Caucasus -

Armenian cuisine – lavash, apricots and the best breakfast ever!

Gosia — Wed, 21 Jul 2021 17:10:30 +0000

Armenian cuisine due to Armenia’s location combines the influence of neighbouring countries. Turkish and Iranian flavours dominate the west side, while the cuisine in the east of the country combines Georgian and Russian influences. Armenia is not a popular tourist destination, so in most places ordering food can be quite challenging. Besides Yerevan, English is practically not used, and the only option to determine what will land on our plate is Russian, unless someone speaks Armenian ? In fact, to be honest, when I think about Armenian cuisine I get back to a certain morning in the village of Tatev, in the south of Armenia, near the ′′ border ′′ with Nagorno Karabakh. It was the best breakfast in my life, prepared by the family we stayed at. All products starting with butter, cheese and ending with scones were made by the owners. Each product had an amazing, intense, natural taste and smell, unknown to me so far. It is only at such moments, that you can realize how much artificial and processed food we eat on a daily basis. Armenian food generally, is much more natural than this available in western Europe. You just need to take a walk to the local market to see the difference right away. Also, traditional bread is completely different. In fact, Armenian lavash has been listed on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list since 2014. Lavashes are baked in special clay ovens – tonirs, placed deep in the floor. Bread is baked by sticking dough to the walls of the oven. The lavash baked in this way can be stored for up to six months. Borek, especially known from Turkey, is also a popular snack. It’s filo cake, stuffed with cheese, spinach or minced beef. Lunch specials The north-eastern part of Armenia, or more specifically, the Shirak region is famous for its dish called Kash. It’s stew made of mildly speaking not so popular pieces of meat that I personally did not like. On Armenian tables you can often find, chinkali – famous meat dumplings in the shape of purses with delicious broth inside, known especially from Georgia. The best chinkali can be tried at Lavash Restaurant (21 Tumanyan St) in Yerevan. In addition to chinkali, it’s also worth ordering kupati in blackberry sauce, for example pork sausage with spices, also popular in Georgia. Ishli Kufta, which resembles Lebanese kibbeh, is an interesting item in the Lavash Restaurant menu. These are meatballs made of minced beef tenderloin with walnuts and spices with bulgur groats. A very popular dish in Armenia, also well known in Turkey is dolma – grape leaves stuffed with meat and rice. Armenian cuisine is also largely based on barbecue dishes called khorovats. Different types of meat: lamb, chicken or beef, seasoned with local spices are used. Grilled meat is often wrapped in lavash and then called Gharso khorovats. Although Armenian cuisine is mainly based on meat dishes, they are often accompanied by various types of salads. A popular vegetarian dish is Armenian vegetable stew – tourlou, which usually consists of: eggplant, onion, tomatoes and zucchini with added spices. Desserts The most popular fruit in Armenia is apricot, even the Armenian flag refers to the colour of it. Especially in Armenian markets you can see a lot of apricot products. There are numerous jams, wines, juices and special compositions made of dried fruit. Liquors The most popular alcohol in Armenia is cognac – Ararat. Apparently it was one of Winston Churchill’s favourite liquor, and Stalin regularly provided him with boxes of this alcohol. Armenia is also famous for its interesting types of vodka e.g. vodka from mulberry – tutti oghi, or apricot vodka-tsirani oghi. On the other hand, the best Armenian wines include Malishka, Noravank, Bagratuni and Karas. Among the beers, you can distinguish Gyumri, Dilijan and Ararat. Like this post? Check out the other ones! 🙂

Artykuł Armenian cuisine – lavash, apricots and the best breakfast ever! pochodzi z serwisu .

