This article forms part of the OnEurope archive and was originally published on oneurope.co.uk. It has been permanently migrated to oneurope.net, the official home of OnEurope.
I thought I’d explain a little about the city of Baku during Eurovision 2012. Firstly, I love it. After the staid Oslo and Düsseldorf, this city never sleeps. At 3am, when some of us eventually get thrown out of the Euroclub, there are still lots of people around. People of all ages too: elderly couples, groups of teenagers, parents with children. It really has been an eye-opener. Are you jealous yet?
It’s also very safe. Myself and some associates wandered down the promenade the other night and there was no trouble, nor even an air of trouble, at all. Just hundreds of people taking the late evening air and eating at the many streetside cafes and stalls. And it’s very common to see men walking arm in arm with men. The general consensus is that we like Baku and we want to come back. Maybe not next May, or indeed for a contest.
We’ve come across a Caucasian restaurant which served a cheese selection…
I can’t claim credit for this — it was from one of my associates. Three types of cheese. A strong cheese in the corners, a milder one in between, and a stringy cheese in the middle. Yes, dear reader, this is cheese, and a damn fine example too. Ignore the foliage — the restaurant owner meant well.
I’m now eagerly awaiting the imminent arrival of Messrs Moncrieff and West. They will ably bring the whole experience of Baku to another exciting level.
More soon!
Rx
