#babushka sketches things

[b4bushka]

Leaves him here

[vammieposts]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LITTLE GUY

This is babushka! He is eating his tenth birthday dinner of tooth cleaning grain free treats and fish flakes! Very fancy, can i get a wahoo for the old man? He has reached double digits! (Also sibling happy borith day!!’ U can vote ynow!!!)

i also painting a thing warlier today! I did a face ! Very excited bc i have never really gotten into painting and i would very much like to! Ppls art college vlog yt channels are morivating me to get out of my comfort zone as well as a cery extenee multi week art sketch block thats keeping all my good ideas locked away in some msyterious bit of brian i cant access!! Its very fristrating but if i cant sketch ill do somthing else. The colors are messed yo in this picture tho, its much more green and blue than yellow. Its kind of blank so i belive i will add either a hammerhead shark or a long jellyfish to the blank areas because blue people should be accompanied by fish. Yhats where the blue man group gets it wrong ykk, they need more fosh and fewer marshmallow mouth surprise sculptures. Or maybe if their marchmallow sculptures were shaped like fish theybwould be better yk i am very tired ignore typos i turn off autocorrect because i despise phone robots misinterpreting my speech, what i type is authentic and will never be influenced by ai, despite the many spelling errors due to tiny phone keyboard dand wobbly hands!! Also ignore the thing in the bottom left corner, i attached a trans oride bead charm to the top of my ohone case and jow its just in all my photos bc its in a very inconvenient location. good night to the vast interwebs! Goobye!!

[ct-hardcase]

2023 art summary, coming in fashionably late. Director's commentary under the cut:

January: I feel proud of this one, but also feel kind of sad that over the course of a whole year, that January is the artistic highlight. I had a few free days at the beginning of the year where I was alone, and got this wild drive to draw something that I very rarely, if ever, get anymore, especially for a piece that includes a background. Pessimism aside though, I'm really happy with how this came out, barring some aspects of Kanan's facial anatomy I could improve on and Ahsoka's hand (I gave up here, don't look too closely). I've had the scene in my mind for a while, and I'm glad I could finally take it on artistically.

February: Yes, technically this was published in March. As far as I can find, this is possibly the only thing I drew in February, sketches included. I published it on twitter and tumblr in Feburary, fully intending to leave it at the flats, but decided to render a bit on 03/01. On account of my literally having nothing else for the month, I let it slide. I'm also happy to have finished a piece for Seventh/Fifth, and it received pretty decent reception considering it's a bit of a rarepair.

March: I didn't do much, but I did draw Trilla, Eighth, and Reva; and the dynamic has been shamelessly influenced by To Gain The Harbor on Ao3, which has occupied my head rent-free this year.

April: I actually drew two things this month, but I chose Voe, since I always have to have my annual Voe in these, and I'm really happy with how I drew her, here. It's also unpictured due to the formatting constraints, but this one also contained one of my best Kylos. 

May: Work started getting very busy here (and never really stopped), so this is where ~sketch season~ starts. I noticed that I sketched a lot of sitting and kneeling this year, which is a bit of a flex, since I've historically had trouble with that (and am still not perfect, but getting there).

June: Credits to Senshistock for the pose here, but I decided to focus back in on anatomy, which was honestly driven by my beginning to consistently exercise for the first time since college—I got a lot more in tune with the practical aspects of how my own and other bodies could move, and though a lot of my poses are static, I find that it's a pretty big influence on my art this year.

July: It's at this time that my love for Reva also turned a corner—I objectively loved her as a character from the beginning, but around this time or June is when she rocketed herself to my third-favorite (hehe) inquisitor. She really grips me as a character, and she featured pretty prominently in my art this year.

August: Was busy touching grass this month, so didn't do a ton of drawing, but did a quick sketch of a village babushka.

September: I decided to color a drawing of Samantha Trapp and Kilner from We Fix Space Junk, which has carried me through many a hard day, and while the drawing feels just a little off, I think I at least somewhat maintained my ability to color something in.

October: I decided to treat myself and buy some fancy pens, and decided on the Sarasa pens on a whim. While they haven't been the cure-all to my art block, they are so much fun to draw in, and about half my sketches from October-present have been with these. Also, Rey!