Western Armenia, must – see places, part II

Gosia — Sun, 14 Mar 2021 11:03:48 +0000

The next destination in Armenia, just after the Armenian Stonhenge (which I wrote about in the first part) was Monastyr Tatev. As we’re getting closer and closer, the road became more and more winding and mountainous. On the other hand, visibility decreased with every meter covered, actually directly proportional to the disappearing asphalt on the road. Aside from the fact that we were heading to the most popular monastery in Armenia, it looked like it was one of those places in the middle of nowhere. Tatev Monastery is mainly famous for its spectacular location in the Vorotan Canyon. The initial plan included a ride to the site by one of the longest ropeway (Wings of Tatev), reaching almost 6 kilometers, unfortunately without any visibility, it didn’t make any sense. Personally, I hoped to see even Gavazan’s Column on the spot. The column had been created almost a thousand years before the modern seismograph was developed. It’s made of a pillar placed on a rotary basis. In case of earthquake, it tilts. Unfortunately, the fog in place distorted my perception so that I wouldn’t even notice the earthquake. ? Undaunted, we decided to continue our route to Monastyr Noravank. As the height decreased, so did the fog. Even though we were away from any civilization, more cars could be seen on the road. Amazing landscapes accompanied us to Noravank Monastery. I have to admit, the monastery itself is quite impressive. Not to mention its sacred value, I must say that its camouflage impressed me the most ?. Monastery is located on a hill, and its bright color merges with the colors of the surrounding rocks. Meanwhile, the viewing terrace adjacent to the monastery offers a beautiful view of the Egheknadzor Plain. The next point of the trip was the most important sacral point in Armenia, at the same time the main destination of the pilgrimage – Khor Virap Monastery. The very name of the monastery in Armenian means ′′ deep dungeon′′ and it’s not a coincidence. Khor Virap was the place of the incarceration of Saint Gregory the Illuminator who converted Armenia to Christianity. The interior of the monastery makes an incredible impression, mainly because of its raw decor, dark color of walls, a small amount of light and numerous motive candles lit by faithfuls. Khor Virap, is a symbol of Armenia and can be seen on many tourism advertising materials. However, its fame does’s regard just a place of worship. Khor Virap guarantees the best view of the Armenians’ holy mountain – Ararat. It’s widely believed that Noah’s Ark after the Flood settled at the Ararat summit, that’s why this mountain is an extremely important element of Armenian national identity. It’s shown on the emblem of Armenia and is ubiquitous in the everyday life of the country. It’s presented not only in art or literature, but also in Armenian stores you can find many everyday products with this name. Although Ararat is situated in historical Armenian areas, it is currently within the territory of Armenia’s biggest enemy – Turkey. This fact is the reason for a sense of historical injustice, which is omnipresent in Armenian consciousness. After a visit to Khor Virap, I must say, I didn’t expect Armenia to surprise me with anything else. We had only a 50 km way to Garni Temple, which turned out to be one of the most beautiful in Armenia. I won’t hide that the driving was a bit longer, as we were initially stuck in the middle of the field hanging on a concrete water drain, and then due to some pretty specific terrain conditions we were forced to reduce the speed. On the other hand, I didn’t complain, it was even an advantage, as I could slowly contemplate the interestingly shaped terrain both of the road and its surroundings 😀 Meanwhile, a bit further, after the steppe landscape, the Garni Temple area surprised us with the amount of greenery. The Garni temple dates back to the first century and is the only sacral building unrelated to Christian religion that survived during Armenia’s adoption of Christianity. Right next to the temple is Geghard Monastery. The monastery attracts attention with its interesting location. Supposedly, in the 13th century, the remains of St. Andrew and St. John as well as the relics of the so-called The Spear of Destiny that hurt Christ on the cross, were stored there. The monastery makes an incredible impression not only because of its amazing location, but also its atmospheric interior. It’s also of great sacred value, because it was founded by St. Gregory the Illuminator. In the monastery you can see numerous khachkars, which are stone slabs, commemorating important people or events. In addition to the rich decorations, they also present a characteristic Armenian cross. Most often they can be found in the area of sacred facilities and cemeteries. The last stop was the monument to the Armenian alphabet, founded in 2005 on the occasion of the 1600th anniversary of its existence. The Armenian alphabet was created between 405-406 by a scholar and monk – Mesrop Mashtots and reportedly ranks among the most advanced in the world. Check out the first part here.

Artykuł Western Armenia, must – see places, part II pochodzi z serwisu .

Tbilisi, Georgia – all in one!

