Stories about Azerbaijan from March, 2009
Azerbaijan: Farida’s mushroom appetizer
Learning to Walk in Stilettos waxes lyrically about a recipe for an appetizer available on Farida's Azerbaijani Cookbook — Mushrooms Stuffed with Eggplant, Walnuts and Fresh Herbs.
Azerbaijan: Like a virgin (reprise)
Following on from earlier posts on the matter of virginity in Armenia, Scary Azeri in Suburbs recounts the situation in Azerbaijan. The blog concludes that medical techniques to restore a bride's virginity for her wedding night are more advanced in the former Soviet Union than in the West.
Armenia: Blogger Interview
The DOTCOM project which brings together Armenian, Azeri and U.S. teenage bloggers has now updated its interview with Arzu Geybullayeva with one conducted with Global Voices Online's Caucasus Regional Editor Onnik Krikorian. In particular, the potential for blogs and online social networking sites to cross geographical and geopolitical divides is...
Azerbaijan: Blogger Interview
Dotcom, an online project which has participants from Armenia, Azerbaijan and the United States, has published an interview with Azerbaijani blogger Arzu Geybullayeva on blogging and citizen media. In particular, she talks about her work on gender issues and media freedom as well as about her blog, Flying Carpets and...
Azerbaijan: Barcamp Caspian
Caucasus New Media reports from this week's Barcamp Caspian held in Baku, Azerbaijan. In particular, the blog notes presentations on localizing the Opera web browser for the Caucasus and fears about possible Internet censorship in the country.
Azerbaijan: Corrupt Medicine
Scary Azeri in Suburbs continues to compare life in England with that in Azerbaijan. In particular, speaking from experience, she compares health-care in the UK to that available in the former Soviet Union.
Caucasus: Pitiful democracy
Writing on the International Federation of Liberal Youth blog, Bart Woord sums up a month of traveling in the South Caucasus by saying that democracy and governance are in a pitifully depressing state in all three former Soviet republics.
Azerbaijan: Novruz in absentia
Scary Azeri in Suburbs recounts celebrating Novruz in London with her friends from Azerbaijan. The blog says that for a moment she felt as if she was in Baku and also reflects on married life in the U.K.
Azerbaijan: Referendum warning
Following last week's controversial referendum in Azerbaijan, Flying Carpets and Broken Pipelines comments on news that the Council of Europe has warned Baku that it could be expelled from the international body as a result of the conduct of the vote. However, the blog notes, it is unlikely that the...
Azerbaijan: Cultural Clash
Scary Azeri in Suburbs remembers a visit from her teenage years to the mountain village of Ismailli. The blog says the trips were always a welcome escape from the summer heat of the Azerbaijani capital, Baku, but the blogger also remembers that they also highlighted the cultural differences between the...
Azerbaijan: Novruz
Prohibited but celebrated discreetly during its years as a Soviet republic, Novruz is now one of the most anticipated holidays to be openly marked in Azerbaijan. Local and expat bloggers comment on the festival.
Azerbaijan: Referendum results
Flying Carpets and Broken Pipelines says that the votes from yesterday's controversial referendum in Azerbaijan have now been counted. The blog sarcastically remarks on the high turnout and approval rate for the changes to the constitution and says that friends advise being patient for change to come. However, the blogger...
Azerbaijan: Bloggers react to controversial referendum
Yesterday Azerbaijan went to the polls to vote on amendments to the country's constitution less than six months after its president, Ilham Aliyev, won re-election to a second term in office. With the changes — and especially one lifting the two-term limit on the presidency — stirring up controversy from the very beginning, local and foreign bloggers alike comment on the conduct and outcome of the referendum.
Azerbaijan: Voting
Flying Carpets and Broken Pipelines details voting in today's referendum to amend the constitution in Azerbaijan. Although most consider the result a foregone conclusion, the blogger explains why she decided to vote.
Azerbaijan: A strange country
On the eve of tomorrow's constitutional referendum to remove the two-term presidential limit, Flying Carpets and Broken Pipelines says her country is “strange.” On the one hand, as a bridge between East and West, Azerbaijan has a lot going for it. On the other, however, it continues to experience significant...
Azerbaijan: Novruz Eve
Sheki, Azerbaijan continues to update its readers on the coming holiday of Novruz with today marking Earth Tuesday. The blog says that the evening is marked by candle-lit meals on the eve of the coming Spring.
Azerbaijan: Controversial Book Banned
Unzipped: Gay Armenia reports that the controversial book, Artush and Zaur, which details a love story between two men — one Armenian and one Azerbaijani — has been banned in Baku. The blog also says that bookshops selling the novel have been closed down.
Armenia-Azerbaijan: Artush and Zaur
After the publication of a controversial new novel in Azerbaijan, Blogian posts an interview with its author while Unzipped: Gay Armenia says that a book discussion will be held in Baku on 11 March. Artush and Zaur, the story of the homosexual love affair between an Armenian and Azerbaijani in...
Azerbaijan: Od Çərşənbəsi
Sheki, Azerbaijan informs its readers of Od Çərşənbəsi, a traditional observance that will eventually usher in the fire holiday of Newroz.
