By Mohammed A. Alhosani
Cradled in between the mountains of Georgia lay Lopota Lake, a famous resort and tourist attraction as well as being one of the most beautiful places I have ever visited.
At the crossroads between two continents, the wind had a distinct feeling to it, as if I were visiting both Asia and Europe at the same time. The air felt cool and clean, with just the right amount of moisture, neither too high nor too low, and more than succeeded in putting my whole body in a state of constant relaxation.
The distinct smell of nature was pronounced in a way one simply could not ignore; yet, it did not feel oppressive. I knew I was not alone in my tranquility; the birds sang harmoniously with the whistling of the wind, and the trees, lush and beautiful, swayed side by side in an entrancing dance that did not fail to captivate me.
The surrounding mountains, adorned with trees and all sorts of other greenery, reached high into the sky, even surpassing the clouds that seemed to be wrapping them in a chilling embrace. The animals that live here seemed to be having as great of a time as the people: groups of ducks and swans filled the shores of the lake, squirrels had no shortage of nuts to harvest and eat from the many trees, and dogs felt safe enough to play with every family that happened to walk nearby. It was as if a spell had wiped away the woes and worries of the outside world and incited people to really take in the world that surrounds them.
To me, stunning scenery and amazing weather like this seemed to go hand in hand with a steaming hot drink, so I spent much of my five days here taking in the atmosphere with a glass of Karak tea in one hand. In fact, the moments I spend doing nothing but sip my tea and stare into the distant forests and skies became some of my fondest memories of this place; it is not every day that one gets the opportunity to forget the outside world and focus solely on the present moment.
The tranquility provided by the lake and its surroundings was the perfect getaway for my family from what was otherwise a somewhat hectic daily life back at home. However, the 4-person paddle boat ride we took as a family proved to be a storm in what was a calm day, leading to all four of us almost plunging into the freezing water. One could argue that the fall could have been a once in a lifetime opportunity, and they would be correct. As far as experiences go, this would have been somewhere on the lower end of the scale had it happened. Regardless, the family’s enchantment towards this place stopped their bickering and allowed us to truly enjoy each other’s company, at least until the end of the trip.
Mohammed A. Alhosani is an engineering student
