Watching the Winter Olympics, we can’t help recalling our visit to Sochi, Russia on a Black Sea cruise in 2007.
We were sailing on Holland America’s Prinsendam, and since Sochi was a maiden call for Holland America Line there was a ceremony complete with a band.
At this point in time there was some tension between then U.S. President Bush and Russian President Putin. The band had a sense of humor, playing Frank Sinatra’s “Strangers in The Night.”
Since we didn’t have a Russian visa, we needed to take one of the ship’s shore excursions to be covered under a “blanket visa.” We choose the tour to the countryside and Stalin’s Dacha or “summer house.“
Stalin’s dacha, or summer house, is called “The Green Grove” and is today a public hotel/spa.
The dacha is painted dark green to match the forest (to hid during war) and is supposedly in the original “secret formula” paint that has lasted since 1937.
Inside the complex we saw the billiards room and had a sample of Stalin’s favorite Georgian wine. Sochi is only 10 miles from the Georgian border, Stalin’s birthplace.
The movie room — used as an office — contained a rather creepy a wax figure of Stalin.
Next we headed to a park. Most folks on our tour wanted to buy a drink or souvenirs but there the only ATM machine was broken and none of the vendors were willing to take U.S. dollars or Euros.
The city was not ready for tourism, despite being in the midst of a major campaign to win the 2014 Winter Olympics. Our terrific guide Yuri was buying people sodas or water out of his own money as it was quite warm.
As we headed back to the port, Yuri, who was an English professor but had never traveled out of Russia, ask us to practice English with him. We quickly agreed, but one of the “minders” said we couldn’t stay outside of the port area.
There was an expensive restaurant inside the port compound, so we headed there with Yuri. It was fascinating to talk with him about all kinds of topics, from U.S. and Russian relations to Paris Hilton (who was in jail at the time.)
One topic was whether or not Sochi would be chosen to host the Winter Olympics. On a hot day in June, in a place with nowhere to change money, it seemed very unlikely.
The port area was not very developed in 2007. Watching the Olympics telecast today, the Olympic Ice Skating Palace looks to be relatively close to the port, as you can sometimes see a cruise ship funnel and the Black Sea in the background of the opening shots.
We had to head back to the Prinsendam and sail away, but we were excited to hear that July that Sochi had won the Olympics.
We hope Yuri is getting to attend the Olympics and have a fantastic time putting his English skills to use.
Have you visited Sochi, Russia by cruise ship? What was your experience like?
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