the flame. the olympic spirit travels with the flame from its birthplace in greece. joining james brown for an elemental and epic journey around russia and beyond. where i'd. like. to be you as you don't know if you don't pick or. responds to really. most everyone in my life that i cared about their goal much and then. i came to skate well.

i was national champion in track and field and also was able to go in qualify for the olympic games. you know nine hundred eighty eight i started to experiment with that the drugs i had lost all the financial means that i. was really on the street . black market can't. break. through here.

though welcome to serve and go on syfy shevardnadze so they went or olympic games have finally come to sochi the city is flooded with guests and athletes and the enormous amount of work that went into holding this extraordinary event will now be put to test and as everyone gets ready for the medal race well wait caught up with possibly the busiest man in town and that's the mayor of such as the home of. years of preparation for this day. the two thousand and fourteen winter olympics in sochi are on there were voices saying the city isn't ready for the stadiums and roads on finished and there's simply not enough snow in the subtropical resorts so what's the mood in sochi itself is the city ready to welcome the crowds the media campaign break the olympic spirit the mayor of sochi has all the answers. and our

guest today is not only the home of mayor of sochi of the. limpid capital live from sochi this i think i hope this is the home of winter sport fans from all over the world are tuning again each other why they should just drop everything to hop on the next flight to sochi. because she's in amazing and beautiful resort but you know many people who are skeptical about having winter olympics in a subtropical city but i believe that they're wrong and that our games are going to be just wonderful you know we worked really hard and sought you change to ridicule you over the last five years people say miracles don't happen but this is a real miracle as we manage to do everything as planned for the city became a very beautiful and comfortable place were resolved a lot of long standing problems with infrastructure in a logistics we build new roads bridges and tunnels. and have snow on the ground

for right now what is it all melts or the rain washed it away after all so she's in a sub tropics and you have pound trees all over where will you get the snow from. so it's not what it was. the great thing about saatchi is that it's a unique city here we are at the seashore here it's always really warm but in krasnaya polyana which is just forty six kilometers from here there's plenty of fresh water. so this is very convenient there is plenty of snow and everybody's comfortable athletes are comfortable fans are comfortable. that's what makes you so unique. that's why it's a perfect place for winter olympics but i mean were else do you have this you know what when you go what is such an airport i mean it's quite small how is it

keeping up with all the. crowds are flying in. the airport is actually quite a bit. we upgraded the mortar nies that made it quite nice and convenient. but we are prepared for all kinds of scenarios and now the place is running smoothly. our volunteers have been very helpful by the way our guests are delighted very happy with their hospitality. what are your estimates how many guests have already arrived has the number toppled a million yet. no it hasn't been over a million. but quite a lot already. i just think that there will be a million visitors over the entire course of the olympics because our hotels can only comedy three hundred thousand people at a time. they are actually

a bit more than that. but which makes a huge number of people are really interested in these games and they all will be able to come over and enjoy them you know. that what you what about it is hers who know absolutely nothing about the city are there any tourist information centers to help them out or like tour guides. all visitors will be able to get comprehensive information about saatchi were installed special machines providing automated information in different languages about various places in the city and ways to get to them and also the volunteers are available to help tourists find their way around the place. i volunteer and i know in tears only russian are you also have foreign volunteers. you we have foreign volunteers as well for instance i just saw volunteers from germany today people from other

countries come to volunteer to i think our guests to really appreciate all the help they can get at the stations and transport hubs for them there is a lot to see and saw. there is a lot of interesting places and i guess it will also be interesting to see how the city looks after the make over which. must be exciting to see beautiful palm trees in the middle of winter we have a lot of nice places to visit in addition to the olympic then use. of it's a pretty i'm sure but you know what the newspapers are saying that the locals. i have problems with english and very few signs have been translated and the translations are really bad is that so something mean done about that. well frankly . i think so at your residence have been preparing for this may have been studying english diligently and now they can communicate pretty well i would say.

volunteers all speak english. many of the locals speak english and also there is information available in different languages so. i don't think. guests will have any difficulties. because. you know some say that our taxi drivers don't speak english you know with all our taxi and bus drivers have had special training and been to have basic knowledge of english enough to make our guests feel comfortable so we can say with certainty that everything will be ok such a residents are really worked on their egoless they want to be hospitable and i think everything will be all right that some countries have issued travel warnings to their citizens for example the us department of state urges americans to be aware of peak pockets and petty thieves at the games what you say to that are he

