Bowling in Azerbaijan

We've gone bowling once in Azerbaijan, and it was quite an interesting cultural experience.

The first difference was the shoes.  Any American is used to wearing highly stylish bowling shoes every time you go bowling.  I did a little research and learned that bowling shoes serve two purposes.  First, they help you slide along the floor as you approach the lane.  Second, they keep the surface cleaner because bowlers aren't wearing their street shoes and tracking bits of dirt all around.

Azerbaijanis are generally very consious about keeping floors clean.  It's common to enter people's homes and immediately take off your shoes in the doorway.  Most gyms and health centers in Baku insist that you put disposable booties on over your shoes.  So, bowling shoes would seem to fit perfectly into this mindset.  However, bowling shoes were completely optional and everyone around us was bowling in their regular shoes.

Erica celebrating a spare

But more interesting than the lack of bowling shoes was the lack of understanding about bowling!  All members of the family in the lane next to us constantly stepped past the line onto the lane, oblivious to the red light and loud buzzer advising them of their trespass.  They were also intent on perfecting their technique of throwing the ball out into the lane, rather than rolling it.

Adding to the cacophony of the environment was the safety issue of another bowler not understanding the ball returner.  He kept grabbing balls from the neighboring lanes, until his ball returner was overcapacity and nearly started spilling balls out onto the floor.  He did this twice before realizing he should consider reusing the balls that were already there!

Fellow bowler - notice the ball is airborne and
the red foul line light is lit

On top of all that, we questioned the quality of the lanes because Jeremy and I both finished with pathetic scores.  I know, I know...a bowler's always going to say the lane was warped before they question their own skill level, right?!  :)  But I'm unlikely to put my skills to the test anytime soon, because I think my first bowling experience in Azerbaijan will be my last!

Jeremy laments our sad final scores

Skiing at Shahdag

Jeremy and Erica riding in the gondola

Azerbaijan's first ski resort, Shahdag (King Mountain), only opened within the last 5 years.  This makes skiing a huge novelty to most Azerbaijanis.  In fact, many go to Shahdag for the day with no intention of skiing whatsoever.  They go just to see the resort, ride the lift, and, of course, take a selfie to prove they were there.

Non-skiers in line to ride the lift up the mountain

Taking the selfie to the furthest level, some people even rent skis and boots just for their photo. Perhaps that isn't much different than Americans going to amusement parks and paying for Ye Olde Time photos, but something about it strikes me as going a bit too far just for a photo.

Non-skiers playing in the snow at Selfie City

The pedestrians generally only use one lift at the resort.  We now call the top of that lift "Selfie City" because it's where the pedestrians hang out, take their photos, and play in the snow a bit before returning to the lift to ride back down.  Often, every single chair heading back down the mountain was occupied, which was very odd for us skiers to see!

Non-skiers riding the lift back down

Adding to the unique experience at Shahdag was our hotel complex.  It looked like something out of a movie.  I think Grand Budapest Hotel was the most apt comparison, and was an especially good association if you were in a cheerful, whimsical mood.

Pik Palace Hotel looking like The Grand Budapest Hotel

But if you were in a darker, more pensive mood, The Shining also came to mind.  The picture below of the hotel surrounded by white snow and mountain peaks shows the isolated location that could easily be the scene of a creepy horror flick.

Hotel looking like The Overlook Hotel from The Shining

Pedestrians and hotels aside, we were there to ski.  Which we did, with plenty of friends sharing in the fun!

Erica and Jeremy at the base

Kelly taking a quick stop on the slope

Jeremy, Dave, and Yaniv at the base

Aleksey and Erica on the lift