Gosia — Tue, 03 Mar 2020 20:09:00 +0000

Georgia’s strategic position on the border of two continents: Europe and Asia, between two cultures: Christianity and Islam has long been the cause of numerous wars. The Romans, the Arabs, the Persians, and also in the modern history Russians, all they tried to occupy Georgia permanently, but no one actually has managed to do so. The incredible determination of the Georgian nation, cultivating tradition, including the ancient Kartuli ena language, allowed the country to preserve national identity. The history of this country is shown in many aspects, starting with the stubborn character of the Georgians and ending with the various architecture. How is the capital of this country? It’s as twisted as its history. In Tbilisi you can see futuristic architecture, contrasting with the old townhouses, Muslim influences mix here with Christian, and in addition you can find some abandoned gems, which remember socialism. Bath in hot sulphur An interesting place is the Orbeliani Bath Complex located in the Abanotubani district. Characteristic architecture with a building decorated with blue tiles reminds the Arab times. In 736 the capital of Georgia was conquered by the Arabs and for almost 400 years it was the center of the so-called Emirate of Tbilisi. Thermal baths with hot springs are underground, just under the characteristic cupolas. They are the showcase of the city, which name is derived from the Georgian word “tbili” which means warm. Admission for 2 people costs around 20€. After the bath, it’s worth visiting the surrounding restaurants. Sip delicious Georgian wine and admire the interesting architecture of Abanotubani district. The Old Town – time travel A trip to the Old Town is a kind of time travel. While the tenement houses located in the area of the Orbeliani Baths look freshly renovated, the rest of the Old Town seems to be more authentic. The lack of tourists, old ramshackle buildings, decorated metal gates, wooden decorative elements and colorful courtyards create a unique atmosphere of this place. In some places, the buildings are in a really bad condition, but progressive work of construction can be seen at every corner. An additional attraction are small art galleries and bakeries located in the cellars, where you can also buy some tetri. My advice: to get to know this place better, you just need to get lost 😉 Fabulous time tower One of the main attractions of the Old Town is the fabulous clock tower. Located in the old part of the city, it’s actually the artistic vision of the theatre director – Rezo Gabriadze, built in 2010. Interesting design and characteristic tilt makes the impression that it’s about to fall. It’s worth to come here at full hour. Then you can see an angel hitting the bell in the upper window of the clock. On the other hand, a small puppet spectacle is oragised there at noon and at 7.00 pm. Tbilisi from perspective: In order to see Tbilisi from a slightly higher perspective, you should visit two spots. One of them is Mount Mtatsminda. At the top there’s an amusemenmt park . It’s worth going there at sunset or at night. You can get there by funicular. The second interesting viewpoint is Narikala Fortress, which is located on Solaki Hill. There’s a path to the hill, but on hot days it is better to use a cable car. During the ride you can admire the characteristic architecture of the Old Town. The hill is guarded by a huge statue of Kartlis Deda – called the Mother of Georgia. In the left hand, she holds a glass of wine for friends, while in the right a sword for enemies. Near the statue you can see the ruins of the former fortress. Sanitary pad with the Presidential Palace in the background The cable car to the Narikala Fortress runs from Rike Park. Rike Park surprises with a modern architecture that completely doesn’t match the old surroundings. It’s the artistic vision of the former President of Georgia – Michail Saakashvili. The characteristic spot is the Bridge of Peace, which due to its appearance is recognised by the inhabitants as a sanitary pad. The perfect contrast for the bulwark of the Kura river is the concert hall in the shape of a tube and a Presidential Palace located just behind it. Alternative Tbilisi: The place you need to see while being in Tbilisi is Fabrika located on Egnate Ninoshvili street 8. The former textile factory has been changed to a hostel and an iconic meeting place. In the courtyard of the factory there are cafes and bars and the walls of the building are decorated with many interesting murals. During the day you can come by to drink a delicious coffee and in the evening to party. Tea only in Althaus The best place for tea or coffee is Althaus. The interior is decorated in a vintage style, while a colourful porch offers a nice view of the city. This is the perfect place for breakfast or rest during sightseeing. Best beer in Warsaw! The iconic Warsaw bar is located in the center of the city on Freedom Square. It’s a popular hangout for residents and tourists. If you miss Polish food you can eat here steak tartare,herring or meat in jelly, as well as various types of beer, wine and vodka. Menu of course in Polish 😉 Transport to Tbilisi There are a lot of regular flights to Tbilisi. However, prices are quite high, especially in the high season. I took advantage of Wizzair offer from Katowice to Kutaisi. From Kutaisi airport you can get to the capital of Georgia using Gerogian Bus. The ticket costs 15 GEL and you can receive a 10 % discount when booking online. The journey takes about 4 hours and the bus stops in the centre of Tbilisi in Freedom Square. Car rental: If you like adrenaline, renting a car will certainly be an interesting option for you. Personally, I’ve had a lot of adventures with Georgian rental cars companies, but this is a topic for a separate post. Fortunately, during my last stay in Georgia, I was with a good driver. To be honest, I can do bungee jump or skydive, but driving a car in Tbilisi is like taking a ride on a rollercoaster without fasten belts. Urban transport Public Transport is the best option to move around Tbilisi. In order to use buses and metro you need to buy a Metromoney card. It costs around 2-3 GEL it is complemented by the amount in the counters or machines. Even a few people can use one card.

Artykuł Tbilisi, Georgia – all in one! pochodzi z serwisu .

