Blogs from Azerbaijan, Asia - page 2

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Asia » Azerbaijan » Baku October 12th 2017

First, we must find our train to Baku. It's not that Tbilisi station has a huge number of trains, but the station is hidden inside a shopping centre. We find the platforms on level two, but the information sign, telling us which platform to use, is on level three. Train found, we are soon making ourselves at home in our two berth sleeping compartment, home for the next 15 hours. Our friendly lady conductor is busy keeping her carriage clean and in order, providing clean sheets and bedding as we pull out. The evening passes well, helped by a bottle of Georgian wine, glasses provided by our lovely conductor. After an hour we arrive at the border post to leave Georgia. Lots of uniformed men in big peaked caps but a pretty smooth process. Then a ... read more
Our sleeper
Buku
Flame temple

Asia » Azerbaijan » Seki June 11th 2017

Over the years, the way I travel and the way I look at travelling have changed several times. My motivation, however, has stayed the same: curiosity in its purest form. I wanna see, I wanna know, I wanna experience and live it, growing in the process. Alexander von Humboldt, one of the purest travellers imaginable, said that "The most dangerous worldviews are the worldviews of those who have never viewed the world", and never has this quote rung truer than these days. The more you travel, the more you understand, provided you learn how to listen and to see. If your motivation is to take the same picture as everybody else for those precious FB likes, well, just stay at home. You don't deserve to travel, and the locals in those countries on your bucket list ... read more
Putting together the stained glass windows in the Xan Sarayi (Khan's Palace)
Kiş River
Çay Çay Çay, endless Çay

Asia » Azerbaijan » Baku June 10th 2017

Azerbaijan is one of those countries that still remain something of a mystery to most. Some people might associate it with Eurovision, others with its frequent hosting of sport events. Yet others think of it as former-USSR, oil-rich, with a poor human rights record. I'll tell you what I knew about it: it's one of the three countries of the Caucasus, so people are actual Caucasians, yes, literally Caucasians, imagine that. Its language is similar to Turkish, the people are predominantly Muslim, and for some reason they hate Armenia. They want Nagorno-Karabakh back from the latter. The closest I've come to Azerbaijan was two years ago, while driving along the Araz River in neighbouring Iran to visit some Armenian monasteries. The soldiers on the Azerbaijani side didn't look friendly, maybe due to the fact that a ... read more
Breakfast fuck yeah!
Maiden Tower
Azerbaijani traditional instruments

Asia » Azerbaijan » Baku May 15th 2017

Schöner Morgen, Temperatur ok, nichts zu klagen. Das Wichtigste: Sammys Geburtstag heute. Ich bin sicher, dass Wolfgang ihn mit Extra Streicheleinheiten verwöhnt. Weiterhin Felder, Haselnussplantagen, Pferdekarren, ländlich - sittlich. Die Leute auf der Straße winken mir begeistert zu, ich winke zurück. Dave hat mir einen Geheimtip gegeben und nach Ismailia, etwa halbe Strecke, bog ich nach N ab in den Kaukasus. Zuerst Teer, dann Schotter und Lehm. Gut, dass es in der Nacht nicht geregnet hat. Die Straße ist gesäumt von "Restaurants" und Teehäusern. Manche nur ein Samowar auf dem Holzfeuer, manche mit Tischen und Stühlen und sogar Tischtüchern. Aber es war noch kein Gast da, erst bei der Rückfahrt waren Ausflügler zu sehen. Und offenbar ist draußen picknicken die zweite Lieblingsbeschäftigung hier. 15 km bis Lahac. Ich parkte Paulchen, riß mir die Jacke herunter und ... read more

Asia » Azerbaijan » Seki May 14th 2017

Der Tag begann schon schlecht, denn die Leute vom Chateau Mere haben zwar jede Menge Zimmer gebaut, aber keine Ahnung, wie man ein Hotel führt. Jedenfalls war das Frühstück zwar besser organisiert, als das Abendessen gestern, aber immer noch ein Beispiel schlechter Organisation. Fahrt durch das nördliche Hügelland Georgiens; in den flachen Talböden wird Wein angebaut und es gibt viele Weingüter. Offenbar kann man damit Geld machen... Straßensperre wegen Bauarbeiten, aber ich Schlaumeier dachte, das geht schon. ging zuerst auch, dann kein Teer mehr, nur noch Schotter. dann übler Schotter, dann eine Stelle, wo ein Bach unter der Straße in einem Rohr durchgeleitet worden war, leider war noch nicht richtig aufgefüllt worden. es ging runter, wieder rauf, gleichzitg um die Kurve - und da lagen wir. Ein etwa 12 jähriger Junge stand schweigend daneben, beobachtete, wie ... read more
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Asia » Azerbaijan » Baku July 27th 2016

