While being in Haaga, first of all I went to Elandstraat Street No.48, where is situated café with the name of “Sokhumi” – Sokhumi is written in Georgian, Dutch and Russaian. First Maia Tofuridze, who lives near Amsterdam told me about this café. She is from Sokhumi and has been living in Holland since 1994.
It goes without saying that after arrival in Haaga, at once went to this café, I wondered who managed to open the café with the name of my hometown. When I came there I found out that Izolda Kvitsiani, who is also from Sokhumi had idea and organized to open this café. When we went to the café, Izolda was not in the café – she was busy. She was told about the guest from Sokhumi and in ten minutes she was with us. We asked each other where we lived in Sokhumi, before becoming IDP in 1993…
Izolda told me that she opened café “Sokhumi” in Haaga three years ago. Local Georgians as well as Georgians and people who lived in Georgia – Georgians, Armenians, Russians and so on come from different cities of Holland. They celebrate birthdays, hold some events in this café. Sometimes they come just to see each other, to learn about each other, they also gather here for football or for basketball. Failure in Almere with Holland disappointed people here, but they asked me to tell these following words to the players of Georgian national basketball team: guys you are tigers, on September 2 you can beat Romania and beat Bosnia in Tbilisi. Georgians from Haaga watch the matches of Georgian national basketball team with a big hope and they are sure that players will do their best and win these two difficult matches.
Misses Izolda told that she is sending message of success to Georgian national team and asks that: if they ever be in Haaga, visit the café “Sokhumi”, enjoy Georgian dishes and feel themselves as in Georgia.
Izolda told me that famous Georgian singers, actors, scientists and so on visited her café and now it is time to host sportsmen.
Tengiz Pachkoria, Haaga, special for WWW.WORLDSPORT.ge
Photos by Khatuna Gabitashvili
