Epress.am News from Armenia
Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili swam nearly 3.5 kilometers out into the Black Sea to promote Georgia’s western coast region of Adjara (capital Batumi) as a tourist destination.
After the swim, using an iPod, the Georgian leader compared the water temperature and humidity in the air of Batumi’s resorts with resorts around the world, including those along the Black Sea and the Mediterranean, reports RBC.
“For some reason, it is accepted and many talk about it, that the humidity in Batumi is high and it creates discomfort. But it turns out that the percentage of moisture in many well-known resorts is higher than here,” he said.
According to Saakashvili, the Mediterranea Sea is inferior to the Black Sea because of higher salt concentration in the water and it’s not possible to remain in the water for too long. But in the Black Sea, according to the Georgian president, he constantly goes swimming.
“Those who relax in Adjara understand and appreciate this quite well,” he said.
Not missing the opportunity to take a stab at Russia, the Georgian leader said, “This is one of the reasons why the occupier looks with such envy at our country and wants to grab it,” reports AFP.
“One can swim and sunbathe on the beaches of Adjara from May to November, the season is six months long,” he said in comments shown on Rustavi-2 television after he ploughed through the water with a front crawl stroke.
The length of his swim announced by officials was close to the distance swum in ironman triathlons (3.9 kilometres, 2.4 miles) and double the longest race swum in the pool in the Olympic Games.
Georgia in recent years has launched an ambitious program to promote Adjara and its capital Batumi as a tourist destination.