Batch 23 — The Great Sojourn — theNOSTOMANIAC.com

131 - Azerbaijan Timeline

1828 - Turkmanchay treaty between Russia, Persia divides Azerbaijan. Territory of present-day Azerbaijan becomes part of Russian empire while southern Azerbaijan is part of Persia.

1848-49 - World's first oil well is drilled south of Baku.

1879 - Nobel brothers set up oil-production company.

1918 - Independent Azerbaijani Republic declared.

1920 - Red Army invades; Azerbaijan is declared a Soviet Socialist Republic

Soviet rule

1922 - Azerbaijan, part of Transcaucasian Soviet Federative Republic…

Azerbaijan, Batch 23by Mr. Nos T. O'maniacJanuary 10, 2020Azerbaijan

132 - Strolling Baku & The Hash House Harriers (Baku, Azerbaijan)

I spent days wandering the streets with no particular aim or destination. It all fascinated me, nothing more so than the fact almost every male citizen looked like a mafia don or hitman. I snapped dozens of photos, added absurd biographic details. It entertained me to no end. Turns out, it’s illegal to take photos without permission. Whoopsie. In the recent past, journalists took compromising shots of government officials sleeping on the job. Their response was to pass an absurd regulation forbidding such scandalous behavior…

Azerbaijan, Batch 23by Mr. Nos T. O'maniacJanuary 9, 2020Azerbaijan, Baku, Hash House Harriers

133 - Beguiled by Baku (Baku, Azerbaijan)

Starting a business (especially for foreigners) is like becoming a prostitute. To make money, you have to get screwed. Doing well? Business a success? Don't let it show. Before you know it, you’ll have regulators performing the proverbial colorectal exam. I met a gentleman working for the World Bank who said his office tried to acquire a list of safety code regulations to ensure compliance. The relevant regulatory ministry told them they don’t give out that information. More compliance. Fewer bribes. I heard stories of business owners in the outlying regions coming to their shops in the morning only to find doors padlocked. One unfortunate soul was forced to pony up $3000 to facilitate removal…

134 - Terra-Not-So-Firma (Gobustan, Azerbaijan)

The farther south you go, the more it feels like the land the Soviets forgot. (And everyone else, for that matter). As we drove, I wondered if these folks even noticed the Soviet Union’s collapse and Azerbaijan’s independence. Our next intended destination was the petroglyphs of Gobustan, but a wrong turn led to the boulder-strewn lower slopes of Mt. Kichik Dash. Although we didn’t realize it, we’d found Qara-Atli Baba Pir or “Cave of the Black Horse Grandpa” (according to the all-knowing guidebook). It’s reputed to be a place of miracles, a pilgrimage site for…

135 - Martial Artistry & Ye Old Church (Near Zaqatala, Azerbaijan)

The turnout was modest, a consequence of relentless rain (the likely explanation for Mr. Judo Master's absence). Folks, as in a few males of varying ages, showed up in the belief a martial arts expert would share his story followed by a demonstration. One volunteer wanted me to impersonate said Judo master, performing my own creative martial arts exhibition. Although intrigued by the thought of such comical subterfuge, I wasn’t comfortable with it. Besides the threat of destroying the credibility of the volunteers…

Azerbaijan, Batch 23by Mr. Nos T. O'maniacJanuary 6, 2020Azerbaijan, Zaqatala

136 - Chicken Head Kissing Corner (Qakh, Azerbaijan)

Adherents circle the building three times before entering, kissing each corner as they pass. Chicken heads adorned a ledge near one corner, a mystery that remains unsolved, at least for me. I inquired, but no one seemed to have the answer. My ignorance made the experience all the more exhilarating.

The church’s sorry condition surprised me. If not for the line of folks stuffing themselves in like the proverbial clown car, I’d have assumed it abandoned.…

Azerbaijan, Batch 23by Mr. Nos T. O'maniacJanuary 5, 2020KURMUKHI CHURCH, Azerbaijan, Qakh