The tourist season in Abkhazia is drawing to a close. Unsurprisingly, tourists writing blogs and online comments focus mainly on seaside holidays. But how do local people feel about swimming in the sea? JAMnews put the question to residents of Sukhum.
It turns out that local people rarely go swimming in the sea. They often lack the time because they are not on holiday themselves. Many also consider the water dirty and prefer swimming in rivers.
Inal Tsvizhba: “This year, I’m even thinking of trying to go to the sea all year round, even when it rains.”
Zaur Kvarchia: “I don’t like going to the beach or swimming in the sea because it’s wet, hot and sticky. There’s nothing particularly enjoyable about it. I prefer mountain rivers.”
Alias Ubiria: “The idea that local people, or Abkhaz people in particular, don’t like swimming in the sea is, of course, a myth. We all love swimming in the sea. But, unfortunately, that varies from year to year. When we were teenagers, during our school years, we practically lived at the beach.
“But it’s also a matter of mentality. Abkhazia is a small country where everyone knows everyone else. Many women prefer to go with their families to places where there are fewer people. They don’t want acquaintances or relatives to see them in their swimming costumes, and feel rather self-conscious about it.”
The terminology, place names and views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial position of this website.
