Leigh in Azerbaijan

We have a Chinese teacher on campus and she invited all the staff for a celebration of Chinese New Year at her apartment last night, catered for by a local Chinese restaurant. Seventy people attended and the living space was large enough to accommodate everyone. The noise however was challenging especially when some party-animals put on some loud music. The view of the city and the Caspian was impressive, especially at night time when the less attractive elements of Baku cannot be seen.

Midway through the evening a young veiled woman entered and belly-danced for 7 or 8 minutes, much to the interest of us men, and then quietly disappeared. There were a few musical items, including one that I invited a school music teacher to help me out with by singing harmony. We have a couple of Azeris in the business office with singing and performing talent and they did a couple of items, including one that I helped with - The House of the Rising Sun.

Andy, a PE teacher, has organised a gig for one of his visiting mates and me at Pancho’s (a restaurant) one night later this month. We’ll do a set together and some solo sets. I guess I better get my head around some songs this coming week.