We loaded up at noon for our trip into the interior of Azerbaijan to visit the village where both of Elnur's parents were born and where many of his family live. Our driver was Elnur's mother's brother's wife's mother's daughter's husband (so it goes in AZ... accurate family descriptions are important).
He drove the nine passenger diesel Mercedes van very skillfully during the 7 hour trip along desert scrub lands, over mountain passes, through lush pastured valleys and dense woodlands. When traffic was heavy we muscled our way through the congestion. Traffic does not yield to pedestrian, ambulances, other vehicles... even in rotaries. It does, however, yield to livestock. It is entirely a matter of who occupies the space first.
Horns are used to communicate loudly and frequently. "Look Out, I'm coming through." "Heads up, I'm already here." Move it, I want to pass you." "Hey buddy, how are you doing." " Get out of the way sheep or I'll run you down." Rahib was exceptionally skillful working with scant inches, judging passing lanes and oncoming cars within feet, judging which way a cow in the middle of the road was going to weave and slaloming 3 or 4 at a time.
We stopped for chai (tea) after a couple hours, served piping hot in glasses with lemon. There was also chick peas to snack on and, when visiting family, usually a fine assortment of jams, candied walnuts, pistachios, and smoked string cheese. It is common to see groups of men sitting under a shady tree around a table, drinking tea and talking. Sometimes they are playing nard (backgammon), the national game. The action is fast paced, moves being made and dice rerolled scarcely before they have stopped rolling from the previous throw.
The scenery was magnificent and the road snaked between hills and up mountainsides. It was pretty rough in spots, potholes and road patches.
After around 4 hours, we approached the Caucasus Mountains that form the border with Russia, actually Dagestan. They were snow capped and huge, some over 15,000 feet.
Some of the sheep and cattle herders were on horseback. Most were walking carrying staffs.
Clay ovens for baking bread were ubiquitous. And the bread is out of this world.
We stopped for a stretch in a wooded area and Aisha and Kristen found a swing. Sweet kids...
The ride began to grow tiring and we amused ourselves by acting foolish. It's important to make good first impressions. Kate and Aisha love being sisters as do Katie and Kristen.
We stopped one last time in the town of Shakie (not the correct spelling. I don't know how to access the Azeri alphabet on the computer... something like s with a tail, upside down and backwards e , k, i... pronounced Shakie, accent on the second sylable). The site has been habitated for over 2500 years making it one of the oldest settlements in the South Caucasus.. In the 1700s Khan Haci Kalabi built a fortress and defended the area from numerous roaming invaders. The round domed building, now a museum, was built around 500 AD.
An old man carrying a stuffed wolf down the hill uncovered it for photos and then loudly demanded compensation. Can't remember when the last time that happened to me. Wait, maybe... never?
Flocks of sheep were everywhere, taking over the roads. They were accompanied by their shepherds and packs of hard working sheep dogs. Problemo Yox (No problem). All in a days work.
The sun was beginning to set as we pulled into the Qubec Hotel (pronounced Gubec), a brand new 4 star, five story facility complete with pools, sauna, hot tubs, billiard tables and kitchen (pics later). It was time to get off the road as the expression on the girls faces suggested.
