A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

Baku is a fairly large city, with a population of just over 2 million.  It is the capital of the country as well as it's industrial, cultural, and financial center.  And yet in so many ways it has the feel of just one big neighborhood.

The larger grocery stores don't allow you to take bags in (except purses), much like in KZ and Russia, so they provide lockers at the front.  Unlike in KZ and Russia, however, more often than not the lockers don't have locks.  What would be necessary in most major cities in the world is simply overlooked here.  People leave their bags, even their computer bags, in the lockers and just trust that they will still be there when they get back.  And here's the amazing part: they are.

Another impression I've gotten here is that there really are no strangers.  There are simply neighbors you haven't met yet.  Every stranger we have had to ask for help has been so gracious, even going out of their way to make sure we got where we needed to be.  Now I might have chalked that up to hospitality, since I'm obviously a guest in their country, except that I've seen the same general courtesy extended to locals.  One day in the park a girl came up to me and asked if she could borrow  a cell phone.  Unfortunately, I don't have one yet, but the elderly gentleman on the other side of the bench overheard and offered her his phone.  On my way home last week a teenager approached me outside of a little shop and asked if I had 40 qepik (about 50¢).  On the metro, if I feel someone trying to take my bag away from me, I know it's because they want to help me by holding it on their lap.  Rachael has taken several rides with the same taxi driver and one time she realized she didn't have enough money to pay him. So he just told her to pay him the next time.

Welcome to Mayberry.  I love it. 

Now don't worry- I'm still careful.  I keep a tight hold on my purse when out and about, I don't walk down dark alleys, and we never open our door unless we know who it is.  But I have never felt so safe in a large city.  What could be the source of this small town feel in the midst of the big city?  I'm not certain, but I'm pretty sure it's because the Azeri people are just generally awesome.  In my humble opinion.  :)