Have you ever been to Azerbaijan? (apartment, for rent, houses)

[pirate_lafitte]

Originally Posted by Neuling

Very well, does your source rhyme with Streekyseedya?

What is Streekyseedya?

BTW, this is stuff I learned when I was 13.

[Paul Negresco]

Originally Posted by nuala

minibrings - I think it's a language problem. I think Paul meant that your note was too short for him to understand the reasons behind your note.

And Paul, the way your question is constructed, sounds accusatory for the English ear, or putting down his views, hence the reaction from minibrings. The correct way to put it would be "Can I ask you why you liked Russia and Armenia?" or "I'm afraid I don't understand why you liked Russia and Armenia."

Thank you nuala! That does make sense! Yes, dear minibrings, I'm afraid I don't understand why you liked Russia and Armenia? Sorry, people, for inconvenience!

[Paul Negresco]

Originally Posted by nuala

Paul, what do you do in Baku?

I have a master degree in Political Sciences and use to work for OSCE, US Embassy and in several international NGO. Now I work for an oil company and managing an NGO at the same time. I conduct trainings in Human Rights, Elections and Democracy Institutions.
Dear, minibrings, you do have right for your opinion. And I am at least ready to listen and tolerate that!

[Paul Negresco]

Originally Posted by pirate_lafitte

I have never been to Azerbaijan, but this is what I know about Azerbaijan.

The capital of Azerbaijan is Baku.

There is a part of the country separate from the mainland and that part is called Naxcivan.

It was once part of USSR and was spelled Azerbaidzhan.

It is located in the Caucasus region on the eastern end of it.

Part of it borders the Caspian Sea.

Thank you, dear pirate_lafitte! So, what kind of impression do you have about it - is it an islam-orientated or a secular state?

[pirate_lafitte]

Originally Posted by Paul Negresco

Thank you, dear pirate_lafitte! So, what kind of impression do you have about it - is it an islam-orientated or a secular state?

I know that Islam is the main religion in Azerbaijan, but I see it as being more of a secular state.

[Paul Negresco]

Originally Posted by pirate_lafitte

I know that Islam is the main religion in Azerbaijan, but I see it as being more of a secular state.

And that's absolutely right. Azerbaijan has nothing in common with such countries as Saudi Arabia, Iran, Pakistan, Morocco and others. We are completely different. Azerbaijanis never were as religious as todays muslims are. Tolerance and hospitality are our visting cards.

[nuala]

Wow, impressive resume. Have you ever travelled outside Azerbaijan? is the country self-sustained? Apart from oil and gas, what industries are strong there? Can Russians freely enter?

A lot of questions

[nuala]

Originally Posted by pirate_lafitte

What is Streekyseedya?

BTW, this is stuff I learned when I was 13.

pirate-lafitte, it's remarkable that you know geography so well. Those cities you compare to cities on other continents - you learned of all of them just by studying ?? That's colossal.

[Paul Negresco]

Originally Posted by nuala

Wow, impressive resume. Have you ever travelled outside Azerbaijan? is the country self-sustained? Apart from oil and gas, what industries are strong there? Can Russians freely enter?

A lot of questions

Thanx! Yes, I have been to Turkey, Russia and Georgia several times. Yes, Azerbaijan is self-sustained. We produce metal-roll, drilling equipment, construction materials, chemical products and etc. We also have developed agriculture (cotton growing, cultivation of grains, wine-making and etc.). All nations exept armenians can freely enter Azerbaijan (Russians do not require a visa, as we don't require one to enter Russia). Most foreign travellers to Azerbaijan require a visa. Tourist visa canbe obtained at Baku airport without presentation of any additional documentation for stays of up to 7 days.
Ask more questions, dear nuala! Don't hesitate! Will be happy to answer them.

[zaicheg]

Originally Posted by Paul Negresco

Tolerance and hospitality are our visting cards.

yeah, sure:

Pogrom of Armenians in Baku - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
EurasiaNet Eurasia Insight - Unrest Rocks Baku As Opposition Protests Azerbaijani Election Results

During 1990's pogroms, the Azeri militants were instructed to kill Armenians only but spare others if possible. There were plenty of Jews at that time living in the city, and it was a hard task to tell a Jew from an Armenian. So the militants had to resort to pulling every suspicious man's pants down right there on the street to find out. Many people including Jews and even Russians fled the city leaving all possessions behind. Years later, they returned to find out that everything they left had been seized and "redistributed", including homes and apartments.

Even now, if you only mention, just mention Armenian in one of the languages commonly spoken in Baki (Armyane, Ermeni, Ermeniler), or say something that sounds like it, you may be arrested, just for saying this word, even accidentally.

Not mentioning crowds in narrow streets. Whether you are indeed Armenian or not, it's up to the crowd to decide, not your family's genealogist.

Read the Dept of State travel profile, read virtualtourist.com, and go to Greece or Turkey instead.

There was this joke in the old USSR:

- What's Azeri definition of the harmony of the nations?
- It's when all nations in the world, Russians, Georgians, Ukrainians, Jews, you name it, get together, exchange hugs and curtsies, sing and dance Kumbaya then peacefully march as one man to knock them Armenians out...

As of anthropological interest, any major US city offers much more material on that matter