I know, Azerbaijan is not in the Stans or either Central Asia....so little side trip. I did visit Georgia and Armenia with the kids two years ago. We drove all the way back from Yerevan to Tbilisi. But you do not cross that easily from the Christian Armenia to the Muslim Azerbaijan, both country being still officially at war. So this time, in between two entries in Kazakhstan, here I am in Baku. I applied for an electronic visa for 50usd. Pretty easy affair. I took my 3 hours direct flight from Astana on Air Astana. The flight was full, but the service was pretty impressive....way better than I expected. I'm staying at the Sheraton Baku Airport. This has nothing fascinating. But I'm landing just before midnight, and it doesn't feel that bad to walk straight ... read more
That was a hike all the way up here...
Old City main tower
Old City

Asia » Azerbaijan » Baku June 30th 2016

Thursday June 30/Friday July 1 - So Rasim picked me up a little early, at 4:30pm, and then we were away driving towards the petroglyphs. It was quite a ways away, just under an hour or so. On the way there we past some highly secured areas for BP, as they seem to do all the drilling here. There is oil everywhere. When we got there, we found it was closed. Such a bummer - I didn't even realize it would be a place that could close. I figured it was just some drawings in the rocks somewhere. Rasim talked to the guy and said we could come back a bit later and give him a small bribe to get in. So we headed off to the mud volcanoes. Very cool to see actually. Unlike the ... read more
Mud volcanoes
Mud volcanoes
Mud volcanoes

Asia » Azerbaijan » Baku June 26th 2016

Sunday June 26 - I didn't sleep well last night and was up by 5:30, still packing and sorting. Poor Jeroen, having to hear all of that. I also had a weird incident with my cat. She was playing with a plastic bag, which she loves, and found herself stuck it in. This caused her to run like mad and luckily I saw what was happening and caught her as she flew out of the bedroom door. I was able to get the bag off but she scratched my finger in a couple places when I caught her. Band-aid required. Jeroen and I walked to the tram stop but saw the bus coming and had a quick good bye instead. I decided to take the bus to the other tram to be faster. I left at ... read more
A view from my street - those are the Flame towers
Entrance to the little street I take to get to the old town
Gate to old town near shiny metro on left

Asia » Azerbaijan » Baku October 29th 2015

The largest city in the South Caucasus region is a controversial place. On one side there is a huge contrast with the rest of the country in terms of education and living standards. While Baku received huge investments and has a relatively high standard of living, the provinces seem forgotten. On the other side its abundant architectural heritage is selectively evaluated and reconstructed. Neoclassical Fin de Siècle buildings and most of the medieval Old Town are luxuriously refurbished, while typical Caucasian residential buildings with wooden balconies and small vineyards are left to decay. Urbanism Located on the Absheron Peninsula, Baku is surrounded by the Caspian sea to the south, a series of lakes to the north, and hills both east and west. The city center is a compact urban settlement with an orthogonal street grid with ... read more
Urban Taxis
Nizami street
Baku Opera House

Asia » Azerbaijan September 9th 2015

Geo: 41.2019, 47.17560810 Wednesday: The Olympic Park Hotel ShekiUp and about: we are billeted in a "sports 5 star hotel"....Azerbaijan seems to lay claim to the Olympics at every opportunity.........The Olympic Conference Centre.....park.......restaurant.....hotels......schools.......When did Azerbaijan last host the Olympics.....?....Our Hotel is acceptable, but it's is not not 5 star as proudly proclaimed by the State Hotel Ministry. We are the only guests which is spooky and reminiscent of the film "The Shining". We finally arrived in pitch black at about 2130hrs after a "convivial" group dinner in an open air town centre restaurant . I sat opposite two mature ladies who "loosened up" after a bottle of local plonk and took great delight in trying to find out how I "ticked". They obviously don't have much contact wit... read more
a Christian Church in a Muslim culture
No thanks!
En route to Sheki




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