Marty Klein in Azerbaijan
In and around World
I'm off! Well, almost.
I leave on September 22 and will be gone two weeks.
Azerbaijan is an ancient land. To the west is Turkey; the north, Russia; the south, Iran; the east, Afghanistan. Rough neighborhood.
Click here for a map of the region
It's part of the Caucasus--that complicated region that includes Georgia and Armenia. It also includes regions that have been in the news, such as Chechnya, Abkhazia, and South Ossetia. The 2014 Winter Olympics will be in Sochi, a Russian city just miles from the Georgian border. The area is a land bridge between the Black Sea (think Dardanelles), and Caspian Sea (the world's largest lake), between Europe and Asia.
I'll be working in Baku, the capital and home of the area's oil business. I'll be having fun getting to know the culture, the people, and the future of the energy industry. Keep your eye on neighboring Khazakstan--they have a huge amount of natural gas, a geo-strategic position, and a wily dictator who's playing off the Russians and Americans against each other.
But more on that later.
Route taken and entries by Real Traveler MartyKlein
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A Baku Kind of Day
After a 10-hour flight to London, a 6-hour layover, and a 5-hour flight across Europe, I landed in Baku, capital of Azerbaijan. B... Continue reading »
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My First Work Day In Baku
The day started with a taxi ride careening through rush hour traffic, delivering me to the U.S. embassy. Talk about real life--t... Continue reading »
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Conflict 101
Tonight I almost got my lights punched out.
I say this not to brag or to celebrate, but because it’s a perfect Azerbaijan story. N... Continue reading » -
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Training Professionals Here...I Think
I gave several lectures in Baku this week: to psychologists, and to public health professionals at the Ministry of Health.
I did them al... Continue reading » -
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A Visit to the Middle Ages
Today I visited medieval times twice, from two entirely different--yet oddly related--directions.
Today I went to Krasnaya Sloboda, a sm... Continue reading » -
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A Visit to the Middle Ages
Today I visited medieval times twice, from two entirely different--yet oddly related--directions.
Today I went to Krasnaya Sloboda, a sm... Continue reading » -
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A Visit to the Middle Ages
Today I visited medieval times twice, from two entirely different--yet oddly related--directions.
Today I went to Krasnaya Sloboda, a sm... Continue reading » -
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In Contrast To Yesterday
In contrast to yesterday, today was a day I could totally enjoy without judgment or political feelings.
This morning we drove way up int... Continue reading » -
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Stumbling Over History
As civilizations go, the U.S. is pretty new. One rarely stumbles over history in America, except for our own—generally only a few decades old... Continue reading »
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Random Thoughts
Here are some not-so-random thoughts about this odd country:
* The so-called President Ilham Aliev is everywhere. You cannot walk or dri... Continue reading » -
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A Half-Step Up From Hell
I never told you about the refugee slums I visited last week in Sumgayit, an hour north of Baku.
Sumgayit was built as an industrial cen... Continue reading » -
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Young People Are Azerbaijan's (Troubling) Future
Fittingly, I spent my last two nights in Azerbaijan with lots of young people.
I spent my next-to-last night at the graduation ceremony... Continue reading »
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