Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Tbilisi: Dry Bridge

Tbilisi, Georgia. Dry Bridge.


There is a place near the River Mtkvari in Tbilisi called the Dry Bridge. It's in old Tbilisi. Here, sellers display traditional felt crafts, paintings, pottery, new and old jewelry, electronics minutia, old military medals, photos, books, swords, cutlery, gold and silver. Antique Georgian rugs. Plastic dolls. Bearskins.

There are ghosts and memories here.

Tbilisi, Georgia. Dry Bridge.

Tbilisi, Georgia. Dry Bridge.

Tbilisi, Georgia. Dry Bridge.

Tbilisi, Georgia. Dry Bridge.
 


Tbilisi, Georgia. Dry Bridge.

Tbilisi, Georgia. Dry Bridge.

Tbilisi, Georgia. Dry Bridge.

I saw a group of men and women milling about over on one side of the bridge (that goes over the main riverside road, hence the word "dry"). Most wore black, which though not unusual in Georgia, took on a more meaningful air with all of this deliberate milling-aboutness going on. Had to go take a look, so walked over, and saw something even more curious. Some of the individuals wore small, handwritten signs hanging around their necks. Others held similar signage in their hands, displayed for passers-by to see. Some sort of religious sect? Doomsday-ists?

I was able to check it out with an English speaker.  Who'd have thought? The individuals were people who had property to sell or rent and people who wanted to buy or rent.


Tbilisi, Georgia. Dry Bridge. Property transactions.

1 comment:

Jen2010 said...

I saw a lovely cherry red box with buttons on it on one stall but didn't buy it - I had unsuccessfully haggled and was too proud to go back for it. It is a lovely place for a mooch.

Nice Pics!