Thursday, October 30, 2008

People of Lahic and Nich...

These are pictures of craftsmen in Lahic…they might be well fed up of tourists who take their photos as if they are from another planet…ok we do this out of curiosity of course…but I wonder if these people would want to take our photo in the office behind computer looking serious saving the world :) are we?? :)

These craftsmen in Lahic were happy to pause their work and pose for us and were very friendly…I hope they teach younger generation and these skills are transferred no matter how developed the world becomes. I believe in human factor and what people can create.




I am also posting a photo of the curator of Albanian church in Nich, Qabala, who was not in the church but came to open the doors for us and share with us his time and knowledge. We were just tourists who didn’t even donate any money (some of my colleagues might have) and people whom he would maybe never see again. But he was happy to come and spend his time and talk about the history and traditions…and we were very grateful to him. I hope that people will stay as friendly as they are now and smile and have sympathy for each other...just...for nothing...just because all of us are humans.

Here is a picture of Albanian church in Nich, Qabala, I am mentioning.

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Sunday, October 26, 2008

News of the day :)

Dear All, today I have received the below message that I need to share with you! Please read and see lower!

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Hi Ayten, Let me introduce myself. Iam Jennifer Quiambao from the Philippines. I also have 1 child, a son.my son's school held a contest to commemorate united nations day and he was one of the participants (6 years old). we decided to have him represent a un member country that is not familiar to everybody. we did an on line research and came up and decided on choosing Azerbaijan. We used the pictures you posted here and copied their costumes. We won the grand prize. Also it was a very learning experience because everyone got to know a few details about this country. Thank you so much for your post.it was a very very big help. I would like to share with you some photos from the said contest. I feel very proud.

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In addition to separate personal message I have already written to Jennifer I want to congratulate her and her son here on blog with winning the grand prize.

and I am so happy to see that my blog is serving its purpose :) Here is my post on Azeri costumes...

Thank you to all of you for visiting my blog!!

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Friday, October 24, 2008

Unknown Azerbaijan...Lahic, Ismailli...

Lahic village, which is unique in many ways and is located far and not easy to go to mountains of Ismailly region (north-west) of Azerbaijan is distinct for its copper-smiths.
This is the picture of one of the copper workshops in Lahic....Please take your time to see (if the picture allows) many different pieces in the workshop.

And this is the picture of one of the copper shops...shiny...

P.S. Today I have put new function on the blog, which plays Azeri classical music. Hope you enjoy...
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Thursday, October 23, 2008

Older people...

I am never able to pass by older people in the region and not take their photo (if I am in a creative mood:). I think they are so distinct in the way they are dressed (and not only) and I am afraid that we, younger generation will not dress the same way they do when we get older and with this something unique and traditional will be lost with time...You can see my older posts with the same theme here and here.
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Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Unknown Azerbaijan...Haji Zeynalabdin Tagiyev...

Above is the picture of one of the amazing characters in Azerbaijan history...amazing because he, Haji Zeynalabdin Tagiyev, was one of the few people who became suddenly rich after being very poor (oil had been discovered in land he owned) and was able to not only prosper but also build
theatre, schools, water pipes and do many more things that were not profitable for him per se but were done for people...other people...for any new charity/useful project he had to struggle (get ok from local and Russian rulers) and put not only his time and money but also a piece of himself...He was not a politician, he was not in charge, he was not responsible for well being of his community...most probably he was doing what he was thinking was the right thing to do...
Many of his children lived in deep poverty after Communist Party invasion...but Bakuvians still use water from his pipes; and his house, one of the best landmarks in the city, is turned into history museum and his home museum and many interesting stories stay in the memory of the city and its inhabitants...and he will stay as one of the best examples in history as the man who had heart big enough to be able to share...not for profit but for humanity...
Please make sure to visit the museum mentioned above when you are in Baku. It is located in the city centre on 4 Z. Tagiyev street, close to Music Comedy Theatre and Fountain Square.
Below is the picture of stairs in Tagiyev's home museum...to awake your interest :)

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Monday, October 20, 2008

Unknown Azerbaijan...Shemakhi...Djume Mescid...



