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This ruin is unique in the way that it’s not really a ruin: it is a 2,000 year old intact Roman fortress. Gonio, as it is called today, was never destroyed or damaged by warfare, nor was it ever used as a quarry. Instead, it has been left alone to slowly decompose into today’s green little courtyard.
The fortress is also where the Apostle Matthias, sometimes known as Levi (patron saint of alcoholism, carpenters, smallpox, tailors and Gary, Indiana), lies buried under a neat little rock. Pilgrims sometimes gather around it to read from the Bible and pay their respects. We paid our respects to the pilgrims, by not taking pictures during their ceremony.
All in all Gonio is a nice little distraction from the hedonistic beach town of Batumi. I imagine that come summer, enormous hordes of tourists swarm the fort, leaving a trail of melted ice-cream and cigarette butts in their wake. We just happened to catch it at exactly the right time – spring in Georgia is just awesomely beautiful, and Gonio is no exception.
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About Us
You know the saying, “to fly by the seat of your pants?” Well, that's been our philosophy for most of our adult lives – before and after meeting, falling in love and marrying. We're now taking that idea on an extended round-the-world trip. Follow us as we share the good, the bad and the downright nasty of life on the road.
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