EmmaGoodEgg

All That Azeri Jazz

Late yesterday evening, after a day of difficult meetings, Farhad our Azeri friend thought that it would be nice change for my traveling mates and I to listen to some Azeri Jazz to help chase away the blues.

Farhad brought us to the appropriately named Jazz Club, which is known to be the first jazz club in Baku, and is located at the end of the Fountain Square on Aziz Aliyev Street. This underground club, with its smoky sultry ambience, offers live jazz music which starts after 8pm. The band at the club was made up of gnarly, extremely talented, old men who obviously love what they do. There were hardly anyone at the club, save for a couple romancing in one corner, three patrons from Brunei and their Azeri friend, and waiters who are jazz lovers, but still the musicians played with such obvious passion that I had goosebumps.

I don't have much in the way of recording equipment so the ol' Sony Cybershot movie clip feature will have to do. My apologies for the image and sound quality and the length of the clip, but I thought the band deserves a spot.

Perhaps there are newer, trendier and fancier Jazz clubs in Baku, complete with diva singers, but these jazzy old musicians needed no fancy digs, nor divas, to help me find the beat in Baku. And find the beat I did.

Azeri Stylo-Mylo

During the summer days in Baku, everyday is like casual Friday for the guys. A majority of the men dress-down to the point that they attend business meetings with suit pants and undershirts.

Most women on the other hand, dress to the nines, complete with blings and garish make-up. Even at the work place.

We went into a Bank to change some currency and the female teller wore a halter dress and jewelry suited for a nightclub. I asked an Azeri friend why women in Baku dress for work like they are going to a party. He explained that women in Baku do not like being told what to wear. Their dress code of choice are no suits, no work shirts, just clothes to party in, and the bosses leave them to wear what they wish. I suspect Azeri men quite like their female colleagues to wear skimpy clothes at the workplace. It would be a welcome distraction from the men in undershirts.

When my traveling mates and I went to Pizza Inn at the Fountain Square yesterday I took pictures of women walking down the street. I am under the impression that the richer an Azeri woman is, the more sophisticated she is in terms of what she wears. But rich or not so rich, they seem to like clothes that shows off curves and/or show a lot of skin. I wish that I am fearless and have taken pictures of the women who dress like Russian hookers as it would have made for a more interesting post. But I am a scaredy-cat because they look like they could beat me up with one breast.

Whilst there are many local boutiques that sells OTT (Over-The-Top) fashion, the city also has Mango, Zara, Morgan, Gucci, Sisley, Benetton, MaxMara, Mexxx, Next, Etam and Accessorize.

Baku, Azerbaijan

The road to Baku has been a long, and somewhat arduous, one. But I am finally here. After a 3-hour flight from Dubai to the capital city of Azerbaijan, my travelling mates and I arrived at the Heydar Aliyev Airport prepared to deal with the immigration who are notoriously difficult. We were prepped beforehand by our Azeri counterparts and applied for our visas-on-arrival by getting ready 2 passport-sized pictures and USD40 for the visa fees. It helped that we had a letter of invitation as Azerbaijan is not terribly welcoming of tourists.

Baku bound on Azerbaijan Airlines.

Finally, the Heydar Aliyev Airport.

Enroute to the city I noticed that almost, if not all, the trees in Baku are "painted" white at the bottom.

Welcome to Baku Have A Nice Day!

We were booked to stay at the Park Inn Azerbaijan, a newly opened business hotel. The Park Inn is right in front of the Caspian Sea Boulevard and some rooms, like mine, offer a great view of the lake. The hotel lives up to its business-hotel reputation, nicely designed (reminiscent of hotels in Europe, stylish Ikea stylo-mylo), usual business facilities, with helpful and friendly staff. At USD190++ for a club room with free broadband internet access, the Park Inn, whilst considered expensive in my part of the world, is definitely good value for money in Baku.

Stylo-mylo room at the Park Inn Azerbaijan.

The view of the Caspian Sea and the Town Center.

The weather in Baku at this time is hot and muggy at 35 degrees. With the notable exception of the Park Inn and a few other hotels and buildings, like the SAS Radisson, most of the architecture in Baku is archaic russian style. I felt like reading Anna Karenina again. Whilst the population of Azerbaijan is predominantly muslim but from what I have seen, most are not conservative.

