Sheki village

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Took the night train from Baku arriving a little ahead of time at Sheki station at 7am. A driver from Ilgar’s Guest House was waiting for us for the 17km journey from the station to the town. Guide book rated this as a pretty town, after a day of wandering we beg to differ! Lots of stone buildings up a steep hill and off up hills in other directions but not well kept and many empty. Cobbled streets (most of which seem to be undergoing water pipe renovation). Ilgar’is s a quaint home-stay, clean and we have a spacious room. Ilgar is very friendly with good English.
Further up the hill is a beautiful summer palace of the Shaki Khans from the 1700s set inside some castle walls. It’s only small but beautifully kept with most of it original. Highlights are the intricately made glass windows and the detailed wall paintings. Only costs 2azn but no cameras allowed. Went round with Polish your group, fortunately the guide spoke in English. There’s a glass window workshop in the grounds that was interesting to look around and see that they’re continuing the tradition.

Walked down the hill to the Caravansary, lovely building, now a hotel, and finally had breakfast in their garden, very pleasant, excellent tea.

Continuing down the hill we turned off and tried to find the winter palace but failed. Ended up in the new town. Decided to take a taxi up to the village of Kish to see an ancient Albanian Christian church. An unexpected adventure with increasingly narrow and steep cobbled streets for the taxi to negotiate. Lovely little church on the site of a church from 1st century AD. The current version is from the12th century. Walked down the steep hill and took the minibus back.

Continued up past our hostel, up and up to try and get a view, ended up at a cemetery and did find a good view over the valley.
Had dinner of pitti a local lamb stew eaten with bread.

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