Nastya: Aren't gonna say something about my suit?
Evsei: I think that inmate girls are hot.
Nastya: Keep your mouth shut from now. Good morning friends!
Get comfortable. Turn the volume up. You are about to experience a truly hot weekend because we landed in…
Evsei: …Baku!
Nastya: Well done.
Evsei: Thank you.
Nastya: Toss the coin.
Evsei: Heads.
Nastya: Tails.
Evsei: The shot.
Nastya: Hooray.
Evsei: You are celebrating too early.
>>Nastya: It was not early Evsei! Finally! Hello, I am Anastasia Ivleeva, the owner of the gold card.
Evsei: Something went wrong.
Nastya: Nothing went wrong.
Evsei: Hooray.
Hooray.
This is the fourth time Heads and Tails have made it to Baku!
The capital of Azerbaijan is changing so rapidly! We were afraid we would miss the moment
it would turn into another Dubai!
Evsei: The famous Baku taxis are the first ones to greet the visitors just like it was five years ago.
"The eggplants".
Just like those in London only purple.
Hello. Is this one yours? How much does it cost to get to the city?
Driver: Thirty-five manat.
Evsei: That is 18 bucks! How much do you charge? Hello.
Driver: Where do you need to go?
Evsei: Old City.
Driver: Old City? Get over here.
Evsei: Hey! What is going on?
Driver: Twenty-five manat will get you right to the Old City.
Evsei: Fifteen bucks. I think I would rather take the bus.
Driver: The bus does not go to the center!
Evsei: It doesn't? Twenty-five manat is a lot.
Driver: 25 is a good price! I swear it! Twenty for you. You're welcome. He will take you for twenty.
Evsei: I think I will take the bus for two manat though.
Driver: Let me open the door for you. Come!
Evsei: I can get it myself. Baku cabbies are very brazen. They stick to you like leeches. There is no getting away.
They would have played me like a sucker if one of the cabbies did not notice the camera.
Driver: We are not forcing you to go.
Evsei: They became polite in the blink of an eye and even told me where to buy a bus pass.
Is this where I get the ticket? You need a card to ride the bus. There are two kinds of them in Baku.
Paper kind is for a single ride. The plastic card costs two manat, but you can refill it, which is convenient.
There is my bus! The bus leaves every thirty minutes – convenient. This bus is not bad at all.
A table with cup holders. Soft seats that can even do this! Nice.
The fare 1.30 manat. Only 75 cents! I get an entire comfortable shuttle bus all to myself for that money!
I like Baku already!
Well friends, this weekend I will be riding around in the same car as the President of Azerbaijan – Maybach!
Excellent choice Mr. President! Maybach is a super deluxe sedan. It is manufactured by Mercedes-Benz.
Here is the logo. I have an S500 model of Mercedes Maybach.
The interior is brand new! Smells like new leather.
Shall we? A ride in a Maybach.
This car is top of the top! Interior reminds me of a turbo rocket because everything is black and slick.
The length of that rocket is 5.5 meters. In regards to comfort, Maybach rivals a private jet. Check this out!
Here is a thing that you do not see in the car every day. A flight attendant will bring me airline food
and then I will be doing my homework. Isn't that sweet? I think it is a cool shtick!
Write in the comments on YouTube if you disagree and why.
My seat has a bunch of cool gimmicks, like a massage.
Almost a Thai masseuse sub. All relaxed now. I can put up a mesh screen if I want.
Keeps me safe from the deranged fans!
Wow! I expected to see a typical Soviet city. This is New York City right here!
Nastya: I am in awe because Baku turned out to be a modern, trendy and interesting metropolis.
Very large.
Evsei: The first thing that you notice is that Baku is a very rich city.
Nastya: I will tell you how they can afford to spend hundreds of millions
on this glamorous newness in case you have missed our previous Baku episodes.
Azerbaijan sits on rich oil reserves. It made $30 billion from oil in just the last year.
The most of the profit stays in the capital. Baku will keep growing high and wide until the last drop of oil.
According to Forbes' experts, the aforementioned last drop will be pumped in 2030. What is next for you Baku?
We have not been in Baku for five years. Something major had happened here during that time.