doing enough or anything to catch them. if. this will not happen we guarantee that because we have unprecedented security measures in place. when developing our procedures we prepared for everything. but we are getting mugged just can't happen. there is no reason to be concerned it's absolutely safe here and criminals want to have a chance i can guarantee you that we have applied advanced technologies there is a total of six thousand season. u.v. cameras installed around the city. fourteen hundred of them serving city streets and parks and police officers are constantly on patrol. again i want to name all the security measure if they're in place they're around one hundred thousand people in place to make sure the games are safe that's four times more than for

london in the twenty twelve and they say the security forces include missiles to own submarines i mean when the visitors feel like they're in a war zone is there not their risk of ruining the festive spirit. no no of course not. our guests should know that we to go unprecedented measures to ensure their safety but this will not get in the way of their comfort. but i can say for sure that they will be a soul that they will feel welcome. to such a residence are very hospitable people so she is excited to have all these olympic visitors here your concerns have no foundation whatsoever our guests will be happy and they will feel safe. yes i think about the mix it up with the thought so here is another question from our viewers that americans point out that health care is hard to come by and so there are just eleven hospitals many of them quite remote is

that true lately if anything serious happened is the city ready for that. it's enough quite good at the new so this is absolutely not true. as far as medical services go we are hundred percent ready but. we have built new hospitals in class new pullen a for example. in these a modern facilities with state of the arctic with meant m.r.i. c.t. scans all kinds of labs top doctors some of them local some came from moscow and we also have similar facilities in the immediate in skew valley. there is also a hospital you know i've learned that has surgery and trauma surgery wings who can provide any kind of medical assistance. we have also built

a trauma surgery center with the twelve operating rooms in saatchi should. doctors from moscow and krasnodar team over to help local staff. so i can assure you that everything is top notch and everything is under control in this area. and there are also warnings that most businesses in sochi don't take credit cards is that something that tourists should be worried about. thank you for all the poll this is not true. there are so many m's around the city but we like it any olympics use the all fishel partner i haven't heard over the single incident were somebody's had problems with their cards. there will be no complaints whatsoever and i'm sure they won't be any. worse than you go but.

i will end up with the home of mayor of sochi on base opening day of their winter olympics staging. wealthy british style. markets why not. find out what's really happening to the global economy because the reports.

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and we're back with the mayor of olympic capital sochi at the home of this much about what is about all of you know some last place are so scared by the reports in the western media that they're now saying they want to go out anywhere in sochi except for the competition. would you say to them how would you call their fiercely . as the mayor of saatchi i can assure you you can be calm and. you get nothing to worry about. i can't understand how anyone could spread these rumors but this is simply not true or to put that we want our guests an athlete student joy the sinner a. word hard to make our city bright and beautiful the.

winner of time everywhere and we've got one a fool greenplum treason horrocks and saw it she was so with you when you're most welcome to visit the city and enjoy the hospitality oh our residents on all ports will do our best to you well that's the bit that was on the brakes are saying that there might be trouble for people of color inside she will race really be a problem which you. know of course it's not true as you know we have a winner in twenty fourth miss it is living here in peace and harmony. saatchi is unique in that sense we are very friendly and nice and respectful to each other. but also such she's been facing power outages will this go on could for example the u.s. team find itself without electricity or say the french been left without hot water

we only had blackouts while preparing for the games when we had to replace old power lines with new ones and it's only natural when you prepare the city for a large number of visitors. but now preparations are over there are no blackouts and there will be none. so please rest assured that the city's ready for an influx of guests. but everyone will feel comfortable it will be warm and there will be enough power for everyone but only city residents are allowed to drive into so she during the games while those who are supplying produce to the city need special permits well could that cause any trouble with if it supplies come on be honest if there and enough bread for everybody like the one with. our rico accreditation rules are solely intended to regulate city

traffic and certainly to ensure security which. we have carefully estimated the number of vehicles and studied every related factor. we have a literally counted for everything so the city won't have any shortages of our businesses are doing a good job today so this isn't even an issue. also demonstrations have been allowed cheering good games are there any areas designated for protests in a city. yes we have selected a special location for street protests. but it has been inspected by human rights commissioner and by local n.g.o.s and everyone has approved of it. going to be placed. next to a railway station. and so for we have received no requests for

demonstrations but in case anyone should come up with a new we will provide a place. and what's the story was pretty hit areas and controlled areas what are those and what happens if somebody accidentally straw us into a prohibited area. when supervised theories are of the olympic event then use people will need a credit to sion or tickets to enter into such an area and naturally there will be checkpoints at the entrance to ensure security for. those procedures are similar to those they had in two thousand and ten and then. and in london in two thousand and twelve there will be nothing excessive war in a property about them. i think that is a way also the media has published guidelines for sports fans so firecrackers and weapons are prohibited right that's understandable let's deal with the ban on

