tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-93318412011-12-20T11:57:20.301+02:00It is enough that the people know there was an election. The people who cast the votes decide nothing. The people who count the votes decide everything.Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.comBlogger1811100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1144562563280550482006-04-09T08:44:00.000+03:002006-04-09T09:48:30.693+03:00

You get what you pay for with Blogspot, which is a lot of technical problems, lost posts and limited features, so we've packed up the whole operation and moved over to Typepad. All you have to do is click here and change your bookmark or update your RSS with the new link. You subscribe-by-email folks hopefully will have to do nothing. Don't forget to update your links!Expect some ugliness and

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1144342731091698372006-04-06T19:33:00.000+03:002006-04-06T19:58:53.900+03:00

Long before Issaquah, Washington became a place where bands came from, it was hardly more than a single exit off I-90 where mullet-headed kids drove camaros and smoked weed at the bus stop.Accordingly, its architectural landmarks have remained largely underappreciated, until today, when BoingBoing featured the beloved XXX Rootbeer sign in a post about internet censorship that I didn't really

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1143895738322339122006-04-01T15:43:00.000+03:002006-04-01T15:48:58.416+03:00

So it turns out that this week's solar eclipse was not, in fact, responsible for yesterday's earthquakes in Iran, sez the AZ Seismological Department.I feel adrift. I've often said that if you can't believe the Azerbaijan government, who can you trust? If those earthquakes were not caused by the eclipse, what could possibly have caused them? Mixing watermelon and water?

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1143784803136926712006-03-31T05:54:00.000+03:002006-03-31T09:00:03.163+03:00

I was preparing a catty post about the AZ Seismological Department warning about eclipse-induced earthquakes and look what happens! Earthquakes in Iran!Boy. Would I have ever felt bad about mocking that.

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1143699038822058562006-03-30T05:58:00.000+03:002006-03-30T09:10:39.130+03:00

Via Coming Anarchy, Xinjiang's latest pop sensation go to YouTube to see a video from an unnamed pop group from Xinjiang made of up three Uyghur girls from Uzbekistan. What they lack in production values, rhythm and, uh, talent, they make up for in musical influences. You can hear Indian, Chinese and maybe even Persian/Turko pop (one of my goals in Azerbaijan was to learn how to distinguish

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1143561768653133112006-03-28T18:41:00.000+03:002006-03-28T19:08:08.216+03:00

"All save one of Baku's votes got subtracted" due to a "server crash?" Is this for real?* Don't fuck with Azerbaijan, man. You don't want to end up like Armenia. Oh, wait....Get in there and VOTE*You know, if Azerbaijan was a more technologically advanced place, I would wonder...

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1143482289249828882006-03-27T20:44:00.000+03:002006-03-27T22:17:31.223+03:00

If you're a Carpetblogger demographic, you probably think of places like Wellington, NZ only in terms of whether Azal flies there non-stop, whether there are good malls with decent shoe stores or the availability of a quality lunchtime V&T at a bargain basement price.That's why you should visit Gridskipper and strike a blow against "ironic hair metal and low-fi electro" music scenes, Maori

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1143301362874600082006-03-25T16:49:00.000+02:002006-03-25T17:51:42.490+02:00

Took place today as we hooked up the CABLE MODEM in our apartment. Welcome to the wired world! Data wants to flow freely, and this means more photos uploaded and more music downloaded. What once took 45 minutes now takes two.So here are some photos of people and things that made my life in Baku easier, more pleasant or funnier.My favorite sign in Baku. Ruslan, carpetdealer to the stars, and Ramin

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1143294699406087312006-03-25T15:40:00.000+02:002006-03-25T15:51:39.466+02:00

There's a special club for dictators who get 70%+ of the vote. They gotta stick together. Maybe Ilham can give Alex a few tips on how to crush peaceful protests with water cannons and dogs and stay friends with the west. Maybe find some oil under Polatsk?On a different, but related topic: If Lukashenka is Europe's last dictator, where does that leave Ilham? Not a dictator or not in Europe?

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1143219770079551142006-03-24T18:52:00.000+02:002006-03-24T19:02:50.123+02:00

from Turkmenistan (and other parts of Central Asia), check out photographer Chris Herwig's site. Chris travelled through Turkmenistan with us this time last year and Registan reminded me to check in at his site. I was totally blown away. I am appalled and embarrassed to admit I was on the same trip, based on the photographs. Of course, he didn't take the vomitorium back to Baku. If you want to

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1143035965354094432006-03-21T17:17:00.000+02:002006-03-22T15:59:25.516+02:00

Carpetblogger's return to Baku to liberate the Producer and the Carpetdogs failed. However, since liberation was not the trip's only agenda, it wasn't a complete failure. There was a lot of swine (since beef is rarely an option, all forms of lamb/mutton/haggid absolutely off the table and the poultry population decimated by "starvation," what choice did we have?), twice as much wine and more than

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1143042032703307562006-03-21T16:32:00.000+02:002006-03-22T17:51:19.556+02:00

Baku has every kind of bar, as long as it's English, Scottish or Irish. Finnegans, arguably Baku's most popular bar, falls firmly into the latter category. I don't think it's one of these pre-fab Irish bars in a box, though it might be and serves the same purpose. The gold standard for local watering holes, it's probably the first place you go when you come to town and the last place you hit

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1143037845168899892006-03-21T16:05:00.000+02:002006-03-22T16:30:45.290+02:00

The new YAM coins are being recalled, so you're gonna want to get one for your collections.The reason: No dates on them.Do you think I make this shit up? 'Cause I don't.

