These recent statements by Azerbaijan's Minister of Culture and Tourism have me wondering if the government there is cooking up some kind of Hogwart's magic to prepare the country for Eurovision 2012. Baku is a shell city, and i mean vast tracts of multi-story stone and cement building frames which changed not a bit in the six months i was just living there. It boggles the mind to hear an official claim they are going to be fully prepared for the kind of foreign onslaught Eurovision is sure to bring. Everyone in Baku get your wands ready, because meeting the Minister's goals is going to require one massive wave of transformative power!
One of the more cynical Azeri businessmen i know suggested that the first thing they'll need to do is create a special 'Eurovision visa', because as things now stand, getting a tourist visa for Azerbaijan is both expensive and unpredictable. They'll collect your money, but there's no guarantee you'll actually get the visa. This is going to be especially true for young EU budget travellers, who will have to negotiate via the internet in Azeri to find tourist companies who can provide them with invitations. There are no buses to and from the airport, nothing even remotely like a European hostel to accommodate those who prefer Teva's or other non-heeled footwear, no bus maps and no tourist information centers. But hey, don't worry, be happy! If you do get a visa and find an affordable place to stay, you'll have a great time in Baku. People are friendly and poroskis are cheap. Just remember to be careful if you blog about your experiences: censors rule the day and Eurovision may be a welcome spectacle, but Eurosensibility has the potential to get you deported. Maybe bring a broomstick along, just in case.
No comments:
Post a Comment