From my point of view the comparison with Las Vegas shows symptoms of megalomania and "Keep Calm and Visit Batumi" is nothing but a contradiction in terms. Plunging into the road traffic of Batumi will suddenly let you abandon any good resolutions with respect to calmness. For most of the Georgian - and Russian - car drivers traffic lights and road signs have not more than commendatory function, the right of way is replaced by the law of the jungle, while the horn works mainly as a funny musical communication tool. Pedestrians are to be considered "fair game", this all in plain view of Georgian policemen, who look great in their US-inspired uniforms and their electrically powered patrol cars. Unsurprisingly, both Joseph Stalin and Lavrenti P. Beria, the head of the NKVD (later called the KGB), came from Georgia and you'll meet them at the very same souvenir shop, where you acquired the contradictory motto postcard.
Now let's have a look behind the skyline of the "Mini Las Vegas on the Black Sea" and see what we are experiencing there.
Same reality check with the two synagogues in town. The plate in front of the new one reads as follows: "In 1899, the Jewish population of Batumi gained permission from the Russian Emperor Nicholas II to erect a major synagogue building in Batumi. The project was developed by the Batumi architect Semyon Volkovich (1879-1937), and in 1904 the synagogue was opened. During the Soviet era, the synagogue served as a premise for several sports sections. It was restored and reopened in 1998. In 2011, the Batumi Synagogue gained the status of a Cultural Heritage." So far so good, but what's about the old one, which fell into ruin just a few steps away?
1 comment:
Edgar your fascinating reports , stories photos and acquaintances you make are invaluable!!!
A big thank you.
Gabriele
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