TOO MUCH PASSION

Everyone knows that Georgians are passionate people. I got to witness what happens when that build up becomes too much. There was a man angrily strutting back and forth on the street yelling at the top of his lungs. He would occasionally slap someone (not nicely) or go into a courtyard where I could not see. From there, the sound of a lot of slapping, yelling and crying would emerge. This went on for about an hour or more. Nobody called the police. Although one cop was walking by and talking on his cell phone, he took no special note of this event. He just kept walking. I'm not sure who all this guy was slapping around (though at least one older lady was a target) nor why it was happening.

It did attract a fair sized crowd. Like in Ankh-Morpork, everyone here seems to enjoy a bit of street theater.

The next day, he was wandering around like normal and nobody treated him any differently than they had prior to the incident. The people staying at the hostel were worried that this sort of thing was normal for Batumi (and possibly Georgia). I assured them this was the first time I'd ever seen it, though the witnesses reactions as they stood around observing this display told me it was not unusual.

This highlighted a major cultural difference to me. In America the police would have been called in. There would have been at least three squad cars. They might have used a taser. The man would have definately been arrested and brought in to jail. His neighbors (in America) would have thought of him as a big, out of control baby and ostracized him after the event.

Here, it is perhaps seen as a venting of built up passions. Pity about whoever he was slapping around, I suppose. I guess they weren't considered important at this time.



BATUMI BELLY BASH

When men are feeling sweaty and hot, they often take off their shirt. More often than not, everyone wishes they would keep it on. In Batumi, they kind of go half way. There are two main kinds of shirt in this, either the button up or the pull over (the head). If the shirt is a button, all of the buttons are left open. If the shirt is a pull over, it is raised to a level above the belly. Inevitably, the belly which is displayed is about the size of mine. For those who haven't seen my belly, it is like a pale mountain rising from the plains. Made of pudding. Vanilla pudding.

English travelers have told me that the only people in England who wear their shirts tied up to expose their bellies were homosexuals.

Either way, men's bellies are on display in Batumi!
Note, this is not an actual Georgian belly but rather a picture of what a belly looks like, should you not know.

The women here are not to be left out though. Many favor wearing tight shirts in order to accentuate their breasts. Unfortunately, this often has the effect off showing off a huge beer belly. I'm not sure why this is considered 'sexy' but it is common enough that it must be.

When there is a concert in Batumi, you still see this but apparently it is the only night they let out lots of the 'beautiful people' to wander around.



BOTANIC GARDENS

Went to the Botanical Gardens with Sam


The security guards at the Botanic Gardens

She really, really hates these flowers!


So did I enjoy the botanical gardens? Well, I enjoyed hanging out with Sam. The trees and such seemed well kept. But I am not really into trees and bushes. And hills. I really fucking hate hills. With how hot it is outside it is a real sweaty bitch to wander around without shade.

When we first got there, Sam was using her Russian to try to talk to the guards but swore off using it for the rest of the day after seeing Logan's 'fast talk' skill without it. And a good time was had by all.



FROM FACEBOOK

Ever been curious about just how big a stack of money is? About how much the US actually owes in a visual format? Thanks to Matthew H for this beauty.