The city's foremost landmark was opened after a reconstruction – Baku Boulevard.
This is the main spot in Baku. It has been the local favorite for generations –
next year it will be 110 years old! During that time, a small promenade turned
into a gigantic park with gardens and fountains! It is 25 kms long!
You would need five hours to walk the entire length of the Boulevard.
It is better to rent a bike for two bucks and ride!
You get the feeling that you crossed half the globe.
A local London Eye!
A mall that looks like Sydney Opera.
Here is Arizona!
Here is a small patch of Venice right here in Baku.
These similarities are not coincidental. The authorities want all nationalities that visit Baku to feel right at home.
I came up with a lifehack as I was cycling around. Visit Baku and cycle on the boardwalk
if you want to see London, Sydney, Toronto and Singapore in one place.
Nastya: You will never believe where the rich people go to try exquisite cuisine in Baku – the museum!
I'm playing. This is Sirvansah museum-style restaurant.
Evsei: If you would like to try a home cooked meal in Baku you need to go where the locals eat.
Lacin Qayasi Café for example. All the dishes cost 3 to 4 manat. That works for my budget.
Waiter: Hello.
Nastya: You can tell that this place is different from your usual restaurant right away.
You feel like you walk through a portal and see olden Baku when you step inside Sirvansah.
A road with paving stones that leads to pilaf chamber.
You can study Azerbaijan's history by just walking around this restaurant. Howdy.
They built a restaurant inside an old bathhouse building and gathered a collection of everything
that Azerbaijanis are proud of – Satyl copper buckets for water and milk, clay jars for wine and samovars.
Carpets on the walls, carpets on the tables and carpets on top of carpets! So gorgeous and colorful!
I feel like I walked into the past.
Evsei: All that I got was some cheap chairs and a plastic tablecloth. Cafés are very unusual in Baku.
The tables are located inside separate rooms.
Folks in Baku like to dine loudly. The wall provides everyone's privacy and comfort.
I picked a room with a table for two.
>>Nastya: I lost the count of these rooms in my restaurant. I cannot find my table!
We have not been in this hall! That is not it. How long will I wait for you? Maybe there. Is my food here?
That is not it either! We have not been here as well. Make sure you have your GPS tracker running
when you come to Sirvansah because it is a city inside a city! We came from over there. Good evening!
They already set the table for me! A fine restaurant always serves appetizers first.
I have salads with pomegranate, basil, eggplant and red cabbage.
Can we conclude this with a slice of that pie from over there?
Waiter: That is not a pie. This is one of the most ancient and ethnic dishes in our cuisine – Shah Plov.
A King's Pilaf.
Nastya: This that pilaf?
Waiter: Yes.
Nastya: Where is the pilaf then?
Waiter: Inside.
Nastya: I have never seen pilaf that was prepared that way! Shah Plov is the foremost dish during celebrations.
It is a must-have at any wedding or jubilee. The recipe is unique. First, they cook rice, lamb and dried fruit.
Then they wrap the prepared pilaf inside the special gazmah dough to attain a perfect crust.
I think that will be enough.
Waiter: I have to finish cutting.
Nastya: Is it how it is done?
Waiter: Sure is.
Nastya: Besides the nice look, this way of serving keeps the pilaf from losing its warmth and aroma. Dear God!
Smells like angels produced this aroma and we are the first ones who get to smell it.
Waiter: True story.
Nastya: This crust is everything! It is not at all fat. The meat is super tender.
Dried fruit gives it an interesting taste.
Evsei: A regular café usually serves a dish called piti. This is soup and lamb stew mixed
inside of one chamber pot. There is a method to eating piti. Now I have to put crumbs
of this flapjack inside the bullion. Piti is a cholesterol apocalypse! They stew it with chunk of lamb fat.
That is why you need to add a pinch of barberry for a hint of sourness.
Tastes very fatty.
You have to be born Azerbaijani to finish eating this plate. On to the second phase of eating piti.
Now I have to mash all of the ingredients and mix them together. Let us try it.
The taste reminds me of macaroni with meat or Spaghetti Bolognese as some would call it.
I can feel a bomb of fat exploding inside of my stomach. I will definitely need a pharmacy after this.
