Spray-painted grass, stray dogs in hotel rooms, beer-colored water and more characterized the city of Sochi, Russia, the location of the 2014 Winter Olympics. The USA sent 230 athletes to the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.   

Although unfortunate weather conditions included both densely thick fog that severely inhibited visibility and unseasonably warm temperatures that softened the snow, the games continued: the USA won nine gold medals in snowboarding, skiing, and figure skating, totaling the fourth highest medal count following Russia, Norway, and Sweden, respectively.  However, what went on behind the scenes at Sochi has become an even bigger topic of discussion than the games themselves.  From on the streets to in the hotels, let’s take a look at a typical day in the life of a Sochi visitor.

Upon arrival at the winter games, guests experienced the city’s disorder as it scrambled to prepare itself for the opening ceremonies.  Sochi locals rushed to finish construction and to make their city more aesthetically pleasing.  Just days before the ceremonies, construction workers paved bricks on the unfinished city streets.  To combat the appearance of dead grass, a woman spray-painted it an unnatural shade of green to mask this brown appearance.  Perhaps a more dangerous problem was the uncovered manholes; American sports reporter Jo-Ann Barnes tweeted, “Watch your step @Sochi2014—I’ve noticed that on walkways and on sidewalks that not all manholes are always covered.”  Also, a large number of stray dogs and cats have roamed the vicinity.  Although stray dogs have long presented an issue in Sochi, the problem has not been solved.  Despite local efforts to remove these animals from the streets, concerns of their wandering into actual Olympic events remained. Stray dogs wandered around the Olympic rings during the official flag raising ceremony. Also, American sports reporter Dave Schwartz tweeted pictures of stray cats walking through the Main Media Center.  Between cosmetic, construction, and wildlife issues, Sochi provided guests with anything but a monotonous visit.

After a long, hard day of rigorous training to proudly represent their countries, athletes did not enjoy five-star treatment but instead had rather peculiar experiences upon return to their hotels. Still undergoing construction, a Sochi hotel scrambled even to fulfill its guests’ simple needs for a room.  The hotel transferred one German photographer from his original room that was unfinished to another room also occupied by construction workers.  To his surprise, he found a stray dog wandering in the third room to which he was sent.  Plumbing issues also puzzled guests.  Signs posted near toilets warned not to flush paper down the toilet but to place it in the provided bin (which, to be fair, is a relatively common practice outside of the United States); other signs asserted bizarre bathroom rules, including a rule against fishing in the toilets.  Access to water, let alone clean water, also proved an issue.  When a hotel lacked running water, authorities warned guests not to use the water on their faces upon its impending return because it contained something “very dangerous.” “Chicago Tribune” writer Stacy St. Claire proceeded to tweet a picture of the restored water that resembled perhaps discolored beer.

Although athletes, reporters, and visitors may not have had an ideal, luxurious experience during their stay in Sochi, the abnormal circumstances certainly entertained them and provided a laugh for all, especially those not actually experiencing it.  Despite these inconveniences, the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics will definitely be remembered.

http://www.indystar.com/story/sports/2014/02/05/sochi-olympics-issues-troubles-problems-water-yellow-bees-honey-toilets/5235451/

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/olympics/media-reports-sochiproblems-olympic-village-article-1.1602530

http://mashable.com/2014/02/04/sochi-olympics-hotel-pics/

http://time.com/9305/olympics-medal-count-russia-usa/