These are pictures of an interesting mosque in Shemakhi (city in the north-west of Azerbaijan) called Djume Mesçid i.e. Blue Mosque. Interesting because it has a different architecture and design and does not look typical; because has played a role in history when was used by locals as sanctuary in early XX century (although unfortunately in vain since people were still burnt inside it) and because any historical place is interesting and unique in itself especially when dates back to X century (this is all what I am able to tell; the rest and much more is known to historians)…not sure if one can enter the mosque as a tourist easily but it is interesting to see it if you are in Shemakhi…
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Sunday, October 19, 2008

Unknown Azerbaijan...Ismailli...

From what I hear from older people buying a car was not only financial but equally if not more political, social challenge in Soviet times as Communist Party did not think that every citizen "did deserve" the car and other things...(as a separate subject it amuses and irritates me a lot how people create artificial hierarchies and limits for each other with numerous objective and to my opinion mainly subjective reasons)...So people were unhappy...
Modern independence brought market economy what in return brought lending and other opportunities and voilà people buy one-two cars and here is Baku and not only with traffic jams, more road accidents etc, etc...So people are unhappy...
Below is the picture of only communication link to couple of villages in Ismailli (region of Azerbaijan)...this link I suppose has been the same be it Soviet times or market economy...


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Friday, October 17, 2008

Unknown Azerbaijan…Mereze…

Today I am starting a series of posts titled Unknown Azerbaijan…

First post is devoted to the place called Mereze…this is one of the first locations that one passes when leaving Baku and going towards north-west of Azerbaijan.

I need to mention right away that during my last trip to regions I had an amazing guide, Mr Oktay Rzayev about whom I hope to write separately. Thanks to him the trip turned into a miracle of discoveries, knowledge and amusement. Thank you, Oktay muellim (muellim is how we address teachers, scholars and in general older male people in Azerbaijan to show respect).
The thing is that Mereze is the place that I would drive by each time going to Sheki and drive by swiftly because its nature is deserted and nude comparing to green landscapes of Shamakhi (Şamaxı) and other…I was assuming wrongly that there was nothing interesting in Mereze…as we all know assumptions often take place when there is lack of knowledge…my another wrong assumption was that Mereze is named after Mereze gypsies…I forgot to think that we call “merez” - people that do not feel very well and here! with guidance of Oktay muellim we drive inside Mereze and beautiful landscape together with holy place where people got cured from bronchial and alike diseases opens up (this is where the name Mereze takes its roots) …and the first thought that stroke me was how wrong I was to think that Mereze was boring…without zest…wrong, wrong assumptions that happen now and then…
Hope you enjoy the photos and those of you looking for adventures and discoveries please don’t rush to drive by Mereze next time…



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Thursday, October 16, 2008

Autumn...and not only...

Autumn or fall is rain, wind, dirt, puddles, depression BUT it is also red, yellow leaves, less heat, fall of the leaves and beautiful period of nature. So much depends on mood. I would say that good mood and good weather are interconnected. Good weather cheers one up; good mood enables us to appreciate the weather…and not only…


P.S. I had sent my modest review (please see the post lower) of The Kite Runner to the author Khaled Hosseini and got the below reply from him that was very pleasant to read:
Dear Ayten,
Thank you for sharing the review you wrote on my novel, The Kite Runner. I am very touched by your kind words. I am also thrilled that you enjoyed The Kite Runner and really appreciate your taking the time to write to me. It is great for me to hear that my story has resonated with you.
Best wishes,
Khaled Hosseini
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Friday, October 03, 2008

The Kite Runner, a review (kind of)...

When I was lent the book, I had already been told that it was impressive. So my expectations were high and positive…

It is amazing what a book can do to a person. One can sit in a beautiful park on a sunny day putting away all her concerns and suddenly be transported somewhere far, to Afghanistan… all of a sudden everything that surrounds you vanishes, one doesn’t see blue sky, high trees, everything is forgotten, one is there weeping over the destiny of a little boy.