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1142407813447756962006-03-15T06:16:00.000+02:002006-03-15T09:30:13.483+02:00

It's been a while since we've checked in on the battle between Donald Trump and Turkmenbashi for world domination, but I think we have to put another win in the 'Bashi's column. Trump has never come up with an idea so grand, so visionary as foresting the desert. Really, trees are the only thing that missing from Turkmenistan. Trust the 'Bashi to implement a plan to rectify the situation.Thanks to

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1142154443687801092006-03-12T10:48:00.000+02:002006-03-12T11:07:26.366+02:00

So you find yourself playing a gig at Art Club 44, one of Kyiv's hipper joints in which the oligarichal influence is minimal. Hailing from Seattle, you play grunge/punk accordian while channeling Tom Waites, frequently while wearing a mask and shaking a plastic bottle full of dirt. The thonged Natashas at the front of the stage writhe and remove layers of clothing, until the nuances your original

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1142152840235234502006-03-12T09:51:00.000+02:002006-03-12T10:40:40.336+02:00

It turns out that Carpetblogger and President Bush have more in common than just a desire to see democracy flower in countries with oil! We both love carpets. Thanks to SF friend and reader Gina for the link."And then there's the rug. Don't forget the rug. President Bush never does. For whatever reason, Bush seems fixated on his rug. Virtually all visitors to the Oval Office find him regaling

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1142149817025058482006-03-12T09:42:00.000+02:002006-03-12T09:50:17.166+02:00

This week's destination? Vinnitsa, a regional city in the South Central part of the country. It's place so dull and gray the photos aren't worth the bandwidth it would take to post them.

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1141802656617839202006-03-08T06:12:00.000+02:002006-03-08T09:24:16.660+02:00

The Clever Minx, who apparently has increasingly limited social options, was watching Lider TV (Baku's favorite all-President, all-the-time TV station) the other night and sent an update on the government's efforts to reassure the public that they've got this whole bird flu thing completely under control. The report she saw showed guys in full protection suits throwing chickens into a pit and

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1141578055298953572006-03-05T18:54:00.000+02:002006-03-08T08:40:24.660+02:00

I visited my first closed city! As home to the Uzhmash missile factory, Dnipropetrovsk in eastern Ukraine was so important to the Soviets that they closed it to foreigners. Today, not only is it the money laundering capital of Ukriane, it's a proud mine of Sovietica without irony or sentimentality. Long cold walk in DNPDnipropetrovsk's history museum is a rare breed -- apparently well-funded,

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1141654692832562032006-03-05T18:50:00.000+02:002006-03-12T11:37:46.330+02:00

The Parliamentary election in Ukraine is the 26th and you can't swing a dead cat without hitting a kid standing on a street corner waving a flag in the snow or a middle-aged lady sitting in a tent lazily handing out campaign lit.These sort of stunts are a heck of a lot easier than actually going out to talk to voters.Anyway, there is some interesting stuff out there and I've documented it belowMy

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1141576940879190362006-03-05T18:40:00.000+02:002006-03-05T18:42:20.903+02:00

It's election time and I am collecting photos of my favorite campaign signs to post soon, but this is my favorite so far. It's in Dnipropetrovsk, in eastern Ukraine, where democracy thrives under the watchful eye of capitalism and communism.

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1141036028340663812006-02-27T06:48:00.000+02:002006-02-27T12:27:08.463+02:00

I'm not a big goer-into-churches or mosques or temples unless they are truly extraordinary. Religious art is the most limited art form, IMHO, and gets boring pretty quickly. I usually want to see something really unusual. Lviv actually has some pretty nice churches -- Catholic, Armenian and Orthodox, all in a very compact area.The gloom of the Armenian chapel was pierced by this shaft of

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1141034648377395762006-02-27T06:44:00.000+02:002006-02-27T12:04:08.703+02:00

I think Lviv, with its baroque and neo-renaissance architecture and fine bakeries, is the nicest Ukrainian city. Of course, I have some Polish friends who cringe when those two words are used next to each other. Control of Lviv seesawed among Poles, Turks, Austro-Hungarians and Germans, and the Poles are still more than a little bitter over losing the city in 1944 to the Russians. It's easy to

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1140971387167488972006-02-26T18:25:00.000+02:002006-02-27T14:00:56.696+02:00

Thursday was Red Army Day, a holiday that is still acknowledged in Ukraine. The Ukies in my office organized a rather elaborate lunch to celebrate, with red wine, champagne, pizza, red caviar on toast, fruit and boxed candy. Admittedly, I found this a little hard to swallow. As I understood it, the Red Army was like the boorish uncle who showed up late to the party emptyhanded, drank all the

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1140512507718522892006-02-21T18:52:00.000+02:002006-02-21T17:41:40.766+02:00

