Building boom in Masalli

I took some photos when I first arrived in Masalli a year ago, so it's interesting to see dramatic changes in the streets and shops in this town. I first started recording photos of the wonderful tandir bread shop located near my former host family's apartment. I was able to look down on the shop from Sally's balcony for the first shot. The second photo was taken in January when a small sign was surrounded by empty store fronts. On March 30th I climbed through construction scaffolding (bottom photo) to discover new ovens and many women working again.

A long stretch of the main street in Masalli, Heydar Aliyev Prospektus, looks very similar to the photo above. Many small shops were demolished, and none - except the bread shop - have re-opened.

Masalli also renovated a former community building that was located next to the Cultural Center. Gone is the squared-off style of the soviet era, and a new facade has arching windows similar to the nearby Cultural Center. It will now be a youth center with meeting rooms, a gallery and auditorium.

Two weeks ago, the President of Azerbaijan visited the new youth center, new telecom building, and the new green house which is located a stone's throw from my house. The road he traveled on was spruced up as well as any buildings along the route. Even the local garbage burner was demolished, fences put up and trees planted. Here is an earlier photo of an abandoned building plus the photo of how it looked when the President went past it.

Retraction: Spring is not here yet!

What was I thinking 10 days ago when I noted some signs of Spring? Overnight, (it's Saturday morning, March 17th), Masalli had 3 inches of heavy snow and the forecast is for -5 degrees Celsius on Sunday! I'm back to putting up a clothes line in my bedroom, wearing layers of warm clothes, keeping that heavy sleeping bag on my bed, cranking up the gas stove, and being amused by cold-blooded ducks wallowing in the muck in my yard. I have not heard a bird chirp for days.

Azerbaijan is in the midst of celebrating Novrus - the anticipation of Spring - but I think we are all in a funk. Reports of snow and ice and cold and wind are not exciting. One comfort is the food that is prepared for evening meals. 

I went "off text" Wednesday morning for 10th form class and asked students to name in English all the different foods they ate the night before; and also what things they did for Novrus. They reported jumping over fires seven times, hat-tossing, fire-crackers, telephoning or visiting family members, and watching Novrus in Baku on TV. 

They ate different things though, and it was fun to hear them discover what their classmates' families eat. Plov and roast chicken were traditional for all, while others said sliced tomatoes and cucumbers, mimosa salad, vegetable greens baked in scrambled eggs, dolmas, plain yogurt, fruit juices, fresh fruit, nuts, dates, Coke and Fanta. Of course, tea is served with lemon, sugar and candy.

I had dinner with site mate Sally at the home of her school's director, and recognized his wife's great culinary skills. I've eaten many of these same dishes during the past year, but hers were notably the best tasting. I suggested to Sally that we invite ourselves to her home for cooking lessons before we return to America. 

Here's a photo taken at the end of the meal. Note the wheat grass symbol.

Next Tuesday, March 20th the actual first day of Spring, I'm invited to the home of Naila, my school's director. I'm more interested in helping her with her leadership skills, but mostly curious about what her house is like and what food she will prepare. And what is her husband like???