Sheki to Telavi

Actually, this post takes us from Azerbaijan to Georgia – an interesting international border crossing!

And for the curious, find out the difference between the Caucasus region and the Caucasus Mountains (home of Europe’s highest peak, Mt. Elbrus).

We had two nights in Sheki, so it’s featured prominently. The morning after our first night, we went to the Palace of the Sheki Khans. Photography is not allowed inside, but you can see some of the many ornamental paintings and stained glass windows here.

The palace is within the Sheki Fortress, and the neighborhood features several artisanal workshops. This batch is about the ceramics studio (and some paintings). Inspiring tiles & sculptures…

Next, we went to a woodworking shop where four generations of the same family makes intricate stained glass windows by carefully cutting wood to fit it all together without glue or nails. This batch starts with a Lada and some tea and includes some family photos…

Next, we went to

Again we were driven by a fleet of four taxis to the village of Kish to see the famous Albanian Church (now a museum) and have lunch. I got to ride with the boss of the whole operation – Ilhame – who deftly navigated the cobblestone streets driving an old stick shift Lada and makiing numerous business calls on her Android. There, we had a little tour from an enthusiastic local who gushed with information. Interestingly, there were several exposed digs of crypts and the graveyard.

Lunch was an amazing cultural experience. Can’t remember the name of the tandoor-like dish topped with lamb ass fat, seasoned with saffron and sumac.

More significantly, our host, my taxi driver, and the doyenne of the whole operation (restaurant, guesthouse, and fleet of 15 taxis), had secured a grant from USAID to support the old women of Kish. Check out the plaque and accompanying signage. Great experience!

Aaaand, the Issam Hotel has a wonderful indoor pool! But it’s used by the kids of the town during the day, so I wasn’t able to get in my laps until nighttime. Nonetheless, it was excellent…

Just four pix from a last evening walk in Sheki – dog friends, blurry shots of ladies socializing in the street, and a little tea shop that served beer near our hotel…

Next day, on the way out of town, we stopped by the local market (not just for farmers!)…

Bought a couple of shirts, so took a couple of selfies! And, can you find the goat’s head, the nice bread guy, and the auto parts store…?

Next on the itinerary: crossing the border into Georgia. It seemed there was more attention to departures than arrivals, but, except for a long uphill walk and a jaunt across the no-mans-land bridge, it went smoothly. (We look close to Russia, eh?)

I had to document my favorite Azerbaijani bills, and capture the Georgian quote in the money changers office. BTW, the Georgian language is not related to any other language family and has three different alphabets. Aaand, the currency is the Lari (how cool is that?)…

For lunch, we stopped at a winery and dined on nice, huge veranda. Afterwards, we had a brief tour of the wine-making process. Georgian wine is unique and ubiquitous. Most houses have little vineyards around them…

The last stop on our way to our hotel was the 16 the century Gremi Church of the Archangels. (Different stuff offered by vendors there in the parking lot.) Inside, we got to witness a baptism, but couldn’t stay for the wedding that happened next. However, I did get in some trouble for being late to the bus, having gone through the museum and up into the tower for the incredible view. The history and vistas are vast! Who is not going to do and see everything? Not I…! (Note the precious shots of religious indoctrination…)

We arrived at our hotel and soon after took a walk around the town of Telavi. Only one other fellow traveler and I went to explore the fortress, palace, and museum. More than a little art – some of it quite unique. Afterwards, a couple of us had some dinner in town before retiring.