November: Reva brainrot feat. The Grand Inquisitor. A friend and I were talking over an AU where the Grand Inquisitor (as a Jedi) takes Reva on as his Padawan, and I had to draw it.

December: I sketched a fair bit this month, but decided to go with Eighth.

[excalibutt]

For the writing game, 7, 11, and 28!

Answering these in reverse because 7 is a long answer! 

28. Who is the most delightful character you’ve ever written? Why?

I think to date, the most delightful characters I have taken the time to write are always some version of the most disgusting and decrepit old crone I can conceptualize, and they always have some form of magical power. The earliest iteration of this character-type in my work was an early interpretation of Dame Ragnell from the Arthurian legends. She was such a fucking hoot to write. Mostly because she’s a shapeshifter, and she largely chooses to appear that way.  The most recent iteration of this smelly old crone appeared in one Pathologic AU I was working on where there was actually a gang of stern Babushka matriarchs in the Town on Gorkhon. So I conceptualized Artemy’s paternal grandmother. I called her Emee Burakh and she smoked a bone pipe, had whiskers, and quilted as a hobby, on top of being rumored to control the weather. I’d love to do so much more with her. Sigh. 

11. Do you believe in the old advice to “kill your darlings?” Are you a ruthless darling assassin? What happens to the darlings you murder? Do you have a darling graveyard? Do you grieve?

I am reluctant, in general, to kill my darlings. Thinking about death in general is not a very black-and-white thing for me, because I struggle also with spiritual faiths. I do try to romanticize the return to the earth or the reduction to ash, but... There’s still a pit of dread that sits high in my throat when I do.  I also really like the 2006 film Stranger than Fiction. The whole premise of that story is a famous tragedy author struggling to murder her main character, because by strange happenstance; he is real, and she struggles with the reality of what she’s set out to do, and he struggles with a whole new kind of mortality facing him. 

That being said, I like to do a lot of new things with the same characters, so even if they die; they aren’t dead forever. Just one aspect of them, returned to the ether, and born anew. That being said though; I am exhausted by characters constantly coming back from the dead. I hypocritically tend to judge, if an author can’t commit to the damn murder. 

7. What is your deepest joy about writing?

I... actually have a lot to say about this. I wrote a poem once years ago that encompasses much of how I feel about writing. In short, the very nature of it is magical. But if you want the longer version, it’s under the cut here. 

When you are a child, words are magic. 

Little sketched runes and curls all lines upon a page. 

Somehow—these markings become words, and they are words that stay. 

When you speak a word, it fills your ears and the world around you. Then it becomes a part of the air, and it is gone as soon as it came. 

But then there are strings of words. Phrases and sentences and entire paragraphs that fill the room and affect your soul. 

There are no physics that apply to words. Physics and math alike say that the volume of an object is only as big as its container. You can only pour so much water into a glass. If the glass overflows—it is not big enough to contain what is inside. 

But a sentence does not defer to something as petty as the laws of physics—and yet—it is just as real as a glass of water. 

“I love you” is one of the heaviest things you can possibly bring into a room, but its containing sentence is hardly more than three words long. In a single volume, an entire world can hide. A world full of people with lives and stories and families and villages, cities, love and war. Words do not obey the laws of physics. If science cannot dictate language, then is language not a form of magic? 

How can words not be sorcery?

 With just a string of carefully chosen words, a man in a suit can send a storm of fire and death upon a neighboring nation. With a curt, sudden command: I can summon the image of a polka-dotted rhinoceros into your mind. With a passing comment, I can make you feel sinking dread by pointing out the lettuce you’ve had stuck in your teeth all day.

How can words not be alchemy? Alchemy is the ancient art of transmuting lead into gold. You take basic elements and turn them into something better; far more valuable. Every book I have ever read is a formulaic combination of the same twenty-six  basic letters. The alphabet is not a story, but with words—I can transform them into a book that will touch the soul and wring tears. 

Look at the religious doctrines that governed mankind for a millenia. The power and justification for a thousand good deeds and a thousand atrocities all contained in a book. Still made of components that were so small, reshaped, repurposed, renewed, revered, rejected.