bicycles. well why would someone write a bicycle in a stadium during a sporting event but i think our reasons are obvious ensuring it convenient environment for athletes and spectators so what about the people who want to ride their bikes around. the city has a lot of bike lanes such he has undergone a great deal of transformation it has all kinds of facilities there are unique cycling routes on the embankment near the olympic orac that are available for public use so all those willing to enjoy a ride along the shore are welcome to do that but that's the way it put it there have been many podesta and zones created in tsotsi and all of them have bike lanes so i believe sot she has never been more comfortable for bicycle lovers. and

there's also a ban on street performers in the street music what's that all about i mean doesn't street music always create a festive spirit it's for me it's not that they're completely banned it's just that there will be certain rules for performers they can still perform in the designated areas but there are a number of them and a lot of such a residence as well as the city guests come there. so i think that you will be delighted to see you there but so they won't exist sorry but those who missed out on tickets to the games what are they to do where they are to get vailable tickets . you can buy the tickets at ticket offices. what about those who don't have tickets and can't get tickets to the competition they want to do they have an opportunity to watch and wait for their team somewhere. sure but. like i said there are five live sites and saw that will provide live broadcasts so

well that competitions and medal ceremonies there are very convenient so when you look at the program we're going to feature some cultural events. so all those who can't make it to sports venues will have plenty of opportunities to watch live broadcasts of the competitions at those live sites. they will see everything live. there in russia central bank suggested so she should be turned into a gambling city after the games would you want sochi to become russia's last vegas . well you know primarily i want saatchi to do a very good job hostin the olympics. and as far as the gambling areas concerned. i would say tsotsi is more focused on sports and healthy lifestyle than gambling. but be that as it may at this point it would be

premature to talk about what me happened afterwards but we can think about it later i understand but still there are a lot of questions of what's going to happen after works and is there a risk that so she will have the same future etc you have one athens where olympic venues are hardly used by anyone and they're actually a burden on the city budget. is that. you know what it's. all the venues have been designed is small type purpose once. for instance the saatchi media center where your colleagues know work but will be converted into a shopping mall. and the nearby skating center will become an exhibition hall later this year but i'm. i guess hotels are wondering whether they were going to have an of guests after the games but i would see of course there will be a lot of guests but it. is because. we have

a tourism development program. so they will be fine with it will stay with the show we are currently making plans for twenty fifteen where we are planning events that would attract tourists who saw it she knew but you know we want to attract as many people as possible because to us and sought to play tourists are our primary source of revenue. and i want to add something to it regarding the gay question what a couple to put it we have no problems with gay people here. it's a very peaceful. i always see our people are very tolerant of such a residence and guests don't care about other people's private lives but as long as

they don't impose their lifestyle in others we're very tolerant and hospitable. everybody will feel comfortable. but everybody will feel comfortable. and that was not only the home of layer of such it thank you very much for the spelling our fears and doubts the message is clear come to such a enjoy the games congratulations on this big day mr mayor and we'll see you in the next edition of said. london. the whole world is.

a further one on the end. of the end of the street another one the more transparent society gets the money has become we see military and police forces mobilized against people who blend into the city the city the more people trust electronic devices the more. fear that has a thousand ah. there's a scene when you're in the arctic you have the entire fleet. she looks like a fairly simple ship. full of people have access to the nuclear. the real king here isn't the polar bear and ice breakers come second not

a single complex expedition to the arctic can be conducted with the russian nuclear powered fleet of ice breakers we. operation. the northern sea route russia's arctic ice breakers. this is obviously more for the ladies because it's pink. women wanted to avoid rape they really needed to buy guns environ how to use them. this is the one that i want to go with them once again it's the field for women definitely the target of the gun lobby the one you don't want to kill but not one that killing money would have somebody with you with this with her. i know to say more and more is this really scary marketing tactics which implies that women have some sort of moral obligation to own a gun to protect their family and young girls shoot out here too so we do have

a pink or. more kids young kids choke on food than are killed by firearms if being armed made us safer in america we should be the safest nation on earth were clearly not the safest. the g twenty fourteen promises we all committed and exhilarate the winters in our team a team you still need and use now and i'm a kevin owing to the rest of our lives taking you staying for sochi twenty four take. on oxy.

organizers say it will be one to tell the grandkids as the hours tick down to the opening ceremony of the twenty second winter olympic games a show they say will be even more spectacular and the torch remade perceiving it plus. he says the competition is just about ice and snow now that all the athletes have gathered here in sochi will be giving out. the winter olympics from the we had a wonderful costumes to the overly bright and just downright bizarre. gives the world and an intentional peek at its plans for ukraine as a league fun conversation between senior diplomats leaves washington retrograde.