TODAY.AZ / Society

Azerbaijan love in Mexican heart

17 September 2014 [12:16] - TODAY.AZ
By Paula Del Real

It all began with a call-up to write an essay about my knowledge about Azerbaijan.

It was a complicated assignment because I really didn't know anything about the country. After some research, I began to write the article. One month later, I received a call. I was told that I have won the call-up. The prize? I could travel to the Land of Fire in the summer! I was about to start one of my best experiences in life.

It took me three flights and more than 28 hours to arrive in Baku. As soon as I stepped in the airport, I saw a man, standing with a sign reading: "Mexico", it was then that I realized I was in Azerbaijan, representing my country.

The trip began with a formal ceremony, were the entire guests took flowers to the Alley of Honour, and the Alley of the Martyrs. It was a great start because we understood love and respect Azerbaijanis pay to their country and history.

By walking into the city, you can sense a mixture of ancient and modern history in Baku: On one side, you can see the amazing Maiden Tower and all the ancient history and culture that Azerbaijan is so proud of, and a few streets down, you can see the stunning Flame Towers, a symbol indicating that Azerbaijan is a country proud of its roots and confident enough in the modern world.

When you begin to walk along the Old City, it seems you are travelling into history.

There you can see old buildings, old cars, and ancient history. It is amazing how well all these elements have been arranged. The wall that surrounds this part of the city is actually a check point. A few miles away there's Nizami Street along which you can see modern shops and contemporary statues and structures, like the Monument to the Modern Woman.

Our sponsor, the Youth and Sports Ministry, also had arranged a three day visit to Gabala, Shaki and Lahic during which I got the chance to see the full culture of Azerbaijan. I visited Khan's Palace, Karavansay Hotel and ate the traditional Piti soup in a traditional wedding's venue in Shaki. I will never forget the pleasures I got from these experiences. In Lahic I felt traveling in a time machine. We actually traveled in time. We had the opportunity to saw one of the most ancient villages not only in Azerbaijan but also across the world. Gabala has amazing perspectives and the Cable Car, it's something that no one can resist experiencing.

Back in Baku, we visited the Heydar Aliyev Center, which is a stunning construction. It's design has already won many international awards. By visiting the Heydar Aliyev Museum you enter a new atmosphere. The building is like a space machine: contemporary and white. There you can see all the willingness to share Heydar Aliyev's history and it's something every country should do about their national leaders.

Food in Azerbaijan was something I was really afraid of before visiting the country.

But surprisingly enough, it turned out that there are a lot of similarities between Mexico and Azerbaijan in terms of food. Both countries are rich in fruits, beer, and meat. I especially liked apples, watermelons and cherries. Meanwhile, the way a traditional Azerbaijani meal is presented is amazing. I never thought that you can start with a fruit, sometimes it's exactly what you need to do. I ate a lot of lamb in different dishes and presentations and discovered how many chesses you can eat with the Tandir (bread). It's just a festive in your mouth. Into the beverages field, I found a lot of juices (gilas v? portajal shiresi) and a type of drinkable compote of cherries. Azerbaijani gastronomy, it's something people from all over the world must try at least once.

Azerbaijani tea is simply amazing. My first experience with Azerbaijani tea was at 3 am in the morning on a Tuesday in a tea house in Bulvar. It was a bit of a shock to me to be able to walk and drink tea at that late hour. They have a traditional tea presentation, with desserts like Pakhlavas. I personally love tea, but in Mexico we don't have tea culture, so this is one of the many things I loved about Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan is an amazing country with amazing people. Every person I met was kind and welcoming. They deserve all the international attention they are getting.

But they also need the attention of foreign governments to adopt urgent measures to put an end to the conflict in Karabakh which has already taken many lives.

The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict emerged in 1988 over Armenia's territorial claims against Azerbaijan. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed as a result of large-scale hostilities and over one million Azerbaijanis are unable to return their home because of the invasion. Armenia continues the occupation of Azerbaijani territories, which in turn obstacles the regional security and peace.

There is a saying that every person has two countries, his own and another one, where they belong to. I am so proud to be a Mexican and share all my roots and culture but I definitely believe that I belong to Azerbaijan.

Paula Del Real is a Mexican student who studies international relations and got a chance to visit Azerbaijan this summer. You can contact her at 

[email protected].
URL: http://www.today.az/news/society/136719.html

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