The dolphins wax lyrical as the humans dine
Feasting like panthers — an experience so sublime
The dolphins wax lyrical as the humans dine
Feasting like panthers — an experience so sublime
Atlantic Ocean Wanderlust Diaries
Batumi, Georgia, Black Sea
Episode 100
Jumping dolphins, poetry in motion across the ocean — Photo — A Chosen Soul on Unsplash +
A Pussy Cat Tale
Lady Donga Diaries
Meow 914
Welcome back to the Wanderlust Diaries dear readers.
You may recall from Episode 99 — A Russian destroyer loaded with Naval gazing Spies — Meow 911 — where Seaspray D and Skipper Riman had just arrived in the calm port Sokhumi, Abkhazia, calm, until their nocturnal Olympic bedroom sport activities commenced below deck — and rocked their Golden Lotus Chinese Junk vessel all night long.
Sokhumi the capital, is Abkhazia’s largest city, and Seaspray D and Skipper Riman were keen to try the local food to help replenish energy spent the night before.
Not far from the jetty was a small café with plenty of hungry customers eating — a good sign.
So, they sat down and told the waiter they would have what everyone else was eating — porridge.
The dish known as Abysta, was not exactly porridge — but had a similar consistency, using cornmeal instead of oats.
Abysta is made simply by mixing and boiling the corn flour with water until smooth and thick.
The waiter offered Skipper Riman and Seaspray D some cheese and hot peppers to add to their Abysta porridge, which they gratefully accepted, with a side serve of mountain yoghurt that helped cool the tongue from the fiery chili burning their overworked tongues.
An Abysta like dish with cheese — Photo — Igor.skokan — http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:MamaligaBranza.JPG, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=11098187
While they enjoyed the unique breakfast, Skipper Riman and Seaspray D felt they were under constant surveillance, as every other customer seemed to be pretending to read a newspaper, peeking over the edge of slightly lowered sunglasses.
A spy pretends to read the newspaper — Photo — Bunyamin Cicek on Pexels
Evidently, Sokhumi remains under defacto Russian control amid regional tensions with Georgia just over the border.
The waiter approached Skipper Riman and Seaspray D to clear the dining table, and whispered to them in broken English to “Be cautious comrades, as this café is crawling with spies.”
“In fact, just recently Abkhazia expelled a UK citizen — on suspicion of involvement in foreign intelligence service activities.
“This Brit thought his cover as an English teacher would protect him, but the KGB surveillance caught him the end trying to infiltrate and obtain data on Abkhazian military facilities,” the waiter shared, as he collected the bowls, glasses and cutlery, and took them to the kitchen.
Skipper Riman and Seaspray D did not need to be told twice, they left a $10 tip on the table for the waiter, and returned to the Golden Lotus where they set sail for the safety of Georgia, just an hour or so away.
At first, Skipper Riman set sail for Poti, a major Georgian Navy HQ and cargo port.
However, regional marine radio reported that Port Poti was too busy, so it advised all seamen (and sea women) to sail further south to Batumi, until cargo backlogs could be cleared.
Port Poti handles 7.7 million tons cargo per annum, offloading goods for the capital Tbilisi further east via rail, and then onto Baku in Azerbaijan on the Caspian Sea.
Poti to Baku Rail line — Map— Giorgi Balakhadze at Wikimedia Foundation Governance Wiki, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=52217598
Naturally, Skipper Riman followed the advice, and was so glad she did as the Batumi harbor further south was beautiful, with a warmer sub-tropical climate just north of the Türkiye border.
Beautiful Batumi Bay — Photo — Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz via Wikipedia
Batumi’s climate is influenced by the orographic effect, onshore air flow from the Black Sea rising over hills and mountains in the vicinity.
This natural phenomenon results in significant rainfall, making it one of the wettest locations in the region.
And soon enough, just as the Golden Lotus tied up to the jetty, the rain tumbled down in torrents soaking Skipper Riman and Seaspray D to the bone.
Fortunately, they had already lowered the sails, now stowed under cover, but they now required a change of clothes before they ventured down town.
Seaspray D interrupted Skipper Riman as she dried herself, to which she said: “Down boy…there will be time for play time another time, for now, let’s get changed and walk into Batumi town,” she smiled, throwing Seaspray D a towel, shorts to cover himself, and an umbrella to hold over them to keep her dry as they jumped on the jetty for a new adventure.
Batumi had quite the reputation as the Las Vegas of the Black Sea, with casinos here, there, and everywhere, down by the waterfront.
Oligarch high rollers the world over were said to launder the proceeds of their crimes against humanity on the blackjack, roulette and dice tables.
However, Skipper Riman and Seaspray D were not interested in gambling.
They were more interested in a cultural experience which began at a dolphinarium — where they watched the magnificent sea creatures jump for joy to enthusiastic rounds of applause, and rewarded with sardines thereafter.
The jump for sardines Batumi Dolphins — Photo — Google Maps
“Sardines, yum,” said Skipper Riman, “But unlike the dolphins, I want mine cooked,” she said, as they wandered off to find somewhere to dine.
Lady Luck smiled and delivered them to a traditional Georgian Restaurant — the Kutkhe Kunchali, where they feasted like panthers on a buffet smorgasbord, locally referred to as a Supra — or Georgian Table, which includes local delights such as Khinkali (dumplings) and Khachapuri — a cheese filled bread with egg.
Feast Like a Panther in Georgia — Photo — Jan Reichelt on Pexels
Kutkhe Kunchuli Restaurant , Batumi, Georgia — Photo — Google Maps
The Georgian Table — Eat your heart out! — Photo — Irma Sharikadze — Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=123903446
Skipper Riman and Seaspray D raised their glasses, as the restaurant host known as the Tamada, conducted multiple entertaining philosophical toasts to add joy to the dining experience.
The Tamada host — makes multiple toasts!- Photo — Niko Pirosmani — www.pirosmani.org, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4971812
Batumi in 1851 — Artwork — Lev Lagorio — www.belygorod.ru, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2681966
This ended with everyone dancing on the tables well into the night, and more horizontal dancing back on the Golden Lotus thereafter …but that dear readers…is another story for another time!
The Golden Lotus — Rocks too and fro — Screenshot — Seaspray D
…to be continued…
Meow for now
Until next time
With Love — Lady Donga Diaries © 2026
Lady Donga — Editor @ Large on the mouse! © 2026
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