When I photographed this mural in Kutaisi in Georgia (the real Georgia) in 2017, it seemed to symbolize the Georgian aspirations and hopes to join NATO. After all, somebody has to bring the wine for all the military exercises.
Nowadays, it makes you wonder if time is running out for NATO. And for Georgia.
The Happy Hermit 
What is the current political situation in Georgia, Andreas?
It’s now governed by a football player who cancelled Georgia’s path towards the European Union, because an oligarch told him so.
Interesting, thanks for this update. Do you think it’s reasonably safe to travel there now?
Yes, absolutely.
I have a few friends who are currently traveling there or spending the whole winter in Georgia.
Staying in the region, I once wrote about the safety of travel in the light of travel warnings, with a specific look at Abkhazia:
Can I, or dare I, ask your opinion whether the Georgian people can overcome their government and get their country back on track to the EU (and possibly NATO), or will the government hold fast? (I know, it depends if NATO still exists is a few months!)
It’s been 8 years since I have been to Georgia and 5 years since I had a girlfriend from there, so I really can’t give any well-founded opinion on the current state of, let alone on the possible futures of Georgia.
But people toppled the Assad dictatorship a few months ago, so events are possible that seem impossible until a few days before they happen. (I mean, as a West German I live in the former Karl-Marx-Stadt now. Who would have thought this possible in the 1980s?)
Thanks very much Andreas, I will read this post (“the safety of travel in the light of travel warnings”: indeed, the reality on the ground is often utterly different from those travel warnings, which I often find amusing. I look forward to reading your post!)
And: a nice observation in your other reply: “Events are possible that seem impossible until a few days before they happen.”
I just read it: another splendid post Andreas and spot on. Greetings from fellow-traveller Aaron (I haven’t bothered to sign in to the platform this is on, so I always appear as Anonymous. Which has a rather nice ring to it actually.)
Thank you!
I don’t want to downplay those travel warnings written by our esteemed diplomats and consular officers completely.
But especially for countries that our countries don’t have diplomatic relations with, they are sometimes overly dramatic. I can’t help but think that the assessment of Abkhazia for example would change as soon as we recognize the country.
The main purpose of these travel warnings in practice seems to be to give tourists a right to cancel their package holiday or their flight once a travel warning is issued.