Nastya: While Evsei is eating bits of lamb, I ordered myself the whole thing! A baby lamb.
Awesome!
Was he young?
Waiter: He was. Past tense. Unfortunately.
Nastya: Die young.
Waiter: We will mourn his loss with our stomachs.
Nastya: You got jokes! Amazingly enough, they stuffed the baby lamb with pilaf too.
Another unique local recipe. They stuffed the carcass with unfinished rice and put in the oven.
The rice cooked inside and absorbed all of the lamb's juices.
Easy to tell that this lamb was cooked for twelve hours because the meat melts in my mouth.
Very tasty! Simply magical!
There are hostels on every corner in Baku, so getting a bed for a night is not a problem.
On the other hand, the hotels here do not cut your arm off either.
It is not often that I can afford decent accommodation while on a $100 budget.
Look, a room in a four-star hotel is just $22!
Excuse me, did I understand correctly? Is this your hotel?
Receptionist: It is.
Evsei: Did you happen to lose a zero there?
Receptionist: No. What is the matter?
Evsei: How can a night in a four star hotel cost 38 manat?
Receptionist: Right now, we offer a special deal – 50% off. The offer lasts until the end of January.
Evsei: Take notes backpackers. The summer in Baku is considered a high season.
If you want to see the city instead of lounging on the beach, make sure that you come here when we did –
during fall. Every hotel offers discounts up to 50% off!
Receptionist: Here is your key. You also receive free breakfast. 8AM – 10AM.
Evsei: Really?
Receptionist: Really.
Evsei: This is my new home guys and that is my lucky ticket! Thank you.
A/C, closet, fridge, a table with fresh fruit, so many beds! I am lucky. So are you!
You do not have to sleep on the floor tonight. This will be my bed because I tend to spread my limbs
and that one will be yours.
Can we head towards the hotel please? You should love this hotel, because as far as I know, it is top of top!
Baku likes to invite superstar guests. They always organize grandiose events to try to lure them in –
Eurovision, European Games, Formula-1 Grand Prix and various music festivals.
They built Bilgah Beach Hotel on the shore of the Caspian Sea especially for the guests of honor.
The President's summer residence is located nearby. Allegedly.
That should give you an idea about the neighborhood. Do you know who stayed in Bilgah Beach?
Nastya: Leonid Yakubovich himself! That is a jackpot!
Waiter: Hello.
Nastya: Hello.
Waiter: Welcome to our hotel. That is for you.
Nastya: Thank you very much! That is what I call service. Hello.
Manager: Hello. Welcome
Nastya: Can you offer me a superior room?
Manager: Of course! The Presidential Suite on the 16th floor is reserved especially for you!
Nastya: Sounds magnificent. Did someone famous stay there?
Manager: A number of showbiz celebrities.
Nastya: Just what I need! Here you go.
Manager: Here is your key.
Nastya: So fast? Let us go have a look friends!
Golden bushes are growing from the ceiling!
A colossal icicle is hanging from the sky in the middle of the hall! Wow!
That is the biggest chandelier I have seen in my life!
The height of that chandelier equals to that of 15-story building! It weights thirteen tons! That is like six SUVs!
The installation lasted six month because all of the pieces that had to weld by hand.
Then they screwed in 72,000 lightbulbs and turned it into a stunning shining ivy.
My Presidential Suite is one of the three most expensive accommodations in Azerbaijan.
Spending a night here costs 250,000 UAH! So pretty. Presidential Suite. That is for me.
I am a bit nervous. Some celebrities stayed here.
Awesome! This is like a small palace! Why can't I live my life here? I really am inside of a palace! This is nuts!
This suite looks like it was made for King Louis XVII who got lost on the way here.
The French neo-classic interior design features plenty of crystals, silk, marble and gold.
My conclusion, as I am sitting on an official throne – I like it!
You will think that Baku is a modern European city if you do not leave the city center.
That is until you get off the tourist's route. We are about to enter the most notorious neighborhood in Baku
and perhaps the entire Azerbaijan. You should not go any further if you cannot defend yourself. Let's do this.
What an area! This district is called Kubinka. A very poor neighborhood in the center of a very rich capital city.
