Winter Olympics' Sochi
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THURSDAY, JANUARY 9, 2014 SPORTS From palm trees to snow: Winter Olympics’ Sochi SOCHI: For visitors to the Winter Olympics, often referred to as being in specific settle- bars advertising “xayc” are offering “house” ed. Sochi also a good place to sample the A classic Russian way to while away an Sochi may feel like a landscape from a ments such as Krasnaya Polyana and Esto- music and not a homey atmosphere. food of nearby Georgia, including the afternoon is a trip to the banya, like a sauna dream - familiar and strange at once. Palm Sadok. Sochi borough is more or less the renowned cheese-filled hot bread called but somewhat steamier. If your hotel trees evoke a tropical seaside resort, but the Manhattan of the city, home to the best HOW’S THE WEATHER? khachapuri and tsatsivi, chicken in walnut doesn’t have one, it can likely recommend a Black Sea itself is seriously cold; turn away restaurants, coolest clubs and the main cul- Rain, snow, sun, fog, warmish, cold - a sauce, and the plum-based soup kharcho. good one nearby. A proper trip to the banya from the palms and the jagged, snow-cov- tural institutions. The urban part of Adler few days at the Olympics likely will include involves several hours of repeatedly heating ered peaks of the Caucasus Mountains rise also has attractive restaurants. But while its them all. On the coast, where the ice sports WHAT CAN I DO? up and cooling down, along with snacking nearby. Lively and garish modern buildings attractions are relatively cosmopolitan, and and opening and closing ceremonies take Downtown Sochi and Adler both have and having a few drinks. Local tourist agen- mix with Stalin Gothic piles, like trophy its coastline is 90 miles long, Sochi is not a place, daytime temperatures should be long and appealing seaside promenades, cies offer other excursions. These include wives on the arms of elderly men. Billboards big city population-wise, with only about around 50 F (10 C) and freezing is unlikely. complete with tacky souvenir stands, lively day trips to the separatist Georgian region are written in an alphabet where some let- 350,000 inhabitants. In the mountains, temperatures generally bars and restaurants. Sochi also has an of Abkhazia, but visitors will need a double- ters sound exactly like you think they do, don’t get severely cold; at the lower eleva- attractive passenger harbor, whose spired entry Russian visa to get back into Sochi, others mean something else and the rest WILL THEY UNDERSTAND tions, where ski-jumping and sliding sports terminal is one of the city’s standout build- and travel to the rest of Georgia is forbidden are flat-out alien. ME (AND VICE VERSA)? take place, the prospect of rain and above- ings, and an art museum. The most idiosyn- to those who come to Abkhazia from the What may seem oddest of all is the city’s Volunteer staff at Olympics test events freezing temperatures is a concern. cratic attraction may be Sochi’s extensive Russian side. cheerful and relaxed aura in a country spoke excellent English and sometimes mountainside botanical garden, the stereotyped as dour. Even a local statue of struck up conversations just to improve their WHAT’S FOR DINNER? Dendrarium, with an unusual array of plants WHAT ABOUT THE Vladimir Lenin catches the casual vibe. He’s skills (or show off). But outside the Olympic Russian cooking can be hard on the showing the variable climate. REST OF RUSSIA? not haranguing the masses, just standing venues and large hotels, communication in waistline but good for the taste buds. Even Sochi has long been a choice destination A trip to Sochi can be a jumping-off under some trees with one hand in his pock- languages other than Russian is likely to be nominally low-calorie soups such as the for Russia’s political elite. Joseph Stalin’s sum- point for exploring other parts of Russia, et as if he’s killing time waiting for a date. difficult. The Games’ organizing committee beet-based borscht boost their count when mer residence in Zeleni Mys even features a notably Moscow and St Petersburg. Unless Some questions and answers about the recommends that mobile device users a typical large dollop of sour cream is added. wax mannequin of the dictator at his desk. A there’s time to spare or the spirit of adven- resort city often called the Russian Riviera: download a translation app. The Cyrillic Pelmeni, dumplings filled with minced meat swim in the Black Sea may make an unusual ture overtakes you, the train isn’t a good alphabet isn’t as hard as it may look, and or vegetables, meet almost everyone’s taste. Winter Olympics memory. The beaches are option. The fastest train from Sochi to AM I IN SOCHI? spending a