Sounds of Tbilisi

All big cities are noisy, and parts of Tbilisi are particularly noisy with traffic and incessant honking from impatient drivers jostling for position on the twisty, narrow streets. One-way streets with two lanes might as well not have a dividing line down the middle, as they look more like the swerving back and forth and around of a Formula One race track with only two lanes, with every swerve punctuated by short beeps of the horn.

But old Tbilisi is alive with many other sounds besides the traffic. Move away from the busy and constant construction and reconstruction of the ancient buildings and streets, and there are church bells being rung by bell ringers:

the deafening buzzing of cicadas in the trees and shouts between a man tossing the largest watermelons I've ever seen from the back of a van into another man's arms to make a stack to sell by the side of the road.

Closer to home, there are quiet courtyard noises of kids playing, neighbors chatting, dogs barking, and wonderful piano music from two accomplished jazz pianists who live here as well as a classical violinist. Then there is the muffled bubbling of water coming from the hookah a man is smoking in the nearby cafe.

This piano sculpture in a park by the river, however, has keys that make no sound. But the dancing fountains light up at night and spout in patterns and rhythms timed perfectly to match the accompanying music.