So the Financial Times' FDI magazine recently published a fantasmagorical article proclaiming Baku as a "2006/2007 European City of the Future." The panel decreed:EASTERN EUROPE/WESTERN CIS:Winner: Baku, AzerbaijanRunner up: Rivne City, UkraineWith an estimated GDP of more than 12.6bn for 2005 and an economy growing at more than 10% a year, Baku is emerging as an important economic powerhouse for

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1140340350485767432006-02-19T11:09:00.000+02:002006-02-20T08:57:25.440+02:00

I stepped outside last night to the sound of motion. Water in motion. Flowing, dripping, splashing and slopping water. This can mean only one thing:A thaw.The temperature rose above freezing for the first time since I arrived in Ukraine, so the sound of moving water was a new addition to the landscape. I’m not so naïve to believe, as much as I want to, that the water won’t revert to its silent

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1140257349427604092006-02-18T11:47:00.000+02:002006-02-18T12:38:19.293+02:00

As part of the painful transition from blogging in one Crapistan to another, I've updated my woefully out-of-date links list, adding a couple of interesting blogs here in Ukraine. Most of them cover politics, which is really nice to read since in Baku there was little -- nay, nothing -- in English worth reading about the political environment.Worry not, Carpetblogger will not be commenting on gas

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1140249301031124762006-02-18T09:31:00.000+02:002006-02-20T15:13:03.596+02:00

Europe needs to be fully apprised of what it's getting. That clever minx Sasha had the brilliant idea to compile "Azerisms" heard and marveled at throughout the ages. She put out a call, offering valuable prizes to he or she who submitted the best and/or most Azerisms. Response was overwhelming and she was kind enough to allow Carpetblogger to publish them. Some are uniquely Azeri, others are

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1139757388985157732006-02-12T16:30:00.000+02:002006-02-18T12:32:20.183+02:00

You would hardly know it based on my posts. In the two weeks I've been here, I've been in such hotspots (and boy, do I ever use the word "hot" loosely) as Kherson (east of Odessa), Poltava (between Kyiv and Kharkiv, in central Ukraine) and Uzhgorad (on the border with Slovakia and Hungary). Lviv, Vinnytsya, Zaporizhzhia and Dnipropetrovsk are on the agenda for the coming weeks. I put these photos

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1139753584996047622006-02-12T15:36:00.000+02:002006-02-12T16:13:08.333+02:00

I made my escape from Azerbaijan through Georgia, a country in which I regret not having spent more time, especially in the summer. I enjoyed several exceptional meals in the cellar bar at World of Urine in Tbilisi. Now of course that's not really its name -- it's called World of Wine, and it's just around the corner from the opera house. The sign outside is written in such a way that calls into

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1139660068510923492006-02-11T14:01:00.000+02:002006-02-11T14:14:29.126+02:00

Then you're going to love this photo of Miss Azerbaijan 2006, submitted by longtime reader and first-time puppy abandoner, Baku Stevie. I can't credit BS with the photo -- he reports he didn't want to pay $200 for a seat at the event. Where are his values? -- but kudos to whoever did.

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1139659071039893502006-02-11T13:55:00.000+02:002006-02-11T13:57:51.083+02:00

But the government said all those dead birds with black heads died from malnutrition. The vet laboratory in Barda confirmed it! I hardly know who to believe any more. If you can't trust the government of Azerbaijan, and the lab in Barda, who can you trust?Bad news for those of you in Baku who like to kiss bird heads and fondle raw poultry. You know who you are.

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1139254750919595152006-02-06T21:08:00.000+02:002006-02-06T21:45:58.206+02:00

Since I can't think of anything new and interesting to write about, I'm posting things I wrote a while back. The Best Model contest happened in November.On The Catwalk, Azerbaijan-StyleDappled thighs reverberate down the runway, their young owners blissfully unaware of the stigma attached to fashion models with cellulite in other parts of the world. These young women clearly had spent more time

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1139161300909134992006-02-05T18:46:00.000+02:002006-02-05T19:55:42.990+02:00

Since nothing interesting seems to happen in Ukraine -- at least now that I'm here -- I am going to move into re-runs. Gadling has been posting about Chernobyl tours, which inspired me. When the Producer and I traveled around the world in 2003, we stopped in Kyiv for a few weeks to visit a friend. During our visit, we toured Chernobyl. This is what I wrote about it. Go NuclearThe former Soviet

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1137247951719492932006-01-22T15:06:00.000+02:002006-01-22T10:11:37.660+02:00

As of tomorrow, Carpetblogger will no longer be reporting from Azerbaijan, the Oasis Between Iran and Chechnya. It's been almost two years and the time has come to pull up stakes and mosey on down the golden road. Here are some FAQ. Feel free to post others. I will feel free to ignore those I don't like.*Where are you going?For the short term, Ukraine. While I have mixed feelings about this --

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1137777876354309222006-01-20T18:23:00.000+02:002006-01-22T10:20:20.120+02:00

Today -- 20 January -- is the mother of all Mourning Days (don't you even think about calling it a holiday) in Azerbaijan. It commemorates the day 16 years ago when Soviet tanks rolled into Baku to crush the fledgling independence movement. From a breathless email that circulated around town yesterday: Special Soviet troops using heavy offensive weapons, including tanks and armored vehicles,

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1137601803429368142006-01-18T18:23:00.000+02:002006-01-18T18:30:03.460+02:00

