Hotel Moskva Sochi

... There is a crudity and simplicity about the Russia we saw that accords with the written views we have previously come across. Is it something to do with the Russian personality or the regimes they have endured or both? Probably a melange of the two one would think. They are hard, often cruel and cunning, folk and have plodding attitude which shines through in their dealings with others. This latter applies particularly to officialdom of whom we ...

... and hardy oatmeal and milk, and two villagers gave me their bag containing hard-boiled eggs, "sala" (raw, salted fat), and a jar of chicken. Thrice, I became very cold while waiting for a ride, but cafes were nearby each time. Once, Roma Mesigin's truck broke in -31 degree Siberia, and he lay outside fixing it until his nose was running and his face was hard and red. But, he fixed it. And he could talk again, after an hour. During a four ...

... learn to greet tourists with at least a smile if nothing else. A couple of people we were with saw two policemen nearby and told us they were going to ask to take a photo with them. One policeman walked away when he saw our friend coming and the other refused to have his photo taken. See what I mean? Doesn't take much to be nice. I can imagine it would be a pretty place in winter as the mountains are visible from the port.

Yesterday we were in Sochi, Russia. Sochi is no St. Petersburg. I wasn't able to get off the ship because I don't have a Seaman's Book yet. Apparently I didn't miss much. The weather was rainy and kind of cold, and there is nothing to do in Sochi. It is not a common place for cruiseships to go to, and I think this company is reconsidering going there as a port. I took a few pictures from the ship that I will ...