Salaam everyone -- Da Message Board

[ Show ]

Support VoyForums

[ Shrink ]

VoyForums Announcement: Programming and providing support for this service has been a labor of love since 1997. We are one of the few services online who values our users' privacy, and have never sold your information. We have even fought hard to defend your privacy in legal cases; however, we've done it with almost no financial support -- paying out of pocket to continue providing the service. Due to the issues imposed on us by advertisers, we also stopped hosting most ads on the forums many years ago. We hope you appreciate our efforts.

Show your support by donating any amount. (Note: We are still technically a for-profit company, so your contribution is not tax-deductible.) PayPal Acct: Feedback:

Donate to VoyForums (PayPal):

[ Login ] [ Main index ] [ Post a new message ] [ Search | Check update time | Archives: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, [9], 10 ]

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Date Posted: 04:59:43 07/08/03 Tue
Author: Sam IV
Subject:

Salaam everyone

Azerbaijan is where I am now and it�s a good place to be.
-If you have money that is, the alternative doesn�t really bear thinking about.
After spending almost a year in Scotland it�s good to finally be in a hot and sunny place. I�m staying in my Dad�s apartment, which is about two blocks up from the Caspian Sea, and about two blocks down of the Lenin Museum. However it�s now full of carpets so I don�t know what he�d think of that.
I�ve gone down to have a look at the Caspian and there is no need for a sign saying �no swimming.� Given the amount of oil lying around on the surface, perhaps �no smoking� is more appropriate.
But it�s great just to wander around as long as you avoid traffic. They actively speed at you should you go in front of them and substitute the brake for the horn. The whole effect is like some great river of Russian Ladas and the odd Merc heading upstream to spawn.
I just spent the weekend in the mountains, a town called Sheki. Absolutely relaxed and a gorgeous place to be as far as mountain retreats go. I spent the weekend eating way too much and exploring the local area. Our translator was good enough to show me a few of the better placed cafes and taught me how to play dominoes. I won but I think that�s cause my dad was paying his wages for the next few days. The cafe culture is very big here. There are teahouses that sit above the town so you can enjoy a light sip and watch the entire valley. I also learnt that Azeris don�t put sugar cubes in their tea, they have a different method. You simply put the cube in your mouth and let it dissolve as you drink the tea.
Did I mention a lot of people here have gold teeth?
Sheki is a great place to relax. Even the rooster only crows at about 9.30/10.00, 10.30 if it�s a really nice morning. The food was fabulous and there were kittens always running around the outside dining areas.
It�s a friendly place full of anachronisms and unfortunate poverty. It is one of the most corrupt countries in the world and official government statistics put the unemployment at about 1%. That makes it the most economically strong place in the world and this has left many people sceptical about the reliability of local sources.
I�ve bought some Oakleys that might even be genuine and possibly had my laundry stolen.
I lost my signed Proclaimers poster I stole from HMV at Istanbul Airport and cruised the streets of Sheki in my maybe Oakleys and a local�s Mercedes.
I�ve just celebrated my 24th birthday at a local outdoor restaurant and bar in Baku and I marvel at the way I never thought I�d be there for my 24th. Where to go for my 25th?
I�m thinking Korea...
So far the funniest thing I�ve noticed is that the popular local brand of washing powder is called BARF�. I think it�s great for colour but not really for whites.
Being in a former Soviet country is really an experience. The neighbourhood is full of government buildings and old mansions that belonged to Russian oil barons in the early 1900�s. One of the local mansions is said to have housed one oil baron who was overrun by the Bolsheviks. Two men on horseback rode up the stairs, smashing everything in their path. The owner of the house watched them coming up and shot them both dead, as they had no room to manoeuvre. He then looked out and realised just how bad his situation was before turning the gun on himself to be spared their justice or a mob.
This is a curious country as far as Islam goes. They heavily frown on men in shorts but the women can wear whatever they like. This includes skimpy tops and pants they put on with a spray gun. Then the abstinence from alcohol seems to be non-existent as they drink so much vodka they practically sprinkle it on their cornflakes.
What can I say? It�s great!
Are X-Men 2 and the Matrix reloaded out on DVD yet? They certainly are here, as well as the �impossible to pirate� Windows XP and every other form of software imaginable.
Over the next few days I�m going to continue wandering through the markets and seeing what I can pick up. The main items are Soviet era medals and badges as well as general bric-a-brac. One man showed me curious, silver, rectangular object yesterday. You press one part and hey presto! A cigarette lighter! Then you press another button and suddenly you have at least a two-inch flick knife with an assortment of spikes running down the backside of the blade.
I gotta admit... I was tempted...
I haven�t got a plan for Baku but you don�t really need one. I�ll just see what happens and on Wednesday I�m going scavenging at a local Soviet tank graveyard.
Well I�m really missing everyone and I hope I�ll be home by Christmas. However things on the home front are changing so I may not have a house when I get back. If that happens I�m thinking of moving the Spain for the winter months. I�ll be in Italy in September so it�s really not that far to go.
Later people,
Sam.
PS The local beer is pretty good but very sweet, takes some getting used to. Given it�s my birthday I tried my best. :-)

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Replies:

Re: Salaam everyone -- Ratbat, 18:18:27 08/13/03 Wed