The people are always relaxed, kind and so hospitable that they may even take offense when someone refuses to eat and drink everything that is offered. Sometimes it can create some difficulty for photographers to drink strong alcohol in every house where they take photos.
Anyway, every meeting left its own unique impression. The openheartedness of Caucasian people, their emotions, and extraordinarily generous souls could not leave one indifferent.
As a rule, many toys of different colors, shapes, and sizes decorate every house. This creates some touchy coziness and contrasted with the serious and hot-tempered Caucasian men and beautiful women always dressed in black.
In many families, all moral and physical work lays on women’s fragile but strong shoulders, while the husbands gather in the yard to play games and drink vodka under the beating sun, close to the pleasantly roaring sea.
Abkhazia is being restored after the war, but there are still many destroyed and unfinished buildings. Some schools, for example a school of arts in Gagra, have not adapted to work with children. The teachers rebuilt everything with their own hands, working for almost no salary, bringing their own tools that they have been collecting all their lives to teach children.
In spite of all these difficulties people can be happy here and really enjoy their lives. Their weddings are so huge that they may remind one of famous celebrities’ concerts. No less than one thousand people are invited to this memorable occasion. No one must be forgotten, even someone whom you have met only once. The newly married couple will usually take large loans to organize this kind of wedding, and pay this back during their lifetime together. Newlyweds cannot do this any other way, as it is a question of honor. This is very important for the hot-tempered Caucasian mindset.
No fewer than eight cows are killed for each wedding. These are used to cook special dishes, to be accompanied by national dances and hearty talks.
Young men come to the wedding with pistols elegantly tied to their belts.
The main thing that you cannot forget is a unique temper, desire to live life to the fullest, and sincere passion for everything in hot southern Abkhazia.