Ararat, Azerbaijan, Tourists, and GO VOTE!
Yes, Raffi, you may uncork that bottle of champagne. I've decided to log once more. My absence has been merely a function of circumstance, and nothing more.
As many indicated the summer/visitor season was quite intense, but nice, I must say. A variety of people dropped in and out of the scene. As much as we all complain about the tourists coming out of every nook and cranny of this city during the May-October months, for us who live here, their visits revitalize us and keeps us going through the quiet period. So, keep coming, and keep staying with us. We love you! And as a friend of mine pointed out to me, many of our friends and family who've been to Armenia several times by this point, do keep coming back because they want to see us and not Garni and Geghard, so can we please acknowledge that as well!
My view of Ararat this year has been particularly interesting. In the last few days Ararat has been visible in the middle of the night, because of the particularly clear skies (read: cold, cold winter air at night) and the freshly powdered peaks, and the beautiful moonlight. So, a siluette of the two majestic peaks are clearly visible throughout the night, and the dramatic dawn images are things of natural wonders. I will try to capture a few pictures soon.
Raffi had logged about the tourism Armenia ads that are now running on CNN International. The other night, I was watching a program on CNN, and this ad came on, and my friend and I were trying to figure out from the get go what country it was, because the images/dances/landscapes were oddly familiar. There was an Iranian tea cup scene (well made), dancers (very Armenian circle dance like), and you can't tell what country it is or who it is--except the music is reminiscent of Kurdish string music--you get the point--and all of a sudden at the very end of the commercial, as the images are fading away, the words Azerbaijan appear on the screen. No voice over, nothing...I guessed Turkey, before Azerbaijan appeared on the screen. They've done well, presenting a collection of regional tastes and cultures under the banner Azerbaijan.
And finally, have you voted yet in the US elections? By the time this log appears, you'll have a few more hours/minutes (depending on where you live), so GO VOTE! If for nothing else, but for the opportunity to have the first female Speaker of the House of Representative--and not only that, but she's a first rate legislator.
Raffi, I want a glass of that champagne.
As many indicated the summer/visitor season was quite intense, but nice, I must say. A variety of people dropped in and out of the scene. As much as we all complain about the tourists coming out of every nook and cranny of this city during the May-October months, for us who live here, their visits revitalize us and keeps us going through the quiet period. So, keep coming, and keep staying with us. We love you! And as a friend of mine pointed out to me, many of our friends and family who've been to Armenia several times by this point, do keep coming back because they want to see us and not Garni and Geghard, so can we please acknowledge that as well!
My view of Ararat this year has been particularly interesting. In the last few days Ararat has been visible in the middle of the night, because of the particularly clear skies (read: cold, cold winter air at night) and the freshly powdered peaks, and the beautiful moonlight. So, a siluette of the two majestic peaks are clearly visible throughout the night, and the dramatic dawn images are things of natural wonders. I will try to capture a few pictures soon.
Raffi had logged about the tourism Armenia ads that are now running on CNN International. The other night, I was watching a program on CNN, and this ad came on, and my friend and I were trying to figure out from the get go what country it was, because the images/dances/landscapes were oddly familiar. There was an Iranian tea cup scene (well made), dancers (very Armenian circle dance like), and you can't tell what country it is or who it is--except the music is reminiscent of Kurdish string music--you get the point--and all of a sudden at the very end of the commercial, as the images are fading away, the words Azerbaijan appear on the screen. No voice over, nothing...I guessed Turkey, before Azerbaijan appeared on the screen. They've done well, presenting a collection of regional tastes and cultures under the banner Azerbaijan.
And finally, have you voted yet in the US elections? By the time this log appears, you'll have a few more hours/minutes (depending on where you live), so GO VOTE! If for nothing else, but for the opportunity to have the first female Speaker of the House of Representative--and not only that, but she's a first rate legislator.