Words. 

Words are magic, and they are only molded by shifting, living, laws with ancient roots. 

Thousands of years ago, someone looked at a piece of loose shale, pointed, and said ‘Rock.’ And somehow, we all agreed that those four letters were the truth. 

Only a short matter of time ago, someone looked at you, and they whispered a name. And even now, when you hear it—it tugs on a part of your soul with hidden, ghostly fingers and a power that can’t be physical—and somehow you know that single word is the truth. 

Magic be the words; for they are what we are.

[master-sass-blast]

The Color of Our Love.

I LIVEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!

Summary: You and Piotr take the next step in making your house a home: painting the walls.

Pairing(s): Piotr Rasputin x Reader.

Rating: G.

Word Count: 1.5k.

Set after “It’s Truly Magical.”

Taglist:  @marvel-is-perfection, @chromecutie, @girl-obsessed-with-things, @super-darkcloudstudent, @dandyqueen, @leo-writer

It’s the smell that gets to you the most. You’re used to soaring through the skies, drawing in gulps of fresh, pure air into your lungs. You’re used to smelling sun-warmed grass and fresh flowers and the dampness of rain in the air once a storm’s passed and—

“How do you deal with this?” You grimace, rubbing the bridge of your nose as your husband opens cans of paints and pours them into the trays meant for roller brushes. “I’m gonna get a headache.”

“You get used to it,” Piotr says as he unwraps the detachable brush head for his roller brush. He smiles sympathetically when you start massaging your temples and pats your shoulder reassuringly. “We can open windows. And take breaks.”

The two of you are starting the next leg of your journey to making your house a home: painting. Neither of you like looking at bland white walls.

It’s been a long process, though, of quibbling over color options, making sure those options match with the other choices for other rooms (as needed), and planning out which rooms to do when so you don’t inadvertently spend a whole paycheck on cans of paint.

You two decided to start in the master bedroom, for the sake of simplicity down the line.

Impatient, you pick up one of the paintbrushes Piotr had purchased for edging around window and door frames and smear a thick stripe of paint over an empty stretch of wall. “Chop chop, baby! We’re wasting daylight!”

Piotr laughs, loading up a roller brush with paint and letting the excess drip back into the tray. “After you, myshka.”

The two of you work for a while, chatting aimlessly while you transform the room from a sterile sea of white to something much homier –and less likely to cause eyestrain. Piotr handles outlining the window and door frames so there’s guidelines for the rollers and takes care of the high spots, while you flit around the room, alternating between the regular brusher and a roller brush as you fill in the places your husband’s prepped for you.

Eventually, though, your self-control starts to wane –and then your opportunity presents itself on a silver platter.

Piotr’s got his back to you. He’s working on painting the parts of the wall near the ceiling.

And, on prime display in a pair of old gym shorts, is his butt.

(God, he has a fantastic butt. Perfectly sculpted by innumerable squats and obscene amounts of protein bars. You can bounce a quarter off his ass –and, yes, you’re speaking from experience.

Not that you’d warned Piotr what you were planning on doing when you’d tried it.)

You bite on your lower lip, trying to stifle your excited giggles as you coat your hand with paint from your brush. Then, before Piotr can turn around, you dash across the room and smack your hand against his rear.

Piotr yelps. Jumps. Whirls around, twists to look at his backside, then faces you. His eyes are wide, mouth hanging open in a smile, as if to say, “did you really just do that?” Then, his grin broadens as he paints his own hand with his roller brush. “It is on.”

“No!” You squeal and sprint away, darting around your bedroom as you try to evade your husband’s pursuit of vengeance.

There’s only so much space, though, and your husband’s a large man. He catches you eventually, snagging you with his clean hand and locking you against him with his arm before pressing his paint-covered hand against your chest.

You bust out laughing, leaning back against his solid, warm chest; there’s not much point in trying to run away, now that you’ve been caught. “Not on my boob!”

“Serves you right,” Piotr teases, nuzzling against your cheek. “Naughty myshka.”

You tip your head back and grin up at him. “Yours.”

He grins back, then dips his head and presses his lips against yours.

 ***

 Fumes aside, there’s not a single other thing you dislike about the painting process. It’s incredible to watch the bedroom slowly transform before your eyes.

