KGB Encounters In Azerbaijan 🇦🇿 

Nothing like breakfast while watching my favorite MI6 agent infiltrate another republic of the former Soviet Union.

"Search for ganja" "On our way to ganja"... Here I thought he was looking for weed the whole time..

That guy was probably a retired cop, who has not seen any action in years. You actually made his day.

You call babushkas, babushkas.. should call them devushki (young women) they will love you and approve of you more lol

Police looking at him Sudden overwhelming interest in local architecture

If you were doing something illegal, you'd hardly be doing it while wearing a bright orange jacket and waving around a Go Pro. Papers please!

12:31 Bald probably doing the most for UK-Azerbaijani relations that has ever been done lol

The way the old dude looks so proud and shakes his hand for a second time at 12:40 was very wholesome

Definitely not police, village mafia making sure you ain't causing dramas.

That hotel is 100% a mafia money laundry

Anyone else notice he seemed sketched out and started doing a walking tour at the end of the video. Definitely was being watched...

*i stop random tourists here in London and ask to see their documents too lol*

"A country I would love to come back to... I don't know if that will ever be possible... which will become clear in future videos." This sounds ominous my guy, you've got me worried for you.

He was just a random dude really into documents.

9:47 the old grandpa playing the secret police with his militia of grand children sure got terrified British agent Bald fleeing in his Kia.

“The traveler sees what he sees. The tourist sees what he has come to see.” ― G.K. Chesterton Love your work, cheers!

"don't know if I'll ever be able to, you'll find out why in future videos..." Oof, that doesn't sound good

That hotel corridor was indeed just like The Shining movie

18:40 somebody behind the camera says "Daaa" as in yes.. keep talking , almost like he is being told what to say by someone. He is praising the country and it sounds like they are encouraging him to say more. Strange.

Take me down to ganja city where everything’s grey and the girls are gritty 🎵

Azerbaijan looks like it's always Sunday

The boys said that filming was ”no problem” and that you could go ahead and take your video haha poor guy

That kid was actually showing you places to film not saying it's forbidden to film

Whereas China is a high tech police state, with surveillance cameras and facial recognition technology everywhere, Azerbaijan still does it old school - human informants on every block.

Azerbaijan - it's like Russia and Turkey had a lovechild.

I get relieved every time he uploads, because it means he is still alive 😂

Everyone taking about the “suspicious” 18:40 moment. Bald replied to another comment and said the other voice was some dude talking on his phone walking by.

Kids were saying that its not problem to film there hahah

That hotel Is a cover up for the missile silo, under the pool.

He was checking to make sure you’re not Armenian

it's all fun and games until Robert DeNiro asks for your documents

That KGB dude in the jacket on a misty Azerbaijan street was something straight out of a John Le Carre espionage novel or movie. Amazing.

*Mr Bald:* get's out of car *Babushkas:* go wild

Everybody in town: *Wears black everyday* Bald: What is the brightest thing I can wear ?

He was probably just a dad or grand father making sure that some weird bald guy wasn't going to run off with his grand kids!

My favourite Azerbaijani is Tofiq Bahramov, you may remember him as the linesman at the 1966 World Cup final who ruled that Geoff Hurst's controversial second goal was indeed a goal.

Who would win: Grand luxurious hotel, fully furnished and well-kept. or S O V I E T S I N K

18:41 - "I don't know if that will ever be possible, which will become clear in future videos" Cryptic. I'm not going to miss any of those 'future' videos.

I love how absolute strangers greet you as if you were old pals.

I lived and worked in former Yugoslavia in 1979. I was a young man then in my early twenties. I lived in Zagreb (Croatia) and worked at a US (Westinghouse) Nuclear power plant we were building in Krsco (Slovenia). The project was part of the atoms for peace program and geared towards leaning Joseph Tito towards the west. The plant was financed by the world bank and paid for by establishing exports to the west for goods and raw materials available in Yugoslavia. For me experiencing both socialism and the warm hearted people of Yugoslavia and others from the former USSR was an exceptional experience. The five heavily guarded checkpoints that I had to endure traveling daily back and fort to work and constantly having to show my papers was a sign of the control that socialism had on the peoples of that country. Guards were changed every couple of weeks I believe to assure that they could not become familiar or friendly to those they had to check and control. I envy your travels in the former USSR countries. I look forward to each of your videos and appreciate the difficulties and challenges that you go through to bring this content to all of us. Safe travels... Joe

"The people are so incredibly friendly..." A minute later: "Documents, please" :D I don't think that guy was police, more like a village big-shot or elder a bit sceptical about the foreigner going around the village and filming kids, then calling his local police friends.

