A wonderful surprise
By: Jean-Paul Courville
Baku Azerbaijan impressed me beyond my expectations. December of 2018, the weather was immaculate, the modern architecture, the design of the city highlights, the old town Baku merging into the modern day was clean, stylish and rivaled the feeling I had first experienced visiting Dubai. The cuisine, shopping on Nizami Street from high end name brand stores to local markets, and with outdoor cafes gave it a European and Turkish merge feel.
Azerbaijan was part of the former Soviet Union, it has boundaries along the Caspian Sea and the Caucasus Mountains. I enjoyed Baku and its surroundings like the Flaming Mountain "Yanar Dog" to driving back in time to reach the mountains in Gabala.
The Flaming Towers are a symbol of Baku
The Flaming Mountain "Yanar Dog" on the outskirts of Baku there is a natural gas fire which blazes continuously (yes Continuously) on a hillside, a spectacular thing to see.
Traveling to Gabala from Baku was like driving backwards in time, from the modern technology of Baku to small roads, villages, and farms. I loved the contrast, I stopped at farmers offering pomegranate juice on the side of the road, small local snacks before making my way to the lovely mountain town of Gabala.
Gabala has a strong ski attraction, there wasn't an opportunity to hike here but the ski lifts, views, and restaurants were quite the joy.
The food was great, the country is rich in history, beautiful landscapes, wonderful resources, and an incredible cheap place to visit as a tourist.
Bonus: Thank you AZ
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