Exploration Day

Today it was time to check out the neighborhood and walk the half mile or so over to the venue. Our hotel is isolated in a rabbit warren of condos and weird duplexes. We are located this quiet little street about 1 km from the international border with Georgia.

The Russkies actually fought a war with their neighbors down the street in 2008. The Russians won. They ordered those folks just across the border to break away from Georgia. So the guys down the street made up their own country which is now called Abkhazia. It's only recognized by about 5 countries (Russia, Venezuela, Nicaragua and some goofy south Pacific islands) as an independent nation. I didn't walk to Abkhazia today. Instead I went from this cozy residential street to Olympic Park.  And, oh yeah, over those mountains in the distance is Chechnya and Dagestan where the Boston Marathon bombers were born.

Our hotel has it's own security . . . the cutest barbed wire fence ever! Unfortunately it looks like they ran out of wire before they finished. I also think they should have gone for a slightly heavier gauge. I doubt this fence will stop any potential troublemakers.

None of the other neighbors in the condos have such silly security. They do have barking dogs . . . lots of barking dogs. As you pass each gate there are many woof-woofs as they throw themselves against the metal. Some of the snarls and growls are very loud. At first it's pretty damn scary. But like everything else around here, you get used to it.








Time to cross another border . . . between our little neighborhood and bustling Olympic Park. At the center of it all is the Torch which looks like a throwback to the Soviet Socialist style. . . or maybe a plane crash. These Russkies know how to build monuments!

As for the rest of Olympic Park . . . . Let's say it's still "under construction." The stadium for the Opening Ceremony still needs a bit of work.

There are still armies of workers going around the clock to get ready for the Big Show. However, I think the mothers of these workers would be very upset. The Russians have a nasty habit of making huge messes and then leaving them for someone else to clean up. The whole area is beginning to resemble a sped up time lapse . . . .


















Some of the buildings aren't real buildings at all. The deadline has certainly passed for this place. The framing will have to wait for the rest of the building materials until after the Games.

This is not a double exposure. It's painted cloth covering the beams!

Sochi is the Capital of faux follies. Nothing here is as it appears. There are even false fronts on some blocks . . . . just like a Hollywood movie.

Down the street a huge faux Russkie castle anchors a gigantic amusement park, neither of which will be ready for the Olympics.

Once inside the inner, inner ring, guys with guns and brand new kevlar vests are on patrol. They look bad-ass, but VERY cool. They are a striking contrast to the gaily garbed volunteers getting ready to operate the x-ray machines. I think these pair of Natashas were the ones looking for metal and waving people through yesterday.

Finally, after being directed around an obstacle course by the Purple jacketed "plainclothes" cops, I reached the Skating venue with pretty flags flapping in the breeze. I actually saw an athlete practicing today. With all the crazy distractions it's sometimes easy to forget that a real athletic competition will actually take place.