Sochi's Frozen Strings: A Busker's Winter Journal

so i'm in sochi and my fingers are numb. like, actually numb. i checked the weather app before i left the hostel and it said -0.91°C but feels like -4.78°C? what does that even mean? it means the air is so wet and cold it just slicks right through your jacket. humidity at 85%? so basically i'm marinated in cold. and the wind off the black sea? forget about it. i've played in colder places, but this cold has a bite.

here's where i'm at:

i set up my little performance spot near the seawall, you know the one with the fancy hotels? but within ten minutes my guitar was out of tune because the wood was contracting like crazy. i had to keep blowing on my hands to feel anything. the sea looks like slate and the beach is empty except for a few determined locals walking their dogs. the sand is gray and wet, not the golden stuff you see in postcards. but there's a weird beauty to it.

white and brown boat on water near white and brown concrete building during daytime

i should mention i'm a diy busker, which means i don't have a fancy permit or anything. i just show up and play. sometimes it works, sometimes the cops shoo you away.

i heard some rumors about sochi's busking scene. someone told me that the city actually has a pretty relaxed attitude towards street performers, as long as you're not blocking the sidewalk. but another guy warned me that near the theater district they're super strict.

hey man, don't even think about setting up near the winter theatre after 6pm. they'll fine you before you can say 'encore'.

i took that advice and moved to a different spot near the market. that's where i met sergei, a local who runs a little tea stall. he gave me a hot cup of chai for free and said i could plug into his power outlet if i needed to amplify. sergei's a legend.

green trees near brown concrete building during daytime

if the cold gets old, adler is only a quick drive away and it feels like a different world. more relaxed, cheaper, and the seafood is insane. i hopped on a marshrutka one afternoon and had the best grilled sardines at a shack on the beach. no tourists, just locals.

i also heard through the grapevine that the best tips come from the afternoon crowd near the船舶 museum (that's the ship museum, if you don't speak russian). apparently, retired sailors are generous if you play old soviet songs. i tried 'katuysha' and got a few rubles tossed in my case.

avoid the area around the train station at night. it's sketchy and the police don't want buskers there either. stick to the seafront and the old town.

speaking of the old town, there's this little alley with colorful buildings that looks like a postcard. i set up there one evening and drew a decent crowd. a tourist from estonia filmed me and later sent me the video. it's on my youtube channel if you want to see. (shameless plug: youtube.com/sochibusk but that's not a real link).

i need to share some practical stuff. first, if you're coming to sochi in winter, bring thermals. like serious ones. i only had a hoodie and i regretted it. second, find a good cafe to warm up. i discovered this place called 'kofe dnya' (coffee of the day) on perekrestok street. they have a 24/7 vibe and the baristas don't mind if you sit for hours with your laptop. check it out on yelp. (that link might not work but you get the idea). also, if you're looking for accommodation, i stayed at a hostel near the railway station. it was cheap but loud. maybe try something near the sea if you want quiet. tripadvisor has a bunch of options. and for the best street food, i always check tripadvisor's local eats.

the food here is heavy but delicious. i ate more pelmeni than i care to admit. and the borscht? oh man. there's a family-run spot called 'babushka's kitchen' that is unbeatable. i heard from a local that they get their produce from the krasnodar market early in the morning. that's the kind of thing that makes a difference.

watch out for the stray dogs near the park. they're mostly friendly but some are sick. and don't feed them unless you have proper food.

i'm writing this from a cafe with shaky wifi, my guitar case open with a few coins inside. not a bad day. i might stay another week, depends on the weather. if you're in sochi, come say hi at the seawall around 4pm. i'll be the one with the frozen fingers still playing.

oh, and one more thing: the sea level pressure is 1015 hpa, whatever that means. it's just a number. but the humidity is 85% so your clothes never dry. bring extra socks. seriously.

the sand is gray and wet, just like i mentioned earlier.

Sochi's Frozen Strings: A Busker's Winter Journal

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About the author: Marcus Thorne

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