Raffi, I want a glass of that champagne.
posted by Alex at 2:45 AM
11 Comments:
Pop! Champagne for all :-) Welcome back Alex. You're right of course, we love all the guests and visitors in the summer, I think a lot of us just wish some of them would come during the long, cold winter!
Ararat has indeed been really amazing, I have taken some fantastic pictures I'll have to post one of these days on Flickr. Plus I'll watch out for it at night.
I heard about the Azerbaijan ads. Nothing personal to Azerbaijan, but I have heard that it does not offer nearly what Armenia and Georgia do to tourists...
I saw both comercials also and I can honestly say that the Azeri one was nicely produced, but (like the country) it lacked substance and was cheap. For example, they show a tea cup and a nice hotel...big deal. Moreover, the split second that they showed dancers was nothing but amatures walking in a circle...smoke and mirrors in my opinion.
Armenia's commercial on the other hand was much more interesting.
Dude, our dancers did a berd. We rock! So where are the Georgia ads then?
I saw this Azerbaijan commerical too! So annoying as I never got to see the Armenia one, surely someone must have it and can post it on youtube?
arg!"
What a welcome change—a repat blogger actually acknowledging that bloggers’ personal visitors (generically referred to as tourists here) have the potential to offer more than the burden and distraction factor oft-touted on this site. Your log’s hospitable tone is truly appreciated Alex.
As someone who has lived in Azerbaijan, I believe the ad is well made and gives a nice glimpse of the country (though I wish they showed more of Baku). Interestingly, the girl in the ad is actually Aliyev's daughter.
"I heard about the Azerbaijan ads. Nothing personal to Azerbaijan, but I have heard that it does not offer nearly what Armenia and Georgia do to tourists..."
I don't mean to be offensive either, but I've heard the opposite as well. I think it's important to note that all three countries have more in common than not...and have equally as much to offer.
Also, I haven't seen the Armenian ad..anyone know if it's online?
phyek, first let me make sure that it is clear that I am not talking about people/culture when I say what the countries have to offer, I am talking specifically about sites to visit. As far as I understand, Azerbaijan has that one cut off village, the old town of Baku, the petroglyphs, the fire and the mud volcanoes. That is what I've been able to determine from talking to people who have been able to visit - since I was rejected from visiting myself, and from the Lonely Planet guidebook and the web. So it's a handful of things that can be seen in a couple of days. That's my understanding. Meanwhile having travelled a lot in Armenia and Georgia, where there is much more to keep you busy than that, I feel that Azerbaijan has much less to offer people to see... but until they let me in, I can't say for 100% sure :-)
Ah I see, well there are definitely many more places to visit, but like the rest of the region, tourism infrastructure is (practically) none-existent, so remote areas are hard to reach. Otherwise, Baku is quite large, and you'd need more than a few days to explore. Unfortunately, many of the places are either unknown or overlooked by visitors. Certainly, the old town of Baku that you mention is only tiny fraction of the city.
Personally, I've only been to Armenia once (at 9 years old) during the Soviet days, and haven't been able to visit again...since the current conflict makes it really difficult for people from either side to travel. Hopefully that changes in the near future.
Anyway, I searched for the Armenian ad on youtube but couldn't find anything. Anyone have a link?
Well actually, its the Azeri government that makes it hard, not the conflict. Even as a US Citizen they do not let me in thanks to my Armenian name... just sad - since contact between people is one of the best ways to bring sides together.
I have seen both Armenia commercials (there are two), and they are both very impressive. The Ministry of Trade and Economic Development was supposed to put them on their website, but I just checked and they still haven't. I'll remind them... but I think you're right, youtube's the place for them.
As someone else who would like to visit Azerbaijan with an Armenian name, but a foreign passport, is there any way to make a complaint to our respective Foreign Ministries? I mean, rejecting a visa application to a naturally-born foreign citizen of the U.S. or European country must surely be a matter that our respective governments should give a damn about.
Of course, they don't, but I wonder if they should? Does anybody know?
Try The CNN international website for the ad.
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