The only thing that could conceivably make Baku's streets more treacherous is the addition of snow and ice. Today was the first snow of the season and it's still coming down. Idiot drivers, unplowed streets and poorly maintained cars mean that it's safer just to stay home.However, home is not the cozy haven one would hope. As long as I'm airing some grievances, at this moment, we have heat only

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1137243067696021412006-01-14T14:46:00.000+02:002006-01-14T14:51:07.756+02:00

Turan reports today that the sale of poultry in Azerbaijan is banned as of this weekend, which explains why it was impossible to find any chicken in the markets today. And, oh yeah, remember all those chickens that mysteriously died in Masalli a few weeks ago? OF COURSE they didn't have bird flu -- they were probably just crossing a road or something -- but, just to be safe, they're going to be

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1137154687830077972006-01-13T16:53:00.000+02:002006-01-13T17:15:37.323+02:00

Azerbaijan has a new currency, delightfully shorthanded as YAM (Yeni Azerbaijan Manat, or new Azerbaijan Manat). It's causing all manner of mayhem. You never know what currency is going to come out of the ATM -- old Manats or new. The standard foreigner taxi fare of one shirvan, (or 10,000 old manats, now two, or iki, YAM)is now subject to far too much debate and interpretation. It's certainly

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1136991953792738502006-01-13T16:37:00.000+02:002006-01-13T13:52:26.883+02:00

Who else's office would burn down two days after he moves into it?Big fire in an office building in Baku Tuesday night. It started in the local Eriksson offices and pretty much stayed there, but The Producer's brand new set of four offices, sublet from an American NGO, were right next to it and supplied the walls through which firefighters could break to fight it. They'd only actually moved into

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1136825575148096522006-01-09T18:51:00.000+02:002006-01-09T18:52:55.150+02:00

Then might we suggest The Bloggies?

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1136825347887178512006-01-09T18:46:00.000+02:002006-01-09T18:58:06.220+02:00

Boy oh boy, colorful holidays like tomorrow's Bayram (Eid Al-Adha) are why we live in places like this, right? It is not a good day to be a sheep, though, since every family is obligated to slaughter one and distribute the meat among their members and the poor. It's rooted in when Abraham offered to sacrifice his son Ishamel to Allah (also known as "Yaweh" or good ol' "God" in other religions).

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1136810194144697272006-01-09T16:32:00.000+02:002006-01-09T14:36:34.843+02:00

From World hum comes this clever list of travel hints from students who did a Semester at Sea program. I think there are some excellent ideas in here.During our round-the-world journey in 2003, the Producer and I came up with some similar tips, though we entered some uncharted territory in our list. From an email we sent home from South Africa in the last two weeks of our 13 month trip:*You can

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1136582906934135062006-01-06T22:27:00.000+02:002006-01-06T23:28:27.013+02:00

The Way Turks React When you Tell Them You Live in Azerbaijan: Even though they're fundamentally the same stock and speak similar languages, Turks view Azeris as their country bumpkin cousins who speak cracker Turkish -- hardly heirs to the same cultural heritage that brought us Turkish Delight (fruit flavored Silly Putty). I told a shopkeeper today I live in Azerbaijan, and he nearly doubled

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1136462976567158192006-01-05T13:25:00.000+02:002006-01-05T14:09:36.670+02:00

Thanks again to Gadling for selecting another one of my photos as photo of the day. I took a series of photos in the bazaar in Sheki -- one of my favorite bazaars in country -- when we were there in November. Sheki lies at the foot of the Caucasus and is made up of old stone buildings with characteristic red slate roofs. It is, without question, the loveliest town in Azerbaijan.Gadling's

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1136459585024914052006-01-05T12:27:00.000+02:002006-01-05T13:13:05.126+02:00

How do I love thee, Istanbul? Let me count the ways:Shopping: The Producer and I started coming here in 1992, when it was a little rougher around the edges. Of course, I hadn't been to India or Cairo then, so I didn't know what aggressive touts were, but the carpet dealers in those days had to be beaten off with sticks. Now they greet you pleasantly and accept "No" as your final answer. Anyway,

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1136186452363133382006-01-02T09:14:00.000+02:002006-01-05T13:22:14.566+02:00

I was going to wait to post this photo until I had written a post about how Istanbul is a rockin' town and how no one has annoyed me for 6 days -- which is some sort of record -- but Gadling beat me to it.Thanks, guys, for selecting these silvery, slimy fish as photo of the day

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1136130359434618112006-01-01T17:41:00.000+02:002006-01-02T07:42:07.376+02:00

That's probably the most valuable skill I've picked up lately, so if you appreciate Carpetblogger's Bedraggled Santa photo, cruise over to Gridskipper's weekly photo contest and cast your vote.It's not a bad site to explore, either.

