Sochi-2014. XXII Winter Olympic Games: Sochi Video

Friday, February 7, 2014

All eyes on Russia as opening ceremony marks start of Winter Olympics in Sochi

By Faith Karimi and Michael Martinez, CNN

February 7, 2014 -- Updated 1137 GMT (1937 HKT)

(CNN) -- Russia kicks off the opening ceremony Friday in Sochi as the world turns its attention to the costliest Olympic Games in history.

Spectators from all over the world will watch the lavish event and introduction of athletes, marking the official start of the Winter Olympics.

Light shows and music, lots of it, will fill the air.

"Most of the ceremony focuses heavily on Russian classical music," said Konstantin Ernst, the main creative producer of the ceremony.

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"Unfortunately, unlike London, we cannot boast a plethora of famous world-known pop performers. This is why we are now focusing on what Russia is best known for musically around the world; namely, classical music."

Despite anxiety about terror strikes, controversy over gay rights and ridicule for poor preparations, the nation's officials have maintained that the sites in Sochi are secure.

It will be "the safest place on Earth during the Olympics," said Dmitry Chernyshenko, head of the Games.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, who pushed the International Olympic Committee to hold the Games in the nation, will attend the ceremony.

"The head of state is expected to declare the Games open during the ceremony," Ernst said. "It is a requirement. And naturally, Mr. Putin will be doing just that."

The ceremony, the only event scheduled for the day, will last about two and a half hours.

Thursday, February 6, 2014

Everything You Need to Know About Sochi, Russia

By ALYSSA NEWCOMB (@alyssanewcomb)

Olympics 2014: US Warns Airlines About Toothpaste Tube Bombs

ABCNews.com

It's been seven years since Sochi was chosen as the site to host the 2014 Olympic Games, and the Russian city's moment on the world stage has finally arrived.

As the globe's elite winter athletes get settled in Sochi, here's everything you need to know about the city by the Black Sea.

How Do You Pronounce Sochi?

Let's get the basics out of the way. The city's name is pronounced So-chee. Not So-chai. Not Saatchi, like Nigella Lawson's husband. Listen to the Merriam-Webster pronunciation here.

PHOTO: Sochi and the surrounding Caucasus mountain range and Russian regions of Chechnya and Dagestan.

Reuters

Where Is Sochi?

Sochi is located 5,178 miles east of New York and 995 miles south of Moscow.

The subtropical resort town is situated along the Black Sea and boasts pebble beaches and palm trees, making it a playground for Russian jet-setters.

While it may be a nice place to visit, Sochi has some volatile neighbors.

An alert issued by the U.S. State Department ahead of the games noted a recent string of suicide bombings in Volgograd, Russia, a transportation hub to the northeast of Sochi. It also cited the region's decade-plus-long struggle against Islamic terrorism, which has included bombings at airports, hotels, entertainment venues and markets, among others.

Mikhail Mordasov/AFP/Getty Images

Here's Why Sochi Is Known As the 'Russian Riviera'

It may be the site of the winter Olympics, but Sochi is actually a popular summer resort town with some incredible Black Sea beaches.

The subtropical temperatures make Sochi a hotspot for tourists who want to soak up the sun.

Vladimir Putin called the town a "unique place" when it was being considered by the International Olympic Committee as a potential spot for the 2014 Games.

"On the seashore you can enjoy a fine spring day, but up in the mountains it's winter," Putin said, according to the Sochi Project.

Sochi's Infrastructure Has Been Revamped for the Games

Billions of dollars have been poured into Sochi ahead of its big moment on the world stage. According to the Official Sochi 2014 guide, that includes:

More than 200 miles of roads and bridges and more than 125 miles of railway tracks.

At least 690,000 jobs were created or maintained due to Olympic projects.

PHOTO: Joseph stalins former dacha, built in the 1930s on the grounds of the Zelenaya Roscha sanatorium in the Krasnodar region near Sochi, Russia, seen Jan. 2, 2013.

Sovfoto/UIG/Getty Images

Even Joseph Stalin Had a Home in Sochi

The former Soviet dictator had a luxury villa in Sochi where he was said to retreat for breaks during World War II.

Among the things tourists can expect to see in Stalin's home are an eerily life-like wax figure of the dictator, the bullet proof couch where he liked to watch movies and a weighted cue he used to shoot billiards.

There's also a must-see mosaic of another dictator, Vladimir Lenin, located in the center of town.

For the Traveler

The easiest way to get to Sochi is to fly into Moscow or St. Petersburg and then hop on one of the multiple daily flights to Sochi.

Expect jet lag if you're coming from the U.S. Sochi is nine hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time and a full half-day ahead of people on the West Coast of the United States.

It's recommended travelers have Russian rubles on hand to use during the games. In case you're wondering the exchange rate, US$1 is equal to about 35 rubles.