The underside of the Sochi Games

I visited Sochi, Russia, in late July and left with little hope for this venue. There is no way that they will be ready for the Games in early February [“Staging Sochi,” by Christopher Reynolds, Dec. 8].

With 200 days left until the start of the Winter Olympics, the streets were in total disrepair, accommodations were not anywhere near ready and fences were erected to hide the sight of crumbling buildings.

The distances between the various Game sites are perplexing, and I can see no way that this city of 400,000 is prepared to handle the arrival of the Olympic fans.

Where was the mentality of the Olympic committee in awarding the Games to Sochi? Its biggest tourist attraction was Stalin’s dacha, so be prepared for what I think will be total chaos.

Donna Harris Bassin

Westlake Village

::

I was extremely bothered by Reynolds’ article on Sochi. At no point does it mention that Russia is completely unsafe for LGBT travelers right now. Despite Putin’s false assurances, it is well documented that gay people are being rounded up, beaten, imprisoned and put to death with the full sanction of the Russian state. Bands of armed thugs rape, harass and murder LGBT Russians, and the Russian police do nothing about it (usually police either join the assaults or refuse to prosecute the perpetrators).

How could he overlook this fact in his article? How can he not even mention that this country is not safe for LGBT people? Isn’t he aware that LGBT people read this newspaper, and that we might get killed if we followed the advice in his article and book our pleasant little Russian Olympic holiday? How could he overlook this?

Craig Loftin

Silverton, Colo.

Thanks for including the charming mountain town of Silverton in your roundup of ski resorts [“Uplifting,” by Irwin Curtin, Dec. 8]. The town also has a small ski area that’s perfect for young families. It’s Colorado’s best-kept secret. So don’t tell anyone. Oops.

Mark Vaughn

Pasadena

Gift certificate tips

Thanks for the On the Spot article on lost certificates, gift cards etc. [“The Gift That Quits Giving if It’s Lost,” by Catharine Hamm, Dec. 8]. One more thing to point out. Many gift cards, if not used within the first 12 months, incur a monthly fee (usually $2) for each month thereafter until the card amount is used up. The best way to avoid this is to buy a small item such as a candy bar within the 12-month period. Doing so automatically extends the period for another 12 months and avoids the fees. That way it is still the gift that continues to give, rather than take.

As to Gulnara Acosta’s dilemma and her award certificate: Assuming the certificate had an identification number and a reasonably short expiration date, I suggest that an arrangement be made with EVA Air in which the airline honors the certificate, posting the full amount of the fare in a bank account in both their names (EVA and Acosta), which EVA would agree to sign off on after the expiration date of the lost (shredded) certificate. If the certificate was found and used by another, then the money in the bank account would go to EVA.

There should be no risk to Acosta because, as she contends, the certificate was shredded and could not be redeemed by a third party. EVA would be protected in the unlikely event the certificate still existed and EVA was forced to honor it.

Barry Rubin

Beverly Hills

Welcome to Union Station

Though it is two weeks since the fine article about the Union Station appeared [“A Set for Past and Future,” by Christopher Reynolds, Nov. 24], I still enjoy the vivid memories that it brought back. In May 1939, my parents, my brother, age 7, and I, age 12, moved from Long Island, N.Y., to Los Angeles. Arriving in Union Station, we were excited to see all sorts of decorations and banners. It took some time for my brother and me to realize my mother was teasing us when she said it was all to welcome us to L.A. Then we learned that the gala opening of the station had been the day before.

Margot Kamens

Whittier