Children are Monitoring Security

Let's hope the dark clouds over the Black Sea are purely weather related. Those pretty blue roofs provide shelter to the melange of Uzbeks, Turks, Georgians and Armenians who are still building this place. Last time I looked there were 4 bunk beds (8 guys) to a room.

There are children at the security checkpoints . . . and they don't seem particularly well trained. Sure the iron-jawed militia are keeping a watchful eye, but the x-ray machine operators don't seem to fully understand their equipment. The guy in front of me emptied his entire backpack and little Natasha kept shaking her head . . . "metal" she said. He shrugged, she kept shaking her head. Then she smiled and just waved him through. I had no metal except for my iPad and some coins . . . "metal" she said again. I showed her the inside of my backpack. She still wasn't satisfied. Finally I said in Russian . . .

У меня нет никакого металла (I don't have any metal). She smiled and waived me through. Then a pimply faced teenager gave me a quick body search. He smelled so bad of B.O. that I nearly choked. I can't imagine what he will smell like in two weeks after wearing the same cheerful Sochi 2014 flower jacket every day. In all fairness they laugh at us because they say we smell like soap.

Our compound is spacious and unlike past Olympics, it's very close to the venue. All the boys were happy to see me. They've only been here for 3 days but somehow seem a bit worn out. There is no town, no restaurants, bars, stores or nice places to stroll. They take their meals at the compound or at the hotel. Although you could hit an 5-iron to the compound, they will have to take a 20 minute walk most days. And if this afternoon at 5:00 pm is any indication of the length of the security lines during the Games, they will wait in line for 30 minutes.

The funniest sight of the day . . . . A beautiful line of newly planted pine trees, meticulously staked in the center divider of the main Olympic roadway. The only problem was that they continued underneath a maze of highway overpasses. They will have no light and, if they grow they will stop when they hit the concrete.