Tomba 'La Bomba' visits Georgia's ski resorts

During the weekend that I was in the ski region of Mestia in Upper Svaneti in the north of Georgia, a famous professional skier was also in the region. Alberto Tomba, the retired Italian professional skier, winner of three Olympic gold medals, arrived in Georgia to visit the ski resort. The three-day visit, supported by the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs and the Georgian Ski Federation, was aimed at promoting Georgia as a skiing destination.

After a press conference in the capital, Tbilisi, Tomba flew to Mestia. Although it was springtime, there was plenty of snow on the alps. From Mestia, he also visited Gudauri. Tomba ‘La Bomba’ (Tomba, the bomb) won gold in both the slalom and the giant slalom in 1988 at the Olympic Games in Calgary, Canada. Four years later, he claimed back to back gold in the giant slalom and silver in the slalom at the 1992 Albertville Olympics in France. Tomba also won two gold medals at the Alpine World Ski Championships at Sierra Nevada, Spain, in 1996. With such a pedigree in skiing, it was hoped that Tomba’s visit to Georgia would raise the profile of Georgian alps as a skiing destination for tourists.

Alberto Tomba said Georgia was equipped to host international ski competitions in either Mestia or Gudauri. The city of Borjomi in Georgia bid for the 2014 winter Olympics, but was unsuccessful, losing to Sochi, Russia. However, with the development of Mestia and Gudauri as ski resorts and a major push by the government to promote these regions as tourist destinations, Georgia is sure to re-bid in the future.

Comments

2016 update on Rike Park, Tbilisi: from construction to busy park

From a flat patch of uninteresting dirt, Rike Park in Tbilisi, Georgia, has transformed in four years (from 2014-2016) into a busy park full of trees, flower beds, sculptures, fountains, and events. Rike (Rikhe) Park is on the left bank of the Mt’k’vari River (the Kura River) near the Old City of Tbilisi. The Peace Bridge links the right bank to Rike Park. Rike Park is below the hillside Presidential Palace and, via cable car, it is the starting point for the ride to Sololaki Ridge (with the Narikala Fortress and the Mother of Georgia statue). The glass box-shaped cable car terminus was opened on 23 June 2012, and since then the park has continually developed into a ‘people’s park’ where people can walk around, eat at the nearby restaurants, sit next to the statue of American president Ronald Reagan, climb the steps to Avlabari district, and access the sights of Meidan Square, the Peace Bridge, the Metekhi Church, the Old City, the waterfall, the sulphur baths, and t...

The acacia thorn trees of Kenya

There are nearly 800 species of acacia trees in the world, and most don’t have thorns. The famous "whistling thorn tree" and the Umbrella Thorn tree of Kenya are species of acacia that do have thorns, or spines. Giraffes and other herbivores normally eat thorny acacia foliage, but leave the whistling thorn alone. Usually spines are no deterrent to giraffes. Their long tongues are adapted to strip the leaves from the branches despite the thorns. The thorny acacia like dry and hot conditions. The thorns typically occur in pairs and are 5-8 centimetres (2-3 inches) long. Spines can be straight or curved depending on the species. MARTINA NICOLLS is an international aid and development consultant, and the author of:- Similar But Different in the Animal Kingdom (2017), The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Suda...

Hop on hop off bus tourism comes to Tbilisi, Georgia

City Sightseeing buses have arrived in Tbilisi. The iconic red double-decker buses, a feature of many cities around the world since the company was established in Seville, Spain in 1999, is now in six continents and almost 100 cities. The company established its Tbilisi business in November 2013, with its operations commencing in February 2014. The 90-minute tour stops at 11 major locations in Tbilisi (with 2 to 5 minute waiting times at each location): the Old City (where it commences), Freedom Square, Rose Revolution Square, Marjanishvili Square, the Dry Bridge, Konka, Avlabari, Metekhi, Akhundov Museum, the Sulfur Baths, and European Square. Passengers can hop off at any stop and see the sights, hopping back onto the next bus at any time. Alternatively, passengers can remain on the bus for the whole tour and take photographs when the bus stops at each location. There are one day (24-hour) passes (for 35 lari – about $20) and 48-hour passes for 55 lari, with family d...

FEAST OR FAMINE

Search This Blog