On winter holidays I returned to
Sochi, which is my motherland. As you know, this year, the 2014, is very
important for this town. The XXII Winter Olympic Games and XI Paralympic Winter
Games will get place here. The city changes a lot. So, let's see how is Sochi
ready for the Olympics.
Since 2007, people are started to
prepare for it. Before this year, Sochi was famous as a Russian resort near the
Caucasian mountains. In summer you can enjoy swimming in the Black sea, but on
winter time lots of people prefer skiing. But today it became a really great
center of winter sport in Russia. On one hand, it looks a bit crazy idea to use
the warmest city of the whole country. On the other, climate such in Sochi
permit to enjoy special warm winter, but with snow. Nowadays, people can call
this an exclusive offering.
View
from airplane
All
Olympic objects and buildings are already done. Areas for competitions are divided
on two parts. The Olympic Park, with the main stadium and Olympic fire, is
placed in the Imeretinsky Valley on the cost of the Black Sea. The second one
is in Krasnaya Polyana in mountains area. The last area will be for skiing,
bobsleigh, biathlon, etc.
Map
of the Olympic Park on the restaurant wall
From
right to left: -Fisht Olympic Stadium, -Ice Cube Curling Center, -Bolshoy Ice
Dome
There
are some last preparations before the Olympics, therefore the Olympic Park is
closed for tourists and ordinary people because of safety. Moreover, since 7th
of January, lots of roads in Sochi will be closed for people without regional
car numbers or special permission.
Adler
Arena Skating Center
Iceberg
Skating Palace
In
contrast, Krasnaya Polyana is open for sportspeople and tourists. I was in Rosa
Khutor Alpine Resort, which is part of Olympic Objects. It is really amazing.
There is a small village with its own clock tower like as in european old small
town.
Rosa
Khutor City Hall
View
on Caucasian mountains
To
conclude, Sochi changed a lot with Olympics. There are new infrastructure,
modern buildings, new places for family holidays. Moreover, this small town became
famous with this historical event and so huge amount of people will visit it.
Anastasia Balykina
Thanks for the interesting article! I care very simple question: how you will use the Olympic facilities after the Games? Negative experience of Athens, Lillehammer, Salt Lake City shows that sometimes these structures is not used.
ReplyDeleteAndrey Egorov
I know that many people criticise the Sochy Olympic building. They compair Sochy 2014 with Moscow 1980 and doubt that so much spenditure was needed. Actually, it seems too pathetic, while the actual design is quiet weak.
ReplyDeleteAnastasia, thanks for the current article. It is a little bit strange, that Olympic village looks like any Alpine town. It could be create something more traditional for Russia.
ReplyDeleteAndrey, as I heard from some people, who built Olympic objects, they promise that most of them will be opened for people, who want enjoy sport. Moreover, lots of winter competitions can take place in this town, because of the best winter stadiums in Russia.
ReplyDelete