A Unique Restaurant

These are the final pictures of our adventure in Ilisu. All 9 of us were walking from our hotel which is just outside the actual village through the village to a restaurant which is famous in the area. The first photo is of a side passage in the village. Ilisu is very old and is a good example of village life.
There were a few small markets and one nice market which we decided to stop at on our way back. We continued through the entire village and had not reached the famous restaurant. Linda, Leslie, and I were ready to quit, go back to the store and buy a few things to eat. But, the group had the better wisdom, and also flagged down a car and asked the driver how far was it to our desired location. Only 1 kilometer was the answer! We trekked on and found the most unique restaurant we have seen in Azerbaijan. The castle look, the bear, the camel, and the horseless carriage were all there. They gave us our own room in a castle tower (second floor), and the food was as good as the atmosphere. Now, one may ask, how much to eat in such a fancy place? The answer is 9 AZN or about 12 dollars each for grilled meat (lamb and chicken) grilled potatoes, drinks, bread, and a few small side salads of cucumbers and tomatoes, pickles, and mushrooms.
Needless to say, it was a great end to the hour and a half journey. We relaxed, talked, and refreshed – good thing, we still had the hour and a half journey back (now uphill). We stopped at the fine store and bought snacks in place of supper that evening. We were going to hire a taxi to take the food, and a couple of the group back to the hotel while the rest of us walked. The driver wanted 5 AZN which is what we paid for from the city 15 KM away. We shot back 2 AZN, he said 4, we stuck with 2 and ended up carrying all our groceries back up the mountain (formerly hill). By the time we were almost to our rooms we were huffing, puffing, and I was sweating profusely as I carried my load. Bill said, “the 4 AZN sounds like a bargain now”!

On to cultural adjustments we have had to make. In Azerbaijan there is little sense of personal property. I was discussing this topic with my best conversation group, and I said this is my computer, and they just laughed. No, in Azerbaijan, anything in public is ours. If I lay out my materials for a conversation club, someone will come into the room, even a library employee, and just pick up anything, look at it, examine, put back somewhere different than where I had organized my presentation. Pens and paper are just picked up or someone will say to me “give me a pen”, “give me your pen”, and never say please or return it promptly after use. If I leave sheet of paper with writing on the top half, pieces are torn off to write down information, phone numbers, web sites, etc.
In the schools chalk and erasers are not provided. Students are asked to bring chalk. When no one has any chalk, they always turn to Mrs. Linda who keeps chalk at ready supply along with an eraser in her purse. If Linda ever forgets to take the chalk or eraser with her, and goes back to get it later – oh, well, you can guess – never there.
There is no sense of a line or queue when using the ATM or at the markets. I will wait patiently to purchase something, and a man, woman, or child will walk in front of me and start to talk to the clerk or pay for something they want to purchase. At the post office it is the same situation. People gather, push, and never consider others as they are only focused on what they need. I mentioned this at a conversation club, and the result was a discussion of the topic and the video which you can watch at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxFNpbLAm7I
Please note the faces of those who observe people waiting for an ATM in an orderly line. The video is a group of students who went to an ATM and formed a line to demonstrate a fair and good method of using an ATM.

All in all we are always learning patience and flexibility as Peace Corps Volunteers.