The Silk Road - Azerbaijan

---

We are on an extended journey through Central Asia - essentially, what is known as the Silk Road.

This is part of that journey - in Azerbaijan. Rather than be self guided, we chose to join an organised tour.

- - -

As the plane descended through the thick cloud cover into Baku, the landscape contrasted to that of Istanbul we'd left behind.

Instead of an almost treeless dense urbanity, here householders had the luxury of much space between buildings. Very dry (Baku receives just 200mm / year), the outskirts where the airport lies revealed few trees. The short trip to Baku city centre showed an interesting landscape of aged and modern buildings each set on spacious grounds.

The name Baku is derived from the old Persian Bagavan, which translates to "City of God".

Situated on an isthmus on the Caspian Sea, the capital of Azerbaijan, Baku today known as the 'windy city'.

Azerbaijan, and thus Buku, have endured a challenging history.

Records show the incumbent population was subjected to the will of Rome some 2000 years ago. Some 1500 years ago, historians talk about the 'eternal fires' (escaping petroleum gas) being a source of regional interest. It was about this time and because of the freeflowing fires, the region became a major centre of Zoroastrianism

From the 10th century, the region suffered assaults from their northern neighbours - Khazars and Rus. During this time defence fortifications began to be built. But, periodic rises of the salty Caspian Sea inundated the lower lying areas.

In the 12th Century, Mongol leader Helegu Khan (grandson of Gengis) invaded. With the luxury of a brutal army, the region became their 'summer residence'. Over time, various successive regional warlords imposed themselves on the community. By the 14th century, the area became part of the Safavid (Iranian) Empire.

It was not the agrarian productivity that occupied the attention of the invaders, rather, it was the oil that spewed from the ground. The Baku region sits atop an extremely productive crude oil reserve. Initially collected in containers and used in houses, the first (modern) oil well was drilled in Baku in 1594! Maybe Baku can claim to be the historical beginning of global warming.

The fall of the Safavid dynasty in 1722 caused widespread chaos. Baku was invaded first by the Russian and then the Ottoman empire. By the end of the 18th century, Tsarist Russia sought to conquer all of the Caucasus at the expense of Persia and Ottoman Turkey.

When Baku was eventually occupied by the Russian troops during the war of 1804–1813, nearly the entire population of some 8,000 people was ethnic (Iranian) Tat.

By the mid-19th century, Imperial Russia ceded the region to become a semi-independent administrative region.

In 1823, the world's first paraffin factory was built in the city, and the first kerosene factory in 1863. Baku attracted investments from industrialists such as Nobel and Rothschild. Progressively, Baku became an important investment and trading centre.

By the end of the 19th century, the Baku region was producing more than half the global production of crude oil.

With the overthrow of Imperial Russia, Azerbaijanis succeeded in establishing the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic. But with the outbreak of WW1, peace was short-lived. Seeking access to the crude oil (and not trusting Turkey to play ball), Germany proceeded to invade from the west via Georgia. In 1917 Britain countered via Iran and routed both Turkish and German forces to take control.

Shortly after the cessation of WW2, and Azerbaijan in a (relative) political vacuum, Lenin ordered his 11th Army to 'take' Azerbaijan. The capitulation by Baku facilitated the establishment of the ASSR (Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic). Soviet rule continued until the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Today, Azerbaijan is a democratic Republic of some 10 million people of which about half live in the greater Baku region. The economy rests on fossil fuel production with little being done to address the global transition away from this energy source.

We read that around 1000 years ago, the territory of modern Azerbaijan was savanna with rich flora and fauna. Today, the lowlands of the region around Baku is denuded of all but grasses. In reserves in the hills, trees proliferate; partly because of the salt laden soils, but primarily because the foraging goat herds leave little but grass to survive.

0th May: Baku

We flew into Baku early afternoon and as we were to join a tour group, the tour provided a private taxi to take us to our hotel.

