If you only saw the parts of Azerbaijan that I see on my way to and from the office in Baku, you could be forgiven for thinking that a large proportion of Azeri people shopped in high end clothes shops and drove nice, and some, expensive cars.
Looking at the skyscape reveals that the city is being re-constructed. On the highest point of the city the Baku Flames, three huge glass constructions are nearing completion, and throughout the city high rise accommodation blocks are being built alongside newer and better commercial properties.
As I sat with government officials yesterday, they each recommended that "next time" I visit should be May 2012 when Baku hosts the Eurovision Song Contest, "then", they say, "our beautiful new buildings will be finished and it will be better weather".
But behind the façades of the nice new buildings there lies a different story. Venture behind the 'tourist routes' and the architecture, the road and the living conditions change dramatically. Go beyond the city, they tell me (as I will see for myself when I go to Mingechevir on Tuesday for a few days) and you will think you're in a different country.
But when you hear that the country makes about USD 80,000,000 per day from oil and gas, (and that's not their only source of revenue) you have to question why there are still people that live in squalid conditions; there is no state health system, there is a pitiable pension allowance, there are thousands of children in state run institutions and the education system has had little update since the Soviet's left 20 years ago. These are things that the government invites us to assist them in changing.
Despite what I describe of infrastructure and opportunity, it is always the people that impress me the most. The Azeri people of Baku are friendly, welcoming and generous. They smile, they greet me, and they seem genuinely happy that I have come to see their country and spend time with them. And that's the measure of the wealth of a country!
Looking at the skyscape reveals that the city is being re-constructed. On the highest point of the city the Baku Flames, three huge glass constructions are nearing completion, and throughout the city high rise accommodation blocks are being built alongside newer and better commercial properties.
As I sat with government officials yesterday, they each recommended that "next time" I visit should be May 2012 when Baku hosts the Eurovision Song Contest, "then", they say, "our beautiful new buildings will be finished and it will be better weather".
But behind the façades of the nice new buildings there lies a different story. Venture behind the 'tourist routes' and the architecture, the road and the living conditions change dramatically. Go beyond the city, they tell me (as I will see for myself when I go to Mingechevir on Tuesday for a few days) and you will think you're in a different country.
But when you hear that the country makes about USD 80,000,000 per day from oil and gas, (and that's not their only source of revenue) you have to question why there are still people that live in squalid conditions; there is no state health system, there is a pitiable pension allowance, there are thousands of children in state run institutions and the education system has had little update since the Soviet's left 20 years ago. These are things that the government invites us to assist them in changing.
Despite what I describe of infrastructure and opportunity, it is always the people that impress me the most. The Azeri people of Baku are friendly, welcoming and generous. They smile, they greet me, and they seem genuinely happy that I have come to see their country and spend time with them. And that's the measure of the wealth of a country!
