The resort of Borjomi (Georgia) is in the gorge in the southeast of Georgia. This place is protected from sharp change of temperatures and the atmospheric phenomena. It is surrounded by the mountains covered coniferous (a pine, a fir-tree, a fir) and broad-leaved (an oak, a birch, a beech, a hornbeam) with the woods. Height of mountains reaches 3000 meters above sea level. The nature of Borjomi is a clean mountain air, big amounts of the sun, moderate temperature during the whole year.
Found here in operating time of archeologists stone bathtubs say that mineral water from sources in Borjomi was used still in the ancient time. Earlier the Borzhomsky gorge carried Torsky's name. In these parts is on what to look are more than 200 monuments of history, among which fortresses, churches, monasteries and even the palace which has remained in original state of Romanov (it is constructed at the end of the XVIII century). The Borzhomsky forest park cares of preservation of the unique nature.
The resort of Borjomi has unique geographical an arrangement – in half an hour of a driving there is Bakuriani's ski resort, at three o'clock – the warm Black Sea. Today Borjomi – one of the most known Georgian resorts. The nature, clean air, mineral water – all this allows to do clinics in Borjomi by one of the most effective in Georgia in treatment of various diseases.
Borjomi water contains sodium and hydrocarbonate ions, bromine, iodine, barium, chlorine, lithium and other elements. In total mineral sources – 10, thus the composition of water on each of them practically doesn't differ. Water temperature is from 16 to 33 °.
Indications at treatment by mineral Borjomi water:
1 . Diseases of bodies of digestive system: locks, chronic gastritises, dispepsiya, initial cirrhosis, congestion of gases in intestines, diseases of a liver, an inflammation mucous a stomach and intestines, the pancreatitis, the increased acidity of a stomach.
2 . Respiratory diseases: bronchitis, pneumonia, laryngitis, dry and wet pleurisy. Water inhalations by a spray and steam are shown.
3 . Gynecologic diseases: inflammatory processes, metritis and parametritis.
4 . Diseases of urinary ways and kidneys: stones and salts, cystitis, пиелиты, chronic inflammations of urinary ways.
5 . Metabolic disorder: diabetes, arthritises, gout, obesity and anorexia.
Tbilisi sulfuric baths (თბილისური გოგირდის აბანო) - the usual public baths, which feature that water in them arrives from where from under the earth, this water warm and contains a lot of sulfur. Similar baths exist in Italy around Tivoli and somewhere in England. This very interesting and useful place which I consider as sight No. 1 in the capital. And not only I so consider.sulfur in water
So, in Tbilisi there are sulphurous sources. There is a lot of them. On Nitsubidze's plateau in Soviet period this water directed directly to apartments, and did without boiler rooms. Here and there this system still remained. And the first springs were found in a valley of the small river proceeding now through the Botanical garden. On a legend, tsar Vakhtang Gorgasal noticed how a wounded deer (or the pheasant) drank this water and recovered. And on these warm sources "The warm city", that is Tbilisi was constructed.
Subsequently at the river the set of baths was constructed. Them built both Georgians and Persians and Turks. In the XVII century Evly Chelebi's traveler wrote down so:
In east part of Big fortress from a subsoil of the earth such hot water that it is possible to weld the head and feet of a sheep flows. These are useful hot springs with [constructed over them] domes.
Later Joseph Grishashvili told: "Not to visit them - all the same what to arrive to Paris and not to rise by the Eiffel Tower". For this advertizing slogan the street going by baths is called Grishashvili's name.
Baths became an element of local culture. They represented the big semibasement rooms covered by a stone dome with a window. In the bath the easy twilight, slanting rays of light from above fall, tiles and marble shine. Here it is possible to lie in the pool with sulfur water - cold or hot, here it is possible and to wash or do massage. It is possible to visit a bath alone or group, to wash in the general hall or in the certain room. Recently in baths began to invite girls though it as though isn't necessary.
And so, baths are extended along the bed of the semi-disappeared small river from the Chicken up on the gorge. There is a lot of them.
Bath "VIP"
It is the first bath from the embankment, at once under big hotel. The bath elite and expensive, in it one big hall, stay in which costs 150 lari in hour They say that the patriarch here goes. Generally, a bath for ministers, presidents and patriarchs.