Armenia – Yerevan, even more Eternal City

Gosia — Sun, 13 Jan 2019 08:22:14 +0000

A very long time ago, the moment I saw on TV the culinary program about Armenia, I knew that one time I would go there. Actually, it’s hard to tell what made me interested in Armenia. Perhaps the traditional cuisine I saw in the show, maybe beautiful views with the mountain Ararat in the background, or maybe information about the difficult political situation was the result that Armenia was added to my bucket list. However, it took me quite some time to decide finally to go there. Armenia once again reminded me of herself in Lviv, in the wonderful Cafe Virmenka. The taste and smell of coffee brewed on the sand I remember like it was yesterday. However, the final decision to purchase tickets was made after reading the horrifying reportage “Caravans of death”. I wanted to see with my own eyes the country so horribly affected by conflicts and disasters, located between two hostile countries: Turkey and Azerbaijan, broken by inadequate management, however, on the other hand, having unbelievable views, great culture, excellent cuisine and above all famous for amazing hospitality. It was a hot summer afternoon, when we arrived to the capital of Armenia – Yerevan. We saw a spectacular sunset view of the pink city with the mountain Ararat in the background. Yerevan is often called the pink city, due to the color of the stone used to build it. Mount Ararat is the national symbol of Armenia. It is believed that Noah’s ark landed on its top. We can say that Ararat has become almost a trade mark. Its name can be found on many products, including the main Armenian export goods – like brandy. Armenian brandy was adored by Winston Churchill, who regularly received it from Stalin. The brandy factory is located in the suburbs of Yerevan and it’s open for visitors. More you can find here. Armenians cannot accept the fact that their holy mountain rises in the territory of their greatest enemy – Turkey, and it’s almost for the taking from Yerevan. You can see it from many points of the city. Definitely the most beautiful view of the Yerevan panorama can be seen from the terrace in the Victory Park. Another important viewpoint, with an amazing cityscape of the capital of Armenia, with the mountain of Ararat in the background, is the hill where Armenian Genocide Mamorial and Museum is located. This place commemorates the genocide of over 1,5 million Armenians. The slaughter was made by Turkey between 1915 and 1923. So far Turkey has not admitted to this mass extermination. Despite difficult history Armenia delights by the wealth of its culture and wonderful monuments. Like Iran, China, Greece, Egypt and Japan is one of the oldest countries in the world. Armenians also adopted Christianity as the first. It is worth adding that Yerevan was established 29 years earlier than Rome, which is knownm as an Eternal City. To see the old face of Yerevan, it’s well worth visiting its oldest neighborhood – Kond. Despite the fact that it’s located in the strict centre, it completely does not resemble the rest parts of the city. Narrow alleys, children playing on backyards, drying laundry, common water wells – all of these you’ll find in Cond. Despite many economic problems which affict Armenia, Yerevan is a very clean and neat city. In the time of the USRR, a special plan for the city led to change Yerevan into modern metropolis. You can just go to the Republic Square where monumental buildings remind of old times. Right next to the square, there’s an unknown monument of a certain person, who seems to be …., The city is full of interesting sculptures and artistic structures. In front of the Moscow Cinema you can see the big bear and the spider, which reminds me the installation from the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao. Many interesting artistic installations can be seen right next to the so called – Yerevan Cascade, high stairs leading to the top of the hill, with a beautiful view of the city. This is the main meeting place, where you can find numerous cafes and restaurants. A place that is worth visiting in order to see the daily life of the residents is gum shuka – bazaar in the suburbs of Yerevan. There are plenty of stalls with vegetables and fruit. Among fruit reign apricots – Armenian flagship fruit. There are also numerous stalls with meat, local cheeses and national bread – lavash, which is the staple here. Lavashes are baked in a special stove called tonir, buried in the ground. They are paper thin and very large in size. What’s more interesting lavash prepared according to Armenian recipe is suitable to eat even for a year. This national Armenian bread has been even added to the UNESCO World Heritage List. At weekends, next to the Republic Square is Vernisage Crafts and Flea Market. There you can purchase carpets, paintings, old porcelain, coffe pots, silk shawls, books and all kinds of souvenirs, all at affordable prices. Another interesting place is the Abovyan Children’s Park – amusement park with the old train station. To get there plan your way through long, mysterious tunnel. The biggest surprise among the Armenian friends has caused my idea to visit B1 districts popularly called Bangladesh. At first glance, the place seems uninteresting. Huge block of flats built during the times of Soviet Union. However, for me, a trip to this place was a good opportunity to see another side of Yerevan and everyday life here. After sightseeing is the best to go to Lavash Restaurant, where you can try delicious local food. I also recommend a wonderful Alex Hotel, situated conveniently, close to the Yerevan centre and Brandy Factory. The Hotel is a new building on the Yerevan map, the rooms are equipped with air conditioning, fast WiFi and are perfectly clean. However, the place is special to me not so much because of the facilities but open, hospitable owners: Anna and Manuel, they are the ones who make this place so exceptionall! If you want to learn more about Armenia, get to know the closer its residents and know the true face of city, visit Alex Hotel! 😉

Artykuł Armenia – Yerevan, even more Eternal City pochodzi z serwisu .

The Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh) – a country that does not exist…

Gosia — Tue, 11 Sep 2018 18:42:51 +0000

The Southern Caucasus is famous for its beautiful views, excellent food, incredible hospitality, but it also has its dark side. The strategic position linking Asia to Europe has always been the cause of clashes among world players like Russia, Iran and Turkey. This area consists of three countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. Before the trip, I did not expect that countries with such a small area, could be so different in every way: religion, culture and even origin. The Southern Caucasus is an area of very turbulent history, which is even now visible. Many conflicts remain unexplained, resulting in the existence of three self – appointed counries: Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Nagorno-Karabakh. The issue of Abkhazia and South Ossetia concerns Georgia, while Nagorno Karabakh is a disputed area between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Nagorno Karabakh has many names, in the Russian language is Nagorno /y Karabakh, in Azerbaijan Qarabağ, while in Armenian Artsakh – the current name of the Republic. Both Armenia and Azerbaijan have created a historical right to this territory. It’s no use searching for Nagorno-Karabakh on the South Caucasus map. It’s an Armenian enclave, located in around 15 % of the Azerbaijan territory. It has not been internationally recognised, only self – appointed states like: Abkhazia, Transnistria and South Ossetia recognised its independence. More importantly, it hasn’t been officially recognised even by supporting it Aremenia. In the 20th century, as a result of the Soviet Union’s policy, Karabakh was repeatedly incorporated once to Azerbaijan, once to Armenia. On 4th July 1921 USRR decided to join it to Armenia, but in order to improve relations with Turkey (the Armenian enemy), a day later, they decided to include it in Azerbaijan, on the rights of the autonomous territory. The fact that the territory was inhabited mostly by Armenians did not matter. Karabakh had remained within Azerbaijan borders until 1987, when it came out with a proposal to join with Armenia. The refusal of the USSR has become the beginning of an armed conflict present today. The typical ‘divide and rule’ policy of the Soviet Union was suppressing the independent aspirations of the Southern Caucasus, but with its collapse, the situation in this area has become very complicated. After the collapse of the USSR, Russia began to support the Armenians in joinig Nagorno-Karabakh. The main reason for reversed Russia’s policy to Nagorno-Karabakh was that the Azerbaijanis, as a nation related to the Turks, was always supported by Turkey, an ally of the United States. Declaration of independence proclaimed by Karabakh in 1991, started a bloody war between Azerbaijan and Armenia which lasted until 1994. At present, the situation between these countries is tense, but there are no open hostilities. Before the trip, I thought that Nagorno Karabakh is a country destroyed by war, but it turned out to be a beautiful area surrounded by high mountains, picturesque valleys and canyons. The name itself gives a perfect image of this place. Nagorno Karabkah means “Mountainous Black Garden”, Nagorno – means mountainous in Russian, Kara – it’s black in Turkish and bakh – means gardens in farsi. In addition to beautiful nature you can see there old churches, monasteries and fortresses. The Capital of Artsakh – Xankendi, commonly known as Stepanakert, surprised me with its order, new buildings and good roads. Karbakh/Artsakh is supported financially by Armenia, so it was even more surprising to me that its economic situation seems much better than on the Armenian side. The mandatory point of each trip is the capital – Stepanakert, where the visa should be obtained. On a hill close Stepanakert, you can see the monument “We are our mountains”, built in 1967. I presents two old men – mountainous people, called Tatik and Papik,in translation grandma and grandpa. During the tour, there was a demonstration at the monument with one of the Nagorno-Karabakh ministers. Standing in a crowd of children waving flags, we became the stars of Karbakh TV. The historical capital of Nagorno-Karabakh was located in Shushi, near Stepanakert. It was heavily destroyed during war. There are no signs of war right now. You can see there a beautiful cathedral, as well as the tank left after the war in its suburbs. Close to Stepanakart is the true jewel of Nagorno-Karabakh, Hunot Canyon. The canyon path leads along the Karkar river surrounded by high rocks and lush vegetation. Around 40 kilometers form Stepanakert is very interesting buildng – Hotel Eclectic located in the small town of Vank. High on the