Bicycling for the Environment in Baku

This weekend, Jeremy and I took our bicycles out for the first time in Baku to participate in a bike event to raise awareness about environmental and eco-friendly issues.  

Erica on the Baku Boulevard along the Caspian Sea

The embassy partnered with a local NGO, Nature Friends Youth Organization, to organize a fun ride through the city. Nature Friends is comprised primarily of Azerbaijani students who advocate for environmental preservation and eco-friendly transportation options.  While most Americans have become used to "going green" campaigns in the United States, environmental advocacy is still in its infancy in Azerbaijan, thus the embassy's interest in participating and drawing attention to this activity.

Safety First!

The event was very well organized, with opening speeches, press, a bicycle-safety briefing, and police escort.  The police escort was key on Baku's hectic roads where bicyclists are an endangered species - officers stopped traffic at every intersection for us!

Our group of American and Azerbaijani cyclists

Although a bike ride doesn't make international headlines like concluding negotiations with Iran, it's actually much more representative of the daily activities of a diplomat - making connections within the community, organizing events, and encouraging dialogue on a wide range of issues.

European Games Sporting Events

After the fabulous opening ceremony of the European Games, our attention turned to the sporting events.  I was very excited to see multiple sports - those both familiar and new to me - live on an international stage.  

Gymnastics has always been one of my favorite Summer Olympic sports.  Therefore it was a must-see for me.  I got my fill with a whole afternoon of both the men's and women's events. 

Women's Gymnastics Beam Finalist

I was also really looking forward to Track & Field, especially the women's hurdles, an event I ran myself in high school.

Qualifying heat of the Women's 100 Meter Hurdles

But, it turned out, I was more fascinated by the events I had rarely or never seen before.  One of them was Acrobatic Gymnastics.  I had never even heard of it before; it is not an Olympic event.  A very simple description is that it's a bit like cheerleading combined with circus acrobatics.  The competition I saw was a team event of three women who tumbled, climbed, flew, and cartwheeled across the mat performing exciting routines of strength, balance, and agility.  

Acrobatic Gymnasts create a human tower

Probably the most memorable event for me was Table Tennis.  I know, I know, seriously?!  Even I was skeptical, particularly when I realized I had a ticket for a five-hour session.  But, it was actually really fun to watch.  Especially because each player had a different serving style and clearly displayed his personality - often loudly and passionately - during play and especially when he scored a point.  

Bulgaria Table Tennis player serves to Italy

Jeremy's favorite event was Beach Soccer, another non-Olympic event.  It is played 5-on-5.  Because of the undulating surface of the sand, the game is played more in the air than on the ground, with lots of fancy air-kicks and headers.

Beach Soccer in action

Throughout it all, Azerbaijan - the Land of Fire - added its own flair to the events with fire machines that breathed flames into the air at key competition junctures.  Although there was some hiccups, Azerbaijan can congratulate itself on a Games well done and we were incredibly lucky to be a witness to it.

Flames add excitement to introduction of Beach Soccer teams