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I breezed through this 2011 science fiction novel by Drew Magary, the long-time columnist from Deadspin, the sports blog. I was not familiar with Deadspin or Magary before finding this book in my digital Michigan library. His career combines humor, politics, and love of sports and I am surprised I was not familiar with his work.

The premise of the book is that a cure for aging has been found. People have a “cure age”, the age they received the vector to stop aging, and their chronological age. The format is like Albert Brooks’ World War Z, a combination of news reports, diary entries, etc., which I liked. It is a dystopian story with overpopulation and climate degradation creating a post-apocalyptic world.

The book forced me to think about my own mortality. With all the time in the world, people started viewing their lives differently. For example, the “cyclic marriage”. Couples would commit to a 20-year marriage, long enough to have children and then with eternal youth, find another partner, family and wife. In a non-Post Mortal world, we don’t have that option. Nadia and I have been together since 1997 and married since 1999 and are growing old together. The last of our three children is going off to university next year. We are happy in our marriage and plan to stay together as we eventually retire and look forward to more free time and caring for our grandchildren. Magary’s book asks the question what we would do if we were not aging. What comes after grandchildren? Another partner and family? Another career? It reinforced the idea that every generation has its moment and it might be good for humanity to move out of the way for the next generation.

How long is sufficient for a life well lived? I am trying to maximize my active years through diet, exercise, relationships, and good medical care. Will I get bored in this life? Would I get bored after 2 or 3 normal lifetimes? I can relate to people who are ready to die, especially if their loved ones are gone or they are facing health issues.

Magary wrote an interesting book that was entertaining and insightful. That is good science fiction.

We are enjoying Oliver’s final week with us in Tashkent. On Sunday Oliver and I went for a bike ride around Yangi Uzbekistan and the new Olympic Village. Most of the buildings are completed. I hope it will be open to the public or at least they develop a cycling/running path around the area. We ran into a bit of mud on the backside, but overall it was a fast ride. Afterwards we went to The Bani, the Russian banya and warmed up and relaxed. It is nice to see Oliver and Ocean bonding this week. The person who will be in your life the longest is your brother and sister. I hope they maintain a strong relationship throughout their lives.

It has been cold this week in Tashkent as you can see by the sunrise photo above of the frosty turf of the school’s sports field. We have had wintry mixes of precipitation mixed with sunny skies. Temperatures are hovering around zero Celcius daily. I made a video of Ocean, Oliver and I walking the dog around our mahalla last night.

We are having a quiet and cozy weekend so far, with rain mixed with snow falling almost all Friday night and all day Saturday. As I am writing this on early Sunday morning, light snow flurries are gently swirling down on our front lawn. The photo on the left is of the tallest skyscraper in Central Asia, the Nest One Tower. Murad Building Company, with the Turkish construction company Ozguven concieved and built the building over the past several years. I met with Mr. Murad and some of the Ozguven directors when we were looking for a company to build our elementary school. I am happy for them that they completed the project! I hope they have full occupancy. I am noticing that with all of the residencial apartment blocks in the city, that the occupancy rates must be quite low. Uzbeks use apartments like we use 401 (k) s and stocks. They put their savings into real estate and hope it grows in value. I would love to have some data regarding occupancy rates.

The other photo I took was through my car window on Friday night. Oliver and I came across the white car smashing into a utility pole. Many Uzbeks are new to driving, and driving recklessly is a bit of a macho thing. You see a lot of car accidents and fender benders throughout the city. It will take a coupleof generations to realize that higher velocities mean a higher chance of accidents.

I did Day 15 of my 60 for 60 yoga workout in the morning and went for a run in the afternoon. I ran 6 kilometers around the Tashkent City development. I have not been there for a while. I see they have opened underground parking and established European style walking streets full of shops and restaurants on the ground floor of residential apartments. Nadia and I went to lunch at Breadly Bakery and restaurant. We spent the late afternoon and early evening taking down all of our Christmas decorations in the house. We have a lot more space with the tree, Nadia’s nutcracker and wreath collection put into storage.

My eldest son Owen, is serving in the United States Peace Corps in Costa Rica. He occasionally sends us photos of his life. It is nice to see him giving back to the community and helping the disadvantaged of Costa Rick with their food drive.