hill, above the village of Vank, you can visit the historic Armenian monastery – Gandzasar. A lot of pilgrims come here every year, due to the relics of Zachariah – John The Baptist’s father. The interior of the monastery is raw, and only the glow of the candles made it warmer. From the top of the hill there’s also a beautiful panorama of Karabakh. We also wanted to visit Agdam – the ghost town. Once city with a population of 50 thousand residents, now completely desolated after the war. Unfortunately, it turns out that the visa does not allow to visit this place. In addition, it is a buffer zone with Azerbaijan, where situation sometimes gets tense, as it was during our stay. Safety: Relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan are still at the border of armed conflict. At present, it’s safe to move around Armenia and Azerbaijan, but it is important to avoid areas close to the border, as there is sometimes an exchange of fire. On the site of the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs you can find following infromation: In the territory of Armenia, as a rule, it is possible to move without restrictions, but it’s advisable to avoid travelling in areas near the border with Azerbaijan (especially in the province of Tawusz), as there are armed incidents associated with Karbakh conflict. The Embassy warns against travelling on the road of Voskepar-Baghanis (part of the international tour of Yerevan-Tbilisi). We suggest using the Armenian side of the M5 and M3 route (by Vanadzor and Aparan). If you need to pass the M16 route, you shall be forced to move to a detour designated by the road H26. However, in the case of Nagorno-Karabakh on the same site you can find the following information: It is strongly advised not to travel across the Nagorno-Karabakh territory because of its unknown international status and the armed incidents on the border. The consul in Yerevan does not have the possibility to take care of Polish citizens in that territory. It is also necessary to be aware that the entry into the Karbakh territory is regarded as an illegal crossing of the border from the point of view of the Azerbaijani authorities and may result in consequences defined in its law. When deciding to go to Nagorno Karabakh, a possible threat should be considered. One must also bear in mind that travel insurance will probably not cover emergencies resulted from armed or terrorist activities. There are no armed incidents currently in Nagorno Karabakh territory, but before going there, it is best to obtain up-to-date information on the situation, from Armenians living in border areas or to use local guides. In addition, when planning a journey across the Southern Caucasus, first go to Azerbaijan and then visit Armenia not to mention Nagorno Karabakh. The stamps form these places in the passport makes it impossible to obtain a visa to Azerbaijan and at the border it is necessary to hide all items related to Armenia (what I’ve written here) Transportation and visa: You can only get to Nagorno Karabakh through Armenian border. Border crossing is located next to the village of Berdzor, although it’s possible to cross the border next to the village of Karvajar during the summer. From Yerevan to Stepanakert you can get by bus, which runs every day, ticket costs 45000 drams. I have to admit that the border crossing between Armenia and Norgorno Karbakh is quite bizarre. There are two flags: Armenian and Karbakh, which practically look the same. Tourists wishing to visit Karabkh must obtain a visa, but the most surprising thing is that it can’t be arranged before coming or at the border. At the border you receive a note with an address where you can get a visa. Furthermore, a visa can be obtained in the capital – Xankendi (common known as Stepanakert) in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, located at Azatamartikneri 28, about 70 km from the border!!! The customs officer gave us the address and instructed to keep in mind that at 1 pm, ministry officials have lunch. It was valuable information, because what would we have done if a hungry official hadn’t given us a visa? Then would be the only one solution… We would have stayed in Artsakh for much, much longer 😉 Lack of visa makes it impossible to return to Armenia. The ministry is open from Monday to Saturday between 9 and 17. If the ministry it’s closed, the visa should be obtained on the following working day. Visa costs 3 000 drams, which is calculated. It’s said that it can be made in Yerevan, but in this case, a photograph should be included. The visa is not stuck to the passport, so in future it can be used to cover unwanted stamps e.g. from Kosovo when we want to visit Serbia. ” order_by=”sortorder” order_direction=”ASC” returns=”included” maximum_entity_count=”500″]

