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Sochi Olympic Park - Adlersky City,
Sochi, Krasnodar Krai
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Thank you Lord for the gift of travel. Blessed.
With me are (crew) Valerie, Rose and Mary Ann; (Engineers) Ehsan and Ali; (pilot) Wissam and Waseem. We departed from Sharjah to Doha on a ferry flight. Loaded catering from Doha and picked up 74 passengers to Sochi, Russia. They were school-youth participated the International Robotic Competition in Sochi, Russia. They were accompanied by their parents and school faculty members. The flight time was 4 & half hours.
We were welcomed by freezing cold as we landed in URSS Sochi International Airport.
We stayed in Radisson Blu Resort and Congress Centre, just 20 minutes away from the airport.
We arrived evening time so not much to see. We were there for 5 days and had 4 full days to explore the place. Departed in the morning on our 5th day, 24th November.
Beautiful sea view, sunny, cold fresh air greeted me every morning at the balcony. Definitely away from sandpit.
Daily after breakfast, we trio (Valerii, Ann and myself) starts our business, and that is to explore the place. We got so lucky for having Valerii, he speaks Russian. It would either be impossible for us or hard to go around Krasnodar as people hardly speak English.
People are beautiful but not friendly. The place is clean, less cars, not crowded, foreign money such dollars not widely accepted. Had to go and find bank to exchange to their local money ($1 = 41.5 rubles). Easy for me to convert money since the exchange rate is close to peso rate ($1 = 43pesos). Cabs are not that many and do not run the meter, have to haggle for fare. We had to walk for almost half hour from hotel to the bus stop and train station to access transportation. Food shops not seen in many places. Maybe that is one of the secret of Russians being slim, walk a lot, eat less :-). I had to avoid drinking water while traveling, it was difficult to find comfort rooms.
C'mon, I am excited to show the places.
Sochi, Krasnodar Krai
Lies between Ukraine and Georgia, close to Black Sea. Sochi hosted the 22nd Winter Olympic Games, where Michael Christian Martinez, the first Filipino ever qualified to compete for Figure Skating. Sochi to host Formula 1 Grand Prix from 2014 till around 2020. They will also host the FIFA World Cup in 2018.
These are the photos taken around Sochi Olympic Park .
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| A walk from the hotel to the Olympic Park |
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| Black Sea view |
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| Torch, Main Ceremonial Square |
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| The Olympic Rings, behind is Tennis Academy |
The Theme Park
Entrance Fee: Rub1000/unlimited rides.Opening: 12:00 till 19:00.
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| Bogatyr Hotel |
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| Bogatyr Hotel, Castle like at night |
Adler
To get there: Any Bus passing Adler, on the way back take bus#125C or 57.Fare 19 rubles, 30 minutes.
Sochi City
To go there: Train, one hour, fare 68 rubles.
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| Sochi Olympic Symbol |
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| By the port |
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| Just love these multi-colors |
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| Romantic place for a couple |
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| Second hand books |
Roza Khutor, Krasnodar
To go there: Bus to Adler, fare 19 rubles, then from Adler take train to Roza Khutor, 68 rubles, two hours.
Cable rides: first station - free, 2nd and 3rd station 700 rubles, 4th station to the peak 900 rubles.
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| The team, back to work |
Thank You Lord for this sate and fun trip.
It was a great experience.
I am so blessed.
November 19 ~ 24, 2014
