More Sochi

[msmobyone]

Thanks, Beel 

More vids, soon.... svietik.coral and I speak Ringlish as she suggests where / how I should be driving, parking and I am suggesting to her how to film 


We are driving with music plying some of my fav music and youtube are saying the vid may not show in certain nations- even though we are talking over the top of the songs - rendering them useless to 'rip off' ...

[msmobyone]

as promised





.. good reason to buy a 'self-stick' or a pro mount for our camera...

We arrive at the perimeter road for The Olympic Park..

I am quite happy to sing and observe - OK perhaps imagine I'm driving a Formula 1 car  - and drive over speed bumps too fast for svietik.coral's liking and I'm telling her where to point the camera.

She has her own idea of what is the correct place to park the car and tells me that I can go straight on - even though I can see there is a 1m drop ..

Enjoy the ride and the 'Ringlish' ..

[Larry1]

Enjoy the ride and the 'Ringlish' ..

I like the idea of a video to accompany a TR. It was nice to hear the Russian accent again.

[Chicagoguy]

I was in Sochi in 2003 and from your pictures can't really compare the difference. Very run down Russian seaside place to world class. All it takes is 50 billion $. Be nice if ordinary Russians can go.

[msmobyone]

Hi Chicagoguy,

why would Russians not be going ..As I saw, very few people from other nations were coming. That is a testament to the deterioration in  relations with the west, in all probability.

GREAT for those who do come to ski / snow-boarding and can take advantage of the exchange rate.

According to svietik.coral it is expensive for most Russians

[Chicagoguy]

I want them to go to Sochi. It is their country. They should be proud. But they like places like Miami Beach which even I am not so fond of. Maybe they go places for show or bragging rights. After all Americans go to Europe when we have great beaches here. But not the same food   

But any time you are on vacation it seems nice. 

[msmobyone]

port of Sochi

from here one can catch a ferry - cars/ lorries - trucks to Turkey and there was plenty of Bermuda registered Yachts in port...

I am relaxing - playing with svietik.coral's tiny Russian Toy Terrier.




The motor yacht in the foreground was registered in 'Oz

[BillyB]

headed to S.C's dressmaker to see S.C's creations  'tested' - on her, of course...

Your gal is like my wife. She buys clothes and models them at home for me and sometimes sits on my lap as if I adore her. Where does she get that idea from? Seems you and your gal are having a blast on your courtship. Thanks for sharing.

[marktaylor]

Thanks for the pics and all the info on Sochi! Looks like a nice place to visit. I'll have to put it down on my list for my next visit to Russia

[msmobyone]

Thanks, Mark

I've been in many Russian and Ukrainian regions and Sochi is the ONLY place that I could see myself living.

[Anotherkiwi]

Thanks, Mark

I've been in many Russian and Ukrainian regions and Sochi is the ONLY place that I could see myself living.

As much for the climate as anything else!  I love St Petersburg and Kazan, but really couldn't stand a Russian winter (or anywhere much in northern Europe for that matter - those places get snow!).

[cc3]

Thanks, Mark

I've been in many Russian and Ukrainian regions and Sochi is the ONLY place that I could see myself living.

Have you been to Lviv?

[msmobyone]

Have you been to Lviv?

YES..and it is stunningly beautiful.. but I need to be near a large body of water and mountains and dislike cold winters.

[msmobyone]

I love St Petersburg and Kazan, but really couldn't stand a Russian winter (or anywhere much in northern Europe for that matter - those places get snow!).

Yes, SPb in April can still be cold as hell - if the wind is from the north -  the 'white nights' -  long summer evenings - and Peterhof when warm and sunny -  are something I have never experienced

[msmobyone]

found this photo on flickr

Captures the setting of Sochi - perfectly



copyright Bart de Grood

To see full picture :

http://flic.kr/p/kudAFK

[Anotherkiwi]

Yes, SPb in April can still be cold as hell - if the wind is from the north -  the 'white nights' -  long summer evenings - and Peterhof when warm and sunny -  are something I have never experienced

Lucky me, then - it was a lovely warm (although often cloudy) day when I visited Peterhof.

[cc3]

YES..and it is stunningly beautiful.. but I need to be near a large body of water and mountains and dislike cold winters.

After winters in Luhansk and Donetsk, Lviv winter seems mild to me...or maybe it's the gluhwein (glow wine or glogg) served everywhere.

 

[cc3]

found this photo on flickr

Captures the setting of Sochi - perfectly



copyright Bart de Grood

To see full picture :

http://flic.kr/p/kudAFK

Looks like Colorado, except for the presence of the sea.

[msmobyone]

Looks like Colorado, except for the presence of the sea.

 

Found this collection of photo blogs :

http://blog.flickr.net/en/2014/02/11/sochi-a-different-view/

Reminded me of many of the things I adore about the place..

One of the shots shows svietik.coral's local beach and the pier that looks so 'unloved' in winter - but comes alive with the warmth of the sun.



 

[Donhollio]

  Are the soft sand beaches just a stones throw from this one Moby? 

[msmobyone]

Aha, Don

This is Sochi's Achilles' heal ... There are some sandyish beaches - with grey sand. The better beaches are to the north and south of the city

Svietik.Coral is convinced that I stole the Sochi weather. Yesterday was only the second day in three weeks she could top up the bronze. She was in 'crisis' 

[msmobyone]

Lest I make out Sochi is always 'perfect', weather-wise ... It suffered a freak dose of snow at sea level in January.. it didn't last the sunlight of the next morning ..



Copyright a friend of SC looking for a good guy..

[msmobyone]

upthread, I mentioned that svietik.coral was trying internet shopping - Russian style.

She ordered from one firm ON JAN 28TH - the dress was much bigger than the measurements on the site suggested and of poor quality.

I ordered the dress on a UK card, using a Russian e-wallet system and the refund had to be done onto her card - as the A4 page of info required to get a refund - one of three forms filled in  - took 3.5 months

Another firm seemed more professional, but when the stuff came - it was not the material advertised and certainly NOT the the Italian / French Designer label claimed.

One can order from EU based online retailers, but customs issues means waiting 3-5 weeks, when it can be delivered next day within the EU.

Madam was looking for an evening dress - so she bought some fabric and started designing her own...

She has tried many ''dress-makers'' and found two excellent seamtresses within 30 minutes who understood what she wanted and this was the result.



S.C has promised to design another Cocktail dress for my next visit and wants me to bring some linen / cotton and silk fabric swatches ..

A rewarding hobby for us both

[AC]

Moby you've got a great gal there!  Very stylish and attractive lady.  My only comment is that trying to buy any clothes on the net, especially a dress, is a waste of time.  Get the fabric or pay the price at a boutique, but save yourself the wasted time.

[msmobyone]

Moby you've got a great gal there!  Very stylish and attractive lady.

Hi AC, thanks.. I pinch myself, often. 

 My only comment is that trying to buy any clothes on the net, especially a dress, is a waste of time.  Get the fabric or pay the price at a boutique, but save yourself the wasted time.

If you live near a large city, I'd agree.. but Greater Sochi is around 400k population and if you want something different - quality... You have to go to a BIG city - Moscow is 2 hours flying time. Choice is limited and - frankly - expensive - compared to the EU, N.America or other western nations.

A newish concept, to order shoes / clothes on line - you pay the courier - who will wait 15 minutes while you try the item(s) on - you pay approx 7 USD per item of an other size, worked well for shoes .

These were ordered on line - Brazilian - and S.C had a local guy add the ankle-straps.