Georgia Trip Canceled and a Visit from a Friend
October 10, 2007
Unfortunately, my plans to visit Georgia have been canceled/postponed. There were several reasons for the decision. First, I have a meeting with the television network and the kids I will be working with on Monday in the afternoon. I was concerned with getting back in time for the meeting as the train can take up upto 20 hours to return from Tbilisi. Second, I have a friend visiting from out of the country and wanted to open my home to him while he is here. Third, I have too much work that has to get done before next week. And finally and more importantly, i could not find a hotel in Tbilisi that was available for this weekend...or at least any place on-line. I am sure that Georgia will still be there the next time I have a long weekend.
I received an e-mail about a week ago from a someone who I probably met at some conference and did not remember. He is a former English Language Fellow (ELF), which is the program I currently work for. (As a side note, I do not like being called an ELF as I think I am a little too big to be an ELF. I think that Georgetown University, the place that sponsors this program, would have come up with a better name than ELF to attract more canidates to the program. I think Educational Mercenaries would be much better.)
Yesterday, he arrived in Baku and he is like a long lost brother. He has been working in Afganistan for the past few months for a NGO and has been straddled with a 11pm curfew while being there. After getting him situation in my apartment, we started bar-hopping and hit many places I have never been to before. (Reviews will be coming soon.) Needless to say, he stayed out longer than his curfew in Afganistan would allow. The beer flowed and generally had a great time. The only problem for me was getting in after 6am and trying to wake up for work early in the afternoon. I am beat right now, but more club-hopping is planned for tonight and the weekend. I wonder if I am going to get my work done?
I received an e-mail about a week ago from a someone who I probably met at some conference and did not remember. He is a former English Language Fellow (ELF), which is the program I currently work for. (As a side note, I do not like being called an ELF as I think I am a little too big to be an ELF. I think that Georgetown University, the place that sponsors this program, would have come up with a better name than ELF to attract more canidates to the program. I think Educational Mercenaries would be much better.)
Yesterday, he arrived in Baku and he is like a long lost brother. He has been working in Afganistan for the past few months for a NGO and has been straddled with a 11pm curfew while being there. After getting him situation in my apartment, we started bar-hopping and hit many places I have never been to before. (Reviews will be coming soon.) Needless to say, he stayed out longer than his curfew in Afganistan would allow. The beer flowed and generally had a great time. The only problem for me was getting in after 6am and trying to wake up for work early in the afternoon. I am beat right now, but more club-hopping is planned for tonight and the weekend. I wonder if I am going to get my work done?
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My friend and I decided to stop by Layla's Dance Club on the way home. I had never been there before but I always passed it on my way to the gym. Like most other clubs in Baku, this is underground.
The club was dark and like most clubs in Baku, small. Beers were average priced for Baku with the Turkish Efes going for 3 Manats and Miller Genuine Draft (considered a great beer here and that mere thought leaves me scratching my head) going for the standard 5 Manats.
The bar girls were not aggressive. I was drunk enough to ask one to dance but was too drunk to get into the wild Headless Chicken Dance and resorted to the Stupid White Guy Dance. The bargirls were actually very cool and most just wanted to hang out with us and talk. Ironically, the one I danced with happened to know English and wanted to practice.
Overall, I had a good time there. It might have been getting drunk with a friend or maybe just being drunk, but it was the best time I had a bar that evening.
The club was dark and like most clubs in Baku, small. Beers were average priced for Baku with the Turkish Efes going for 3 Manats and Miller Genuine Draft (considered a great beer here and that mere thought leaves me scratching my head) going for the standard 5 Manats.
The bar girls were not aggressive. I was drunk enough to ask one to dance but was too drunk to get into the wild Headless Chicken Dance and resorted to the Stupid White Guy Dance. The bargirls were actually very cool and most just wanted to hang out with us and talk. Ironically, the one I danced with happened to know English and wanted to practice.
