Babye Leto

The early part of the week in Sochi saw very warm temperatures, dry air and sunny skies.  Daytime highs were between about 28- 30 degrees (82- 86 Fahrenheit).  The weather changed on Wednesday and several days of rain and cooler weather followed.

Fall days with summer weather is referred to as baby leto in Russia.  This means grandmother's (or old woman's) summer.  The phenomenon is known as indian summer in the United States.  One day, as I walked along the street in central Sochi, I heard music coming from underneath the trees of a nearby apartment block.  I stepped inside the yard and saw a woman dancing to Soviet-era popular music.  When I asked her if I could take her photograph, she agreed and told me a little of her history.  She studied dance during the Soviet era and on warm fall days loves to perform for her friends and passersby.  

Cultural Olympiad

Sochi continues with the Cultural Olympiad this weekend.  Performers from all over Russia are in Sochi, with concerts at Administration Square on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.  The point of the Cultural Olympiad is to show Russia at its best, promote Russia's cultural heritage and to work towards preservation of the legacy of more than 100 indigenous groups in Russia.  

Sochi is the center of a great deal of cultural activity in the period leading up to the Winter Olympics. Celebration of the Cultural Olympiad began in Russia in 2010.  That year, film was the focus, this year is the Year of the Theatre, next year will be the Year of Music and in 2013, the Year of Museums. There are thousands of events taking place that Russians can take part in.  As I sit in Sochi, I see a large number of handicapped children who have been brought here to enjoy and take part in the performances.  Russia and Sochi 2014 are making an extraordinary effort at inclusion, so that as many as possible of Russia's citizens can participate, learn and enjoy about their cultural patrimony.

Distances to Sochi

I like this interactive map of distances to Sochi from other cities in the Black Sea Region.  It illustrates distance very well and shows cities such as Yevpatoria, Ukraine are not far from Sochi.  There is ferry service to Sochi from Trabzon, Turkey and other cities including Tuapse, Russia and Gagar, Abkhazia.  It is assumed that by 2014 there will be more ferry service offered from Black Sea cities to Sochi.

What the map does not show is how overland distances translates into travel time.  For instance, the city of Svetlograd is about 195 miles.  Svetlograd is some distance past the more well-known southern Russian city (and original home of MIkhail Gorbachev) of Stavropol.  Stavropol is about 150 miles directly from Sochi. To a North American, it would seem that a trip to Stavropol would take about 2 hours.  However, on the train it is about 10 hours.  The bus trip is about 12.  A car trip would probably around 10 hours due to circuitous roads and traffic.  The map does not show that there is only one road (and one railroad) leading to Sochi from the rest of Russia.  The Caucasus Mountains come very close to the sea at Sochi and the road was constructed along the seacoast and so avoided the difficulties and expense of mountain construction.  

For this reason, security for the Olympics, Paralympics, World Cup and Formula 1 are not the issues that are assumed by many that are unfamiliar with the region.  It could take 24 hours or more to reach Sochi from the restive regions of Russia's North Caucasus.  And since there is only one road, the checkpoints and potential checkpoints make infiltration by those with destructive power very difficult.  And with a mountain range in between the two, it would very difficult to make an overland journey.

There is no place immune from security risks, but because of Sochi's location it is no more of a risk than any other high profile destination.

Inside Sochi

I posted Inside Socni Newsletter yesterday with new photos of Sochi's Olympic Village.  Please take a few moments to read the newsletter and pass it on.  Inside Sochi has on-the-ground photos and information of Russia's new sport capital.  

Subscribe to the newsletter here.

Sunday and Hidden Sochi

Sochi is known for its ski resorts and beaches.  However, there are other places in and very near the city that most visitors are not aware of.  Sunday, I followed the Sochi River from the city center into the mountains.  At the end of the road is a trail that hikers and campers use.  The trail follows the river further into the mountains.   Ruins of a home that is reputed to be of 16th century village and a waterfall can be seen on the way.  The park and trail are only a few kilometers from the city center, but seem much further.



Sochi River



Ruins of 16th Century Building Above the Sochi River

Sochi has a life that exists alongside the tourist attractions and rapid development of the Olympic venues.  Saturdays in September are a popular time for weddings.  I saw scores of wedding parties last Saturday as the bride and groom registed at the wedding hall and proceeded across the street to have pictures taken near the fountain.  The area was full of celebrants and cars decorated for the occasion.