The trip from the airport took us past a rich and historical landscape of the built urban form. Azerbaijan sits atop a major earthquake fault line. A 6.6 quake in 1902 and another in 1931 reduced most of the 'historical' timber and poorly built buildings. Some well built buildings of the mid 19th and early 20th century remain. These reflect the wealth generated from oil and many mimic the styles seen in the progressive western European cities like Paris.

Juxtaposed alongside are brutalise Soviet buildings. Since 'independence' in 1991, the nation has embarked on a program to develop several modernist 'hero' buildings. Few rectangular skyscrapers exist, rather, each hero building on completion would easily fill the pages of 'commercial architecture' magazines.

Arriving close to beer o'clock, we noticed a pub close by and after settling in, made our way there. Being a Muslim nation, we didn't expect a beer culture Azerbaijan. How wrong we were. After a couple of jugs and Azerbaijan 'pub food' we headed to bed.

11th May: Baku plus

We knew most members of the (Australian) tour group were not arriving till today. A joint (group) Whatsapp message indicated meeting at 2pm for a tour of downturn Baku.

Needing a bit of exercise, and Judy wanting a warm top to add to her 'minimalist' clothes collection we headed to a shopping mall via some parks. We later learnt that the greenspace's (which are plentiful) are only recent additions to the city. Being a beautiful, but crisp day, we enjoyed walking amongst the trees listening to the Blackbirds singing to us.

Mid afternoon we joined the group and were bussed to an elevated position adjoining the city centre. There, the (new) parliament house can easily be viewed from the city centre. Alongside are gardens housing a war memorial and a short walk away an observation platform offering a great view of the city. Today, the smog from transport, oil and gas production diminished the view.

Back in the bus, we headed to Baku 'old town'. Back in time, it was a walled city (as all 'old towns' appear to have been to protect citizens from invaders) hosting about 1000 inhabitants. In reality, the 'old city' walls protected the local war lord. Due to several earthquakes, little of the original survives.

Moving on, the group was shown several inner city buildings constructed by 'oil' millionaires (today would be billionaires) during the mid to late 19th century. We felt they look similar to those built in Paris, etc. These tourist 'icons' are wedged into the predominantly Soviet era brutalist buildings. In the parks, statues to benefactors abound.

Not enamoured by the 'attractions', we took our leave and found a pub for a few beers till rejoining the group for dinner; a meal of 'traditional' Azerbaijani food. We felt it was more Russian stodge than what we'd expected - food influenced by the Persians.

12th May: Gobustan and Baku plus

The plain on which Baku sits is largely devoid of vegetation partly due to the periodic inundation from the salty Caspian Sea. The other 'cause' is the saline mud volcanic discharges.

Baku is ringed with hills that are in fact volcanoes. But instead of lava flowing, mud discharges. The area of volcanoes is called Gobustan and is about 1 1/2 hours bus ride from Baku.

We alighted from the bus and into ancient Lada cars to be taken to some 'special' volcanic mud discharges. Plop, plop, plop was heard all around.

Back on the bus for a short trip to the Gobustan Rocks reserve, an area of early civilisation petroglyphs. Carved into the soft sandstone are figures of animals, stick figure humans, and 'talisman' type icons. The historians have traced the human activites to between 15,000 to 35,000 years ago. This particular site has been described as a centre for music as there are smoothed rocks (of card table dimensions) that when hit with a tor, resonate with a note. A percussionist showed us a simple tune played on the rock. Fascinating!

On the way back to Baku, we stopped at the nearby Atashgar temple. It looked more like a karvanseray than temple. Nonetheless, a permanent flame of gas was revered by the Zoroastrians and a small temple erected over the flame. As a karvansaray on the Silk Route, the site was an important stop for travelling traders. A karvanseray is like an olden day motel; lodgings, eateries, a trading or exchange centre and typically with a religious element (typically, but not always, Islamic).