Bath №5
At once near a bath "VIP". To it I recommend to pay attention, it is convenient and interesting. There is 2 luxury, 5 separate numbers and the general hall. The general costs 3 lari, the others - from 15 to 80. In numbers there is a pool with sulphur water. Separately a sauna, separately a table for massage. Massage costs 10 lari. (As in Thailand, by the way) Personally numbers seemed to me are rather small and скучноваты, and here the general hall very stylish. In female part of a bath of the pool isn't present that is regrettable.
King Abano (Imperial)
Speak, the oldest. Slightly farther behind the fifth bath. Massage of cheap, only 5 lari, but numbers expensive - from 50 to 100 lari. Inside mazhorno, tordzhestvenno, but without people and silently. I came there, any life didn't find and left.
Orbelianov bath
It is the most noticeable bath reminding externally Uzbek madrasah. All is revetted with blue tiles. As well as the fifth, is recommended to visit. The general costs 3 lari, massage of 10-15 lari. Booths - 20-50 lari. At an entrance sell slippers on 3.5, shampoo bags on half-lari, basts and other useful pieces.
As it occurs
I will describe algorithm of behavior in a sulfuric bath on the example of "bath No. 5". I will speak about the general because in numbers no algorithm is present. So, we enter into a bath. There at once window and nice girl. She sells tickets, shampoos, soap, slippers and the other such. We give 3 lari, we receive the ticket. We go down. Further the most difficult - to distinguish man's and female office. There it is signed, but on Georgian. The inscription over the man's begins with a letter "კ", over the female - with a letter "ქ". Man's at the left.
We get to a locker room where the gloomy Azerbaijanian uncle sits. We give it the ticket. It will allocate an iron case - there is put all clothes. In total. I recommend to remove from myself all silver, and that hydrogen sulfide oxidizes silver and it blackens. In total in a case. The case is latched on the lock, a key from which at the owner. Competently.
The owner will ask on massage. It costs 10 lari, the bargaining is pertinent. Massage not that it is very good.
We enter into the main bathing hall. There on the center there are dusheobrazny sources of water with cranes. Under these souls it is necessary to bring itself to a pure condition. In a hall there is a peculiar hydrosulphuric smell, but to it minutes for 15 get used.
With edge there is a pool with water. Water temperature happens the most different - I had an impression that it is hotter in the morning and is colder in the evening. Optimum - at two-three o'clock in the afternoon. If it is tolerant, it is possible to get into the pool and there to sit, giving time to hydrogen sulfide to kill on the skin of all parasites. Some are confused by pool not pro-accuracy, but personally it seemed to me is acceptable.
We sit, расслаюбляемся, we get warm, stare at tile ceilings. Hydrogen sulfide gradually filters into an organism and we feel easy drowsiness.
Somewhere there has to be a sauna. Usual, as in Russia. There too it is possible to get warm.
And we move between souls, the pool, sayny and marble plank beds. In a ban tea sometimes is on sale. And for acceptable money.
When time expires, we leave in a sweating room, we put on and will rise upward. Somewhere at the corner there is the Ossetian restaurant with beer.
They say that hourly payment is only in numbers. And in the general - sit though all day. The general bath is open with 07:00 till 21:00, and numbers круглосуточны.
= Pluses and minuses =
Usually it are pleasant to tourists of a bath. It exotically, oriyentalno, is useful, pleasantly. Really, baths as the cultural phenomenon - something very Tbilisi, very local. Besides, it is really useful. Especially it helps at skin diseases. If you have problems with skin, it is worth coming here time three-four. The effect will be. Sulfide waters treat much that, but won't encumber the text with medical words.
On the other hand, Tbilisi baths are at the moment served very carelessly. There and pools clean infrequently, and purity watch not so. It is clear that sulfuric water kills much that, but not nevertheless. So there are opinions that to visit baths sometimes insalubriously. I think, here everything depends on resistance of your organism to small infections.
Other party - ethical. Now in baths often drive prostitutes because for similar entertainments in Tbilisi it is a little other places. Therefore there is an opinion that baths is for rough emotions, instead of for purity targeting.