We finished our Winter Break yesterday by Oliver and I seeing Tchaikovsky’s “Evgeniy Onegin” Opera performance at the Alisher Navoi State Academic Grand Theatre here in Tashkent. I was most excited sharing an opera experience with Oliver, his first experience. We were both impressed with the vocals of opera singers. It got me thinking about how many people can be opera singers. My vocal cords and lungs are not strong enough to project sound, and I am tone deaf. Most people are like me. Even people with good singing voices can’t necessarily be opera singers. It takes strong vocal cords, lungs, throat, etc. to get the volume needed for opera. It is amazing they can sing so loud that no microphones are needed. Opera singers also require many years of training to get to that level of performance. Only a small percentage of humans (1-5%) of people can become opera singers, and it takes so much hard work and decidation to become the best. I am in awe of their ability and swept away by the live music and performances. Oliver enjoyed the experience and was gracious enough to stay for at least the first act. I wanted to stay, but didn’t want to push it with him. I think it was a great introduction for him.

I have not read Pushkin’s verse novel. The performance is sung in Russian, and the theatre had subtitles in both Russian and English. I learned the word сосед – neighbor in Russian. It is a great night out for the $12 ticket price and free parking. Onegin is the story of a carefree bachelor who rejects the advances of a woman because he wants to stay single and fancy free. He later meets her when she is married to a prince and he regrets his youthful decision. It is a good lesson for Oliver that who you marry (or don’t marry) is the most important decision a person makes for a happy life.

One of the pleasures of winter is going to a Russian баня (Banya – Baths). The Bani is a large Russian spa here in Tashkent. I usually go with friends on Friday evening to kick-off the weekend. Oliver, my friend Aaron, and I went to the The Bani last night. It was Oliver’s first time as the place is only a couple of years old. It is located inside Central Park and features a restaurant, sauna, snow room, various cold temperature pools, and massage rooms. It felt good to warm up after my bicycle ride. Oliver loved the top-of-the-hour group sauna session where the banya master fans the hot air on the patrons. 50 guys in a huge sauna playing Russian rock music is hilarious!

A Russian banya differs from the Finnish sauna in that it has lower temperatures (140-176°F) and higher humidity levels. The Russians also use a веник (broom) of birch leaves. Banyas are also more social than the saunas, with multiple rounds of heating, cooling, eating, and drinking. The Russians also use a шапка, or felt hat to keep the head cool while in the sauna.

It was a beautiful, warm, sunny day yesterday! The air quality was also good, making for a great day for outdoor exercise. As I write this on Sunday morning, the air quality is back up to AQI 158 (Unhealthy). Nadia and I went shopping in the morning after working out in the TIS gymnasium. I always laugh that it is allowed for private vendors to sell goods out from of the super market. There are makeshift mini-markets all of the city. Almost any sidewalk is city has vendors.

Georgia is country #71 on my life list of countries I visited. We spent one full week of our Winter Break here, with 5 nights in the capital city of Tbilisi and 2 nights at a winery in the Kakheta Wine Region. The highlights for me were the beautiful mountain and valley views, the European feel to the city, and of course, the food and wine! I would like to come back again in the summer to do some hiking in the mountains and stay on the Black Sea coast. On a wider view, it was my first time in the Caucasus, the region between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea. I never thought of the Caspian Sea marking where Europe ends. Tashkent is east of the Caspian Sea and it doesn’t feel like Europe. Tbilisi felt like an Eastern European city to me.

Tbilisi reminded me of our beloved Belgrade, Serbia, a proud, distinct culture, a gritty city with a fun nightlife. It was a bit rougher than Belgrade I guess, due to the Russian influence for so long. The Georgians have an interesting look; some look Arab, and overall, they are light-skinned with dark hair. They were not overly friendly in a customer service kind of way, but they were not mean. We also noticed that they asked us not to speak Russian. We use Russian to get around Tashkent, but in Tbilisi, they prefer tourists speak English or Georgian. The city sits in the Mtkvari or Kura River valley that provides for dramatic scenery.

I read the New York Times How Georgia Went From the Vanguard of Democracy to the Front Lines of Autocracy that gave an in-depth analysis of the current political crisis and the history of the country. It is remarkable that the Georgians kept their culture and language intact after centuries of rule by larger foreign powers. The Persians (twice 400-600 AD & 1490-1750), Arabs (645-1122 AD), Mongols (1220-1330), Russians (1801-1918) and finally the Soviets from 1921 to 1991. I see why they cling so tightly to their Christian identity today. Just under 4 million people and about the size of the US state of West Virginia, Georgia is a small country near the larger powers of Turkey, Russia, and Iran. They are masters at navigating this, both historically and today. As in many countries today, the current government in power is conservative. I sensed most Georgians don’t like Russian interference in their country, especially after losing about 20% of it to the Russians post-independence. I also sense most citizens want European Union membership and an orientation towards the West. I think it will eventually play out this way; however, talking to expatriate friends who lived there previously, and went back during the Winter Break, the country is a lot less liberal and free, and has definitely swung more towards an autocracy. The Georgian Dream Party, led by reclusive oligarch Bidzina Ivanishvili, rigged the last elections and halted the EU application process. He made his fortune by purchasing state assets at bargain prices during the breakup of the Soviet Union. I don’t think he wants to be part of Russia, but he also does not want EU interference in his business empire or in how Georgia is governed.

