Yes, that translates from Abkhaz name of the Republic – the Country of soul.
The first time we visited Abkhazia in 2002 together with her husband and daughter. Bought a ticket on vacation in Adler, drove up to the checkpoint on the border between Russia and Abkhazia, filed in the window certifying all our identity documents were appropriate and that the bridge over the river Psou. Further, as partisans, passed through rows of eggplants in the garden of an old Abkhazian. Stern uncle Abkhaz stood and bail, so nobody, God forbid, didn’t trample his precious planting).
The journey began from the city of Gagra. We rode the bus along the coast , looking at urban views out the window…a Sunny city, surrounded by greenery, palm trees, cypress trees, blue sea merging on the horizon with the same dazzling blue sky.
First stop was the restaurant gagripš, where was filmed the movie “Jolly fellows”. Then we were taken to the Gagra colonnade, which starred another legendary film “Winter evening in Gagra”. Touched to glory movie stars of the past and let’s move on.
In the bus the tour Abkhazians quite vividly and interestingly tell the story of his small and proud Republic. So, the population of Abkhazia is divided into Christians and Muslims, and Christians make up 23 of the population and the remaining 13 Muslims. Among themselves live in peace, not at war. The guides at the entrance to every little village, tunnel or gorge always told legends, usually sad content, but they are always discernible nobility of the heroes who died or sacrificed himself. Maybe this is the nature of the Abkhazians and gave them to survive during the Abkhazian-Georgian wars?
We entered the Yupsharsky canyon (Stone bag – ABH.) on the way to lake Ritsa…Guys, describe aimlessly – look!!! (C).
A Grand creation of nature…just feel like a small insect in the face of Eternity…a huge Sheer cliff that descended between them close, a narrow road between them…the feeling of danger that all these heaps of stones overwhelm you…and it is not so rare stone avalanches on mountain roads of the Caucasus…sometimes the wedding procession were killed in those debacles…a Steep cliff with a height of about 500 m, overgrown with mosses and ivy, and samsite, reveal a little piece of heaven. Like really you are in a stone bag… not where you can feel what cover in that place: defenselessness, delight, admiration, surprise…
And now finally after 8 km Yupsharsky gorge out into the open…and here it is, a precious pearl of Abkhazia – lake Riza, emerald green bowl in the rim forests. Water, cold even in summer, only +7 degrees, to swim there is no one in danger). Somewhere out there,on the shore, in the depths of thickets, is Stalin’s dacha, where rests the Abkhaz… and in the trees sometimes glistening sunbeams – as a warning))).
The last stop of our journey was Pitsunda…arrived late in the afternoon and right on the beach. Shore is located in Pitsunda Cape, which pierces the sea like a wedge. So almost always there is the sea waves. That day the waves were tall in average height, approximately 160-170 cm…When these waves enter the sea is useless, a wave knocks you out onto the pebbly shore, just breaks…get Up, all stripped from the pebbles, and again in wave…then you should be able to dive, I couldn’t do it, so I had to fight the elements).
Husband, a professional swimmer, 1-bit, quietly entered in the stormy sea and sailed into the unknown…I was hoping to wait, but still he swam. He was not quite sober, honestly, drank chacha, so my excitement is understandable).
Abkhazia…beautiful, Sunny, with beautiful, noble and proud people… At that moment, despite the past decade without war, she has not recovered fully…between the dense foliage could be seen the destroyed orphaned houses, with holes from shells in the walls and no roofs…and poverty…hotel on the beach of Pitsunda, which was not functioning toilets…and yet, the people did not give up, people are still people, kind, generous, hospitable, a patriot of his small homeland…
Someday I will come back to you, Country of my soul.