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1135679710708115882005-12-27T17:21:00.000+02:002005-12-30T23:20:00.973+02:00

Christmas in a Muslim, post-Soviet country home to thousands of British and American ex-pats is a bit schizophrenic. December 25th is no big deal, but most Azeris celebrate the New Year on January 1st (although the REAL new year is Novruz in March), and sometimes even the Russian Christmas on January 6th.A lot of mixed messages get sent and there's a lot of hollow iconography, like this rather

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1135665645181044332005-12-27T01:33:00.000+02:002005-12-27T08:40:45.310+02:00

Them Russians are professionals. Try some of these handy tips. Indeed, they do work, even in Azerbaijan. Via FarkOf course, to successfully implement the program, you must eat copious amounts of herring and mayonnaise salads, but sacrifices must be made.Carpetblogger will nowhere near herring and mayonnaise salads on New Years. She will be trying to prevent the Producer from sampling the raw

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1135610518574628782005-12-26T16:57:00.000+02:002005-12-30T11:27:43.416+02:00

A wise person asked this question this very blog not long ago. According to Samaya, our cleaning lady, the answer is an emphatic "YOX."Let me give a brief tour of our refrigerator right now, highlighting all the different agricultural products that she improved by pickling: chili peppers; garlicgreen bell peppersspecial white cucumbers from Sheki; ordinary everyday green cucumbers from someone's

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1135427958847082602005-12-24T14:22:00.000+02:002005-12-24T14:57:25.436+02:00

It's the truth -- an Azal flight from Baku to Aktau, Kazakhstan crashed last night just after take off. I heard about it at 6 am today, from a friend in Portland who wanted to make sure we weren't on it. It was disorienting to turn on the local news and see nothing about it. That's a mixed blessing: on one hand, you don't get the hysterical hnon-stop coverage and manufactured drama to fill

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1135259647388666432005-12-22T16:28:00.000+02:002005-12-22T16:00:52.800+02:00

Allow me to congratulate him on the 20th Anniversary of his visionary leadership of the Turkmen people. Registan has some juicy press quotes. Here are some photos of his personal mosque outside of Ashgabat where many of the celebrations took place yesterday. The Gypjak Mosque is really something. It has quotations from the Ruhnama engraved in gold encircling the minarets. Above the main entrance:

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1135258081816795542005-12-22T16:10:00.000+02:002005-12-22T15:28:01.913+02:00

Since quitting cold turkey on that dark day in November, 2004, I pretty much ignore all American political commentary on the web that is not written by the Profane Genius Rude Pundit.The Rude Pundit has developed a Loyal Citizen's Contract. I urge you to sign it and pass it on to your friends."I (the undersigned) believe President George W. Bush when he says that the United States of America is

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1134747333984424682005-12-16T17:21:00.000+02:002005-12-16T17:51:21.353+02:00

The noted travel writer Paul Theroux dabbles in erotica (painfully) and expounds at length in Dark Star Safari about his views on foreign aid. He should stick to writing about the world.A Peace Corps volunteer in Malawi in the 60's, Theroux writes in Dark Star Safari about his return to Africa 40 years later to that, after decades of loans and direct foreign aid, not much has changed. He hits

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1134633549853711382005-12-15T02:52:00.000+02:002005-12-15T09:59:09.883+02:00

This is an interesting site I've never run across before (thanks to Gadling, another site I just started reading regularly). Polo's Bastards has some decent stories about "going places you're not supposed to", though I do take issue with including Syria and Pakistan on the list. The only folks afraid of going there are paranoid Americans who worry about some foreign policy chickens coming home to

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1134490495913380712005-12-13T18:11:00.000+02:002005-12-13T18:14:55.930+02:00

If anyone needed any additional evidence of Turkmenbashy's superiority over Donald Trump, one need look no farther than this RFL/RL story about the new "Ruhnama University" T-bashy is building in Ashgabat.

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1134234008754549372005-12-10T17:50:00.000+02:002005-12-17T08:45:39.246+02:00

Dining experiences in Baku are often unique and frequently memorable -- usually for the wrong reasons.I know we shouldn't complain about our restaurants, but we do. Sure, we've got four Chinese, a a terrible Thai, a passable Mexican, a few pizza joints, two Lebanese, several Indian, two sushi places, a decent Italian or two and dozens of Georgian and Turkish. We can have a different style of

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1134229802251821842005-12-10T17:44:00.000+02:002005-12-10T17:50:02.280+02:00

Two British joggers, BP employees it turns, were arrested this week here in Baku near the Khatai reservoir with a "white powder." Charges were suspicion of bioterrorism.They were released after questioning. The white powder? Flour. I'm too lazy to investigate this further, but I'm pretty sure they were marking the Hash route. "The Hash" is a ubiquitous British ex-pat running/social club (or more

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1134196068411722582005-12-10T08:23:00.000+02:002005-12-11T09:04:46.996+02:00

We had Thanksgiving, went to an Azeri wedding and (don't tell me you're not intrigued by this) attended the Best Model of Azerbaijan contest in the last few weeks. All have been uniquely Azeri. Reports and ample photographs to follow.I do have a lot of the photos up on flickr.com already -- many of which will never make it on the blog. Search carpetblogger or just explore the Azerbaijan and Baku

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1134129101069903152005-12-09T17:35:00.000+02:002005-12-12T15:17:19.443+02:00

I have, but that's because I spend a lot of time in them.Although this RFE/RL article delivers the bad news that the brand has been discontinued, it also provides more history and customer feedback on the old Soviet standby than you ever really needed to know.I have mixed feelings about Volgas. Our drivers have them and while they are sturdy and reasonably comfortable (lack of air conditioning

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1133967466136247432005-12-07T16:37:00.001+02:002005-12-09T13:54:43.560+02:00

One of the best parts of carpet shopping for other people is that no one can blame you if you take a little something sweet home for yourself.Three girls spent Saturday afternoon with their dealer, hoping for a little satisfaction. Everyone needed to fulfill a client's (or a relative's) needs. Everyone found something for the people on her list, and took home one, or two, or three for herself.

