Baku Signs I’ve Learned to Love.

Yes, I have a Walmart within walking distance of

my Soviet-style apartment. Capitalism conquers Communism.

And where there is a Walmart, there are People of Walmart dumpster diving.

And trying to keep their pants up, but he sees that I’ve caught him at it.

No, this is not a south-of-the-border lavatory or a van or car

wash; it is an Azeri lavaş (tortilla) bakery.

What Kind of Doctor’s office

Is This?Stomach, right? Wrong.

Guess Again.

Take a Guess.

Turkish public bath, Finnish Sauna, Pipe (hookah) and Tea.

‘Europe-from clothes.’Question: Why is second hand in

English?

US Marine Machine Gun, ‘Mama’ Tattoo Parlor, Gin

Cabinet?

Nope, mama means midwife.

Guess again and ignore Santa.

You think this is about those sexy little lepkas, right? Well sexi means workshop.

Need a Xerox,

scanner, antivirus, cartridge refilled? A

photocopy is called a

kserokopiya.

I found the Baku Zoo gift shop, but I am still

looking for the Zoo.

Oh, Pet Store. And I was looking for the elephants and rhinos.

Ok. This is an easy one.

That’s right, barber shop or barber house.

Well, there’s no ham in a hamburger. That doesn’t look like a sesame seed

bun either.

A Playground for Cars, kind of.

I think I rode with a “yuk automob” in a marshrutka

to Shaki one time. They were smelly and

boisterous.

It’s a driving school (məktəb) Minik means vehicle, an

avtoqatar (qatar means train) is a semi, and kurs is course. “Y’all

eve’ own one uh ‘em motosikls?”

Sabina’s something place. Şad is the root of the word

şadlıq. What is it?

It’s a pleasure (şad) palace (saray) or wedding hall. A

wedding is a toy. No kidding!

A Furniture Store Sign.Stol is Table and Stul is chair. Confusing?

Kamot is a commode or chest of drawers, not a toilet.

Hungry for a kabob or a fax? These are from a

Georgian Kitchen.

Brilliant Gold and Silver.

Another easy one.See, you can read

Azeri.

Soccer, the real football game.

GasInner tubes

installed

Oil

Wheels Balanced by

Computer

Cylinder Repair

Carburetor Repair

I missed it. Şaxta Baba and Qar Qız (Grandfather Frost and the Snow

Maiden ) were the featured dancers at this discotec.

Almost pronounced poached, as in a poached egg.

The Fake Market Is Across the Street

McDonald’s Advertisement.

You know about the French kiss, but how about a Turkish kissy? Actually, it’s pronounced kishi, and it means man or male.

When it’s my time, this is the kind of rest home I want to go to.

Start reading from the bottom to easily translate, but good luck in the middle.

FYI, saç means hair.

Angelica’s Beauty Salon. Massage, anyone? Tattoo,

extra.

Step down in the world into this basement and experience its

sharm.

You’ve probably eaten or seen a recipe for turducken (a boned chicken inside a duck inside a turkey). Well, this is just the turduck version. Not!

This is an advertisement for a auto carwash, but it looks like it was written by someone who stutters.

Although this shop does repair, buy and sell antennas, telephones, and other

electronics, it doesn’t barter. Barteri is battery. Wait, this is Azerbaijan, so maybe

the owner does barter.

Contact lenses and a gun? No, and sunglasses. Gün means day or sun.

To be contrasted with the immobil rabit (sic).

Now you can read Russian. The KA suffix is the

giveaway.

I’m not touching this one. Make up your own

caption.

With Oboy on the wall, the sign and the door, do you suppose this owner is excited about his floor-covering

products?