You should visit Finland someday and try communicating with the most introverted people in the world.

"Secret police" lol more like you've been trolled by an old guy...

for those wondering why the hotel is empty, it’s because its winter, most of the tourist season comes in the summer. In the winter their isn’t much to do, usually tourists come either in the summer or spring.

These old timers who had power back in the day can't let go of the fact they don't have it anymore.

Me: gets excited seeing a Lamborghini Mr. Bald: gets excited seeing a Lada 😂

When I travel, I'll always try to blend in, act like a local, avoiding attention. But you doing total opposite.

12:42 that firm handshake and look he gave you were a great little moment!

Hmmm, you're tone changed very rapidly and was very complimentary at the sudden end of the video. Very nice place and thank you for the amazing architecture, bye.

Nobody: Mr.Bald : "this is not a Soviet hotel"

Hey Mr.Bald. I'm a long time subscriber from Moscow,Яussia and I was born in Azerbaijan back in 1988, then we moved. There is a lot I would love to tell you about Azerbaijan, cuz It's an old country with a very rich historical heritage and all that kind of stuff, very friendly and generous people. But I will not write a very long comment, but just say Thank You for doing what you do, Thank You for visiting my homeland and letting other people in the world, who have never even heard about those places, develop a picture of what's going on there nowadays. Just like you I'm a huge fan of old Soviet architecture and Azerbaijan had incredibly awesome examples of what you usually looking for, but unfortunately a lot of what you've found and seen is just a glims of what that country used to look like, because most of those things long gone. Thank you once again for your channel and you being you! Keep it up!

This man is one smooth cucumber. Keeping his cool being friendly with the children not making any waves. And doesn't waste any time getting out of there.

Imagine you're an old KGB officier.. That did alot of bad things during the Soviet Union because orders.. And then you see this bald lad coming in the distance.. He salutes you in very fluent russian and you greets him back.. Then you ask where he's from and he answers ''Angli'' *GOLDENEYE INTENSIFIES*

12:38 i cant Express how much i love seeing these moments. 2 men of different cultures showing compassion.

The kids might be studying English a bit harder now.

This guy is Babuska Magnet 😂 wherever he goes, Babuskas magically appear and follow him

9:26 That's an old Soviet KGB man you just met! Surprised you didn't like it all this much 😂

All of the twenty somethings that the boy went and got were a crew. The old man seemed be a higher ranking member of that crew. You were being checked out. I've seen that before. If they were worried, you'd have been picked up, and at the very least, dropped off at the city limits.

It always amazes me, in the far reaches of the old Soviet republics, just how many Ladas are still in daily use. Here in the UK they were always treated as a joke, these odd little cars from behind the secretive iron curtain, but they were still pretty common back then, because they were so cheap. Now they are a rare sight on our roads. Not just because of the age many of them would be now, but after the fall of the USSR, a great many of them were shipped back home to the motherland. Seeing so many still used just goes to show how tough and dependable they really were. Let's face it, any car that can survive, not only the awful roads in many parts of Russia and beyond, but year after year of brutal Russia winter weather.

Everyone left when they heard the Russians r sending a bald inspector to the hotel.

"..to being a country I would love to come back to. I don't know if that will be possible as will become clear in future videos". Hmm...interesting comment from Mr Bald!

I presume from your final statement saying "you might not be able to come back" - that you plan on visiting Armenia next.

Petition to go back to Belarus and visit Kolya again I I V

I'm happy to see that you have visited my country. As I see you can talk Russian and it helps you to communicate with others but it only works for old generations. The new generations only speaks Azerbaijani language, some individuals can speak English but they can be mostly found in Baku. You should have an Azerbaijani friend that will help you to speak with others and teach you some Azerbaijani. You should also try our traditional foods too. Good luck and safe journey.

I even like it before I watch it. Raw, human-centered vlonging at its best. Don't ever stop doing what you do man.