“It’s like the feeling off the room has changed,” you comment as Piotr works on the delicate edging work near the crown molding; the two of you had opted for a soft, pastel color for the bedroom to promote rest and relaxation. “It feels cozier now. More relaxing.”

“Da.” He lays down a careful line along the crown molding –miraculously not getting so much as a speck of paint on the pure white border, which is why he’s doing this job and you are not—then dips his brush back into the pint can in his hand. “Is color psychology. Impacts our mood, perception of room.”

“I like it.” You stretch your arms, smiling as you admire the freshly painted walls. “It feels like it’s ours now.”

Piotr nods. He smiles as he finishes the last of the edgework, then sets his paint can down next to the roller tray. “Shall we rinse brushes, then take break for lunch before starting work downstairs?”

“I like the sound of the lunch part,” you say, offering up an impish grin.

“How about this,” Piotr chuckles. “I will rinse brushes, and you can make us lunch.”

“Okay, yes. Sounds great!” You shove your paintbrush into Piotr’s hand, then quickly skip out of the room and float down the stairs. “Love you!”

Piotr’s laughter echoes down the hall after you.

 ***

 “Oh, yeah. This is it. This is how I want to work from now on.”

Piotr glances over his shoulder at you. A smirk tugs at his lips. “You are sitting on couch while I paint.”

“Correction!” You hold up your index finger. “I am sitting on the couch while you paint and staring at your butt. It’s a very integral part of the process.”

Piotr snorts and shakes his head. His cheeks flush –and, even though he’s trying to hide it, you can see the bashful smile playing on his lips. ���My apologies, myshka. How could I forget?”

“I get it. I doubt you spend much time staring at your own butt –which, really is such a shame; you’ve got an amazing ass, babe.”

He laughs and shakes his head once more.

The reason he’s working and you’re not –aside from the obvious superiority of sitting down and staring at your husband’s ass—is because the family room and kitchen require a lot of edge work. You’d offered to help… and then gotten paint all over the baseboards, light switches, window frames, and crown molding within fifty seconds of starting.

You just don’t have the patience –or Piotr’s well-practiced, steady hand.

“Are you still going to do the zhostovo mural in the kitchen?” you ask as you watch Piotr work.

“Da. I have sketches in art studio, if you want look.”

You’re never one to pass up on seeing Piotr’s art, so you hop of the couch and scamper down the hall to his art studio.

Since Piotr’s art studio is fastidiously organized, it’s no trouble at all to find the sketchbook with the mural sketches in them. You flip through it until you find the various drawings of the bright, richly colored flowers, then lean against his desk as you gaze down at the page.

The bulk of the mural –which, based on Piotr’s sketches, looks like it’s going to be in the center of the wall between the fridge and the coffee counter—is comprised of large, delicately curved flowers. Roses, daisies, poppies, cornflowers… all of them weave together, bowing outward in dramatic flourishes of color. Vibrant green blades of grass form the base of the main mural, moving with the arcs of the flowers and leaves. You can see a few different designs for some edgework –to be placed on the edges and corners of the wall, so as to frame the main part of the mural—made of varying bits of filigree, Russian lettering, and tiny, white and purple tinged blooms.

You grin. Your fingers trace over the various filigree designs Piotr had been testing out. Wow. You amble back into the main room, gaze still focused on your husband’s designs. “These are amazing, sweetheart.”

“Spasibo, myshka.” Piotr looks up from his lining work, watching you –almost apprehensively—as you study his artwork. “Do you like design?”

“Piotr… I love it.” You let out a small, stunned laugh; as if there was ever a chance you wouldn’t like his art. “It’s so beautiful. It’s going to look perfect in the kitchen.”

Piotr ducks his head, cheeks flushing. His lips curve into a pleased smile. “Thank you, dorogoy.”

“Do you know which border you’re going to pick?”

“Not yet.” He shrugs. “Cannot find right ‘feel.’”

“You’ll get there,” you reassure him. “I kind of like the one you paired the Cyrillic. What does it say?”

“Is blessing,” Piotr explains. “Moya babushka made for family home, in Siberia. Illyana would have to do magic for it, but I liked idea of including words in design.”

