experienced a lot more of life here since then, so let’s celebrate diversity and remember…it’s not bad, just different!
1. Georgians love cacti. Though there are no deserts here, you see the humble cactus everywhere. It is particularly ubiquitous near computers. I made an inquiry and found out that cacti (any species) are great at soaking up the harmful radiation that emanates from cathode ray tubes. All these years working as a science teacher and I had no clue! Who’d of thunk it! So the next time you get a dental x-ray, opt for the cactus instead of the lead vest. Tell the technician it’s science! (Are you listening Bill?)
2. Ladies, if you have decided not to have children, sit on a slab of cold concrete for a spell and your ovaries will fall out. Where they fall to is beyond my knowledge. Men, whose reproductive organs are in closer proximity to said cold concrete, are in no danger whatsoever. Hmmm….must be due to shrinkage.
3. Mayonnaise DOES NOT belong on pizza! Being of partial Italian descent, I gently told this to brother Giga. He said they are just keeping in traditional. He correctly told me this story of how the queen of Naples had a chef prepare this dish. The patriotic chef decided to represent the colors of Italy’s flag by using basil for green, tomatoes for red, and mayo (Gack!) for the white. I said, “Easy big fella”! It’s not mayo but mozzarella cheese that is used for the white. Samegrelo makes a wonderful white cheese very similar in taste. I think I’ll start a movement.
4. A cup of tea is not a cup of tea in Georgia. Here, a cup of tea means tea, bread, butter, jam, sweets, m'chadi (a Samegrelo- type cornbread which I love), and just about anything else edible that is lying around. When you come to Georgia and are a guest at someone’s house, just ask for tea. It keeps you going all day long!
5. People only run when they are being chased or playing soccer. All other forms of running for extended periods of time are suspect. (this one does NOT affect me, although I get some strange looks while hiking)
6. Eating utensils are optional for most Georgian foods. I really like this one. In the event of something that requires a fork, like beans, Georgians invented lobiani, which is said beans baked in bread--no fork required. For one food, the khinkali, a spiced meat dumpling, using a fork will land you in the 5th level of hell. Sure they are hot and slippery, but that’s part of the challenge. (You get the hang of it after awhile).
7. Borsch is way overrated! This has nothing to do with Georgian culture, just my personal preference.
So, there’s the latest installment. I wish everyone happy holidays this coming month. I’ll be celebrating Christmas on the 7th of January this year (and next for that matter) and I must say the only things I miss about Christmas overseas is my family, my friends, and the Portland Holiday Beer Festival.
Till next time,
John