couple of hours to master it Entrees often come without additional stony and the water temperature will be Moscow takes a full 24 hours; St Petersburg Rather like New York City, Sochi is a brings sizeable rewards. Russian has many items, so potatoes and other vegetables around 50 F (10 C); concerns have been is another half day beyond. February is the sprawling municipality, incorporating four loanwords from English, French and must be ordered separately. Russia has a raised about pollution in the sea around most severe of the winter months in both boroughs. Confusingly, one of the four is German, so being able to sound out words wine industry of sorts, but refined palates Dagomys, north of downtown Sochi. Moscow and St Petersburg and visitors to called Sochi. So it’s possible to both be in can make the place pop into better focus. may find it disappointing. Vodka, seen as Although most of Sochi’s sports facilities will these cities should be prepared for tem- Sochi and say “I’m going to Sochi.” All the For example, knowing that “teatp” is pro- both Russia’s treasure and its curse, is often be devoted to the games, the Gornaya peratures colder than anything they’re Olympic events take place in the Adler bor- nounced “teater,” it’s a reasonable and cor- ordered by the gram, with 100 grams (3.5 Karusel ski area expects to have some slopes likely to experience even in the mountains ough, though the snow sports venues are rect guess that it means “theater.” Note that ounces) the standard to get the night start- open to the public, organizers say. of Sochi. —AP Moscow airports ban carry-on liquids ahead of Winter Games MOSCOW: Moscow’s two main international airports yesterday announced a flat ban on all carry-on liquids as part of a mass security clampdown ahead of next month’s Sochi Winter Games. Sheremetyevo and Vnukovo airports handle the vast majority of Russia’s international air traffic and will receive the bulk of foreign fans arriving for the February 7-23 Olympic festivities on the shores of the Black Sea. Extending even to some prescribed med- ication and cosmetics, the unexpected ban- the latest in a string of tough security moves leading up to the Games sparked a furious online debate among Russians. Russia this week launched the largest security operation in Olympic history aimed at warding off the threat of Islamist violence following last month’s twin suicide strikes in the southern hub of Volgograd. The December 29-30 bombings left 34 dead and sparked fears of a renewed terror campaign by militants from the nearby North Caucasus who have threatened attacks before and during the Games. Sheremetyevo airport said on its website that the ban covers “all liquids, including personal hygiene items, cosmetics, medicines, liquids, sprays and gels in any amount.” It also applies to “items used in arts and crafts such as paints, soil and glue.” The restrictions-adopted by the Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsiya) - will remain in force until March 21. The two Moscow airports had previously let passen- gers take up to 100 milliliters (3.4 ounces) of liquids on board flights.Security has been a major concern ever since President Vladimir Putin beat extreme odds in 2007 to bring Russia’s first post-Soviet Games to the Black Sea summer resort. Sochi will also host the March 7-16 Paralympic Games and Putin has publicly forbidden security officials from tak- ing vacations until the last foreign visitor leaves the country from that event. SOCHI MAIL INSPECTIONS Russia on Tuesday saw soldiers in armored vehicles and navy officers on the Black Sea join a 37,000-strong contingent overseeing security in and around Sochi. A Kremlin decree also establishes a so-called “forbidden zone” that blocks highways into the city and prevents residents from using roads leading to Olympic venues without special permits. Russia’s postal service further announced SAVOIE: A photo shows (left to right) Norway’s Marie Hoeie Gjefsen, Keisey Serwa, Katrin Mueller and France’s Marie Berger Sabbatel competing during the FIS World that it has assumed checks of all mail and Cup Women’s Ski Cross event at the Val Thorens ski resort, French Alps. Some 26 years after freestyle skiing has been shown as a demonstration sport at the 1988 Winter parcels sent to the Krasnodar region in and Olympic Games in Calgary, the halfpipe and ski slopestyle disciplines will make their Olympic debut at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. —AFP around Sochi “in order to ensure safety” at the Olympic events. Security analysts argue that the tremendous attention devoted to the Ovechkin leads Russia Sochi venues may leave the vast country No flag for India athletes exposed to attacks at other sites.