Azeris too, call books kitabs.

The streets of Baku.

Driving in Baku must be pretty hairy as most drivers do not bother stopping for traffic lights. Pedestrians fear for their lives too. I did.

There are street vendors selling antiques, paintings, souvenirs and knick-knacks just off the Fountain Square.

On the left, the Fountain Square with its dry fountain, and on the right, Pizza Inn, which serves the best pizza in town.

The main entrance to the Caspian Sea Boulevard.

Baku is an booming oil town and smells like one, especially so near to the Caspian Sea.

Baku at night is twinkly, sparkly.

And coming soon: Azeri Street Fashion - Trendy? Or Not?

Multitasking @ DXB

I finally embarked on my journey to Baku on Saturday evening. Having spent 7 hours and 50 minutes in a crew seat just behind the cockpit, I reached Dubai not in the best of moods and with my bum the shape of the seat.

Still, I was excited at the thought of starting my experimental travel of wandering the terminal and completing the tasks I have been given.

Find The Most Expensive Footwear

I did not expect that the most expensive footwear sold at the airport would be golf shoes. Specifically the Adidas 3D Fit Foam Golf Shoes at AED656 (about B$298).

Status: Completed
Bonus Find: Trendy FCUK sporty sneakers (picture unavailable due to being suspected of having a serious shoe fetish)

Eat Noodles

I tried to cheat but there are no noodle dishes at the Lounge.

There is however, a Thai restaurant at the "food court" which serves Pad Thai. At AED22 per plate, I had a good breakfast amongst the masses.

Status: Completed
Bonus Find: The melting pot at the foodcourt

Find The Prettiest Spot

I thought that this was a challenging task. What constitutes pretty anyway? Flora & Fauna? Decor? But after walking from one end of the terminal to the other, I chose the Seafood Bar for being pretty chic and also because I thought the crustaceans are so damn cute.

Status: Completed
Bonus Find: Fresh sushi & sashimi

Enjoy A Beauty Treatment

I strolled about nonchalantly trying to find a beauty treatment that I would find easy enough to undertake. The M.A.C counter offered free make-up makeovers but its out in the open and not private enough. There is a hair salon at the Transit Hotel but could be too hardcore. There is a massage place at Gate 18 which I thought could be too oily. And then I found La Femme, a tiny beauty shop that does hair & nails and is open 24 hours.

The beautician on duty when I walked in is a filipina called Maria Christina. She did my nails AND gave me a lowdown on the "real" Dubai. Manicures start from USD17. Gossip, free.

Status: Completed
Bonus Find: Maria the Gossipist and Orly 'Rose' French Manicure Undercoat

Learn Something About Dubai

There are women like Maria, who comes to Dubai for work and often get the short hand of the stick because they are viewed as objects simply because they are workers. She told me tales of how badly behaved local men can be and how Middle Eastern women have fallen down the social vice ladder and are replaced by Eastern European women. And that the papers do not usually publish the bad behaviour of locals.

Mission: Completed
Bonus Find: A really good manicure

Find The Best Entertainment

Maria also told me of the Irish Village & Bar nearby which she thinks has best entertainment around (unconfirmed report as she may just think that its dead fun after a couple). I beg to differ though as I find people sleeping on chairs and the floor to be a good source of entertainment.

Status: Completed
Bonus Find: Watching large african women getting free make-overs

Find The Most Exotic Food

There is a tub of beluga caviar which cost over AED3000 at the terminal's supermarket. Exotic AND expensive.

Status: Completed
Bonus Find: Godiva Chocolates

Find Free Massage Chairs

There are no massage chairs at Dubai International Airport. Free, or otherwise.

Status: N/A
Bonus Find: The comfy leather chairs at the Lounge

Find The Furthest Destination & Observe Disembarkation

I think the furthest destination is Auckland, but during the time I was strolling about the terminal, there were no flights from Auckland disembarking.

