Abkhazia-interesting

Huge field in the middle of the famous Abkhaz village Lykhny rests on a huge two-story building of the former village council, the corridors of which the wind howled, dogs and occasionally tourists.

We publish travel notes from our correspondent, who returned recently from a trip to the Black Sea coast of the unrecognized Republic of Abkhazia - ed.

Squeaks under your feet in the former library parquet, gaping eye sockets cut pattern, where Lenin and Stalin at the table reading a book.

In the director's office pile piled photo: teleconference "Lykhny - Tokyo", the chorus 100-year old men, some - with St. George's cross on his chest. Old people dancing to accordion and decorum posing at a table where "Stolichnaya" alternates with mineral water. On the shelves - materials XXII Congress of the CPSU, Gorbachev perestroika works.

Typewriter with a broken keys on the table, ledgers, "Collected drivers, Thursday," "Dump Arik 200,000 rubles," "Rented tobacco" - and the long rows of names on the table ...

Lykhny its abandonment makes an extremely positive impression. Because there is no us, tourists. And no Abkhazians us tourists serving.

Not at all - in any popular Abkhaz route, which, in the Hamburg score, here are three (Lake Riza, Novy Afon, Sukhum).

Road to Ritsu will be the last for Brigitte Bardot (I mean the protection of animals). "Slyushay, fear not, good bear, look, shove your hand" - the owner of a bear that puts into the mouth of the elbow. The teeth of a bear to tear.

Near breaks loose limping raccoon. "You're sorry? Buy it and let out, yes? Her mind!"

Bear teen, yet toothy, sits in a cage under the forty-degree sun. "Mom, the bear was punished, right? - Punished, punished. Will whining, we'll put you in there."

"The pictures are taken with a bear - fifty rubles! Girl, You shall not pass! Take a bear in hand, ten rubles!" - Gloomy Abkhazians shoved in his face bears tour, mountain honey, catamarans on the Ritz (half an hour - 200 rubles), homemade brandy, owls. Money is taken for any "failure" (in addition to the so-called "environmental charge" at 150 rubles, which is collected centrally and all).

Climb to the observation deck? 20 rubles. All right, 10! Climb a rock with a stuffed mountain sheep? 10 rubles!

Photographed against figures of Charlie Chaplin and the waterfall "Men's tears" (a great comedian, apparently, the adequacy of the name) - 20 rubles.

- Listen, I do not understand. You're a journalist, right? Want a cave, right? - Director Athos world wonder Givi Shalvovich Smyr screws up his eyes. - You do not show your ID ... FSB you planted? - Unexpected issues Givi Shalvovich. Long agonizing pause, director surrenders first. - Look at you a thousand - go and buy a ticket!

"Athos cave in 1961 opened a local resident, 16-year-old Givi Smyr" - chanting at dusk guide. Two plus two is four. Who was the first stood up - that and sandals.

Sea in Gagra - soup with meatballs of human bodies. In Pitsunda soup thinner, and in the late afternoon, most of meatballs disperses the cafes.

Come to watch the sunset or the notorious romance, cultural or drink, or those who are here for the first day.

Noisy group of six people, some children.

- Dad, I want to write, I want to write! - Snuffles boy.

- To write, but not in the sea, the sea can not be! (Heart's grateful assents.) In, come ashore to pee.

The boy turns and reduces suffering a meter from the edge of the sea, on the beach.

Local people have forgotten what a smile. Smiling saleswoman rare Russian, sometimes - Russian guides. Local - no. Period of primitive accumulation of capital in its pure form, not to smile and flirting with vacationers.

- Last year, I had four people for the whole summer - breaks due to old Armenian Uncle Andrew. - This year - look, yes!

In the big house of his uncle Andrew, called lodgers Tungus lives simultaneously thirty.

150 rubles a nose with a night on the godly. Not less than ten days, a shorter take very reluctantly.

In three nights comes cock. He shouts not doodle, not kikiri-kikiriki - Abkhazian real cock, he hoarse howls: "Ue-ue-ue". All courts are responding to colleagues. Takes over the baton tyavkaya little dog - these are in all Abkhazian yards. At six in the morning wakes grandson Uncle Andrew, driving into the yard "Lada" and includes the album "100 per cent Arabic hit." To "Habibi" wake up most of the tenants and uterine jog trot to the kitchen - one plate for thirty people, not poroskoshestvuesh. Kettle for boiling water stand in a queue.

Evening events are repeated in reverse order, but without a rooster.

The cafe an hour later it turns out that the waitress forgot about your order. However, it does not matter, you still have the eggplant over.

And kharcho over, and, you know, Greek salad, too over. I can offer a salad "Squirrel."

One of my friends opened a Moscow architect pensions: Mysovoye in the village in the Crimea has opened in Abkhazia - in the process. My second friend, abhazofil, once again came to rest on Lidzaa week later ruefully remarks, "How do they do not understand - if they do so and will continue to treat tourists in two years here will come thick Moscow uncle with more money. And those who now sits behind the counter of his cafe, it will also sweep the floor ... "

Good to know the traveler:

Border of Abkhazia with Russia nominal, in the passport stamps do not. In high season, all on a crosswalk can last for an hour in the car - three.

Prices in August were approximately as follows:

Rent from a private beds: Psou (on the border) - 100 rubles., Gagra - 200 rubles., Pitsunda - 150 rubles. Pension with three meals starts from 450 rubles. per person per day. In August 2005, to find a free room in a boarding house was difficult.

Prices in shops - Moscow. Food service - more democratic than in the capital: barbecue everywhere is 50-100 rubles., Hot meals - 60-150 rubles., Salads - 35-70 rubles.

Guided tour: a visit to Sukhumi monkey nursery, botanical garden and a walk along the waterfront - 300 rubles., Lake Riza - 350-400 rubles. (Ecological tax included), New Athos - 400 rubles., Tickets are included in the cave (a propos, they cost 200 rubles., Plus 15 rubles. Insurance, which for some reason is not voluntary).

Three things that are pleasing in Abkhazia:

1. Sea. Despite the fact that the bottom of his naked and on the beach here and there, scattered artifacts of the human host. Mountain rivers flow into the sea of ​​Abkhazia as a result it is a little colder than the Russian Caucasus, but at 85 percent humidity and it's nice.

2. Wine. There is nothing extraordinary in it, but drinking it is worth at least for the reason that in Adler bottle "Lykhny," "Bouquet of Abkhazia" or "Dioscuri" costs 240 rubles., In Moscow it sold six hundred, and "on the spot" costs a hundred.

3. Tangerines. They grow in all courts, fresh tangerine juice is sold at each Yeah. The most literate - to pick up more green mandarin (they ripen naturally, exactly for the New Year, as well as the local mimosa - March 8), and lounging on the beach, sometimes nadsekat his fingernail, sniff. They say the smell of citrus - antidepressant.