Georgia (the country)

So I just arrived back in Baku after a short excursion to Georgia to renew my visa for Azerbaijan. My time there was nice and refreshing, beginning with the two young Georgians I shared a cab with on the train from Baku to Tbilisi. They both spoke very good English, something I find to be quite a rarity in these parts. After getting to know one another, they learned that I did not have a place lined up to stay and no plans on Sunday (as the Embassy does not open till Monday), so they insisted they show me traditional Georgian hospitality. This consisted in taking me out to their family's home in a small village about 25 km outside of Tbilisi, where we enjoyed some Georgian cuisine. From there, my hosts took me to see a beautiful monastery tucked away in the hills outside of the village, where we walked around the 6th century complex surrounded by monks in long robes sporting thick black beards.

After another stop by their home, we headed back to Tbilisi where I spent the night at one of the guys apartment, while he had to go to work that night, as he worked as an air-traffic controller for the military. The next morning was spent doing visa work, with the rest of the day dedicated to exploring Tbilisi. I started with a climb up to some old caste ruins that offer great views over the entire city, as you can see the river running through town with churches and homes perched precariously close to the edge. Tbilisi is a town that feels like it has as many churches (at least per cpaita) as Rome does, but they all normally have quite a dark interior and are stocked to the brim with various icons, a normative part of their Eastern Orthodox worship.

After climbing up to the ruins, I took a walk though the old town, where home sit atop the old city walls, and then down the main avenue, and I must say I was extremely impressed with the city. It was quite beautiful and historic, and the people and culture had much more of a European feel than their neighbors over in Baku. While the city does not have some of the extravagant wealth of Baku, I had the impression that on the whole people lived a bit better. Some of this has to do with the recent crackdown on local corruption, which now does not come close to the levels here in Azerbaijan. The country has, however, suffered somewhat in recent wars with Russia, especially over the controversial region of South Ossetia.

The rest of my time there was spent exploring other parts of the city, and after my visa was approved, I jumped back on a train to Baku, where I tried to get a little sleep despite the fact that my cabin-mate on the train was sawing some serious logs last night. Sorry for being MIA for a bit, but I was out and about, and will probably be doing some more work related travelling at the end of this week.

Lezgi Village Visit

So this weekend was spent visiting a family in a small mountainous village inhabited by mostly Lezgi people. The Lezgi people are originally from Dagstan and speak their own langauge, and today there are over 170,00 Lezgi people living in Azerbaijan. We took a mini-bus to a nearby town, and after having some tea and sweets at a friends house, he arranged a ride for us up to his parents house about an hour away. The drive up was through a rain shower, the first during my time here. However, after being in the village for around an hour, the rain lifted to reveal beautiful and peaceful mountain scenery, reminding me of a crisp Colorado summer. With the ground still moist from the rain, we talked to a local home that produces hand-made carpets, where we were able to see the impressive process in which every step is completed by hand. The wife of the family we were staying with makes these carpets, and we were told it would take a team of two women, working full days six days a week, around two months to complete a two meter by four meter carpet, which would sell for 400-500 manat (480-600 USD). That may seem somewhat expensive for a carpet, but the quality and time put it, it seems like little compensation for two months work of labor. I have attached a short video of the ladies working on a carpet at the bottom of this post.

We then spent the afternoon with the man whose house we stayed at, and he took us on a walk around the village and in the surrounding countryside, proudly showing us his cows and a garden he had organizing and planted himself. Then suddenly seeing some fodder high up in a tree that would be good for the animal back at his house, he jumped up into a tree, climbed to the top, and starting ripping branches down. Now I think that was the first time I have ever seen a 63 year old man just jump up into a 30 ft. tall tree and act like George of the Jungle, but he did it without giving it a second thought. Overall man of the people seemed to be quite healthy, due to a diet of locally grown produce, little meat, fresh mountain air and water, and daily outdoor work. This was evidenced by a 92 year old man we met on the road, who was still sharp as a tack and wanting to share his stories about his travels during his time in the army.

We ate dinner and spent the night at the families house, and as guests we were very graciously treated, always being severed tea and some sweets, and that night were given the prime sleeping places. After breakfast the next morning, we headed off in a shared taxi back to the main town, where we were to jump in a mini-bus back to Baku. That was an interesting point of cultural learning, as it took about ten minutes for everyone to decide where everyone would sit. I probably got in and out of that mini-bus three or four times, but finally settled in for the ride to Baku. Riding on the buses here is in general a bit odd, as even in the big city buses people (esp. the elderly women) never seem quite content with where they are standing or sitting, so it is a constant game of chess meets bumper cars to jockey for position. I still have figured what the prize is, but I have been places with buses much more crowded but people don't seem quite so keen on moving around as they do here.

