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American skier Noah Hoffman shares his impressions about the Olympics in Sochi



Road in Sochi


We did it! Oh, it's been a long day. Woke up at five in the morning in Munich, already 5:30 we took a bus and eight flew a charter flight to Sochi. It was a special flight of the Olympic Committee. In the plane were skiers, snowboarders, ski jumpers, and skaters. All hodgepodge of athletes. Registration went smoothly because we passed all our luggage even last night.



Charter aircraft performed German Airlines. The plane normal, we could sit where they wanted, it was occupied by more than a half.

Flight time - about three hours. We flew through Austria, Hungary and Romania before they crossed the Black Sea and landed in Sochi. Please scenery looked like the central state, fields and fields. Then we noticed the salt marshes. Also unlike America, Western Utah. And when crossing the Black Sea, I could not believe my eyes: the entire water surface was occupied by ships!

From the minute we were on the Russian territory, accompanies us everywhere Olympic advertising: billboards everywhere, a lot of them.



Last year was a very easy and long held customs. We were worried, but now everything was incredibly easy. Dozens of booths are all working, it did not take long. As expected, there are a lot of police at every turn. The volunteers all around, and they superprivetlivye. They are easily identified by the bright blue jackets.



The first bus took us to the coastal village. We unloaded all the luggage to go through the inspection zone.

Each item must pass through the X-ray machine. However, the only thing that did not let in, as I heard, had a bottle of wine in the bag of one of the athletes. Um, we were never told that we can not carry the wine to the village, I think that the problem was due to a glass bottle.

The next bus took us to the mountains. Number of built last year is staggering. With

We passed through a checkpoint in the coastal village, then drove by bus through other more PPC, and ultimately rested in the new CPR right at the center of Laura, near the lifts. Everything looks very safe.



Lovely evening in the mountains! The sun is just setting behind the mountain, when we went up to it. Gondolas have raised us up with a lot of snow in the Sochi none at all.

Improvements over the year proshloym visible to the naked eye and impressive. Roads that were solid mud porridge in the last year, now look like roads.



Most of the houses of the Olympic village did not exist 12 months ago.



Our building is adjacent to the Swedish and Czech systems. We have no flags or labels on our house.

When we entered the room, there was already expecting gifts.



Within minutes of arriving at the door knocked fellow anti-doping control. Andy Newell had to give a sample for the test.



But what was inside the package with gifts.


The room is small but functional. I live with a neighbor, Andy. He is also a skier.


Rooms block type, there is a common living room and kitchen. Since we live in a block of Simi Hamilton and Eric Byornsen (pictured)


Day 1

Firstly, thank you for the incredible support and words of encouragement. I continue to receive numerous emails, Facebook messages and comments on this blog. I feel that I have many friends and supporters who are worried about me and want to achieve my goals in those games.

Life in the Olympic Village - an incredible experience. Interestingly, the Olympic Committee of Sochi strictly observe the rules of the IOC on the advertising of non-Olympic companies. All brands which are not partners Olimiady sealed, even stove in our room.



Most of the first day in the building had no electricity. Perhaps in otkyuchenii was our fault as we experimented with the heater yesterday evening he was working very loudly.

US Olympic Committee does not recommend drinking water in the village, because they have not been able to verify its quality. It seems a little funny because we travel all year round and drink the most different water and Sochi were drinking in the past year on the tests.

Nevertheless, we feel very foolish if we drink water from the tap, and then get sick, and this despite the fact that we have been warned! So we stick to the rules and buy bottled. Unfortunately, it accumulates a lot of bottles. I'm ashamed to have to pollute the environment, but I do not know what to do.



The motto of the Sochi-2014: Hot. Cool. Yours. I do not quite understand what that means, but cute.


My coach Zach Caldwell does not live in the village with us, but in the morning we met and went on the road, where the audience will go to see the ski race. On the way was steep and long climb, and everywhere hung motivational signs.


In areas for athletes all the information boards and all in English. It is very comfortable. Maps of trails are located right outside the locker room.


The organizing committee is incredibly attentive to detail, and is able to solve problems. This note has been placed near the stairs of our locker room.


And, of course, the guys from the security nailed rubber sills.


In the dining room today I scored Asian food. It was delicious. Nutritionist USOC recommended us to eat one type of food for each reception, but not all big portions. Do not mix with Asian Mexican, a burger with pasta and so on. This strategy is needed in order not to score themselves different tastes, and feel fresh. I never thought about it before, but I think it's cool. Maybe now I will in cupboards and buffets, too, to take one dish.