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1133672782580759762005-12-04T07:05:00.000+02:002005-12-04T07:06:22.660+02:00

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1133444633379969472005-12-01T14:59:00.001+02:002005-12-04T08:09:25.423+02:00

Donald Trump thinks big. You have to admit that. But he is a little, little man when compared to certain Central Asian dictators.Turkmenistan President Sapurmurat Niyazov, known amongst friends as Turkmenbashy and the self-proclaimed Leader of All Turks, has balls as big as cantaloupes (and if I see that phrase written on any public building in Ashgabat, devoid of irony, I demand compensation in

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1132476931398067952005-11-20T20:43:00.000+02:002005-11-20T10:55:31.416+02:00

What election? We're talking about a real crisis here.The supply of pirated DVDs has been drastically reduced in the last few weeks!One of the biggest benefits to living in Baku was the endless supply of first-run movies -- summer blockbusters and independent films alike. Within days of almost any movie opening in the States, it could be purchased here for $5.The pipeline seems to have been cut!

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1132475699419305642005-11-20T09:53:00.000+02:002005-11-20T10:35:00.343+02:00

Thursday was the National Day of Revival, thus a holiday, so M and I headed down to the Teze Bazaar to scope out the Thanksgiving products on offer. Teze Bazaar is sort of like our Costco -- if it's not there, in vast quantities, you probably don't really need it.Is there anything that cannot be improved by pickling?The Teze Bazaar is also the place to go for all kinds of meat products. Tripe,

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1132142152495124272005-11-16T17:32:00.000+02:002005-11-16T13:55:52.510+02:00

And said it far better than I ever could.Good work, CJ!

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1132139613874708492005-11-16T17:01:00.000+02:002005-11-16T13:13:33.896+02:00

From the department of "funny stories that I'm glad didn't happen to me," read this about a visiting election observer who needed emergency dental care in Baku on a Friday night. Thanks to Registan for the link!He probably doesn't want to know this, but there is a western-trained Turkish dentist in town with more modern equipment than most US dentists. I sure wouldn't go to him, but I know

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1132055548270530302005-11-14T18:24:00.000+02:002005-11-15T13:52:28.313+02:00

Caucasian Shepherds are complete badasses. This one stood about three feet tall. Usually two or three of them guard a flock and you don't just run up and say hi. They are absolutely vicious. No wonder: right after they are born, their ears, and sometimes their tails, are broken (I assume to give predators less to latch on to) and they are put in a dark box so their eyes develop. I'm sure that's

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1131795163305058212005-11-12T13:09:00.000+02:002005-11-12T13:52:13.006+02:00

A new photo series on Carpetblog! Remember, irony is not yet a language Azeris are comfortable speaking.Post-Sovietka fashion still reigns in BakuIt was probably 60 degrees on this late September dayI am constantly surprised at how often I see grown men dressed identically in the streets of BakuSo this is in Nardaran, one of Azerbaijan's most religious and conservative villages, about 30 kms from

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1131793351991637122005-11-12T12:13:00.000+02:002005-11-12T13:02:32.056+02:00

Sure, there's a lot going on in Azerbaijan but Carpetblog is a space for commentary on important topics, like elevator etiquette, not politics. Carpetblogger has no opinions on such issues.Western organizations love to do trainings in places like Azerbaijan. If it were up to me, I'd give out grants for trainings on the proper use of and behavior in elevators.Modern elevators are a relatively new

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1130568282085354792005-11-12T08:47:00.000+02:002005-11-12T12:11:29.666+02:00

This story is a lot funnier now than it was when it happened. A few weeks ago, we noticed that Mo, the most precious dogchild, had a small lump on his neck, opposite his now nearly-healed wounds. I figured it was a reaction to the injections he's been getting and chose not to worry about it. A few days later, the lump was the size of a lemon and Mo was very uncomfortable and lethargic. Dr. Anar,

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1131197986274134222005-11-05T15:13:00.000+02:002005-11-05T15:39:46.320+02:00

And the first step is always the hardest. The only problem I have is deciding which one of my latest purchases I like best.This one is a 1946 Karabagh, with so many words woven into it that its weaver must have had a lot to say. Unfortunately, since they are all backwards, she must have been awfully distracted as well. With five or six different kinds of animals represented it, it also tells a

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1131084685734664952005-11-04T07:51:00.000+02:002005-11-04T08:11:25.826+02:00

Since Baku lacks a bit in the service journalism department and so many foreign visitors are in town to watch the ruckus, I've decided to post some restaurant reviews I wrote a while back for a local rag.Pork Chop ShopNothing about Xayal Kafe’s dowdy exterior hints at the forbidden fruit served inside. But this little hole in the wall – known among expats as The Pork Chop Shop -- is Muslim Baku's

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1131085285988212152005-11-04T07:33:00.000+02:002005-11-04T08:26:13.470+02:00