World Cup action

So just finished watching the US World Cup game, and man, how frustrating was that....They looked asleep in the first half, with Slovenia's first goal coming while it looked like keeper Tim Howard was in his own little world in the box, and the second appearing to my not so well trained soccer eyes (despite the years spent watching little league and high school girls' soccer) to be offsides on Slovenia.

Yet the US, resilient as always (or so I like to think) rebounded with great play in the second half, evening the score on a Michael Bradley goal. Then around the 84th minute they had a potential game winning goal wiped away on a very controversial offsides call. Better draw than lose, but I am still not pleased with the officiating. All of that being said, my neighbors at the store, with whom I watched the game, found it pretty funny to see my emotional responses to the game. They set up a TV outside of their shop, so it was a fun and convenient place to watch the match.

Kish, Seki, and Nic

So Wednesday was spent travelling out to the regions again. We took the old Soviet train again, arriving in Seki early Wednesday morning. There we jumped into a cab and headed to Kish, a tiny village just outside of Seki. There we visted an old Albanian Church that was recently restored and turned into a small museum with the help of NHE. It is an Albanian Church not like the country Albania, but because much of Azerbaijan used to be called Albania in the Middle Ages.

After looking around the Church, we had tea and breakfast with the lady who looks after the place, getting to taste a variety of traditional Azeri jams, all of which are very sweet (people in Azerbaijan really enjoy their sweets, at all hours of the day). From there we went back to Seki to meet with some producers and pick up a sign we had made for the store. While in Seki I was able to visit the Khan's Palace, which was built in the 18th century by the ruling family of Seki. It was very beautiful, with detailed carvings and paintings adorning the walls and ceilings.

After that, we took a taxi to the village of Nic, a tiny Udi village in the countryside about an hour from Seki. There we visited and were treated to dinner by a local family who will be producing some jam for the store soon. The village and its history is pretty unique, as the Udi people have their own language and culture. Unfortunately, during the Soviet era much of this unique culture slowly dissipated, leaving behind a village and people barley distinguishable from their Azeri neighbors. In recent years however, there have been a number of projects, including many run by NHE, to help reclaim and restore the identity and language of the Udi people.

Baku by Night

So last night I went up a hill that overlooks the city to take some photos, one for fun but also because we are considering trying to make and sell some postcards in the store because there are very few postcards in Azerbaijan. Let me know if you would ever considering buying any of these (these are somewhat hard to see on here, and also need some editing work done, but you get the general idea). Either way, it was cool to see the city by night, and there were lots of people wandering around the park in the evening.

In other news, after going for a nice run this morning, I returned to my apartment to find that there was no water (made sense after two streets were practically flooded on my run). That made doing three important things quite difficult (in order of importance). 1) Rehydrating, 2) Showering, and 3) Doing laundry. Yes mom, I know you worry about me, but I am showering and doing my own laundry these days.

Exploring Baku

So I spent most of Saturday exploring different parts of Baku. I started by walking down the Boulevard, and walking to Dom Soviet, a large government building obviously built (and named after) the Soviets, who spent around 70 years occupying Azerbaijan.

Then I went and explored more of the winding streets of the Old City, visiting some local shop owners and passing by many glorious mansions built most often off of money that poured into the city by oil investment. The exploration was highlighted by my visit to the Palace of Shrivanshah's (where much of the story of Ali and Nino took place). The Palace complex holds the palace itself, a small mosque, a mausoleum, burial vaults, a large gate, and some archeological excavations.

After a lunch stop (more Turkish doner), I went up and out away from the Old City, and went to see Martyr's Alley, a former park that was transformed into a memorial. It is now a memorial and a graveyeard for the people of Baku massacred by the Red Army on January 20, 1990. There is a small mosque, a flame to remember the victims, and tombs made out of black marble much like the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington DC. It is quite a moving place, and it also offers great views over the rest of the city.

I then walked around the outskirts of the Old City, exploring some more of the recent developments and architectural styles. Then I finished walking around by some of "Downtown" and around the sea, and then by the park where I live. There a shy little boy decided he really wanted his picture taken, so I happily obliged. Overall a fun and productive day.

