Abkhazia is the homeland of my maternal grandfather. In the beginning of the 20th century my mother’s grandfather came to Rize which is an Eastern Black Sea town in the North East of Turkey. At that time Abkhazia was part of the Soviet Union. After Perestroika Abkhazia was separated from Russia together with Georgia. But Abkhazians decided to gain their freedom and there was a bloody war during 1992 and 1993 between Abkhazia and Georgia. After  the war Abkhazia declared itself independent and the border with Georgia was closed. Since it is not possible to access Abkhazia with a direct flight either, anybody who wants to go there should normally go to Russia first. Sochi is the closest important town in Russia where there is an airport, a sea port and a good connection to the rest of Russia. After about one hour’s drive from Sochi one reaches the Abkhazian border. The borderline between Russia and Abkhazia is a river and there are two bridges to cross the border one for pedestrians and one for road transportation.

The Botanical Gardens in Sukhumi, Ritsa Lake, Men’s monastery are some of the places well worth the visit. There are many unique plants and some of the cleanest rivers, lakes and forests in the world are found in Abkhazia. Fresh fruits and vegetables grow abundantly everywhere and the local food is delicious. It is thought to be one of the reasons why people live very long in Abkhazia. I know an Abkhazian who lives in Turkey whose grandfather died at the age of 126 years. Some believe one factor for the longevity of Abkhazians is the sun which hits the land from a special angle. They say this is the secret behind the deliciousness of organic fruits and vegetables growing there and people who eat them live longer.  I am sure you would enjoy meeting Abkhazians who are well known for their hospitality.

There is a legend about Abkhazian hospitality that goes like this.

Novy  Afon Monastery