Way to Russia Talk Lounge

Cyan · Just Starting Joined: 25 Dec 2007 Posts: 1

Hello all!

I'm Finn and I have met an Azeri girl through the Internet and I plan my trip to Azerbaijan, Baku to take a closer look at her and her relatives, cos i intend to marry her. Please, let the know all about this country, their traditions, habits, culture and also how do I have to conduct myself there to please her and her relatives. Taking in account, that I plan to stay there nearly 20-25 days, please, advice me any cheap lodging (hotel/daily apartment).

I read on TT that the visa on arrival in Baku is now 100$. Do you pay that in US$ ? Also it seems that it is not possible for all passport holders to get visa on arrival. Is it easier - and perhaps even cheaper to get the visa in advances? Since I will go there for a prolonged weekend in a few weeks i'd like to know the price and how long it takes to make - and if you need to have a LOI.

Thanks for any info!

Loulou · Just Starting Joined: 11 Nov 2007 Posts: 6

Wow, you're in for some serious shocks.

Definitely read Ali and Nino by Qurban Said. It's very illustrative of cultural differences between Azerbaijan and its (even close) neighbours.

You cant go to hotel Velotrek, but it is far from city centre (20$/night per person) or the best way is to rent daily one room apartment in the centre of Baku, it will cost you 30-35$ (max) per night, not per person. You can apply either to http://www.travelazerbaijan.land.ru/ or to BakuRealEstate agency, choose that agency, which will offer you the best price. I was very satisfied both: with their services and prices. Also, to share a house with her will help you to find out if there is any compatibility with your girl-friend. Moreover, if you intend to marry her, you will find out how she manages with routine functions.

Now about tradition. If you will be invited to your girl-friend’s place, the first thing you have to do is to put off your footwear. By this action, you 100% will win your girl-friend’s mom Smile

). Also make your stomach be ready to take rich food. If you officially ask your girl-friend’s hand in marriage, the parents will bring you a cup of tea. If it with sugar, so they are agree to accept your offer. If it is without sugar, so you have to find smb else.

Might be, the next time you will be lucky Very Happy

RusskiCanadian23 · Posted: Wed Dec 26, 2007 12:50 am Post subject:

All I know, is always be respectful to those older, and wiser then you. It's a big thing in the Caucasus Mountains. At least that's what I learned from my stay in Tbilisi once... So, I guess, act very respectfully toward her father. He is the man of the house, the boss.

overseas_expat · VIP Joined: 11 Jan 2005 Posts: 612 Location: Moscow

I spent a couple of weeks in Baku in 2006.

People are very friendly. Baku is a rathole of a city.

Amazingly, I thought the women were immensely beautiful. Maybe I've been in pale slavic Russia for too long......Azeri women have big brown eyes and luxurious thick hair and wonderful honey colored skin. I thought they were gorgeous.

Family traditions are conservative and women are well looked out for. Be on your best behavior.

Loulou · Just Starting Joined: 11 Nov 2007 Posts: 6

Not to waste the time, i advice you to make the acquaintance of another azeri girls through MSN or ICQ in advance in case if nothing came out of your present girl Very Happy

About visa and LOI- Now in Azerbaijan it is reductive visa regime and of course, you can get the visa at the Azerbaijan Airport (100$) without LOI. But easer and cheaper to get the visa(35 euro+LOI) in advances in your own country, but for it you need to have a LOI...For obtain LOI, try travelzerbaijan.land.ru...it costs 12,50 euro per person. Even this agency makes Invitation letter (visa support) to Tadjikistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan & Kyrgyzstan.

Good luck and happy family...

Light · Just Starting Joined: 23 Nov 2007 Posts: 4

Salut,

about THINGS TO DO, you can go to Krasnaya Sloboda

If you are looking for the lost tribe of Mountain Jews, you've got to go to "Krasnaya Sloboda" means Red Settlement in the town of Guba in Azerbaijan. This is where the biggest Jewish settlement is - outside Israel. It's across the Gudyalchay river on the other side of Guba. There are many sinagogues there as well as some houses that would remind you of Georgetown in DC. People are very sweet and speak Hibru a bit differently though... You'll enjoy walking down the streets of this small settlement and chatting with locals. This town is yet another proof of Azerbaijan's religious tolerance...

About cheap accomodation in Baku- If you intend to stay with a girlfriend, do not think much, rent an daily apartment in the city centre. I had been already in Baku...I had rented 2-rooms appartement via www.bakurealestate.net (central location, just behind Radisson SAS/Fountain Square by 40$ (or 34 AZM). Not bad, is not it?! Very Happy

That about LOI, visa- It's 90 dollars or 60 euros for one month on arrival at the airport. Best to call the Embassy in your home country for more information...If you dont want to take risks and get your visa in advance, you can get LOI through the same realestate agency

Larki · Posted: Sat Jul 19, 2008 10:54 pm Post subject: Baku Azerbaijan

Actually, Baku, along with most of the Caspian shore regions, were developed for oil very early on. Marco Polo wrote about the oilfield at Baku when he traveled through - and it was old then! When the Soviets pulled out, the infrastructure was just left to rot and ruin, not only on the oil fields, but in places like the industrial city of Sumgait, just to the north of the Abshoran peninsula. That particular place was identified as one of the ten worst polluted sites on earth, but the Blacksmith Institute, last year. The Azeris, however, seem sincere about doing the hard work they have inherited with the old oilfields. Not only the one in Baku, which is being worked on now, but also the several that are out farther on the peninsula. It will be a tremendous project that will take several years, but one which will pay dividends of health and well-being for the generations to come. Of course, there's still a lot of oil reserves that the country needs to capitalize upon as well, but modern companies such as BP are working in that area now, and perhaps there won't be the century-old pollution problems when they are finished. All-in-all, I do hope to return to Azerbaijan. I found it a beautiful country (what I saw of it) with friendly and beautiful people. If the project is accepted as I've proposed, I will probably return for at least 4 years. I feel confident about bringing my family as well, and that's a pretty good recommendation for any country, especially one in an area which is so uncertain in American consciousness.