Ali and Nino

So I recently finished the book Ali and Nino written under the pen name Kurban Said. It is a somewhat cheesy love story of two young teens, but it is a fascinating look at the wide variety of ethnicities and cultures present here in the Caucasus. The novel is set during the time of WWI, and is the story of a young Azeri boy who falls in love with a beautiful young Georgian girl.

It tells the story both of Ali's Muslim faith and Nino's Christian upbringing, and it even shows some of the historic tensions between the people of Azerbaijan and Armenia. I would recommend the book for those interested in the various cultures of this part of the world, or anyone who happens to also be a hopeless romantic.

Seki

So on Monday night I took off for Seki (Sheck-e) with two other workers from NHE. We took the overnight train, which was clearly built during Soviet times. It was old, slow, and loud, and the ride was not all that smooth, but I was able to get some good sleep.

We arrived into Seki early the next morning, and started off our day with a visit to the NHE office up there, and then we went to a micro-finance program that works closely with NHE. There we were put into contact with a local guy who works in honey production, and it was quite interesting to see the production process they use to abstract the honey, but I don't think being an apiarist is in my future.

From there we met up with a local painter and potter. Both of these men's work is pretty incredible, and the potter is a 5th generation potter, and even I can recognize the high quality pottery this guy produces. Some of the products we sell in the store are the potter's pieces with painting from the local artist. It is all very nice stuff and quite functional as well.

After a lunch break, we walked around town some more, looking for other potential partners in the project. We spent awhile talking to a guy who makes wood boxes of every size, decorated by hand-beaten metal to decorate the exterior of the boxes. We then went to a store that sells some locally produced silk scarves, and asked the guy if we could see where the scares are made. He promptly drove us to the small factory, and showed us a bit of the production process and some of the products they make. Here is a picture of an oil boiler they use to imprint different designs on their products.

Overall, it was a fun trip, and although somewhat tiring, it was nice to get out of the big city for awhile and breath some nice fresh air. I will generally be making trips like this about once a week or so, and keep looking for updates.

Pictures and such

So thus far I have been doing some various work in the store and getting acquainted with the city. My main project for the store right now is to create an accounting system (expense reports, income statement, etc) because it does not really exist at this point. I can thank CJ Skender and Fred Closuit for my limited accounting knowledge, but I think I can make do.

Well, I promised pictures, so here a the first few I have snapped. Above is some of the ruins in the Old City, the historic part of the city officials are beginning to regulate pretty strictly. Below is the Maiden's Tower, the most well known site in Baku, and the store is just a few hundred feet or so from the tower.

Below here is a picture of typical architecture just around the Old City, which has all just been very recently remodeled. This type of work is what makes me think why some people try to call Baku the Paris of the East (seems a bit off to me, but accurate in a few spots)

And again below is the really nice and new boulevard/walkway the government built all along the Caspian Sea. Its now quite a hub and draws a large number of people at all times of the day, and is where I go running most mornings, and is only five blocks from the apartment where I live. Its a great place to do some people watching.

Now do not let me give you the impression that the city is all brand new, although there is new construction all over the city. It is not necessarily run down, but plenty of the city was built during the Soviet Era, and well, lets just say their aesthetics are not quite as pleasing. Finally, here is a picture of the apartment where I am living. Speaking of my living situation, the family whose apartment I am staying in just took off for the States for the summer, so I am alone for a few days. On Monday, however, a man from Uzbekistan is coming to live in the apartment for a few months, so it will be nice to have a roommate. It should be both a good cultural learning experience as well a lesson in non-verbal communication, as he speaks very little English, and well, my Uzbek is not all to polished either.

Now, a few more observations. So yesterday I went with one of the guys who works at the store to go shopping for a cell phone. So naturally, we went to the cell phone street (who knew such a thing existed?). We went and got a phone and a number, and then tried to buy some minutes, and all the stores were out. What was most curious about the cell phone street is that Azercell, one of the largest cell providers in Azerbaijan, had 5 identical stores all right next to each other. Literally every store sold the same products for the same price, and each was staffed by different people. It was crazy, but they seem to do pretty well.

Also, the police like to ride around in their cars, and instead of getting out and directing traffic, they just sit in the cars and yell very loudly on their megaphones and give instructions to anyone in a car. Interesting ways to enforce the rules (that supposedly exist) of the road, but its pretty loud when you are just walking around on the street.

Finally, I have been eating almost one Doner Kebab a day, something Trey Brown and Matt Keshian would be quite jealous of. If you dont know what it is, think a Turkish version of a gyro. Cheap and good, its an important part of what I eat.

