GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Medals Plaza and unlit torch at sunset #sochiselfie

The entire day spent down on the coast in the NBC headquarters of the IBC (international broadcast center) getting outfitted and reoriented with the do's and don'ts of the NBC on-air formula: tell the story, be the expert but don't speculate outside your expertise or cheer-lead.  A three hour seminar which was highlighted by a panel discussion on the history and politics at play in Russia that included David Remnick.  It was fascinating.    Key take-away for me was how arrogant the USA seems to this eastern part of Europe- that we are so young and quick to judge their shortcomings yet so willing to ignore some of our own darker history.

Met up with Nils last night who will be doing research for jumping.  It's been 8 years since we worked together and 30 since we were team-mates; already his history with all things Austria is bringing a torrent of great intel.  Like where the Austria House is located and how he plans to get us in.  He cooked pizza in the apartment last night and though he is admittedly damn good around an oven and appears to have breasts in the photo below he is actually a very ripped kite-surfing dude who is living the dream designing boards and riding and marketing them around the world.  His flight from Thailand to Sochi was via Siberia where they didn't buy that his NBC accreditation was also his Russian visa.  Will someone please let Siberia know that the Olympics are in Sochi and start in 3 days.

Dinner with Nils in apartment.

Got a chance to see where most of the $50 billion went this afternoon as I walked around the coastal venues with xc/biathlon analysts Chad Salmela and Stacey Wooley and was blown away by the beauty and magnitude of the facilities.  In contrast to much of the commercial and residential building in the mountains which does not seem completed, these venues look stunning and ready to go.

Yup- palm trees outside the speed skating oval... snow covered mountains in the background.

Rings outside one of the rinks.

I have been warned that all communications in and out of XXXXX are being  XXXXXXX  and to be careful what I say.  So sometimes I may be a little dodgy or use code.  Like !yenom dneS !em  pleH  kidding.

Every car and bus in Sochi is rolling around with this logo on it.

It is beautiful but am I the only one who sees the irony here?  Should someone alert ?nituP tnediserP
Entre nous for  now.