“I like it, too.” You close the sketchbook and set it carefully on the coffee table (where it’ll be safe from potential paint splatters), then walk up behind Piotr and wrap your arms around his waist. “We have a home,” you murmur as you nuzzle your face against his back.

Piotr lets out a delighted giggle. His free hand clasps both of yours. “That we do, lyublyu.”

“I love you, Piotr. So much.”

“And I love you, Y/N, so very much, too.”

[of-wrens-and-whirlwinds-blog]

Smokey the Bear (Reboot)

Commission for a lovely person who wishes to remain anonymous! I loved working with your ideas and character, thank you for commissioning me!

If you would like to commission me, please head to my About page, link in my blog description!

~

1.

“But Bellaaa, I want to come too!” Kristopher whined, tailing his sister to her personal flight. “I can be helpful!”

Izabella sighed heavily, taking a cigar out of her box and stuffing it in the corner of her mouth. She wouldn’t light it until she landed, but it was comforting. “You have to stay, Kris,” she said firmly. “There isn’t room in the cannon. And no one is expecting me to bring a little kid.”

Kris, only four years younger than her seventeen years, hit her bicep in annoyance. Izabella smacked the top of his head with the flat of her palm. “I love you, you demon,” she said, and bent to kiss his forehead. “We still have communications, remember? And I’m counting on you to blow some stuff up, alright?” She grinned slyly, and he bounced on his toes, grinning right back. “Make Babushka proud.”

“Yeah!” Kris cheered. “I can help aim the cannon!”

“Excellent!”

Izabella packed her bag while Kris readied the cannon’s coordinates. Everything that could be vacuum-packed, was. Her gadgets either folded or were compact enough to be stacked so no space was wasted. Izabella swung on her bearskin coat, and then attached the bag to her front. After a check with Kris, Izabella slid down inside the barrel of the cannon, wiggled into position, and called, “Aim!”

The cannon turned ponderously to face the right direction. Under the cold winter moon, the landscape was grey as a charcoal sketch. Mountains, trees, brilliant stars…

The cannon adjusted height. Izabella yelled, “Fire!”

(A group of young boys who had made an illicit bonfire looked up in terror as an enormous boom shook the air. There was a small projectile ascending into the sky, twinkling like a star. The boys hastily stomped out their fire and ran home.)

2.

“Tell us what happened,” the grizzled interviewer told the witness, with the perfect stereotypical gruffness.

The witness, the teenage heir to a tech company far too big for him, considered lying. She might come back if he lied. One glance at the interviewer shot that hope down, so he began speaking.

“She was really pretty. Red hair, blue eyes, absolutely gorgeous. She was wearing this enormous, like, fur coat? I mean, I know it’s autumn, but it wasn’t that cold.” The interviewer raised his eyebrow; the witness gulped. “She also had a cigar, a huge one, like a cartoon, y’know? It was legit scary, man. She was Russian, too.”

The interviewer’s eyes narrowed. “What did she do?” he growled.

The witness had a fleeting thought that he didn’t want to be James Bond anymore. “We were at the yacht club, there wasn’t much to do. She was drinking whiskey and smoking that huge cigar and everyone was taking turns talking to her. She was friendly enough, but… when I went to say hello, she said hi back, and while we were talking she said--well, she said I shouldn’t tell anyone…”

“We are the police, sonny.”

The witness nodded vigorously. “Yes, sir, sorry. She told me that the English monarchy was weakening. She said she was warning me, in case my dad was involved in England. Which he is. He’s anti-monarchy. I called my dad after the party--”

“Why?” the interviewer interrupted, looking even more annoyed, if that were possible. The witness rubbed his sweaty palms on his knees.

“Because I wanted him to know. If she was warning me, maybe she wanted to warn him, too. I dunno, okay?! She was nice and gave me this lighter thing--”

“What lighter thing?”

The witness fumbled in his pocket and brought out a thing shaped like an old-fashioned metal cigarette lighter. As he put it on the table, almost slamming it, the lid clicked open.

There was a bark like a small-caliber gun, and out of the lighter came--

--Silly String.