Artykuł The Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh) – a country that does not exist… pochodzi z serwisu .

Azerbaijan – The Land of fire and mud volcanos

Gosia — Sun, 26 Aug 2018 13:20:15 +0000

Azerbaijan is also called The Land of Fire. The Absheron Peninsula has been famous for centuries of so called “burning ground”. This phenomenon can be seen 5 km from Baku in Yanar Dag. A unique attraction, located near Baku are mud volcanoes. It’s estimated that half of the all mud volcanoes in the world are located in Azerbaijan . In Qobustan National Park you can see numerous mud volcanoes. What’s more interesting, gurgling mud is cooler than the air temperature – checked by Lukas himsef! 😀 The volcanoes are located on slopes, from which you can admire a beautiful view of the Caspian Sea on one side, and on the other mountains and steppe. The road to Qobustan itself is very interesting albeit a little complicated. You can use local taxis or guides, but it’s possible to get there by car. map below: Unfortunately, the initial complications with the car rental company in Tbilisi, prevented us from visiting other interesting places in Azerbaijan, such as the Candy cane Mountains – characteristic white and pink mountains, the town of Quba – known from the production of excellent apples and carpets, Ganja – the second largest city in Azerbaijan or Naftalan Spa where we wanted to bathe in crude oil. What to eat: Unfortunately, due to the problems with car rental company, we didn’t have so much time, so breakfasts looked like this: The most popular fruit in Azerbaijan is watermelon, served in different ways, but mostly with bread and cheese. Yes, that’s right, bread and cheese! The traditional drink is strong tea, given in the known from Turkey, tulip-shaped glasses. It’s served with a cube of sugar through which a drink is poured. Instead of sugar cubes, Azerbaijanis often serve jam. Traditional food are kutabi – pancakes stuffed with: pumpkin, vegetables, chestnuts or meat. Azerbaijani cuisine is very aromatic and full of oriental flavours. It’s mainly based on beef and lamb and also uses intense spices and herbs. Many dishes are similar to those known from Turkey like: dolma – wine leaves stuffed with meat or pilav – a very aromatic dish with meat, rice and vegetables, and sometimes with fruit and nuts. Pilav is the staple dish in Azerbaijan and throughout the country you can try over 350 types of it! Meat is often served with traditional bread baked in the tandoor oven. I was captivated by the unique taste of Azerbaijani food. The Azerbaijanis can easily combine various ingredients. One of the most popular dish is qovurma/kovurma which consist of mutton meat with pomegranate juice, onion and nuts. Believe me after coming back home, you’ll be dreaming about this taste. Not only the taste matters, Azerbaijanis pay attention also to the preparation and the way of serving the dishes. Unforgettable taste and appearance had a dish of mutton with vegetables, potatoes, prepared in Saj/Sac. Traditional and cheap Azeri dishes you can eat in Dolma restaurant, located in Baku. Sample prices: – cost (per night) for double room in hostel located in the centre of Baku – 5 € – liter of fuel – about 0,5 € – dinner in Dolma – around 7€ per person – admission tickets from 5€ to £ 7€ (prices are higher for foreign turists) How to get there: The best is to get a train from Tbilisi to Baku.Night train no 37 leaves daily at 8.30 pm and comes to Baku at 9.00 am pm, tickets can be bought here. During the holiday it’s better to book the tickets in advance. The cost of couches in the second class, (4 berths in a compartment) is about 20 €. The train is well signed, and information about the platform is visible on the information boards. The train is clean, and fresh sheets are given. There’s no dining car on the train, so it’s good to buy something to drink and eat. There’s a possibility to buy cold drinks during a long break at the border. A return train to Tbilisi departs daily from Baku at 9.50 pm and arrives at 10.30 am. Tickets can be bought here. Necessary documents: – passport, – visa that can be arranged online here, – it’s good to have confirmation of booked accommodation in Azerbaijan.

Artykuł Azerbaijan – The Land of fire and mud volcanos pochodzi z serwisu .