What did he mean at the end of the video when he said he will prob not be back to Azerbaijan which will become clear in future videos......? hmmmmmmmm

Am I only one who thought he will look for real “ganja”

Just wanted to post this on the latest video in hopes Bald sees it. I was very skeptical at first when I found this channel. After many videos later I am honestly thankful you have done your videos. You may not be a correspondent but you sure as hell are documenting lives that will forever be recorded and appreciated. No fancy editing, no gimmicks, no vacation footage of living larger ..... just honest interactions and sharing a world noone thought they wanted to see. I come from a small town in Missouri US and now live in Miami and these videos remind me of the life I had forgotten. Thank you.

Bald: People are so friendly here... 1 minute later..... Bald: Might be secret police, let's get out of here...

"The Babushka Whisperer"

It would be hilarious if they got the footage nd had it translated, and the translator just says "he's complimenting Azerbaijan and admiring Soviet architecture

I love how watching this always brings a smile on my face. You're a beautiful person and therefor meet beautiful people!

Just got my food and see an upload less than a minute ago. This is perfection.

I'd be curious as to what the "undercover cop" said when you asked him if he was police. It cut right then and you still handed him your documents but after called him dodgy and still weren't sure who he was.

Keep making these videos mate I'm from Scotland and your living a dream life all the best

Amazing, eye opening video. Rarely have I learnt so much in so little time.

Is he from the MI6, an history teacher, or an random bald and bankrupt dude who travels around the world? We will never know. ;D

Normal person gets out of luxury hotel: It was amazing! Bald gets out of luxury hotel: Let’s not do that again. I like the jacket, very nice positive bright colors. I will look for the same for my upcoming Serbia adventure.

Ben, you really opened my eyes on an unknown part of the world to me. Thank you for the video and the superior insight.

Ben I dunno if you will see this but. I've just started watching your channel. You are a great man. Someone I'd be honored to know and hang out with I think. You respect everywhere you go, you are courteous and kind to everyone and you talk to everyone. It's refreshing to see this and know that good people still exist. I'm the same way when I travel abroad. I mean, I'm a guest in their country right? that and you wanna treat people the way you want to be treated and I never forget that. I'm heading to Japan in Nov hopefully (up to COVID) and if so I'm filming, not sure I'll do as good a job as you do, but I'll try my best to be engaging and charismatic. If you ever wanna meet up in a country somewhere and have a beer I'm down. I'm sure you have amazing stories. Stay safe brother and thank you so much for the great content.

The way you refuse to fold that map makes me insane.

10:42 I guess you could say there’s a Lada ladas

Hey Ben, just wanted express my feelings of gratitude towards you and your videos. I personally cannot travel outside of the U.S., so it really is a treat seeing locations like this. Hope all is well and looking forward to the next trip we get to take with you.

Until 14 minutes in I thought he was looking for weed

Bald: I'd love to come back but I don't know if I'll be able to.... Guys he's going to Nagorno Karabakh!

A bit of a cryptic comments at the end of the video. "...a country that I would love to come back to. I don't know if that will ever be possible - which will become clear in future videos." Hmmmm that sounds rather ominous. Whatever that forebodes B & B I hope all goes well.

Thanks for the nearly 20 min video, you are appreciated, always look foward to your adventures!

People are so warm, thanks for showing this film. Of course you have a subscription. All the best to you from the bottom of my heart.

He's gonna go to Armenia and probably to Artsakh, thats why he said he probably wont be able to come back here in the future

I'm gonna have nightmares of desolate building or towns I've never been too.

"I dont think ill be able to come back, which ill explain in another video" - Because the plan is to take the vlog all the way to North Korea, assimilate with their Babushkas, convert them from within, bring about world peace.

Started following you when you had 38k subs and I never ever felt excited to be following such a channel which springs newer places and adventures every video. Indus river was my first video that I watched on yours and It continues to amaze me your multilingual skill Mr. Benjamin. Hats Off. Namastey.

You videos really make me want to travel around all the former soviet states, but I feel like knowing Russian language is an enormous benefit and I feel some travelers might even get in to trouble without it.

Quick fact: There are more Azeris in Iran than in Azerbaijan.

These travels are amazing, thanks so much for documenting them

Hey Mr. Bald you remember u made video on Pakistani Hindus living in India for whom u collected money,now has been granted Indian citizenship. They r happy now....

Bald is paranoid after being sent to the gulags

I want to thank you Mr. Bald. For making this channel, bringing us with you, and giving us an insight into parts if the world where many will never get to see. Best channel on RU-vid. Your love for for the places you go is infectious.

12:27 - 12:45 That was a very cool moment, I wish more people around the world were like that