Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Baku - people watching.

In a previous post, I said, that the Azerbaijan people are cousins to the Turks and they speak the same language.  The television is dominated by imported Turkish television programmes.  Movies are in the main from USA - the American culture is strong.  The people of Baku speak Turkish in the main but I have heard a lot of Russian being spoken on the streets.  I was expecting some difference in dress, appearance, behaviour and mannerisms between the Turks and the Azeris but no not a bear skin hat in sight.

Today when talking to a coffee shop owner, who has Azerbaijan friends in Melbourne, I learnt that there are several minorities in Azerbaijan who have their own distinct languages.  There is an ancient Jewish community here apparently that dates back to King David's time.  Now that is a linage to be amazed by.

Apparently there are tours that go to remote villages.  Sacha Cohan, the comedian, must have gone deep, deep into the back blocks to find the characters for his movie - Borat.  Most people in Baku are dressed as people in western nations dress.

I love people watching so I have included three videos to give you a taste of what I saw on the streets.  The third video I want you to tell me where they were taken - Melbourne?  Los Angeles?  Paris?  How about downtown Baku?

 
 
 
  
In a way it is disappointing that we have not encountered wild horsemen, wearing bear skin hats, riding out of the Caucasus Mountains but hey we got to see the mountains.  I suspect that these horsemen are now all driving purple taxis fashioned after the English Cab.


 

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