Fifth Journey Day 134: Dog Without Witness

"Dog Without Witness" — A quiet pause at the Rioni’s edge, where even absence feels present in Kutaisi.

Date: September 19, 2025
Location: Kutaisi, Georgia

In Kutaisi, Georgia, the Rioni River threads through the Imereti lowlands, carrying stone-cool air and the hush of green banks. The day moved lightly—early autumn, pale sky—where the city’s hilltop cathedral and riverside paths share a rhythm of water, light, and lingering breath.

River Hours on the Rioni

This afternoon, I walked down to the river, following the sound of the water more than the path. The Rioni moved steadily, neither fast nor slow, with a surface that shifted constantly between dull gray and sudden flashes of silver. From the bank, I could see how the water gathered around stones and then released itself again, as if the water remembered the stones. I sat for a long time, watching the light move across the water's surface and disappear into the air.

Scent of Earth, Not Salt

The breeze felt different from the thick, salty air of Batumi. Here, the wind carried the smell of earth and green plants. It was as if the fields upstream were imprinted on every breath. Even the sound was different — not the noise of gulls or waves, but the low, steady sound of water rubbing against stone.

A Passing Dog, A Small Moment

A dog wandered by, sniffing at the edges of the bank, then trotted away without looking back. I will always remember the smallness of that moment more than the cathedral I saw on the hill.

Choosing Stillness Over Sketching

I didn't draw today. My sketchbook was closed and on my lap. It felt enough just to look, to let the surface of the water teach me about rhythm and hesitation. Sometimes the river looked tired too, going around in circles before it finally found its way. I noticed how stillness can exist within movement, and how even in the noise of water, there is a silence that waits underneath.

Arrival Without Announcement

Tonight, I feel settled in a steady way. The river made me realize that arrival doesn't always need to be obvious or dramatic. Sometimes it is just sitting by the edge of the ocean, letting the day pass until you begin to breathe at the same pace as the place around you.

Travel Notes

• Weather: Pale blue sky with scattered clouds; 17°C; a cool breeze carrying the damp scent of the Rioni and light that silvered the water.
• Scents: Earth and green plants, river stone, and the clean absence of sea-salt air felt in Batumi.
• Sounds: The low, steady rub of water against stone; leaf rustle along the bank; a river’s hush that softened the city’s edges.
• Reflection: Choosing not to draw became its own practice—learning the river’s rhythm, noticing stillness inside movement, arriving quietly.

Continue the Journey

You may also linger with another quiet encounter in Fifth Journey Day 72: The Dog That Marked the Sentence, or return to Kutaisi through an artist’s lens in Second Journey Day 112: Luka Tsereteli.