Hey, there! Hoop-la! The circus is in town! Have you seen the elephant? Have you seen the clown?*

Some families go to church on Sunday morning, some - go to circus. Our family belongs to the second variety. The Russian and Ukrainian circus came to town and I got the tickets. How did I get the tickets is a frightening story involving an argument with the scariest ever ticket seller, a lot of sweet talking on my driver's part and charging me a bit more than a ticket price at the end.

And so we went and didn't regret it. Yes, it isn't the Cirque du Soleil and not even Moscow Circus but it was enjoyable and predictable. Perhaps, part of enjoyment was in predictability - it created a bridge between my memories of visiting circus as a child and introducing it to my own kids.

As expected, they had a ringmaster who was introducing the artists and spoke to the audience - we were even able to follow his commands - it's hard not to guess what to do when everyone around start to clap their hands or raising them up. As expected, they had acrobats and gymnasts, two hoopers, sort of a juggler, a unicyclist, six tightrope walkers, a magician and two delightful clowns; some animals were present - two monkeys, poodles, a lonely lama, five or six goats, a small dog that looked like a hedgehog and a pack of playing soccer bulldogs. Unexpected part was the most touching - after each number small kids ran onto the arena with bouquets of flowers for the artists.

It was basic but it was nice.So, buy your tickets in the ticket booths downtown in order to avoid unpleasant encounter with the wicked ticket lady; take taxi - parking there is a screaming murder, and go see the clowns. (I've discovered that funambulist isn't synonym for clown, the "fun" part is deceiving, but for rope walker. Isn't it fun?)

Baku State Circus, 68, S.Vurgun str.(across from Taza bazaar)

*"The Circus" by Micheal James Dennis

When Colour Goes Wrong Nothing Goes Right (Extremely girly post)

In the life of every women comes the time when the visit to a colourist cannot be delayed any longer. Motivation can vary from necessity of covering gray to desire for something new or simple urge of self pampering. My reason wasn’t the necessity.

In the city of Baku one can go to a colourist or she can come to your house. I chose the second variant just because I started a new job not long ago and could not find my rhythm yet, plus I used her before and she did a decent job.

Today she came armed with an array of colous; her head a walking advertisement to her skills - she recently turned into redhead and it suits her splendidly. We discussed the options and she suggested going slightly darker with some highlights around the face – ok, I said because it sounded like something new and “slightly” indicated that it would not be a leap but just a bit of a change. She started to work, we chatted; while I was waiting for colour to develop she dealt with my sons’ haircuts. Then it was time for washing it off and blow drying. All was done.I went to a mirror and stepped back in horror -Cruella De Ville starred back at me. (Damn, why couldn’t Halloween have been this weekend? It would have been perfect).

A slightly darker shade took almost black turn on me and highlights looked ghostly white. Can we do something about it? And it turned out we could – after yet another hour I returned to my golden brown tone and though highlights do appear a tad harsh, I can look at myself without cringing. I guess I found my comfort zone – slightly lighter I can handle, slightly darker is a no-no.

Any hair related disasters you want to share?

The Time of Indifference

Browsing library shelves, I came upon a thin volume of "The Time of Indifference" by Alberto Moravia. Time of Indifference, what an incredible title. It is even more incredible if you know that the man who came up with it was only eighteen at the time of writing his first novel. Yes, he followed it with "Boredom", "Contempt", "The Conformist" but "The Time of Indifference" holds its ground.

It is often said that fifty or so years ago people matured much faster and this novel is a great illustration to it. It is so full of disillusions, so calmly unkind, so unusually indifferent to its own characters. Everything what you see there isn't what it is; everyone say one thing and think another. Five characters that are bind together by genetics, lust, past, resentment, loneliness, and financial woos, exist in perpetual state of loud arguments, pulsating sexual desires and dramatic events but the underlying emotion there is indeed indifference. Like a surface of water regains its calm after the stone sank to the bottom; the high emotions here remain just that, failing to not to initiate real change.

People call this novel the worst of Moravia's work, while in fact it shows how talented and observant he was even at the young age.

Colours

I love colours and always look for the new ways of incorporating them into my surroundings. Silk curtains with butterflies have been a part of our house for nearly five years now but unusual parameters of the windows here prevent me from using them in a proper curtainy ways. Pity, really. But they are so beautiful and the thought of putting them away for the next year and a half is so depressing so I am thinking of hanging them up on two opposite walls, a la tapestry. Have to find some short rods here!

Out and About (Tbilisi)

If you have ever wondered what is the current relationship between Georgia and Russia, the answer is below... (found in the center of Tbilisi)

Out and About (Mtsketa, Georgia)

Mtsketa, the ancient capital of Georgia, is the most beautiful in the morning when the crowds of visitors haven’t arrived yet. You’ll see the majestic Svetiskhoveli (The Life Giving Pillar) Cathedral – the place of coronation and burial of the Georgian Kings and nobles. (The tomb of Vakhatng Gorgasali, the founder of Tbilisi is there.)

Up on the mountain there is Jvari Monastery – the 6th century, can you imagine?

In Mtsheta, the ancient capital of Georgia, there are narrow streets to explore,

Ripe grapes to admire,

Gardens coloured with leaves and fruits,

Calm waters of the river

Don't miss it.

Out and About (Tbilisi, Georgia)

The kids had a school break last week and, being an experience traveller, I decided to take them to Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia.

And there we went.. not by car, not by plane but by an oldfashioned train. And, oh, how oldfashioned it was. Or, perhaps simply old! The light was broken, and the lock didn't functioned, the window was smashed by the rock, but we played cards and managed to sleep, so things were not bad after all. Fourteen hours went by and then we arrived ... to find

This,

And this,

And gorgeous this,

And intricate this,

And wonderful this,

And 14 hours on the train were well worth it.