That was me weeping in the grand gardens of Topkapi Palace in Istanbul after I had received my Croatian visa ahead of the FI retreat and decided to indulge myself with a few beautiful hours of reading. But I was reading about war and suffering children and there was no peace inside me, my hands were cold, my handkerchief wet, my heart aching.

“It doesn’t take you too long to cry,” my friends would tell me once I had told them about the book. That’s true but this book is so real. Read it… you will feel the same.
The first similarity that I discover is the word jan used by the author. We use this word a lot in Azerbaijan. Jan means soul, spirit, it is untranslatable (that is why it is not translated by the author either, like many other words that he left in Farsi). Jan is how parents and grandparents reply to their children and grandchildren when they are called instead of saying simply “Yes.” I see that in Afghanistan they add jan to names: “Amir jan” We say “ana jan” (dear mother), “ata jan” (dear father), Azerbaijan. I like the idea of adding jan to names and suggested calling one of my relatives “Arif jan” but he doesn’t agree. He hasn’t read the book, he is not under the spell.

Then I see that Afghans also drink a lot of tea, just as we do. We use the same Farsi words and people are so similar everywhere: all parents love similarly, all lovers feel the same tenderness, all children are vulnerable and perfect everywhere and war is so equally ridiculous and terrifying…

I see that Afghans are very attached to their traditions, which sometimes don’t allow them to develop and free themselves from unnecessary borders and limitations. I see that they also often do lots of thinking and worry that breaking with tradition might be equivalent to betraying their identity, their ancestors. I see that whoever leaves his country with bitterness doesn’t find happiness and inner peace until he accepts, forgives, loves his past and his roots. I see that in many immigrants from Azerbaijan too.

As I read the book my own thoughts keep coming up, I stop, think, look around: “This garden is so beautiful. It is amazing what human hands can create,” I tell myself before diving in back again and finding myself in the ruins of Kabul and the neatness of San Francisco.

A couple of hours pass, I have a headache. The book is over. I am happy with the ending. Some of my wishes about the ending came true. It is simply a book… I know, but I had wished. I close the book, open it, read about the author again, write down the name of his other book, analyse the cover and put it carefully into my bag. I wouldn’t give it to my 20-year-old sister to read. I don’t want her to read about cruelty although she has to know that “there are bad people in this world, and sometimes bad people stay bad. Sometimes you have to stand up to them.” Anyway, not now… Maybe later when she is a grown up and in case she has become infected with the now-widespread “glass is half empty” disease and doesn’t notice all the good around her.

I get up to walk and I am thinking how lucky we are to live in peace and not be caught up like mere toys in someone’s sick war games.

I am heading to a dinner with a Turkish former colleague. “How is Baku?” is his usual first question. “Pretty and peaceful” is my positive reply, instead of the usual sighing and whining. It might be a surprise to him why I mention peace, because he hasn’t read the book… yet!
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Tribute to Thor Heyerdahl

I wrote once about Caucasian Albanian temple in Kish, village of Sheki in this blog.

Today I am posting a photo of a bronze portrait of Thor Heyerdahl that stands in front of the temple who said the following during his visit to Sheki.

“Scandinavian mythology describes a god called ODIN that came to Nothern Europe from a place called Azer. I have studied these writings and concluded that it is not mythology. It is real history and geography.”

Personally I am fascinated by grand work Thor Heyerdahl was able to do during his life. Thanks to him our Caucasian Albanian temple in Kish got revitalized as well…
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Thursday, October 02, 2008

Presidential Elections in Azerbaijan...

This year on October 15, 2008 Azerbaijan is having Presidential elections. Fortunately this year it is not allowed to glue photos of candidates on fronts of the buildings. This is very good as unsticking those photos later was always ruining the facades...

This is how the photos are displayed this year...I took this photo when I saw the man analysing the candidates...visually...
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