There have been many things written about Kubinka. In times of deficit it was the hotspot for underground trade.
Serving time is considered a normal thing here because practically everyone had been to jail.
It is rumored that this is where the crime lords live. The people who had run-ins with the law in the past…
And present.
The locals advise against coming here. They say that the least thing that can happen to you is an armed robbery.
Why come to Kubinka? It features one mystical distinction.
This is where a mystical cildag ritual takes place.
This word does not have a translation, but it basically means cauterization.
This is an interesting place so to say.
Everyone in Baku knows this woman and they came over here at least once. Hello. Is this where you do cildag?
Woman: Yes.
Evsei: Can you please tell me what will happen?
Woman: I will remove your fears.
Evsei: Fears?
Woman: Yes. Fears.
Evsei: I began having additional qualms after I walked in here.
Woman: Have a seat and share.
Evsei: Okay. First of all, I have a fear of water and drowning.
I will drown!
Second – bees. Insects that can bite and fly in general. Another small one is my fear of directors.
Lena: Get on the set now! Get on the set!
Evsei: That side is a lot more expensive.
Lena: What side? A side of what?
Woman: Pull your sleeve up.
Evsei: One?
Woman: All of them.
Evsei: Feels like she pulled a piece of coal from the fireplace and began touching the most sensitive places.
There is nothing mystical here. Just a common procedure in the eastern medicine.
A burning cotton cloth is applied to the spots on the body that are close to nerve endings.
That improves your blood circulation and your nervous system gets a reboot.
You convince yourself that you are not afraid of anything.
Evsei: Thank you very much. How much do I owe you for this procedure?
Woman: We do not have a set price. People give according to their ability. It is voluntary.
Evsei: I got you. All right. I will just leave it here. Thanks again. Goodbye. Let me go see if it worked.
The entire city participates in the light show that takes place here every night. Get comfortable.
The show is about to begin!
It looks like the stars fell from the sky and lit up Crystal Hall!
The National Gymnastics Arena turned into a spaceship! The flames look so real that I want to call firefighters!
The towers turned into giant flames as well.
Nastya: The central streets are as bright as the Times Square in New York.
How about this building? It is incredible how much money they spent so it could glimmer like this!
Evsei: The authorities spare no expense on this light show.
The alleged nightly cost of illuminating these towers is $9,000!
Nastya: They were not wrong when they said that Baku is a city of lights!
The city shines like a bright, orange, spectacular torch!
Evsei: What is weird is that the streets of Baku are empty and lifeless during the light show. No people around.
No voices. Whom is this performance for if no one sees it?
Nastya: Baku is an expensive display window. They wanted to people to look at it and say
"Wow! Azerbaijan is such a rich country!" Braggadocio is everything! That phrase describes Baku perfectly.
I am a rich and somewhat influential person in Azerbaijan.
It would be silly of me not to taste some black caviar.
There is another kind of "black gold" in Azerbaijan besides oil – black caviar.
I will become an expert in these black jewels since I got a day to be a millionaire.
Cook: We would like to offer you a taste our black caviar set. This one is beluga, sturgeon and stellate sturgeon.
Nastya: Let us go over the prices first. Stellate sturgeon's caviar costs $700 per kilogram. Sturgeon – $900.
Beluga is the most expensive one. The prices begin at $2,000!
Cook: They have different nutritional values and vitamins.
Nastya: This is how you eat it properly. It turns out that they do not eat it with spoons.
They put it on bread with sour cream, butter, egg yolks, capers or egg whites.
You need to add that to match with caviar's salt.
Each millionaire has to be able to tell the real caviar from the fake one that is made from seaweed.
You have to blow on your caviar if you want to find out if it is real. It is not real if it does not stick.
The caviar is of the best quality when it stays solid.
Those millionaires that plan on getting a doctorate in black caviar will find the next information interesting.
Azerbaijan reloaded its black caviar production while we were away.
They used to kill the fish with a hit on the head, cut it open and got the caviar. Then they canned the meat.
The scientists came up with a more humane way to get caviar.
Nowadays, they carefully catch the fish and take her to antenatal clinic
to see if she is ready to deliver with the help of a sonogram.