I would definitely live in Georgia, and the Caucasuses are similar to the Balkans. The Balkans, being part of Europe, are more Western in their orientation and lifestyle. The Georgians are an “in-between” of Slavic and Persian people, and it makes for a fascinating mix. The scenic beauty of the region, access to water (Black and Caspian Seas), snow-capped mountains, and fertile valleys make it a delightful place to visit and live. It is definitely on the list of places I could live (Balkans, Mediterranean, Upper Peninsula of Michigan, eastern Bolivia).

We awoke to an overcast day in Tbilisi as we finished our packing and headed to the airport. The breakfast at Rooms Hotel Tbilisi was delicious. Both Oliver’s and my Airalo data expired (7 days means Friday, January 2 to Thursday, January 8), which created a situation where we didn’t know exactly how to get to the airport. Thankfully, Tbilisi has free wifi all over the center of the city, and we were able to lock the Tbilisi International Airport into Yandex Maps to show us an efficient route.

I loved looking over at Oliver, Ocean, and Nadia in the seats across the aisle from me. I don’t know how many more times we will be travelling with two of our children together. The three-hour flight went quickly, returning to Tashkent around sunset. I unpacked our luggage and started the laundry while Nadia prepared a delicious dinner for us. It was nice to be in our home again after a week away. It was the perfect getaway to refresh ourselves before we start again at school next week.

The family loved staying at the Rooms Tbilisi / Stamba Hotel in downtown Tbilisi. I wanted to treat Nadia at the designer hotel that is in a renovated State Printing Press from the Soviet era. She hung out in the chic lobby bar and restaurant, watching Homeland while the kids and I explored a bit more of the city. We had a delicious meal at the restaurant, and of course, we needed to sample a bit more of the fine Georgian wines. I think Nadia and I now that we are entering our empty-nest stage will be staying at more of these designer hotels. They offer a unique experience instead of the typical Marriot/Hilton, etc. that I usually stay at for work. We are taking care of and pampering Oliver on this trip, so we made him get a haircut at the barbershop in the hotel.

We drove back to Tbilisi yesterday. I watched the Georgian traditional Christmas Alilo Parade that was close to our hotel on Shota Rustavelti Avenue. Like many things here in Georgia, the traditional procession dates back to the 400s AD as a way for people to express their faith and the joy of the season. The name comes from the ancient form of “alleluia” that was sung in a Georgian Christmas Carol. Loudspeakers on a truck played Georgian polyphony music, a UNESCO-recognized tradition. This was banned during the Soviet era and came back in earnest in the year 2000, where it was made a national event. The parade today is a fundraiser for charity and is led by the church.

Nadia loves the Rooms Tbilisi Hotel / Stamba Hotel, where we are staying for our final two nights in Georgia. Developers renovated the old state printing press and transformed it into a hip, retro vibe hotel and office workspace with several cafes, restaurants, bars, and shops. She spent the afternoon watching Netflix on the couch in the lobby. After the parade, Oliver, Ocean, and I went to the Galeria Tbilisi and bought him a PlayStation 6 at Game Zone. The salesman said they sold 50 units on the first day they arrived at the store, with people coming from Turkey to purchase them. He didn’t have the special anniversary edition of the console, which is going for up to $2000 on the black market. Oliver was very happy, but he can’t play it until I collect the 18% refund on the Value Added Tax tomorrow at the airport. They are hard to find in the USA because of the demand, and the price is actually lower here in Georgia for the unit. He was over the moon with happiness.

We had a cozy two-night stay at Schuchmann Wine Chateau, located in the Kakheti Valley just outside the town of Telavi, Georgia. We had a lot of family laughs playing UNO: Show’em No Mercy card game and enjoying their fine wines and French fries. Nadia and I worked out in the adequate gym in the morning before we left to explore more of the area. Housekeeping and reception took good care of us and the rooms were comfortable with beautiful balcony views of the snow-capped mountains. I highly recommend staying here if you are visiting the area.

In the afternoon, we drove to the tourist town of Sighnaghi. It is located on a steep hill overlooking the Alazani Valley in the heart of Georgia’s wine-growing region. King Heraclius II of Georgia commissioned a fortress on this high ground in 1762 to protect the town from marauding Dagestani tribesmen coming over the beautiful Caucasus Mountains. The town is probably nicer in the summer. It was cold and muddy, but we did have an exquisite meal at the Pheasant’s Tears Winery.