The witness screamed and fell off his chair. The interviewer jumped to his feet and tried to save his notes, but the oily surface of the rapidly-expanding foam had smudged and smeared his ink writing to illegibility.

When two other officers burst in, the witness was curled in a corner, sobbing, and the interviewer was staring into the distance with a grim expression.

“It’s that Izzy girl,” he said, with complete conviction.

(The boy was inconsolable and had to be sent home on a private jet to his mother’s house over the border. When the captain heard the interviewer’s oral report, she shook her head and said, “Red hair? It can’t have been Izzy. She’s blond, remember? With curls.”)

3.

Izabella lit her cigar and puffed on it a few times before entering the meeting room, Kristopher at her side. They were both on their best behavior, and dressed to the nines; Izabella in her sumptuous furs, and Kristopher in a new suit in olive brown. The heels of Izabella’s shoes tapped a brisk rhythm.

“Hello, boys,” she drawled, pausing in the doorway to breathe out a cloud of smoke. She then stuck the cigar back in her mouth and swaggered over to the remaining chair at the foot of the table. Crossing her ankles neatly, her next exhale was in rings. Kris stood at attention beside her, his face emotionless.

“We are not boys for you to command, young lady,” snapped a tall man with a Portuguese accent. The Australian on his left gripped his wrist lightly.

The four other Russian men chuckled softly. “She’s in command, alright,” said Gustav, who was sent to Ukraine when he was small to escape government assassins and still had the faintest accent. “Do not worry. She will make sure we have what we need.”

Izabella smiled brightly, then took off her tall fur hat to reveal a bottle of whiskey balanced perfectly among her curls. All of the men at the table cheered, and drinks were poured for everyone, though Kris’s was watered down quite a bit. When everyone was feeling looser, Izabella said, “I have planted seeds of doubt, and heightened tensions with clever paperwork. Your way to revenge is clearing. Kris, the hologram please.”

Kris took off his watch and placed it neatly in front of her, face down. With a subtle flick of his fingernail, a beam rose and spread, to show an office building slowly rotating. The building was quite normal, except for the eighteen red squares in various strategic points.

“This is my plan,” Izabella explained, leaning forward. “I will compromise this building, after securing the information in its mainframe. And then your men can swoop into the police station while the officers are busy, and take back your mole.”

“Will this work?” asked the Australian.

Izabella smiled and raised her glass. “We shall hope so.”

(After the meeting, the Portuguese man was seen flying off into space, twinkling like a midnight star. No one asked questions.)

4.

The teenager striding down the hall of the office building, talking on her phone loudly in accented English, caused more than one curious worker to stare, baffled.

She was slight and pretty and wore cat-eye sunglasses, her hair perfectly curled, a slinky black dress, and a fur coat that was pulled off her shoulders and bunched up on her biceps. Her brooch was a silk flower, startling in its bright pinkness.

“No, Kris, no!” she was saying as she walked straight into the CEO’s office. “I told you, Mama said to not touch the telephone! If it is the men, they will find you.” She stopped in the middle of the room, and seemed to notice the CEO and his guests for the first time. She smiled, and said, “Hello! I’ll call you back, Kris. Yes, yes, I’ll tell Papa.”

She snapped her phone shut as she pulled it away from her ear, and kept it level with her cheek as she struck a pose and asked sweetly, “Mr. Ama-zone, I presume?”

“Ah. It’s Bezos,” the CEO corrected. “Who are you?”

“Mascha. You talked to my Papa a few days ago. He asked me to come by for your answers.” The girl flipped one heavy lock of hair out of her face, then pulled a paper-wrapped gumball out of her pocket, and let the paper float to the floor when she unwrapped the sweet. Popping it in her mouth, she chewed quickly, then continued, “Papa is rather unhappy, as well. Something about overdue payments.”

The men in suits at the conference table glanced at each other, Bezos, and the girl. Bezos looked rather pale as he smiled and replied, “There must’ve been a mixup. I haven’t talked to anyone from Russia in a long time.”

