The Georgian capital is less than two hours' drive from the frontline in South Ossetia. But while the sunny streets and outdoor cafes of Tbilisi appeared calm, like everywhere in Georgia the anxious talk was of war.
A few people said they had started stockpiling food and water in case the conflict with Russia escalates further.
"I hope these guys in the government have a plan," said a young man called Kahka. "There is a justification for this action in South Ossetia, but they're taking on a huge monster called the Kremlin. Let's just all pray for the best."
In Gori, the nearest city to the fighting, military vehicles shuttled back and forth every few minutes bringing soldiers to hospital. The names of those admitted were posted outside. Giorgi Lomsadze, a Georgian journalist who visited the hospital, said: "Relatives and friends have been gathering outside to try to find out what happened to their relatives. It is very intense, very emotional."
Heavy military equipment was highly visible on the roads around Gori, with artillery pieces positioned in orchards and fields and busloads of troops passing by on the way to Tskhinvali.
Inside Tskhinvali, residents cowered in cellars to escape the bombardment. The streets are empty, buildings have been burning, water supplies have been getting scarcer and even the hospital has been damaged by artillery fire.
"Bodies are lying in the road because people are scared to go and pick them up," said Vakhtang, an Ossetian who fled to Russia with his wife and children after his leg was injured by a shell.
"It's impossible to walk on the street, and people don't even feel safe in their basements. This is a terrible, terrible situation. The world must stop it."
