Colors of Baku - traditions, festivals, mentality and lifestyle

Despite the fact that Baku is a modern and rapidly developing city, local people treat their traditions and Islamic rules with great respect. Tourists are also recommended to respect the beliefs and behaviors of the city as that will help visitors to enjoy friendliness and cordiality of local people. For example, females shouldn’t make a stroll wearing too bright or revealing clothes. Men should avoid sleeveless shirts and shorts in everyday clothes. Ideally, clothes should be quite formal, loose fitting, and, most important, tidy. Locals are accustomed to a great number of tourists and treat European style with understanding, so there is nothing wrong in making a walk in a sports or business suit.

Travelers must treat local landmarks with respect. When entering a mosque, it is important to take shoes off. Besides that, only tourists in fitting clothes are allowed to enter. Despite the fact that women in Baku are very careful when it comes to picking an outfit, they like jewelry. Both fashion and fine jewelry is widely sold in numerous trading pavilions and street markets. Hospitality is a distinctive national feature. Despite the fact that many citizens are not rich, they are always glad to greet guests and serve a festive table full of delicacies for them. Tourists should not refuse an invitation as that can severely upset hospitable hosts.

It is important to prepare gifts for hosts. It should be mentioned that hosts often also give presents to guests, and these presents can be quite expensive, so don’t be greedy when choosing a present. In accordance with an old tradition, women cannot sit at the same table with men, but this aspect doesn’t concern foreigners. However, such a tradition is alive only in distant rural areas, while in big cities no one follows this outdated formality. Nevertheless, guests should not pay too much attention to the hostess and other women present. Such a behavior can be treated in a wrong way. Don’t forget about local table etiquette. Take and pass food with your right hand only. Fragrant tea with milk and fruit is the traditional start and finish of any meal. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

Many important holidays in Azerbaijan are of a religious origin. For example, Gurban Bayram is one of the most important holidays in the country. Festival of Sacrifice marks the end of Haji pilgrimage. It is the time when Muslim families sacrifice a goat or camel. Novruz Bayram is another popular public holiday in Azerbaijan. The Zoroastrian New Year is the time when local people serve the special novruz table and decorate it with dried fruits, sweets, candies, and colored eggs. Some families still prepare dishes, which name starts with the latter S, such as sekkeh, sonbol, saat, sabzi, sumakh, and many others.

Baku is not deprived of interesting events. Azerbaijan International Auto Show is a fantastic event for everyone keen on cars. The annual show takes place in the capital in May. Many internationally famous companies show their latest achievements during the event. Cars, buses, trucks, motorbikes, trailers are just some of the vehicle types that visitors can see at the Auto Show. Agrihort Azerbaijan is the main agriculture related event of the country. Tourists will also find it interesting to attend this exhibition as Azerbaijan has nine climatic zones suitable for agriculture.

Tourists, who want to get acquainted with food of the country and beyond, will hardly find a better place than World Food Azerbaijan. Many domestic and foreign companies bring their food to the event. Various shows and master classes are an essential part of the exhibition. Finally, music fans simply cannot fail to attend the Baku International Jazz Festival. Locals developed love to jazz yet in the 50s and 60 of the previous century when this music was prohibited by Soviet authorities. Officially, the jazz festival appeared in April 2005. Since that time, each April the event attracts music bands and jazz fans from all over the world.