Blogs from Sochi, South, Russia, Europe
April 13th 2012
Krasnodar-Taman-Tuapse-Sochi/ 1.4.-9.4.2012/ Z Krasnodaru se vydavame na vylet smerem k Port Kavkaz, coz je pristav odkud se jezdi na ukrainsky Krym. Zaroven je tato oblast Kubane znama pestovanim vina. V jednom mistnim " vinzavode" si kupijeme par lahvi vina a vyrazime na pobrezi Cerneho More. U mesta Novorosijsk je asi nejznamejsi vinzavod ABRAU DURSO, ktery produkuje nejslavnejsi" ruske sampanske" a dalsi perliva vina. Kupujeme lahev nejlacinejsiho na Helci narozeniny a vyrazime za sluncem. Zastavujeme se v Anape a Gelendziku , prochazime se po mistni promenade, ktera si s nicim nezada se zapadoevropskymi primorskymi letovisky.. Pocasi uz je slunecne a more azurove modre, klidne jako rybnik. V meste Tuapse potkavame naseho znameho a on nam meni zadni brzdove desticky. Zaroven nam doporucuje mista kam se podivat a kde prenocovat. Nocovat budeme na skale za mestem, aspon to ... read more
May 12th 2011
I will have more to say about the Adventure >> after I become more profficient with the Blog!! Stan... read more
August 25th 2010
This is a story about how I fell in love with a country at first sight. I will try and write a short story about each photo. I will give numbers to photos and a short description. However, most part of that trip was not spent in Abkhazia… but in Sochi. We’ve already seen Sochi, so now my attention will be focused almost completely on the three days in Abkhazia. Let’s make four parts: part I - Arrival to Sochi, part II - two days in Abkhazia, part III - staying in Sochi, part IV - a whole-day excursion to Abkhazia. Don’t try to find Abkhazia on Google Maps. There’s only Georgia there. Abkhazia is a partly recognized country. I again will refer you to some trustful source of factual information to read about its history, ... read more
August 16th 2010
April 18-23, 2009 I will try to remember why I decided to go to Sochi in spring. I am sure that I first saw an advertisement of trips to Abkhazia, which were quite cheap. So I made a mental note for myself about that region, and somewhere in February or March decided to go, not to Abkhazia, but to Sochi (Adler, the Black Sea). My first trip to Abkhazia (2 days on my own and a whole day on excursion) will be described later. At that time I was living in St. Petersburg and for the first time bought train tickets using my first Visa Classic; it was such joy. In March, however, I and my friend left St. Petersburg for the hometown. I was looking forward to the trip to Adler. I thought it would ... read more
October 7th 2009
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 ... read more
January 11th 2008
In keeping with what has become an annual tradition, I decided to go skiing over MLK weekend, which is also my birthday weekend. I got the idea when Freddie was looking for (cross country) ski pants and I threw out the idea to Leo and/or Freddie about downhill skiing. Neither had downhill skiied, but both were interested. The other barrier we ran into, they have not served in the army yet so they do not have their external passports so we had to stay in the country. There is some skiing just north of Moscow, but I wanted to do something bigger then it came to me. I have wanted to visit Sochi (more in the summer with all of the resorts I have heard about), but with Russia (Sochi) hosting the 2014 Winter Olympics, I ... read more
November 4th 2007
Yes, I know I'm a day early, but I don't know if I'm going to update tomorrow. So remember Guy Fawkes tomorrow. And since I'm writing from the world of political repression, celebrate dissidents, though let's not kill anyone, ok friends? Ok, happy subjects. I'm in Sochi and it's warm and pretty and I'm wearing flip flops. Basically it's fantastic compared to life in Peter or Moscow. It wasn't quite warm enough to go to the beach today, but hopefully it will get there at some point this week because I'm determined to go back to Peter with a tan. Even if I don't, the little bit extra sun is nice. Getting here was a pain in the ass I must say. It shouldn't have been that big of a problem, but we pushed it took ... read more
June 20th 2007
The beaches along greater Sochi …are the rocky kind …not sand ..not pebbles ..but rocks ..3 times bigger than the ballast found on the roof of a city apartment building... Somehow the natives can tough it out …but the foreigner ..suffers …in fact you can tell who is who by what happens the second they step onto the beachhead .. The natives ..stay focused on the chosen spot …they do not miss a step on the rounded rocks...and may even hurry a bit … you do not fear anything ..until you have something to loose .. so now …with the prize in view …a fear arises ..because the desired 2 square meters in sight …may be the target of another bather coming from a different direction … Where as the foreigner ..immediately takes a dive ..the ... read more
June 18th 2007
Here are some of the things I learned on my first trip to Sochi ..last year in September of 2006 … Sochi is actually “Greater Sochi” …for in the early 1960s’ ..3 towns ..were added to Sochi to make “Greater Sochi …” Khosta, Adler & Lazarevskoye were added …I mention this …so that when you are booking a hotel in the center of Sochi …well …it may be in the center of greater Sochi ..rather than the center of Sochi proper …you could end up 50 km from where you thought you would be! Khosta and Adler are toward Cape Pitsunda ..in the south near the Georgian Border and Lazarevskoye is north of Sochi proper ..altogether this is what gives rise to the claim of Sochi being 140 kms’ long .. However, this year I booked ... read more
June 11th 2007
Minus 13 and counting .. Well …I don’t know how much of a secret it is …as according to the Russian bid documents …most Russians are solidly behind the Sochi efforts .. It is the kind of numbers that usually a country only goes to war with! Although some of the Russian I speak with ..say ..”OK …but only the privileged few will benefit …there will be nothing for the ordinary person ..” There is some truth in that sentiment …it is now in Sochi ..and with any effort in any country …at any time in history …so of course …what to say? Somehow the privileged are always ..just a “few” ..and these “few” …somehow always benefit .. no one can argue .. yet ..you have to like what the Russian Federation is doing .. ... read more