Kafe ShekiWhen you’re in the mood for cheap Azeri food but are tired of greasy lula kabobs and run-of-the-mill cucumber salad, head out for a place like Kafe Sheki that offers traditional kebabs with a twist and platefuls of regional specialties. Baku has many such cafes, designed to remind urban migrants of their home regions. Kafe Sheki serves up meals typical of the mountainous region,

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1131085081363216182005-11-04T07:16:00.000+02:002005-11-04T08:18:01.363+02:00

Traktir Na MalakanskyIf your idea of “comfort food” is brown bread, mushroom blini and “classic” stroganoff, try out Traktir na Molokansky for a homey Russian meal. In a convenient location, Traktir’s rustic but warm interior suggests dark winter nights in the village, illuminated by music, good friends and clear liquor. Traktir offers familiar Russian dishes such as borscht, herring shuba salad

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1130953355558908282005-11-02T19:38:00.000+02:002005-11-02T19:42:35.556+02:00

REALITY SHOW IN AZERBAIJAN BAKU/31.10.05/TURAN: The first reality-show in Azerbaijan, "Gefes", a joint project of the TV company Azad Azerbaycan and Azercell (GencSim) was announced today. Such shows are popular all over the world, and now one will take place in Azerbaijan. "Gefes" is a flat in which 13 people of different ages, from 18 to 30 live. For more than 4 months, TV viewers

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1130952633503405012005-11-02T19:11:00.000+02:002005-11-02T19:30:36.100+02:00

The alligators are snapping their jaws uncomfortably close to my ass, so I am going to resort to pre-blog re-runs. Sorry for those of you who read this email last Thanksgiving, but I thought it was worth posting. Little of it has changed. However, I may be thankful for different things after next week.Thanksgiving in Baku: A Drama in Several Acts.Act I: Assemble guest listAmong all the local

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1129645277477264472005-10-18T17:15:00.000+03:002005-10-18T17:28:02.363+03:00

If Kaukasus blog doesn't make you want to visit Georgia, nothing will. I hope I get another chance to scoot over there before I get the flock out of here. Scroll down to early October for some fantastic shots of Caucasian shepherds and their huge dogs in Tusheti. Even farther down is an strangely compelling photo of a burning horse carcass. But don't miss earlier shots of the "Geogian Kitchen."

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1129644765573954492005-10-18T17:08:00.000+03:002005-11-02T20:15:55.040+02:00

Did you know that Freddy Mercury was an Iranian-born Azeri? You didn't? Well, he was.Azeris don't actually talk about possibly their most famous son all that much, given that he died of AIDS and all. Must have been because he was born in Iran.Who knew?UPDATE: OK OK. I COULD have consulted the source of all accurate information before posting, but it's not like standards for truth and accuracy

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1129466600123873352005-10-16T15:23:00.000+03:002005-10-18T17:07:57.643+03:00

Today's adventure led to Besh Barmag, or Five Finger Mountain. Lumbering Kamaz dumptrucks hauling sand to feed Baku's building boom jockeyed for space on the highway with ancient Volgas packed to the domelight with apples, spare tires presciently tied to their roofs. It was a perfect, warm fall day.Besh Barmag, from the mosque on the highwayBesh Barmag is a Pir, or shrine, that attracts pilgrims

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1129363474340973752005-10-15T09:27:00.000+03:002005-10-15T11:16:39.046+03:00

The oft-asked question of "just how bad is vet care in Azerbaijan?" has been answered: very, very bad. Mo, the most precious dogchild, was attacked by a German Shepherd Monday night while we were still in the States and he was staying at his Russian dogwalker's out in Baku's nether regions. The dog's owner took responsibility and Lena the Russian dogwalker was extremely diligent, taking him to

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1129357547625773932005-10-15T08:50:00.000+03:002005-10-15T09:25:47.633+03:00

My cleaning lady complimented my new carpet yesterday. I assumed she was referring to this:It's a wonderfully faded old Karabagh (1957 is woven into it) with an outstanding and unusual border. I hurriedly purchased it last week when my return to Baku was in question. I worried that I hadn't bought enough carpets.However, since she normally doesn't comment on my new carpets, it occured to me that

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1127568172180584182005-09-24T15:57:00.000+03:002005-09-24T16:22:52.216+03:00

Contorted from eight hours in a Volga and reeking of assfat, I arrived home from my forced march across the regions last night. All I wanted was a little cherry juice spiked with Moscowskaya.I opened the front door to find a dead rat lying in the hall.Too some degree, I was relieved. I knew the City Rat Master had been by earlier that day to strategically lay some Rat Smack. A rat carcass was

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1127536067184596842005-09-24T07:12:00.000+03:002005-09-24T07:27:47.190+03:00

On a forced march through the regions this week, I came across a couple of amusing things.I saw this old guy walking up the hill in Sheki, hunched over, toward the Khan's Palace. He had what looked like a big stuffed dog over his shoulder, covered with a yellow cloth so only its ears were sticking out. He proudly unveiled it for me. It was a very old, very ratty taxidermied wolf. For a few

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1127534864437544062005-09-24T07:05:00.000+03:002005-09-24T07:07:44.443+03:00

God is angry. Isn't it time to start asking why?

