Novruz in Baku
We needed proof that things actually happened in Baku, so we decided to venture out on a Novruz Tuesday night. Which is when the big stuff actually happens. There were many bonfires to choose from, but the one on our corner was huge and had a big audience. The boys loved talking to us, practicing their English, and trying to get us to say bad words in Azeri. Some of the older boys liked Caitlin a little too much. We ran home in the middle to get candy. Our Azeri teacher had explained that on Novruz, kids leave their hats at your front door, knock, and then run away. While we were getting the candy, there was a knock at the door and, when we opened it, four little hats! We put candy in them. When we ran out of candy, they wanted change. We gave them some American change which was very popular and even caused a temporary home invasion.
At about 10 pm, long after things had settled down and we’d gone home, there was a knock at the door. I looked through the peephole and saw no one. I opened the door a crack and saw a lone, black papaq (hat). I put 3 cow candies in it.
