September 2026
The adventure started in Warsaw where I met my friend Davindar. That post can be found here>
https://whereisgrandma.com/2026/09/25/exploring-warsaw-a-travelers-adventure-with-mermaids/
A chilly start in Poland led to a hot one in Baku, Azerbaijan. Our flight was without incident but once we landed it was obvious that the Formula One race being held in Baku definitely added to the tourist population. Passport control took a good 45 minutes.
We checked into the Amazon hotel which was a surprise as I’d booked a hostel room. For hostel prices we even got breakfast and dinner included. Nice!
Day 1 was spent wandering and trying to get around the F1 track to find the tourist spots. We weren’t very successful as the track wended through the boulevard AND the old town. We still managed to earn 25,000 steps.
So the next day we took it easy. A leisurely breakfast followed by a really good swim in the delightful, large hotel pool was perfect after several days of pavement walking
After checking into the krone hotel we walked to the Heydar Aliyev centre. It’s shaped like a signature. The building is interesting, spacious and strange. Unique exhibits fill the place
After greeting Josephine who had arrived after a long journey from Oregon we met the group for dinner. Aydin the guide and Sahib the driver and a couple from California made up the group
This is a 16 day tour we’d booked with Sakura, a local company through tour hub
Day 2 started at 9 am. We drove to Qobustan, about an hour from the city. There we visited the museum and wandered the paths through rock formations, studying the petroglyphs and enjoying the views. I marvelled at the rocks as much as the visual etchings
Next we switched vehicles and loaded up into Ladas. Apparently those cars go anywhere. That or they’re so ugly nobody cares what happens to them? Our barefoot driver manoeuvred the car through sketchy roads to the mud volcanos. We watched a few blub blub away. One guy fired up a lighter near one and it started burning. They produce methane gas.
Back down the roller coaster roads and into our van we headed back tot he city to finally visit the old town. There we enjoyed a delicious local lunch near the fountain park. We walked past the carpet museum (a building shaped like a rolled up carpet) and up the funicular to the flame towers. After admiring the view we called it a night and fell into bed.
The next morning we didn’t leave till 10 as there’s no point leaving earlier. You just get stuck in traffic. Various stops along the way led us to Sheki. Maraca was the first stop. It’s in the Gobastan district (not to be confused with the archeological park). The caves there are fascinating.
The lunch break was coffee stop complete with Azerbajanian baklava. The traditional treat here is not quite as sweet at the Turkish. Still dripping in honey though
Next was the town of Kish, a beautiful village with a view of the Caucasus mountains. The Albanian temple is one of the oldest Christian sites in the region. The church dates back to the 10th century but recent excavations uncovered pagan foundations dating back to 3,000 BC.
Then we visited the Sheki Khan palace. While it’s beautiful I was more impressed with the 600 year old Xan (Khan) trees. They’re massive and very healthy.
We finished the day in Sheki with another local dinner. We enjoyed Sheki “Pete” as well as dolma with yogurt and lots of salads.
Day 3 Georgia
Well that border crossing was a treat. We said good bye to Aydin and proceeded to cross the border. The first guard looked at my passport, then I went through the luggage scanner, walked for a good 10 minutes and stamped out of Azerbaijan. Then we walked through “no man’s land”. Josephine had all her camping equipment to carry so we each grabbed a side. That was a good 15 minute walk, a struggle enough with baggage but more so when you desperately have to pee! We were told there’d be a bathroom but nope. Nothing. A 2 hour drive after coffee and we were all desperate.
Finally we reached the Georgian side where we repeated the process. Our new guide was waiting but got a quick hello as we raced for the bathroom. As usual, there was long queue for women’s and nothing for men’s so I went for it. I got some strange looks from the men who came in as I was leaving but I didn’t care. RELIEF!