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1127046474690557682005-09-18T13:50:00.000+03:002005-09-19T12:04:58.260+03:00

I am the RAT MASTER!We have had an exciting weekend, full of mystery, revulsion, edification, revelation, misplaced blame and best of all, resolution.Lately, we have been having a curious amount of trouble with laundry. And, trust me, this is very relevant to my evolution as a certified RAT MASTER. First of all, we recently discovered that the reason why our clothes never get clean to our

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1126953330343874052005-09-17T13:01:00.000+03:002005-09-18T13:49:42.276+03:00

Is one the rest of the world has probably been reading for years, but I just discovered it. It's called 5ives and it's nothing but lists of five things that strike this guy's fancy.I've put my two favorite lists below. I've enve created one of my own because, i too, think I use a lot of ass-related words. I'm pretty sure he would have included these if he lived in Baku, because they are artful

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1126950565930417952005-09-17T12:30:00.000+03:002005-09-17T12:49:25.996+03:00

At night.

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1126351786808449652005-09-10T14:29:00.000+03:002005-09-17T12:18:31.743+03:00

Carpetblogger’s spinster sister ties the knot in a few weeks. What better excuse to buy a carpet? I meant for her, naturally.I hope she realizes that the Carpetdogs are part of the whole gift package.It's a Karabagh/Talish pattern. About 40-50 years old.

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1126030097003160812005-09-06T21:03:00.000+03:002005-09-06T21:08:17.006+03:00

If you have the means, go pick up the September, 2005 issue of Travel & Leisure magazine. There's a story about Azerbaijan in it (no, seriously) that made a whole table of ex-pats spit out their sushi. We don't know who that guy is who wrote it, but he nailed Azerbaijan.

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1125928915625642222005-09-05T16:16:00.000+03:002005-09-05T17:01:55.696+03:00

Now that the initial shock, outrage and horror of what happened in New Orleans is being replaced by stinging embarrassment that such a fiasco is happening in the country of my birth, I checked in with my pal who works at Mercy Corps. I wanted to see if it's the kind of organization she, an employee and humanitarian aid expert, would give money to for hurricane relief. Not only is The Corpse of

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1125816392715100492005-09-04T09:14:00.000+03:002005-09-04T09:46:32.720+03:00

Some friends got married this weekend and the celebration hit benchmarks for debauchery that haven't been reached in Baku for many months. This can be explained by the arrival of The Bentonator from Herat, Afghanistan. He's the one wearing the white dress, which provided unfair competition to the bride. Despite not having been in training -- social outlets in Herat are not as varied as they are

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1125211776758906292005-08-28T15:32:00.000+03:002005-08-29T09:11:14.010+03:00

Adventure is most often found during the journey, not the destination. Yesterday, The Ho-M and I headed up the "town" of Samur, which is at the border crossing with Dagestan. I had read somewhere there's a carpet market there. If you don't already know the way to Derbent, this road sign, with the scratched out Cyrillic, is unlikely to be much help. We can say with authority there is nothing in

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1125232106788701192005-08-28T15:14:00.000+03:002005-08-28T15:35:59.580+03:00

I just cannot post enough photos of Sumgayit. The main north/south highway (more accurately, paved ribbon of fiery death) in Azerbaijan runs right through a wasteland of twisted metal pipes, defunct chemical factories and rusted scaffolds. Known once as The Chemical City, it is reportedly the most polluted stretch of real estate on earth. A nearby village is called "Polymer."Honest to god, our

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1125227206365488242005-08-28T13:51:00.000+03:002005-08-28T14:06:46.370+03:00

I took The Producer carpet shopping for his birthday and let him pick out this gorgeous Gazakh prayer rug. It's not really a prayer rug -- it's too big -- but the pattern is commonly seen on such rugs. It's so shimmery it's almost reptilian.

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1125048261662333882005-08-26T18:18:00.000+03:002005-08-28T07:31:03.346+03:00

My views on monkeys are well-known, but Expat Monkey's photos from Iran are certainly worth a look!*Sorry about the bad links.

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1124456125470615352005-08-19T16:56:00.000+03:002005-08-19T16:12:00.540+03:00

Since I just finished juicing a 30 kilo watermelon, and in honor of Melon Day, I thought I'd break my hiatus for some summertime commentary on Caucasians' second favorite fruit: the watermelon. (Pomegranates are number one by a significant margin, but we won't see those for a few more weeks. Pomegranates in Baku are like squash in Portland: the only people buying them in the bazaar in summer are

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1124272777613382012005-08-16T00:54:00.000+03:002005-08-17T12:59:37.616+03:00

When the heat in the kitchen gets too much, rather than curse the oven, Carpetblogger heads for cooler climes. Or at least, doesn't voluntarily turn up thermostat. Carpetblogger is going on haitus, probably until November. Stories about ass fat, Neva adventures and petty complaints will wait.

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9331841.post-1122098556229554532005-07-23T08:48:00.000+03:002005-07-23T09:29:21.260+03:00

Eat the last brown sugar cinnamon poptart for breakfast;Try to address the Neva's low tire, without the assistance of my driver, despite not knowing the word for "air" nor having seen any mechanism for the inflation of low tires in the entire country, ever.Go to the gym to work out, which I do once a month whether I need to or not.Get a $25, one-hour massage at the gym, which I do far more

Christyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10223539404317132683noreply@blogger.com0