Caroline Aghajanian: On thisepisode of “Travel Dares, ” I'm taking Nico to Retro, where we're gonna makeGeorgia's largest khachapuri.
Nico Reyes: And I'm takingCaroline to Sam Raan Spa, where we're gonna try a traditional hammam bubble treatment.
Caroline: Come join us on our adventures on this episode of “Travel Dares.
” This is “Travel Dares, ” the show where we do daringactivities all over Europe empowered by my MarriottBonvoy Boundless card.
Nico: In this episode, we're in Tbilisi, Georgia, and we're so excited to check out the cuisine and the culture.
Ready for your clue, Caroline? Caroline: Yes, let's get started! OK.
Nico: Think about it.
Caroline: I'm thinking, I don't know.
Swimming? Nico: Possibly.
Caroline: Possibly? I feel like we're going on a, like, a lazy river ride or something.
You know?Nico: A lazy river ride? Traditional hammam spasare iconic to this region, and they include a section where you are covered in bubbles.
Caroline and I havetried beauty treatments from all over the world, so I know she's gonna love this one.
Reach this hand down, down, down, and scoop.
Are you scooping? Caroline: I'm scooping, what is it? Nico: Take off your blindfold, 'cause today we're doing a traditional hammam bubble treatment.
Caroline: Bubble bath! Nico: Yes! Caroline: Oh, my God! Nico: This is the darewe've been waiting for.
Oh, my gosh! Caroline: Oh, my gosh.
Oh, it is instantly so much warmer.
Nico: It feels so warm in here.
Caroline: I'm gonna cry.
I feel like a queen walkinginto her weekly bath.
Let's just lay down, I guess.
Oh, this is so luxurious.
I'm not used to it.
Ihga: Hammam is an ancient ritual.
Ottomans brought theirown bathing tradition to Constantinople in 15th century.
Hammam meaning is the”spreader of warmth.
” It's a rejuvenating procedure leaving you feelingrefreshed inside and out.
Caroline: So, we don'teven go to the bubble bath.
The bubbles come to us.
Nico: Oh.
Oh, it's happening.
Oh, my God! Caroline: Oh, my gosh! I love these bubbles! There's so much bubbles! Nico: I'm making bubble snow angels.
Caroline: Oh, my gosh.
Wow.
I'm drowning in these bubbles.
Ihga: Hammam positively affects on different body functions.
Physical and emotional detox, cleans skin pores of impurities and sloughs the dead skin, pain relief, muscle relaxation, relieves some stresses, boost the immune system, and giving you unforgettable feeling.
Caroline: My skin feels silky smooth.
Nico: Every time I rub in the bubbles, it just feels softer and softer.
Caroline: I definitely think out of all the spas I've ever been to, this one is my favorite.
Nico, I have a little surprise for you.
Nico: No.
Caroline: [laughs] I have the clue.
Nico: What the heck, wherewere you keeping this? I was just getting relaxed.
Oh, it's soggy.
[Caroline laughs] Caroline: All right, so I'll blindfold you once we get these bubbles off.
Nico: I don't know.
I don't know any non-floating boats.
Every boat that I've met floats.
Caroline: Khachapuri isan iconic Georgian dish consisting of egg, cheese, and bread.
Retro is known to make one of the largestkhachapuri in the world, and chef Gia is gonnateach us how to make it.
And now stop here.
Nico: Oh, OK.
Caroline: Perfect.
All right, smell what this is.
Nico: I don't know.
It smells like a pastry? Caroline: OK.
Nico: Like a cheesy pastry? Caroline: Yes, so take your blindfold off, because today we're learninghow to make khachapuri, aka a Georgian cheese boat.
Nico: “This boat won't float”! Caroline: Yes.
Nico: It makes sense now.
Sali: This is Gia.
Caroline: Hello, chef! Gia Agirba: Gia.
Hello, hello.
Caroline: It's so nice to meet you! Nico: Hello, nice to meet you.
Sali: Today, I will be your translator.
So, let's start making khachapuri.
Nico: Yay! Caroline: Nico, I dohave a surprise for you.
We're not just making khachapuri; we're making anover-5-foot-long khachapuri.
Nico: Oh, my gosh! That's why there's so much dough? Caroline: Nico, are you ready to do this? Nico: Yes, I'm so psyched.
Gia: Georgia mozzarella.
Nico and Caroline: Oh, Georgia mozzarella! Nico: It looks so good! Caroline: Nico, all your eggs are runny.
Nico: Two of my eggs ran.
Caroline: It has to be perfect.
Caroline: Oh, my God.
Gia: Super!Caroline: Yes, super.
We just made the Titanic.
Caroline: We made that! Gia: We've done it! We've done it! Caroline: Got it, got it.
Nico: I'm coming in, coming in.
Ooh, it's hot, it's hot.
[clapping and cheering] Sali: So, girls, next step isto mix in everything together.
Nico: Oh, the butter! Caroline: I know, it smells really good.
Nico: The butter smells so good.
Sali: Caroline, please.
Caroline: Yes.
[all laughing] Sali: One, two, three! Oh, my God.
Nico: Is it good?Caroline: It's so good.
Sali: Nico, now it's your turn.
Sali: How is it? Nico: Oh, my God, that is so good! It's so creamy and delicious and rich because of all that cheese.
It's so good.
Caroline: Now we know why they call you the best in Georgia, OK.
We did it! Nico: We did it!Caroline: We did it! Gmadlobt, chef Gia! Thank you so much! Nico and Caroline: Bye! Gia: Thank you.
Nico: Caroline, that was so delicious.
Caroline: I know.
Nico: Out of all theplaces we've traveled to, Georgia is so unique.
Caroline: I know.
Iloved staying in Tbilisi.
It has such a rich history.
Like, this hotel was constructed in 1910, and it's the first Europeanstandard hotel in Tbilisi.
Nico: Caroline, let's talk bubbles.
Caroline: Bubbles! Nico: I think you did a really good job of staying really positive and relaxed throughout the whole process, even when your skin was being scrubbed.
You did a really good job, so I'll give you five stars.
Caroline: Yes! I loved it.
I had such an amazing time, and my skin feels so soft.
So, making that giant khachapuri requires a lot of skilland a lot of speed, and I'm so glad we didn't drop it when we were taking it out of the oven.
But we were a little slow during the preparationprocess, especially the eggs.
That was a little frantic.
So for that, I'm givingyou a 4.
5 out of five.
Nico: 4.
5? I guess that's fair.
That's fair.
Caroline: Yeah, it was still so delicious.
Nico: Yeah.
Caroline: Georgia was amazing, but now we're about to meet Aj in Switzerland, Nico: Yeah! and I'm super excited for that.
Aj, we're coming for you.
Nico: We're coming, Aj! Caroline: Cheers!Nico: Cheers!.