Marshutka Mondays

I’ve been trying every week to do this new thing on my blog. I would like to introduce you all to Marshutka Mondays. I have talked to my parents and a few friends about marshutkas, but most people don’t know what they are or what our lives or like on these machines. So, every Monday I will talk a little bit about marshutkas and some of the fun stories I have riding on them. So, here we go…

 

Marshutkas are typically Ford Transit vans with a bunch of seats, packed with people. They are used like buses and transport people from city to city (or even within a city). Above it a picture of a normal marshutka in Georgia. I have to point out that most of my picture are poorly taken because I felt uncomfortable taking out my camera and snapping photos with so many people around. Especially since a lot of my photos have people in them. 

Here's the front of a Ford Transit marshutka that goes from The sign on the front ბათუმი which means "Batumi" (the nearest large city). 

Some of the marshutkas, especially the ones that go across the country are Mercedes Benz Sprinters and are usually considerably larger and more comfortable than the Ford Transits. They aren't as common, though. 

                                      

Look above and you'll see some German. I haven't figured out why most of the marshutkas are secondhand from Germany, but German is written all over most of the marshutkas. I also just thought a yellow marshutka was funny. 

Here's the inside of a marshutka when it's crowded. 

The way back of the marshutka next to an old woman who kept smelling me...

 And another marshutka picture.

And the last one....

So there's Marshutka Mondays.