Blogs from South, Russia, Europe - page 5

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

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

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

Getting a Visa for Russia in Washington DC seems to be getting easier ...and not because this is the diplomatic center of much of the world ..or for any other reason than there are now dozens of "pocket" agencies ...minute ...one person operations ...easily providing… any and all services necessary ..including passport photographs and letters of invitations.. one stop ...one price ...one visa ..(about $200 ..if a letter of invitation is needed..for the 1 time tourist visa) I leave June 22, 2007 ....and return July 8 ...jumping through New York, Moscow and Krasnadar.. While it is possible to fly from Moscow to Sochi ...I want to stop in Krasnodar to meet my interpreter and long time friend Lena… When not using her English skills ..Lena runs a kiosk in the city’s’ central market to support ... read more

Tuapse viste seg å ha en irriterende egenskap til felles med et par av de rumenske byene vi var innom: Mangel på passelig sjuskete hoteller. Det første vi spurte i, var stort og flott - og priset deretter. 800 kroner rommet er rett og slett unødvendig dyrt her, og helt hinsides vårt budsjett. Etter videre leting fant vi et som så langt mer passende ut, småslitent og like ved jernbanen. Men her viste det seg at de ikke hadde lov - eller lyst - til å huse utlendinger. Det medfører jo en smule papirmølle, men lell. Småsure trillet vi tilbake for å sjekke et skilt vi hadde tolket som privathotell på vei inn i byen. Skiltet pekte mot en enebolig i en sidegate, så vi ringte på. Etter litt bjeffing ble porten åpnet, og en ... read more