Status: Uncompleted but I still have the trip back home.
Bonus Find: N/A

Purchase Unique Reading Material

I found a book on Endurance Riding - The Sport of Sheikhs, but could not bring myself to buy a book on endurance riding even if it is unique. At the Lounge there are free magazines on Dubai, but these are free, do they count? Then I saw The Cleaning Bible, which is a book I'd consider unique, but perhaps not to Dubai.

Status: Uncompleted due to non-purchase
Bonus Find: The Cleaning Bible

Not The Lonely Planet

Leaving for Dubai in about 3 hours, will be in transit to Baku, Azerbaijan, for 24 hours. Unable to get a visa, I will spend that time airside at the Dubai International Airport.

In the spirit of experimental travel, I have been given 10 tasks to undertake:

Eat noodles.
Find the prettiest spot.
Find the furthest destination and observe disembarkation.
Enjoy a beauty treatment.
Find free massage chairs.
Purchase unique reading material.
Find the most exotic food.
Find the most expensive footwear.
Learn something about Dubai.
Find the best entertainment.

Upcoming Movies

THE TERMINAL (2006)

Directed By:  EmmaGoodEgg

Written By:  EmmaGoodEgg

Cast:  EmmaGoodEgg (as herself) and the people in Dubai International Airport.

Studio:  FlyingCow Inc.

Genre:  Non-fiction Drama & Comedy

Release Date:  26th August 2006 (wide)

Additional Info:  Look out for the sequel to The Terminal coming soon!

PLOT

"The Terminal" tells the story of EmmaGoodEgg, stranded in transit because of a travel document that will not allow her to apply for a Dubai visa enroute to Baku, Azerbaijan.  Unable to leave the airport and having to spend 24 hours in transit at Dubai International Terminal, she must improvise her day and night in the terminal's international transit areas until her flight to Baku. 

As the hours stretches on and on, will Emma find the compressed universe of the terminal to be super fun and a travel adventure like no other?  Or would she be a completely stroppy cow?

Tri-Meowings

Last week there were no Kitten Tales because we've all been Jet-Set Kittens and I'm getting withdrawals symptoms.  So despite 3 kittens unable to make it for kitten lunch due to parental, spousal and work obligations, the other 3 made it to Portview yesterday and acted kittenish. 

No not really, and too bad the view was hazy.

Nevertheless...

Tips & Goss:   

1.  A professional Size-Me-Upper can size you up correctly.  Proactiveness can lead to a bigger size.  And we all know that this is a very good thing.

2.  Brunei should encourage mothers to breastfeed by having baby changing facilities and private feeding areas in offices and shopping centers.  We should also be more tolerant of mothers who are simply, unable to. 

3.  Arabs have made Malaysia more expensive and have Premier Loos!  There is one in KLCC where you pay RM$2 and a nice lady gently wipe your hands for you.  I could put a witty one-liner here but that would be too gross.

4.  Mahathir Lokman's best friend is Imelda Marcos and he speaks with a Filipino accent these days because it is trendy.

5.  Mahathir Lokman also speaks excellent French, and is a very happy, happy man.

Till next week Kittens, on Saturday for brunch, when I will be bringing along Diva D for "Show & Tell"...Purrrrrr xx

Wicked Darling

What does Snow White's Wicked Stepmother and Malaysia's Pop Datin have in common?

Dunno you tell me.

Accrington Stanley! Who are they??

Last night as the husband and I were watching some footie on the telly we heard that Accrington Stanley beat Nottingham Forrest 1 : 0 and earned their first entry into the Carling Cup.

Me:  Accrington Stanley!  Who are they??

The husband:  Exactly!

Then he proceeded to tell me about this milk advert they used to show on UK TV way back in the 80s.  Posting about the advert does not do the husband's Scouse accent any justice, so I scoured the net and found an almost complete version of it and will just embed the video for your viewing pleasure.

For the husband.  Love, Emma xx

*giggle

While there is much strife around the world involving religion and factions and guns and bombs, in certain quarters of the blogosphere tagging is considered lame and illicits much hatred.  Or so says Mr. Golden Fiddle, and the person who I wish I could link, but he kinda told me not to, but I will anyway.  After giggling hysterically at such shocking revelations, I will delete the link to Perez, simply because I too hate his hot pink tags, but never had the balls to admit it.