Lahic, Azerbaijan August 23, 2019 The tiny village of Lahic in the Ishmaili province of Azerbaijan is a tranquil haven away from the busyness of Baku. Weekends see a large number of domestic tourists flocking to it for a day tour. The main square and the narrow main street transform into a hive of activity, … More In a Highland Village
Ishmaili Province, Azerbaijan August 21, 2019 Having spent a few days mostly doing nothing in Baku, I decided to head to the highlands and the small villages there. From Baku I hopped on a marshrutka to Ishmaili. Courteously seated up front so I could take photos, we headed west. The dry scrubby land dotted with … More Heading to the Highlands
Baku, Azerbaijan August 18, 2019 Tourism in Baku seemed to have taken off in tremendous leaps since I was here just a year ago. Icherisheher or the old city is besieged with tourists, both individual as well as large tour groups armed with selfie sticks. The pedestrianized area with its glitzy shops, see a constant … More Back in Baku
Turkmenbashi, Turkmenistan August 9, 2019 Getting off the train in Turkmenbashi at 9:30 am, I headed to the port straight away after stocking up on food and water. Who knew? Maybe a cargo ship would leave for Baku today. In the gleaming new building – white of course, with the requisite gold trim – I … More A Gilded Cage
Turkmenistan August 8, 2019 The cities of Turkmenistan are modern with excellent roads, fleets of new cars and slick buildings. Important landmarks are lavishly decorated with over-the-top grandeur. Strange monuments dot traffic roundabouts, to be topped by even stranger ones at parks and boulevards. But heading out of any city, I go past old Soviet-style … More Far from the Glitter and Gold
Turkmenabat to Mary August 5, 2019 Surprisingly painless to buy a train ticket, I wondered at the lack of rudeness on the part of the ticket agent. They must have not got the memo that all ticket agents in ex-Soviet countries received. The lack of internet and wifi to blame perhaps? Waiting in the cavernous … More Riding the Rails
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan August 7, 2019 Smack in the middle of a scorching desert is Ashgabat but you would never guess it from the number of parks and flowering shrubs that line medians and border parks. Fountains spout at corners of wide boulevards, each more bizarre in design than the last. One can only wonder at … More In a Bizarre World
Mary, Turkmenistan August 6, 2019 Wandering out to get some dinner before boarding the train, I saw streams of women dressed more elaborately than usual, heading somewhere. Following them, I found the large plaza at the corner of the street transformed. Carpets had been laid out covering the plaza dotted with yurts dressed in colorful … More A Festival in the Making
Merv, Turkmenistan August 6, 2019 The Greeks called it Margiana. Some called it Margush. Located squarely on the trade route between Asia and Europe, at the western terminus of Transoxiana, it was once called Marv-i-Shah-Jahan, or Merv, Queen of the World. The changing course of Amu Darya had over the centuries, caused settlements to shift … More Fabled Margiana
Turkmenabat, Turkmenistan August 5, 2019 I needed manats, and knowing to steer clear of the banks, headed straight to the bazar. Thanks to the huge discrepancy between official and unofficial rates, Turkmenistan like Uzbekistan before, has a thriving black market. But word is, undercover police are plentiful and discovering the result of breaking laws in … More This is Your Lunch
ITCHY FEET TRAVELS 