Russia chose one of its southernmost cities - subtropical Sochi - as its nominee for next year's Winter Olympics.
Sochi Olympics - Mountain Venues
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The Olympic ski jump rises from the mountain mists above Sochi. The jump’s price tag: $265 million. (V. Undritz for VOA)
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Diggers carve a mountain valley for a road and rail link from the Black Sea Coast. It is unclear if restoration of the landscape will be completed in time for the Feb. 2014 Olympics. (V. Undritz for VOA)
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The concrete pylons of a railroad bridge through the once clear waters of the Mzimta River. Once a magnet for rafters and spawning salmon, the river is now brown and routed through many concrete channels. (V. Undritz for VOA)