The dining room offers awesome views of the Caucasus Mountains!


In the village are three types of accommodation. Here chalet, where the girls live.


The apartment complex where we live.


And this hotel. I was not there yet, but I think he's great, because there lives a team of Norwegians and Russian host team.


Day 2

Yesterday evening, we gathered at the disco, to make filming the video for our Olipiady 2014. I did not know that there direvne disco until the call and was told that they were waiting for me there. We were the only ones in the lobby to the disco, so the DJ can be repeated many times our song. It was pretty fun.



In the morning, over breakfast, you can read the latest news from the newspaper "The Olympic Village Daily»



I like a variety of foods. Pancakes (which in the US we call crepes) were delicious!



This morning I was one of the first athletes on the track, so the trails were great. So I went out early, the coach was able to engage personally with me, not with other athletes.



Here's another view of the large Olympic rings above the stadium. I'll try not to take a picture of every day :)



In our dining room offers different kinds of food. All of these "geographical" option is surrounded by the "24-hour salad bar." I follow the advice of the US Olympic Committee and eat food from only one region. However, while I did not eat European cuisine, as it ate almost the entire winter. And yet, I need to better find out what a local cuisine.



After dinner, we all had to come to the doping control station for the collection of blood.



On the way back I went in a few shops in the village. This post office. Need to send a few postcards while I'm here.


Grocery store.


One of the cool pieces - a keychain in the form of a bottle of Coke. He was among the gifts that are waiting for our arrival in the room.


In the village everywhere vending machines with soda. All you need to do is attach your key to the machine, make a choice and get everything you want for free.


The entire US team on biathlon lives in the house next door to our girls. Annelia Cook (center), Liz Stephen (left) and Kikian.


Day 3

Last night our clothes for the opening ceremony was delivered to our rooms. Also, the US Olympic Committee sent to each of us Mattress company Tempur-Pedic. They do not spare the money to us :) I've never used the things of this brand, it is very expensive. Very handy thing!


So, okay, once I touched upon his bed, look! Everything is completely new and is prepared for the Games. And the curtain of the same color as the clothes of volunteers.


It's great that everything in our house is adapted for people with disabilities. Of course, there also will be held Paralympic Games.




Shower in our room is amazing! I love the rain shower, and really impressed with the fact that they are in Russia!


I tried new pants by Nike. Looking at this picture, I must say, in fact, they do not look as bad as I imagined. Pants warm and comfortable.


This morning I did not train. I went to the female chalet to get a massage from our wonderful Stephanie Kaverhill. When I came out of their houses, the man razchischal Christmas tree out of a snowdrift. Crowbar. I can not understand why there is this tree.


It seems a little strange that the Olympic Village is the place for smoking. In fairness - I have not seen the athletes who have taken advantage of this place.


After lunch I went to ski with coach Zach. I trained at al speed of the first of the season.


Day 4. The opening ceremony

It was an incredible 24 hours! Time flies. By the time I finished writing the last post, I had ten minutes to dress for the opening ceremony. Crazy rhythm. Fortunately, the time of collection was scheduled a little earlier than we actually had to leave: it could have time to latecomers. Yes, they know that the speed - a problem for some of us :)


Oh, I really like our uniforms. Not every country is so easily recognizable.


We walked from our house to take the cable car up and go down, it's faster. Below we have a huge queue waiting for the buses.


And that seemed to Olympic Park. I was very excited to see him. The top of all the arenas covered LED lights that change their color. This is absolutely awesome!




Athletes from each country had its own waiting area. We are, respectively, were American. Since our delegation is huge, then we were given enough space to accommodate the crowd. We were the first group of Americans, so that the room seemed a bit empty.


Other delegations were in close proximity to each other, in alphabetical order.

Finally, all the other American athletes arrived. See how we mnooogo!


When we went to the Olympic stadium, we saw in front of him the entire arena. Behind the scenes there were some details to show spoiler :)



The yield on the public was not like anything I've done before in my life. But I did not feel anything special in terms of pathos "to represent my country," and other cliches. It was just very cool. I felt like I was floating along with other athletes and millions of people looking at us. It's incredible.


The last thing we saw was the introduction of the mascots of Sochi 2014. I really liked that the floor of the stadium was a huge screen.


We left early, as it was necessary to get up the next morning for the first race. But I was amazed that so many people leave the opening ceremony together with nami.V 11:30 I was lying in bed.

Bedtime drew attention to the following. I think I'm just now starting to realize that almost everything that we see here - made especially for the Olympics.