This mommy will have 200,000 boys and 250,000 girls. Then they give the future mother a hormonal shot
that speeds up the birth. They gently rub her belly and the caviar comes out of a fish.
This fish will live along and happy life after giving birth. She falls in love, gets married.
She will produce another million of caviar babies that will go on to become handsome fish.
Sorry about that friends. This is what the rich life is like.
Sanya: Nastya! Too much! Do not do it Nastya!
Evsei: I did not get black caviar for breakfast, but I have plenty.
Not only do I live in a four-star hotel, but I also eat free breakfast at a four-star hotel.
Free lunch and dinner as well.
I came to a bus terminal on the morning of the second day. Do you know how I can find Lager? Lager? A village?
Lanec? Lahets? Evsei: So I was saying it wrong. Can I get there from here?
Man: Yes. A bus goes there.
Evsei: What would I do without you? Thanks a lot. The Lahic village is located three hours away from Baku.
All tourists are encouraged to go there. This mountain village allows you to see
the life of the ancient Azerbaijanis. A true walk down the memory lane. A bus will teleport me there for $3.50.
Nastya: Correction. They only advise a village trip to tourist with a modest budget.
My money will get me a tour to Gobustan National Park.
A mysterious place with cave paintings and musical rocks.
You can also see the nature's wonder – mud volcanos.
Evsei: The bus dropped me off at this picturesque place.
Lahic is another 19 kilometers away. I have three options. I can walk there for four hours.
Second option is it to wait for another bus that will arrive in two hours.
Third – find a local cabbie that will agree to take me the rest of the way for a small amount. This is what I will do.
The first car is empty. So is the second one.
Hello there!
Nasir: Howdy.
Evsei: Is this one yours?
Nasir: It is.
Evsei: Are you a cabbie by any chance?
Nasir: I am.
Evsei: I need to get to Lahic.
Nasir: I will take you.
Evsei: How much will it be?
Nasir: Four manat is a fair price.
Evsei: Four it is then. What is your name?
Nasir: My name is Nasir Mamedov.
Evsei: Nasir Mamedov?
Nasir: Yes.
Evsei: Mine is Evsei Kovalev. Are we about to hit the serpentine? The mountains?
Nasir: Yes. There will be mountains ahead.
Evsei: I am tripping you guys! I have never seen anything like this before! Look at this rock formation!
So gorgeous! You can see a trail as beautiful as "The Lord of the Rings" on your way to Lahic.
The road is winding through a gorge with dark rocks hanging over you. Steep cliffs and fast mountain creeks.
Hard to believe that you were in the modern European city just an hour ago
when you are surrounded by the colossal wild mountains. This is so magnificent!
A trip to Lahic is worth taking just for the sake of the views that you see on the way.
Although my Maybach is one of the most expensive cars in the world,
let us face the fact that it is not ideal for the off-road. Therefore, I am switching to an SUV.
Gobustan is a part of the Main Caucasian Ridge. "Gobu" in English means "balk".
This balk contains treasures like an ancient chest does. Petroglyphs were the first treasure that I saw.
Those images were created by ancient people. Those only look like doodles on the wall.
6,000 years ago, people wanted to express something. Capture a part of history for the sake of future explorers.
These might look like cat scratches to you, but to a trained eye,
these doodles form a puzzle that tells a story. Animal images prove that Gobustan
had tropical climate thousands of years ago and there were animals living here in abundance.
Primeval people were fishing and hunting. They would perform a traditional circle dance before that.
Here is another one of Gobustan's ancient treasures – "musical" gas stones.
Can you hear that?
It sounds like I am hitting cast iron. Unbelievable! Prehistoric people would dance to these sounds.
I dropped my rock. I have nothing else to hit them with. Oh well. Let me find some other way to have fun!
Evsei: Nasir Mamedov brought me to Lahic in half-an-hour. Are we there?
Nasir: Yes.
Thank you.
Evsei: Thank you. It was nice meeting you.
Nasir: Welcome.
Evsei: Bye. Lahic is one of the oldest villages in Caucasus. People settled here 1,500 years ago!
I am inside of a historical movie! Hard to imagine that places like this still exist.