Jet Lag

So its not so fun. Last night, my fifth night here in Baku, I awoke at 3 a.m., only to fall back asleep about 2 hours later. Some nights are better, others, not so much. I am hoping I am close to getting over the hump.

Initial Observations

So here are a few things I have noticed about my time here in Baku thus far. First of all, when you are told Baku is in the Muslim world, it is nothing like any other Muslim country I have visited. The government of Azerbaijan is a secular republic, meaning it has no official state religion. Azerbaijan, along with Iran, are the only two majority Shi'a Islamic counties in the world, but the two could not be any different. While Iran is known for its strict, authoritarian, and conservative government, Azerbaijan is known as one of the most irreligious counties in the world. In 1921, the women of Azerbaijan decided to "throw of the veil", and since then it is uncommon to see women with any type of head covering at all. In fact, the women of Azerbaijan dress quite fashionably (and at times, quite immodestly), taking much of their fashion from their Eastern European neighbors. Men here wear typical western clothes, although among the youth of the city it is definitely the norm to dress in a very cosmopolitan style, wearing darker and tighter fitting designer clothes.

As for the city itself, it is a city full of contrasts and contradictions. You can see how its history has made it into the eclectic mix that it is today. You will see tons of luxury cars on the road, including a host of Range Rovers and Mercedes, but always flanked bu a horde of old taxis and Russian-made cars. The buildings are also quite a mix. At times, you look up at think you are in Paris, with beautiful stone arches and wide windows, with a luxury retailer such as Armani or Guess on the ground floor. Next you feel like you have been transported to an ancient Roman city when you are wandering about in the Old City, not sure what to make of the history that surrounds you. Then you look to the next building and it is a Soviet-era Russian bland and boring building, flanked by a dilapidated apartment building that looks like it could crash over in the next big wind storm.

The place just seems to have a hard time defining its own identity. It's an odd mix of Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia, and the Middle East all thrown into one. I guess that is why they call this part of the world both the Caucus and Eurasia, as it has such a mixed identity. Walking around at times I feel like I am back in Europe, but then I try to cross the street, having to dart my way between cars that don't seem to have any real road rules, and I suddenly feel like I am back in Cairo. Quite a bit of the city is well off, mainly due to the influx of foreign oil companies that do a lot of business here in Baku. Because of that, you see major construction strewed all across the city. There are other places that seem much more like the Asian disarray I was somewhat more expecting, with little bazaars and local shops that arm every street corner. It is an odd place, one I am still trying to get my senses around, but I hope this gives you a bit of an idea of what I am seeing an experiencing here in Baku.

Greetings from Baku

Hello my friends and family. I know it may surprise you that I am writing on a blog, as well, its not really my thing, but I am already basically composing one for the NGO I am working for, so I figured I would get with the times and share some of that with all of you. First of all, I have to admit the title of my blog is a bit of a misnomer, but only because I am not Azeri. Secondly, you may ask, where is Baku? Well, its the capital of Azerbaijan, and that may not be so helpful either, so here is a link to a map (http://www.reliefweb.int/mapc/cis/reg/cau/caucia.jpg).

So a brief description of what I am doing here and such. I am working this summer for NHE (Norwegian Humanitarian Enterprise), and NGO that specializes in development work here in Azerbaijan. They just started a new project this year that has a storefront here in Baku that sells locally, handmade (aka only in Azerbaijan) goods created in the countryside of Azerbaijan. The project operates by fair-trade principles, attempting to allow these disadvantaged persons access to the market here in Baku that does not necessarily exist in their hometown. One of the main motivations for the project stems from the fact that local artisans are losing market access due to the large amount of Chinese and Indian imports of handicrafts.

So for the summer, I will be helping them get this project off the ground. That will entail working around 20 hours a week at the store here in Baku, travelling every Monday to either a small town or village that NHE either already has a partnership with or to do exploratory work to look for potential artisans to work with. Think Lewis and Clark, but in the Caucus. I will also be creating a map of the other retail stores in the Old City, helping NHE get an accurate idea of what else is sold in the city and at what prices, especially to foreigners. So here think James Bond, but only searching for the price of small handicrafts. I have also been "assigned" to attend various cultural activities, such local ballets, theaters, music series, etc) and to make sure to eat all of the local food specialties. Soon I will be posting some of my initial thoughts on Baku and a little history and culture of the place to give you a better understanding of what life is like over here.