Aeneas Ranald MacDonell (1875–1941) was a British officer and diplomat. During World War I, he was assigned to the British military mission in Tbilisi, Georgia. He later published interesting memoirs, where among other things he writes about Georgians:
"Georgian hospitality in the country districts is almost an absurdity, and is one of the most exhausting experiences during a visit to their hills. The arrival of a guest is a signal for a feast and orgy; but the trying part of this engaging little custom is that the feast is never prepared until the guest is arrived. Preparations take at least a couple of hours before the sheep, or whatever it may be, is killed and cooked; during the wait bottles of red wine and boxes of cigarettes have to be consumed. It is said that this lack of preparation, even if they are expecting you, is a custom centuries old and signifies that the feast is actually prepared for you; but I have long suspected that it is really due to their innate indolence.
The men are excitable to the degree of hysteria; they all carry arms and are quick to use them in disagreement. At weddings, dances and all ceremonies, and at the club or theatre, all arms have to be left in the cloak-room with coats and galoshes. They are great romantics and sentimentalists, with which they combine the broadest outlook on sex morals."