Moreover, there are people living here! Looks like a filming of a movie.
I keep waiting for director and cameraman to pop up!
They turned the central street of the village into a supermarket.
Azerbaijanis knit carpets and sell crockery here.
Herbs and spices, cossak hats from lamb. The Tat people live in Lahic.
They are the descendants of Persians.
They used river rocks to build their homes. You can hear the river nearby.
They used a very interesting technology to build their homes.
The levels of rocks are sitting on the wooden inserts, which provide cushion during earthquakes.
There were no jobs here for a while. People began leaving and the village became dilapidated.
Azerbaijan's authorities began to invest money in this village to keep people from leaving about a year ago.
They provided them with an LPG and a satellite dish.
They do that so that locals can return to their homes, preserve history and welcome tourists.
Time to make a step from the past to the present time. Where can I find a taxi in this time?
Gobustan's third ancient treasure is a natural wonder – mud volcanoes.
People imagine large dark mountains with boiling lava when they think about volcanoes.
Volcanoes in Gobustan are the small hills with sludge pouring over the top.
Mud in these volcanoes is cold unlike lava. Therefore, you can take a mud bath just like a primeval person.
They believed in its healing powers.
It is enriched in minerals and oil. You all know how useful oil is!
It cures skin disease, sciatica and even infertility. The moment is here my friends!
Nastya Dangerous is about to take a dip in the volcano!
Good volcano. Thank God, this is not lava like some of you would have hoped.
I do not feel like getting in there either.
I do not like this situation! How can it be bubbling? What if I sink in that swamp?
Why don't you do it one more time? I was about to try to get in!
Feels cold! I do not see anyone else doing this kind of spa. There was something in there!
I have had enough! I am done with spa for today.
Hiding the treasure got real this time. This one won't be hidden under some stairs.
We are going to bury this one underground.
Head to Gobustan to find our $100 in Azerbaijan. Take E119 highway until you reach Dazhgil Gosbasy bus stop.
Turn left, go another four kilometers until you hit the mud volcano. Our treasure is hidden behind a small hill.
Can you smell this Oleg? It smells like pastry from childhood! It is coming from here!
I am so hungry that I cannot resist.
Is this baklava? Will I bother you if I look around a little bit? Here is where the good vibes comes from!
Baklava will be tasty! Baklava is Azerbaijan's favorite sweet.
They top layers of thin dough with butter, nuts, cardamom and saffron.
Is there a special ingredient in making baklava in Baku?
Baker: You have to make it with love.
Evsei: I saw you smiling at me right away!
Now I know what you are talking about.
Baker: All of the love is there.
Evsei: Yes! I can taste all of Azerbaijan's love now.
I spent the last of my money in Baku, but I will never regret it. Thank you.
Baku is a vibrant, modern, expensive window case of Azerbaijan.
This is what the rich life is like.
There are no expenses spared on a jewel that the guests get to see.
That is the biggest chandelier I have seen in my life!
You could greet someone with that attire. She will not feed you…
Tastes very fatty.
But she will tell you about ancient traditions…
She will not take you around the neighborhood.
Only people can do it!
Oh my God!
So beautiful!
I dropped my rock. I have nothing else to hit them with.
Nastya: You are munching on something again Evsei?
Evsei: Hello.
Nastya: Hello.
Evsei: Have some baklava. Made with love. My love included.
Nastya: I am astonished! I expected this city to be like the other Soviet towns.
It surprised me a whole lot because you can begin your day with Dubai level luxury
and end it next to the cave paintings. A city of contrasts. Evsei: I like that sort of thing. Nastya: How was it for you?
Evsei: Azerbaijan is very soulful and has a wide magnitude.
I felt it out, but my budget was about ten times less than yours was! I am about to correct this!
The gold card will belong to me in the next city!
Nastya: What was that blubber you just muttered? We will see you in the next city friends.
You do want to see friends in the next city, don't you? Listen carefully. Rule #1 –
the gold card will always belong to me. Eventually I will get my way across.
Rule #2 – you wanna stay involved in this project you listen to me.
Rule #3 – grow a bicep. Your spaghetti arms look embarrassing!
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