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Published: November 20th 2009
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The Russian resort town of Sochi with it's year round mild temperatures, where it almost never snows and site of the 2014 Winter Olympics was our next stop after a +1 hour time difference. On a side note, Sochi is the longest city in Europe, over 140 km long but very narrow.
The second and last port where we would be tendered we were a little smarter and managed our way of early with the large ship sponsored tour groups instead of waiting until they had all departed as we knew they weren't going out full the previous day and they could easily squeeze six more in. Russia requires a Visa ($200!) but is waived if you bought a tour from the ship. Even though the cruise boat didn't mention it the Visa is also waived with any day-only tour group as long as you stay with your tour guide. By this time our group of six was getting to know each other and having a good time. We met our tour guide Elena who had a real passion for history and the English language and having grown up in the Soviet Era was as big a highlight of any
of the places we visited.
It was drizzling all morning as we walked along the park along the coast of the Black Sea. There was a (inoperable) cannon commemorating past wars with Turkey symbolically pointing directly at Turkey. Elena told us despite some small offense Turks have at seeing this she has been told there is a sister cannon in Turkey pointing back. It had quit raining by the time we reached the opposite end of the park where our bus picked us up, time enough to see the the Soviet resort named "The Pearl", that looked anything but.
Construction on roads for the up and coming Winter Olympics created some traffic problems, or so we were told but didn't seem too bad. We rode to the Matsesta (Fire Water) Spa known for it's Sulfur baths and treatments. Patients with a doctor prescription could make a visit for specific ailments and was also used by Stalin. The smell of sulfur was prevalent everywhere and not exactly pleasant either.
We continued on to Stalin's Dacha, loosely translated as land gift to someone by the Russian people. I think Stalin had quite a few "gifts" all over Russia. The
dacha was covered in ubiquitous green, not exactly a shade I'd use either. Stalin's bedroom is now a hotel room where can book on the internet to sleep in the same room as Stalin had if you like. Instead of feeling rushed and trying to stay on schedule Elena took her time going over the history of Stalin in the building where there was a was figure of Stalin behind his desk with many of his possessions, a bullet-proof (and uncomfortable) couch made of horse hair where I got to sit on Stalin's favorite spot.
Due to the Visa situation we couldn't wander on our own so the bus took us back to the docks where we all snapped a picture with our tour guide Elena. The cost for this tour was $85/person and I think we got to see a few places of interest that made it worth it.
Link to Kodak Gallery Photos. Video Sochi from the Ship (YouTube). Click the HD button once video loads for 720 HD.
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