Kutaisi, like many of Georgia, decent to be studied. There is something to see, but tourists often see only what they show them and do not see the true reality at all, but it is worth seeing somewhat more in order to understand what kind of Georgian flavor. I had a chance in Kutaisi not only to travel, but also live for three weeks for which a number of features managed to learn, as well as "plunge" in the life of local residents, which I previously imagined in the best light. Salary here is very low, for example, a bank employee receives an average of about $ 200, a policeman and a teacher about 400, and the prices for products are approximately the same as in the cities of the middle of the Russian Federation.
As for products, they are better to buy them in the market. Here and the choice is more and the goods of the lounge, because in small shops (mini-grocery) it is unknown how much they lie, and the prices are above. There is a shopping center behind the Chavchavadze market, but also there are products for magnitude at a price higher, so local residents prefer to make purchases in the markets. There are two of them - one in the center, not far from the famous Colli fountain, and the second is removed from the center - the Chavchavadze market. Product prices are approximately such. Fresh potatoes about 1 Lara, or even 1.2. 1 LAR - about 25 rubles. Plum - 1.5-2 Lara, watermelon and melon - 0.3-0.4 Lara, for bananas asked for our money 100 rubles. We have never seen such prices for this product, so for local bananas - expensive pleasure. Dear sausage, so it takes little and varieties of sausages are very small. We can say that there is no choice. 100 grams of sausages are about 100 rubles. Fish can be bought for 4-9 LARs, dairy products, for example, Motoni (something resembling our biocofer) - 1.7 LAR. For a small piece of cheese in the market, 10 LARs are asked. Famous Churchhel (nuts in grape or other juice) and Thothpi (resembles damn, made from the plum juice, apple, pehhua and others) 1.5-2 Lara.
You can dine in the city, in fact, everywhere. What can take a tourist for lunch? The most optimal version is chinki. They are prepared everywhere. The cost per piece is 0.6-0.7 LAR, minimum order from 5 to 10 pieces. The child is about 2, an adult - a man can eat and all ten women grabs 3-4. If you make an order for a child, ask you a lot to pour. Usually everything is very pepper. Even any pate, which will buy with pepper, except sweet buns. For example, a pie fried with potatoes or mushrooms, Khachapuri or Lobiani (inside not cheese, as in Khachapuri, and beans) cost about 1 Lara. Sweet buns, in which sugar sand and it turns into a sweet mass in the cooking process, approximately 0.5-0.6 LAR. I really liked buns and cheesecakes in a cafe directly opposite the building of the entertainment center from the side, where the figure of a man with a camera is standing. The best cafe in my opinion, and had to be in many places. If you dine or dinner in a cafe, then you can not leave the tips. They are already included in the cost of the service and amount to 10% of the order value. Do not leave anything.
What's the fare? Taxis around the city will cost 3 Lara. If we use the services of public transport, then in a minibus, the passage of 0.4 Lara, in the bus 0.3 Lara. Pay with the driver when leaving. Out exclusively through the front door. What a bus that the route taxi stops on demand, well, and there are few stops.
Immediately I want to say that no one keeps the rules of the road. Therefore, be extremely attentive. Even on the pedestrian crossings, no one is going to pass pedestrians, other drivers even signal, they say pass faster. Now they told us about respect for Georgians to the eldest, but I did not notice something. An elderly man passed through the transition and hung it at all speeds, so the driver did not stop and did not apologize. And the bus is not bored to help the old man climb. Maybe I saw such scenes, maybe this is an exception, but such cases took place.
As for souvenirs, in Kutaisi, they can be found on the market, as well as in the shopping center near the Chavchavadze market. This shopping center is located literally in three-four stops towards the famous palm boulevard. It has a small souvenir shop. From what seen here the choice is more. For example, a plate of clay with types of Kutaisi or Old Tbilisi costs 25-30 LAR, bells who many collectible, 4 Lara - white from porcelain with a picture on Georgian themes, 10-15 LAR - clay handmade, magnets in the range of 3-5 LAR. Ladies advise as a souvenir to bring decorations from natural stones. The choice in the city, especially in the Chavchavadze market, is very large. The bracelet with turquoise costs about 10 LAR, beads made of natural stones - 20-25 LAR. Immediately on the market sell clothes.
I thought that the proximity to Turkey would impose its mark on the assortment and quality of clothing, but not quite so. The clothes are quite unsightly. And the quality does not shine. Children's goods are also not particularly good. The only thing that managed to buy is clothing in stores near the Kolkhidsky fountain, which is brought from Istanbul. Was in September, so I got into the discount season. Turkish things with a discount of about 50%. Strangely enough, Turkish clothes are sold in Chinese stores. They are a lot of them in the city. There are such shops directly opposite the entertainment center, in the markets. It was very strange to see the Chinese, talking in Georgian. Prices for jackets, sweaters - 27 LAR. Very good children's backpacks of 12 LAR, but many products can be easily bought by Aliexpress.
What to buy as a gift? Of course wine. Better buy in clay bottles. They are gift, very original design. These are the types of old cities, and in the form of figures with the image, for example, a resident of Kakheti. Even a bottle in the form of the figures of the heroes of the Mimino film. One of the popular bottles is the figure of the old man from the film "Father Soldier".
The cost of such wines is in the range of 15-35 LAR. A simple bottle of Kinsmrauli costs 12-18 LAR, depending on where you will buy. In the shopping center, the price is higher. A very good wine shop with normal prices on the right side of the theater named after Meshishvili, directly opposite the monument to the Georgian actor I. Chvichia. In addition to wines, you can buy Churchhel and Thappy as a gift. Chat is better to buy from private owners. Fortunately, our relatives about it took care. In stores that they are issued for a chance, it does not seem like. There are solid chemistry. Clean product buy individuals.
We still brought with them the king (persimmon). We bought a plastic barrel for 10 liters, scored it completely with the cutters and were driving without problems.