Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan 2018

Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan 2018

Caucasus 2018

 

Today’s travels were slightly shorter in both time and distance than yesterday’s drive, but still substantial.  The drive today crossed the border from Azerbaijan into Georgia, a time-consuming process that meant the 220 kilometres distance covered took 11 hours.

The town we stayed in last night, Şǝki (or Sheki), is Azerbaijan’s fifth largest city with a population of about 80,000 people.  I didn't get to see much of the city last night as we arrived in the dark, but the morning light revealed it to be a very pretty place, with many stone buildings built on fairly steep hillslopes.  The city has a long history of many centuries, and has been relocated a couple of times because of destruction by mudflows and earthquakes.  The city was a significant stopping point on the Silk Road that joined China to Europe through trade, and several of its buildings reflect its importance in past times as a trading centre and centre of political influence.

Our intended first stop this morning was Şǝki’s most famous sight, Xan Sarayi, or Khan’s Palace.  Set within a strong set of high defensive stone fortress walls, the palace was supposed to open at 9:00am according to a sign at the entrance.  However, after hanging around for 20 minutes, we were told that the staff would probably come in today at about 10:00am, because that is when they arrive every day.

Rather than just standing around for another 40 minutes, we went downhill into the main part of the old town to visit a functioning caravanserai.  Caravanserais were lodgings used by camel trains on the Silk Road, and typically comprised three levels: an underground level was where the animals stayed, the ground level was where trading and market activities took place, and the upper level was where traders slept.

I had seen the ruins of many caravanserais in Central Asia, especially in Turkmenistan, but this was the first time I had seen one that had been restored and was actually functioning as a hotel for present day travellers.  Appropriately named ‘Karavansaray’, the owners had done a great job in restoring the rooms, creating a very pleasant place to stay at very reasonably prices of US$50 per night for a 3-star room and US$20 per night for a 2-star room.

At a little after 10:00am, we made our way back to the Khan’s Palace, and this time managed to get inside.  Built in 1762, it is said to be the most elaborate building in the Caucasus, and that is easy to believe.  Built in a similar style and landscaping as some of the best old buildings I have seen in Iran, the Khan’s Palace has an exquisite façade that featured magnificent carved wooden window frames, Venetian stained glass windows, silver stalactite vaulting and intricate tiled geometric patterns in turquoise, dark blue and ochre.

The two-storey interior was surprisingly small given the building’s huge façade, but this was because it was only one room deep.  Unfortunately, photography was not permitted inside, but it is fair to say that every square centimetre of every wall and ceiling of every room except one were covered with intricately painted, brightly coloured murals of (depending on the room) flowers, gory battle scenes, religious imagery and political symbolism.  The one room that was decorated plainly was the one used by secretaries, as it was felt they might be distracted from their work if they were surrounded by the lavish interiors of the other rooms.

We walked downhill through the grounds inside the fortified walls, past an old Russian church and through the workshop of the craftsman responsible for the continuing restoration of the Khan’s Palace, and re-joined our bus for the short drive to the centre of the new city and the sprawling Tǝzǝ Bazaar, the city’s main market.  We spent a fascinating half hour walking through the markets, admiring the fruits, vegetables, open-air sale of cheese, meat and fish, and the vast array of household goods and clothing.

It was midday when we left Şǝki for the two hour drive west to the Georgian border.  We did the trip with just one short stop (to use toilets at a petrol station in Zaqatala).  The border crossing was a fairly slow process.  Under the system at this border, people must walk across the border, which includes a zone between the Azerbaijani and Georgian immigration posts of about 800 metres, mostly a gentle uphill walk between two high concrete walls and then a bridge crossing the river that marks the actual international boundary.  Interestingly, luggage (but not people) can be transported in cars, so our group loaded its suitcases into two taxis hired for the purpose.  The Azerbaijani immigration officials were very slow and seemed keen to cause problems for several people, slowing things down on grounds such as their entry stamp wasn’t clear enough, or that they needed a visa for Georgia when they did not.  By contrast, the Georgian officials were quick, friendly and efficient.

It was 3:00pm by the time we all cleared immigration into Georgia, and after changing our left over Azerbaijani manat into Georgian lari, we took a short ten minute drive to a house of people Anna (our guide) knew as family friends in the town of Lagodekhi , where we had a lovely home-cooked lunch that exclusively used fresh home-grown produce from their own garden.

It was 4:00pm when we set off again, and the afternoon shadows were already starting to lengthen.  We drove for about an hour through country that was dominated by viticulture, as shown by the hundreds of vineyards we passed and the tens of trucks fully loaded with grapes on their way to various wineries.

Our destination was one such winery with a unique underground storage facility near the town of Kvareli.  Known as Khareba wine cellar, it was located in a tunnel carved into the rock of a small hill where the temperatures were so cool that many people had to put on some rugs supplied by the winery. Originally built for military purposes, the tunnel is used these days to store wines in bottles and in vats, both oak and clay.  The main purpose of visiting Khareba was for wine tasting, so not being a wine drinker, I took a short walk to the wine factory next door which was far more interesting, as there was a line of perhaps 50 trucks and tractors bringing full loads of grapes for selling to the winery.

We left Khareba at about 6:00pm, and headed for our final stop for the day, a 16th century brick Orthodox Christian citadel known as Gremi that was set high on a hill overlooking the surrounding floodplain.  From 1466 to 1672, Gremi was the capital of a small empire, but all that remains today is the tower palace and beside it, the Church of the Archangels.

Despite the late hour (we arrived at about 6:30pm), this was a thoroughly enjoyable visit.  The tower palace is now a museum, and a climb up an uneven set of about 40 steps revealed a lovely panoramic view of the surrounding countryside.  Being Friday evening, a priest and his assistant were saying prayers in the church, a moving experience when surrounded by frescoes on the walls that date from 1577.  The frescoes haven’t been restored, and some are in a bad state of disrepair as the church was closed and used as a cattle shed during Soviet times, during which many of the frescoes were vandalised or simply neglected.

A short 20 minute drive from Gremi brought us to the outskirts of Kvareli and our hotel, the Royal Batoni.  Set on the shores of Illia Lake, the hotel resembles an old castle, giving it a somewhat incongruous appearance in the semi-rural surrounds.  Nonetheless, the rooms are comfortable, it has hot water and free wifi access without requiring a password, so I’m ready for a good rest after a couple of long days travelling.

Day 5

Şǝki to Kvareli

Friday

7 September 2018