Back on the bus to Baku city, past iconic modernist skyscrapers juxtaposed between the Soviet apartment blocks to the ultra modern Heydar Aliyev Centre (being named after a well respected former leader). The centre is a museum of local cultural artefacts. We were particularly taken by the musical instruments section.

Dinner at a local Turkish restaurant blending Turkish and Azerbaijani food was enjoyable and tastier than the previous evening.

13th May: Guba and the Khanylgs

The day opened to rain, and our trip was to the mountains.

First stop was Guba, a mountain Jewish community. Way back then, Jews were persecuted in Judea and fled to Babylon. Later Assyrians forced them to resettle in Mesopotamia. And, later the Persions moved them further on. A largish element made their way to the west side of the Caspian Sea. They found a home in the mountainous area of nowadays Azerbaijan and Dagestan (a Soviet state in Russia adjoining Azerbaijan).

Moving on, the bus took us further up the mountainous region (to 2200m above sea level) to a village inhabited by Khynalugs, a group of around 2000 folk who speak a language said to be about 5000 years old and unrelated to any other current language. The peoples claim to be descendants of Noah.

The rain stopped and the clouds parted enough to allow us to see a verdant landscape overlooked by heavily snow Capped peaks.

After a long drive back, it was to a late dinner and bed.

14th

May: Baku to Sheki

We departed Baku to head north-west towards Georgia and a more elevated landscape.

About 1 1/2 hours out of Baku, the landscape began to take on a verdant look. Much forest, fertile agriculture and roadside greenery indicated why the land of Azerbaijan was fought over.

Being wet, the group selected not to want to visit villages along the way to undertake walking tours. While each is said to pursue different crafts, most traders had covered their wares under plastic.

We eventually arrived at Shamakhy, which at one time was a major city of the middle ages Caucuses region. Until recently, an aged mosque existed here, but it was burnt down some 25 years ago by invading Armenian soldier's. Shortly after, the government funded the rebuild.

We arrived at Sheki city and visited a very old Albanian Christian church in the nearby village of Kish said to be the first built in the whole of Transcaucasia.

15th May: Sheki to Georgia

Sunshine! Hooray!

Leaving the hotel (a supposed '5 star' Soviet style monstrosity), our guide took us to the 18th century Khan's summer Palace. Constructed of timber, it is elaborately decorated. In the garden stand a couple of huge plane trees, said to be over 500 years old.

Back on the bus and with vista's of green pastures, forests and snowcapped Caucuses mountains, we arrived at the border with Georgia early afternoon.

Azerbaijan has closed border except for foreigners departing the nation. We had to traverse 'no man's land' for more than a kilometre to arrive in Georgia.

Reflections

We really didn't have any preconceptions of Azerbaijan, though read a bit about it. The cosmopolitan Baku contrasted with latent government control (a massive police presence ensured little dissidence).

While the lower landscape with salt inundation and oil production tested any environmental considerations, the more elevated regions were scenically delightful.

Azerbaijan offered us an insight to a rich culture. The impact of successive invasions, and the way these transformed Azerbaijani society was extremely informative. The 'recent' way crude oil, or at least the wealth derived from it, has changed (especially) Baku was an eye opener.

We were unprepared for the level of social and societal tolerance by the Shia Azerbaijanis - especially when compared to those societies dominated by Sunni Islam.

Overall, we really enjoyed the food. Clearly, the stodge that is Russian influenced didn't impress. But, the Persian influenced dishes such as Plov (we call it Pilaf, Indians call it Biryani) we loved. We like bbq'd meat and it is done well here. The range of bbq'd vegetables was also impressive. The soups, typically a clear vegetable type vegetable broth with meats, were great. And, the yoghurt based soups with much Dill also impressed. The tables always had a choice of chutneys and pickled vegetables. Being Spring, each table was laden with fresh herbs - Dill, Coriander, Chervil, Rocket, Parsley and Garlic leaves. We couldn't get enough as they worked so well with the slightly leavened chewy flat bread.

Cheers to all - J+B.

---