Travel notes: a Belarusian woman about Baku and Azerbaijani hospitality

Topic news Sunny Azerbaijan beckons with the aroma of ripe pomegranates, warmth and salty breeze of the Caspian Sea. it is a country of contrasts, where an oriental fairy tale intertwines with western culture, and ancient buildings stand side by side with glass skyscrapers. A BELTA correspondent visited Azerbaijan on vacation and is happy to share her impressions: local residents are hospitable and sincerely cordial towards Belarusians, and the absence of a language barrier makes communication easy and relaxed. Direct flights connect
MINSK and the capital of Azerbaijan, Baku. The plane lands at Heydar Aliyev Airport late at night. An unprepared tourist may encounter some difficulties here. It is no secret that the exchange rates at airports are high, and you will certainly want to have a coffee and a snack. For such expenses, you need a small amount of cash on hand. For convenience at home, you can get a bank card with the ability to pay abroad. This way, you will save yourself the trouble of taking a large amount of cash in dollars to exchange it for Azerbaijani manats. You can pay with a card at the hotel, restaurants, museums and even with shopkeepers in the Old City of Baku. Already at the airport, you will get your first impressions of Azerbaijani hospitality. Seeing the confusion on your face, someone will definitely come up to you to clarify if you need help.
The mood was to feel the full flavor of the trip. With a taxi and transfer, a share of emotions is lost. After all, you still need to figure out how to buy a ticket for the express bus from the airport to the capital. The BakiKart card is accepted in Baku public transport. It can only be purchased for cash at a ticket machine, and then topped up with a small amount. The machine offers two languages ​​to choose from: Azerbaijani and English. Our compatriot, who had previously bought such a travel card, came to my aid. A couple of clicks of the buttons - and you could board the bus. For comparison: taxi drivers can ask for 20 manats for the ride. But do not write off the fact that sly people will try to profit from the carelessness of tourists. The express train has a fixed fare of just over one manat (at the current exchange rate, 1 manat is equivalent to Br1.93).
Almost the first thing that search engines give about Baku is the city of winds. That's why it was decided to start getting to know it from the embankment. That's where you can feel the power of the elements. Getting off at 28 May Street, I headed towards the Caspian coast to immediately immerse myself in the rhythm of life in the capital. On a weekday, the traffic in the city is crazy. Local drivers have a peculiar driving style - they constantly honk at each other. What will especially surprise Belarusians is that many cross the road on a red light, or even not at all at the crosswalk, even across four lanes. This state of affairs suits both drivers and pedestrians.
On the day of arrival the sun was shining and there was practically no wind on the Baku embankment. A thought flashed through my HEAD that this did not correspond to the reviews. Everything came together a little later. Several days in the second half of March were truly "fly-by-night". Gusts of wind surprised even the locals. But the cool spring weather did not affect the warmth of the reception.

Traders immediately identify tourists, address them, but unobtrusively. Very often a short conversation begins: who are you, where are you from. Be prepared to hear what Azerbaijanis know about Belarus. The list will definitely include "bulba" and "Batka is a good man!". Then personal impressions may be voiced. For example, one of the traders in the Old City asked whether the Belarusians had brought Kommunarka or Spartak chocolate bars with them. A brutal gray-haired man with childish spontaneity admitted: "How I adore them! If you are in Baku again, bring some, huh!" We brought chocolates with us. Only the sweets found their owners a little earlier, as did the magnets with the symbols of Belarus. Now they adorn several Baku refrigerators.
According to my interlocutors, Belarusian products are valued in Azerbaijan, they are famous for their quality. On the shelves of even small shops you can see our MILK , sour cream,cottage cheese , cheeses . I dare to assume that this is an indicator, because Azerbaijanis are talented cheesemakers themselves. In large supermarkets, the range of goods is wider.

You definitely can’t ignore Azerbaijani cuisine. Baku residents themselves suggested what is definitely worth trying: kutabs with different types of fillings, juicy dolma, warming dovga soup, fried fish, MEAT ... The list is endless. I was recommended to order Azerbaijani khinkal in a restaurant. However, I couldn’t manage to master even half of the dish. It was incredibly embarrassing, suddenly people would think that it was not tasty. The point is different: it was very satisfying. But the waiters and cooks were satisfied and praised with a smile: well done, several people can eat the whole dish.
Baku has a special atmosphere. The city is charming at any time of the day. In its old part, ancient and modern buildings are organically combined. But people are remembered more than countless sights. Several million people live, study and work here. According to observations, Azerbaijanis are very responsive and good-natured. This is confirmed by situations when tourists cannot find their way around an unfamiliar city, and local residents not only explain the way in detail, but also help carry their suitcase and walk straight to the right door. This is normal.
In Azerbaijan, Belarusian guests are welcome. Almost everyone said goodbye: may Allah grant that you come to us again. Agree, after such treatment you want to come back.
BELTA.