We finished our tour by visiting the Badbe Monastery. It is the burial site of Saint Nino, who died between 338 and 340 CE. King Mirian III built a monastery on the site. Georgian kings chose the site for coronations during the medieval period. The atheist government of the Soviets converted it to a hospital. It has been restored since independence and is a tourist and pilgrimage site today. It looked to be a functioning monastery with brothers and sisters living, working, and praying on the grounds. We made it there near sunset in time for lighing perfect for photography.

We are staying two days in Kakheti, the “Napa Valley” or main wine-producing region of Georgia. We discovered Georgian wines in Tashkent. Georgia has one of the oldest wine cultures in the world, some people say the longest. The Soviets took advantage of this and converted Georgia into the “industrial” or “factory” wine production area for the USSR. Georgia still sells wine to all former Soviet Republics. Post independence, wineries are rediscovering their traditional methods and individuality. Georgian wines are now shipped all over the world, and wine production is coming into its own. We did a wine tasting here at the Schuchmann Winery last night, and I read Lisa Granik’s “The Wines of Georgia. Below is my description of what makes Georgian wines distinct from other wine regions around the world.

Georgia is different from other wine-producing countries for two main reasons:

1. Many wine producers use the traditional Georgian method of fermenting, aging, and storing grapes in huge (1,000 – 2,000 liters) egg-shaped clay vessels called qvevri buried in the ground and lined with beeswax.
2. There are 400 different endemic Georgian grape varieties and 18 appellations in Georgia, 15 here in the Kakheti Region. (An appellation means the wine is named after the region it was grown in, and not the grape variety, for example, Champagne.)

These provide challenges for Georgian winemakers. Making wine in a clay vessel is difficult. It takes hours to clean qvevri because the clay surface is prone to bacterial growth, and too many minerals from the clay seep into the wine. Qvevri are difficult to make and maintain as they are prone to cracking and leakage. Georgian grape varieties are difficult for foreigners to pronounce. A delicious, semi-sweet, red grape variety we discovered at the Ambrosiano Restaurant in Tbilisi is called “Qindzmarauli”. Say that quickly 3 times and try to market that variety to the world. The other challenge is climate change. Less snow cover in the winter (high of 13 C today) and more rain in the spring promote fungal diseases.

To simplify it for me, I summarize Georgian wines below:

1. SAPERAVI: It is the most common red grape variety, accounting for 40%+ of the vineyard land in Kakheti and 10%+ of all plantings in the country. It is an ancient variety and means “to color with” or “to dye” in English. Both traditional and European methods (steel – oak casks) are used to produce it. Lisa Granik writes, “its varietal character is distinctive, speaking loudly and clearly even when produced in mass-market quantities.” Saperavi is the signature red grape and is the equivalent to other countries’ Cabernet Sauvignon.
2. QVEVRI AMBER WINES: I never heard of “amber” wines before this trip to Georgia. White grapes are squeezed and then fermented and stored with the skins and stems, producing an orange or amber color. Combine fermentation and aging with the skins/stems and doing it in a clay vessel, it makes for a Georgia-only wine experience.
3. Rkatsiteli: This is the signature white grape variety in the country and accounts for 45% of all grape planting in Georgian vineyards. Granik calls is “Georgia’s greatest and most noble variety. The name means “red stem” which comes from what it looks like in the vineyard. It is another ancient variety, dating back to the first few centuries CE/AD.

We tried three Georgian wines in our tasting session last night.

• 2022 Schuchmann Tsinandali – This appellation is from a royal estate in the Kakheti region. It is a white wine blend of Rkatsiteli (85%) and Mtsvane (15%) and was produced using European methods. We scored it an average of 7.95.
• 2022 Vinoterra Mtsvane – Vinoterra is the brand used by Schuchmann when they produce the wine in qvevri. This was my favorite wine of the three we tasted. The amber wine had a complex taste, including being stored in an oak barrel after being produced in the clay vessel. We scored it an average of 8.35.
• 2023 Schuchmann Mukuzani – The appellation uses Saperavi and is aged in oak. We scored it a 7.90.

We had a great day yesterday. We stopped at the Ujarma Fortress as we drove from Tbilisi to the Kakheti Valley. Ocean and I toured the ruins of the fortress that dates back to 500 CE. We also stopped halfway on the two-hour+ drive at the Gombori Pass and soaked in the views of the Caucasus. Beautiful! I love family road trips.