Caroline Aghajanian: On this episode of "Travel Dares,"
I'm taking Nico to Retro,
where we're gonna make Georgia's largest khachapuri.
Nico Reyes: And I'm taking Caroline 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 daring activities all over Europe
empowered by my Marriott Bonvoy 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 spas are iconic to this region,
and they include a section
where you are covered in bubbles.
Caroline and I have tried 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 dare we'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 walking into 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 their own bathing tradition
to Constantinople in 15th century.
Hammam meaning is the "spreader of warmth."
It's a rejuvenating procedure
leaving you feeling refreshed inside and out.
Caroline: So, we don't even 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, where were 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 is an iconic Georgian dish
consisting of egg, cheese, and bread.
Retro is known to make
one of the largest khachapuri in the world,
and chef Gia is gonna teach 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 learning how 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 do have a surprise for you.
We're not just making khachapuri;
we're making an over-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 is to 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 the places we've traveled to,
Georgia is so unique.
Caroline: I know. I loved staying in Tbilisi.
It has such a rich history.
Like, this hotel was constructed in 1910,
and it's the first European standard 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 skill and 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 preparation process, especially the eggs.
That was a little frantic.
So for that, I'm giving you 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!