Overall, I had a good time there. It might have been getting drunk with a friend or maybe just being drunk, but it was the best time I had a bar that evening.
My friend had been in Afganistan for several months and according to him all he has seen is veiled women, a lot of guns and a bunch of donkeys. Coming to Baku has been akin to releasing a kid in a candy store. The first place we stopped in was the Underground Club. I had never been there before and it looked like so many other clubs in Baku but located just outside of Fountain Square. The night was young so we ventured forth.
The place is very small and dank. The dance floor is tiny enough for maybe 8 people if they are really small. . The beer was overpriced (4 Manats for Efes and 6 Manats for Heineken) and we could not get the normal cheaper Russian beer. It was amazing that the bartender could not understand Azeri when I was asking questions about the price of beer and the types of beers and insisted he only knew Russian, but he seemed to be able to communicate with the two bar-girls in Azeri just fine.
As is customary anytime a guy ventures into most clubs here, we soon visited by a bar girl. I just play very dumb and usually the bar girl with lack of English skills get frustrated and leaves. It worked like a charm again here.
We completed our beers and left. Frankly, there is no reason to go to the Underground Club unless you are really into dark dank bars that have overpriced beers.
The place is very small and dank. The dance floor is tiny enough for maybe 8 people if they are really small. . The beer was overpriced (4 Manats for Efes and 6 Manats for Heineken) and we could not get the normal cheaper Russian beer. It was amazing that the bartender could not understand Azeri when I was asking questions about the price of beer and the types of beers and insisted he only knew Russian, but he seemed to be able to communicate with the two bar-girls in Azeri just fine.
As is customary anytime a guy ventures into most clubs here, we soon visited by a bar girl. I just play very dumb and usually the bar girl with lack of English skills get frustrated and leaves. It worked like a charm again here.
We completed our beers and left. Frankly, there is no reason to go to the Underground Club unless you are really into dark dank bars that have overpriced beers.
My friend and I ventured forth. I knew of some other clubs that I had seen in passing but never stopped in so went to one. The Coral Club is a few blocks away from one of the places where I work.
Once again, the club is underground. We were not expecting much when we were entering but the place is very big. There is a large dance floor, but I do not dance because tough guys don't dance unless extremely drunk and I was not there yet. Most of the drinks were reasonably price and there are several large and comfortable bar couches.
There were a lot of bar girls in club. They were extremely aggressive or maybe they were just drunk doctors giving free hernia exams. We were there for only a few minutes before several were upon us. There were several police officers in full uniform present as well. Further proof of the wide spread corruption within the Azerbaijani Police Force. Nevertheless, we decided to have some fun. My friend danced with girls and I continued to drink yet was not drunk enough to demonstrate my famous Headless Chicken Dance.
We decided to leave, but the bar girls were closer to middle linebackers trying to drag down a running back. Two police officers started to walk towards us and my friend and I did our best Edgerrin James imitations and got out of there fast.
I doubt that I would ever venture to that club alone and would never suggest that club to any woman, but for a group of guys out drinking it was fun.
Once again, the club is underground. We were not expecting much when we were entering but the place is very big. There is a large dance floor, but I do not dance because tough guys don't dance unless extremely drunk and I was not there yet. Most of the drinks were reasonably price and there are several large and comfortable bar couches.
There were a lot of bar girls in club. They were extremely aggressive or maybe they were just drunk doctors giving free hernia exams. We were there for only a few minutes before several were upon us. There were several police officers in full uniform present as well. Further proof of the wide spread corruption within the Azerbaijani Police Force. Nevertheless, we decided to have some fun. My friend danced with girls and I continued to drink yet was not drunk enough to demonstrate my famous Headless Chicken Dance.
We decided to leave, but the bar girls were closer to middle linebackers trying to drag down a running back. Two police officers started to walk towards us and my friend and I did our best Edgerrin James imitations and got out of there fast.
I doubt that I would ever venture to that club alone and would never suggest that club to any woman, but for a group of guys out drinking it was fun.