Azerbaijan, Baku – Mad Max in the shade of glass houses

Gosia — Fri, 24 Aug 2018 17:59:00 +0000

Azerbaijan has always been the most mysterious country of the Southern Caucasus for me. While Armenia and Georgia seemed culturally close, in the case of Azerbaijan, even the name of its capital – Baku, sounded orientally. In fact, the Caspian Sea, actually the world’s largest lake, was an important communication route between the East and the West over the centuries ago. Actually, I hadn’t known what to expect from Azerbaijan. This country had seemed to me isolated from the rest of the world and expensive. However, Baku turned out to be a very cosmpolitan and cheap city. Apparently, my notion was caused by the high cost of obtaining a visa – around 50€. According to the plan of the trip, we hired a car for the whole trip across the Caucasus, but due to the problems with car rental company in Tbilisi (which I’ll will in another post), we were forced to use the night train to Baku, which later turned out to be a very interesting experience. In the evening, we got on a train. It was surprisingly clean inside. All train was covered in seals and tapes from customs control, blocking access to every gap which could be used to smuggle something. The train pulled out from the station, lady assigned to keep order in our car handed out fresh sheets, and I don’t even remember when I fell asleep. We were exhausted after a night flight from Warsaw to Tbilisi, problems with the car rental company and long hours waiting in line to buy desired tickets to Baku. After an hour, we arrived at the border, at first everything was normal, border control service took passports from travellers. I expected that it would take some time to check the documents collected from the entire train, so I went to sleep. After an hour, someone shook me, I opened my eyes, and saw a worker from the train service who was calling to get up because of the control. In fact, after a while behind the edge of my bed, something like a selfiestick with a camera started looming. While the camera operator was checking every gap in the compartment, the second man asked the essential question: ” Are you transporting something from Armenia?”. Lukasz, brutally woken up from deep sleep, not fully conscious, responded that we had food. It was that moment when I felt my face turned pale proportionally to the purple on the face of the aggrieved customs officer. I knew that the stamps from Armenia in the passport and even any things related to Armenia, could prevent entering to Azerbaijan. That’s why I had arranged that Armenia and Nagorny Karabakh were the last destinations to visit during our journey, while all evidence of the planned crime, in the form of a guide and notes, I had meticulously hidden before border control. I could hear the border control officer again, which sounded like astonished by the fact that somebody would dare to carry any Armenian food on the way to Baku! In vain I tried to explain that we hadn’t been to Armenia and for sure we didn’t have anything connected with this country. We’re supposed to open our backpacks and show their contents. Fortunately, they didn’t find my notes. Finally we could come back to sleep. After an hour in front of my eyes, I saw lady from the train service again, this time she started dragging me to another compartment. I was completely confused. I came in and saw three duty control officers. They asked me several questions: whether I had been in Armenia or Nagorno-Karabakh, why I was going to Azerbaijan, where I would stay and so on. I answered all the questions while being dazzled by the camera flash, as one of them was taking photos of me. One of the gentlemen put a stamp in my passport. We did it! Welcome to Azerbaijan! Finally I could rest… I woke up in the morning, almost blinded by the sun, I carefully opened one eye and saw the monotonous steppe landscape of the Absheron Peninsula with the contours of Baku, far away on the horizon.What I saw in front of my eyes in no way resembled beautiful pictures of modern Baku. The landscape could be used as a set for Mad Max film. Abandoned oil wells, postindustrial areas, mountains of the rubbish, and foam-covered ponds. It’s obvious that massive oil extraction on the Absheron peninsula caused an ecological disaster. The landscape, every once in a while, was diversified by huge drilling towers, and drilling platforms on the Caspian Sea. The monotony of the steppe was sometimes interrupted by high buildings, built in the middle of nowhere. So far, they’re a mystery to me. Often they’re luxury condos. Their residents certainly don’t complain about traffic on their way to work, or the neighbors in the windows, because there’s iterally nothing near these hood. The train started passing some villages, I saw destroyed houses, some kids running and playing and homeless people rummaging in a pile of garbage. I wondered what was happening with the petrodollars from oil industry and what’s going on in this country?! Azerbaijan suffers from the so-called “Dutch disease” – it occurs when economy is excessively dependent on oil processing, at the expense of other branches. Maybe that’s the problem or maybe it’s caused by bad financial economy and big corruption. The train pulled in. From the first sight, Baku surprised me with its wealth worlds apart from what I had seen previously. The capital of Azerbaijan looks almost like a green oasis on the arid Absheron Peninsula. You can see the dynamic development of this city, the suburbs have already built infrastructure for the new skyscrapers. Buildings in the center dazzle with glass and gold. However, I don’t perceive Baku as a modern city without character, on the contrary! Baku struck me with its unique atmosphere. There’s an amazing mix of cultures here. For centuries, Azerbaijan had been under the influence of Turkey and Persia, and then it was included to the Russian Empire. The architecture of the city is completely diverse, and at the same time everything is amazingly compatible. It’s visible that the city connects the East with the West. Although Islam is a dominant religion here, Azerbaijan is a Republic and the attitude to religion is not as orthodox as in other Muslim countries. There is no special dress code and Azerbaijan is also famous for the production of wines and cognac while alcohol is forbidden in Islam. It combines modernity with traditional lifestyle. Just a few blocks away from the shiny glass center, you can see such an image: The symbol of modern Baku are Flame Towers – a complex of three skyscrapers resembling flames. The walls of the buildings are made of LED screens, on which spectacular visuals are displayed at night. There’re apartments, hotel and offices. The towers can be reached by funicular. The best view of skyscrapers is from the boulevard at night. Strolling along boulevard, you can meet old men playing chess. Chess is the national sport in Azerbaijan, and the famous Garri Kasparov was born in Baku. On the east side of the boulevard is the architecture jewel – so-called The House of Soviet, a huge monumental building in socialist style. Now it’s a government building, which houses ministries of Azerbaijan. On the second, west end of the boulevard there’s a Carpet Museum which building is shaped like a coiled carpet. The heart of the city is Iceri Seher – Inner City. It is also the oldest part of the capital of Azerbaijan. The pastel houses of the old town are so close to one another that reducing the amount of sunshine, seems to be the only reason to this. The temperature in the Baku can reach over 40 Celcius degrees. As Richard Kapuscinski wrote: If you stand here in the middle of the street and spread your arms, you can stroke a child sleeping in a cradle in the apartment to the left. People walk here in a single file, because when a couple goes, it’s already crowded. In the old town, I expected to see hundreds of stands and shops with Chinese souvenirs and a lot of crowded restaurants. Meanwhile, it turned out that Iceri Seher was a calm place. Local vendors sell traditional carpets and old everyday items. You can find here some figures or carpets presenting Lenin and Stalin – in some parts of the Caucasus, they are the subject of a cult. Moreover, around the walls of Iceri Seher, on the circuit reaching around 6 km, a Formula 1 race is organized. The symbol of the old Baku is the Maiden’s Tower. For a long time, the 29-meter Maiden’s Tower was the largest structure in the capital, and now from the terrace on its top you can admire a beautiful view of Baku. There’s an also archaeological site near the tower. One of the most interesting places is Palace of the Shirvanshah – a complex consisting of palace, burial vaults and shah’s mosque and minaret. The main place of meetings and nightlife is Fountain Square – there are many bars, bars, boutiques and restaurants. To be continued…

Artykuł Azerbaijan, Baku – Mad Max in the shade of glass houses pochodzi z serwisu .