Week One - Baku

I made eye contact and made a friend today. I was told not to hold people's gaze too long, or smile at them - they would think I am "interested" or "feeble-minded". This one thought nothing of the sort... or maybe both...and I would come up with some goods! Unfortunately, I was empty handed. 

·      I walked along the boulevard next to the sea early this morning - few others out and about except cats, street cleaners, invisible yet audible doves, sparkling sea and ever-present breeze. Baku is a city of wind AND fountains – but in no way a blend of Chicago and Rome (or Kansas City?). If it were, the food would be amazing and so far it is quite fine… not yet amazing.

·      This one appears both interested and feeble minded - don’t ask me who it is. I found him/her in the park, staring and eager. Apparently a mascot of the European Games – in town for the next 2 weeks. The pomegranate-type head immediately drew me in. I have been told they will start soon and I won’t be able to eat enough of them – pomegranate everything – this might be amazing!

I would use amazing to describe the fresh squeezed OJ I had on the boulevard this morning! And the blooming cactus...

...and me jumping through the flaming ring of fire!

The men's bike race was also pretty darn amazing...

Until I got a little too close as they came around the corner in the Old City. I got yelled at by a nice police man!

This is Shirvanshah's Palace in the Old City - which I keep calling Old Town and missing home in the process. This was a pretty awesome place. 

And some Russian graffiti carved into one of the doorways!

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Haven’t been here long, but realize this place truly is a crossroads - an evolving avenue of east and west, north and south, old and new, glitz and stone and cement. Over 90% Muslim yet the only religious experience I have had is watching the office cleaning lady put on a scarf and read the Koran out loud in the kitchen each afternoon. Not quite the call to prayer, but close enough.