After deciding to not cross into South Ossetia, we continue to Gori, the birthplace of the most famous Georgian, Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin. This man was seriously hardcore, his son was captured by the Germans during the Great Patriotic War (Russian name for World War II) and the Germans offered a prisoner exchange, Stalin's son for a Field Marshall. Stalin replies, "You have in your hands not only my son Yakov but millions of my sons. Either you free them all or my son will share their fate." The Germans killed Stalin's son.
The guide notices me reading all the signs in the museum and starts speaking Russian to me. I tell her about my travels and in turn ask her about the South Ossetia War. She tells me that long before the Russians occupied Gori, those that wanted to leave were long gone. Those that remained (herself included) were scared for their lives. Three artillery shells launched by the Russians landed in Gori, compared to the constant bombardment of Tskhinvali (capital of South Ossetia) by the Georgians.
When the Russians did eventually arrive in Gori, those that remained felt much safer than when the Georgians were using it as a base, because they knew that the Georgians wouldn't attack Gori. The Russians occupied Goris for a few days and did allow Georgians to return back home, they had blocked the main highway but the back roads were still accessible.
The guide also gives me one gold nugget of information. I mention to her that I want to cross into Abkhazia and she tells me that she has heard of people being allowed to cross from neighbouring towns in and out of Abkhazia without any real problems.
After the tour of the museum including Stalin's office, house, train carriage and of course Stalin's personal couch from where he would ponder who was next to the gulags, the guide wishes us a safe trip, and tells us one last interesting fact. After the death of Stalin, Kruschev ordered most of the statues of Stalin to be removed as he greatly despised the man. Gori is one of the few places where you can find Stalin standing proudly for all to admire. Earlier, Stalin had a place next to Lenin in his mausoleum, however he has since been buried outside it along with several other leaders of the former USSR.
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