If only you knew how much of a curiousity I am here

Sunday...well it was hot today...probably the warmest day so far this year (even though I've been here since March). I decided to just sit in a park for a couple of hours, reading a book, listening to my IPod...and I came to realize a couple of things:

1) Not everyone who stares at me is doing it with distain, in fact, I accept the fact that most have never seen anyone who looks like me...and it's not just the black thing, american, western look, I think it's the androgynous thing...since this is such a male dominated society...you're clearly either a boy or a girl...and i think i just upset their sense of things...

2) young folks (yes, azerbaijani young people) have to be on the streets, with friends, with lovers, with family...because...they have no where else to go or to be. since many live in multi-generation households...with lots of folks sharing very little space...they have to be in the streets..you especially see the couples (boy/girl) cuddling, holding hands, etc....there is no where for them to go...

3) i am starting to wonder how much pollution, chemicals, etc. the eggs have? Nix the cholestrol, I'm starting to become more nervous about the food....my veggies that I brought back from the US in April are almost gone...can you imagine me nursing my three bags of baby carrots for over a month...i'm saving the snow pea pods for a very special day...

4) oh, yeah, the park...here's a photo..I thought the fountain would be on..but I think city turns on fountains at certain times of evening...so no flowing water this time.

5) oh,yeah, one more thing and more on this next time....there is no such thing as personal space here...especially in public...maybe this goes back to my item #2.

the highlight of this week...i've met the Norwegian Ambassador to Azerbaijan a few times..and now i've been invited to join in the celebration of the Norwegian Constitution Day...a special concert and a reception....i'm betting there will be veggies there...maybe i can slip some in my pocket...you think...

later