The girl sighed dramatically and swaggered across the room to lean on the window, so Bezos had to turn to keep an eye on her. This also meant that he didn’t notice the other men watching the exchange with wide eyes. “Mr. Bezoss, do not play games with my Papa,” she retorted. “He will bring his men here, and your company will go poof!” She snapped her fingers for emphasis. “He wants his payment. He wants it now.” She smiled again, innocent as spring. One of the other businessmen was texting furiously; another had laid down his mobile with the mic pointing up.

Bezos cleared his throat, and pressed a button on his own mobile, under the table. The girl’s sweet smile became a smirk. Bezos’s eyebrows twitched, but he spoke strongly. “I don’t owe anyone anything. I don’t know who you are or why you keep dropping hints about a man being angry, so my staff will have to escort you away.”

Silence fell on the office.

The girl took her gum out of her mouth, tossed it into the waste basket, and took a cartoonishly large cigar out of a different pocket. A plain silver lighter was next. She lit the cigar, put the lighter back, and took a deep draw on said cigar, letting the smoke billow out of her nose.

Bezos was sweating. So were his compatriots. More of them were sending emergency texts and alerts.

“Mr. Bezoss,” the girl said kindly, “Perhaps you should check on your staff.”

Every man there jumped to their feet, and pelted for the door. Izabella trotted over and locked it, then gathered all the wallets and personal gadgetry left behind and tucked them into her coat’s inner pockets. Finally, she plugged a tiny USB into Bezos’ computer, and set it to siphon what her employer wanted. It was designed by Kristopher, and made by a Swiss watchmaker they knew. It finished in about three minutes; plenty of time for these foolish Americans to realize the entire building was now blocked from any electric communication.

When the computer binged, Izabella sighed dramatically and sat up. With four key taps in quick succession, she unleashed the virus also hidden on the USB. It began to systematically purge the computer’s data, and spread from there, attaching to every connection it could until the entire building began to shut down, and police started yelling outside the locked door.

Izabella tapped her cigar, and the ashes fell on the specially-formulated gumball, which burst into flame. She smiled at the fire, then turned and drew a glass-cutting blade from her sleeve to quickly slice out a hole in the window that was supposed to be indestructible. Just as she prepared to climb out, she drew her lighter again, and flicked it three times.

Bombs hidden throughout the building began to go off, within seconds of each other, and destroying the structure of the building. Izabella threw herself out the window, landing in the window cleaner’s hoist positioned just so to catch her, and smacked the brake on the rope. It plummeted immediately, and Izabella shrieked with glee as explosions and the rumble of crumbling concrete surrounded her.

(She escaped unharmed, somehow, covered in stone-dust and ash. Gustav and his men had fetched their mole, and when she joined them, they nodded solemnly and followed her to the vans. Later, the interviewer from Alaska (who had been reassigned to California) heard the details and told his captain that he knew it was that Izzy girl. The captain frowned and said, “Izzy? No, no, she smokes cigars constantly. This girl chewed gum.”)

5.

“Babushka!”

Kris and Izabella flung themselves at their grandmother, who laughed warmly and hugged them back, with much kissing of their cheeks.

“Ah, so how are my two little kittens?” she asked, hauling Kris into her lap while Izabella sat on the foot stool beside the rocking chair. “How much have you brought your babushka?”

“So much!” Kris crowed. “Almost a BILLION rubles!”

“No, it’s two hundred and fifty thousand rubles, three million American dollars, half a million Lybian dinars, a few thousand in various other currencies, and five pledges of partnership from various governments,” Izabella corrected, and stuck her cigar in her mouth again.

“Ah,” Babushka sighed mournfully, shaking her head. “Ah, my kittens. When I was your age, I was blackmailing royalty and undermining continents.”

“It’s harder now, Babushka!” Izabella protested. “You were a duchess! Kris isn’t even an adult!”

“Neither are you,” Kris sniped.

Babushka shushed them both and stroked Izabella’s hair. “I was teasing, vnuk,” she said, the corners of her wise, bright eyes crinkling. “Tell me what you did to that Egyptian banker.”

“Oh, Babushka, it was amazing! Kris made these tiny microphones with nuclear batteries that I placed throughout the banker’s home, and we got results in three days! The information has been securely transferred to the Yamaguchi-gumi, who will send the final payment tomorrow.”

“If they don’t, I’ll crack into all the bank accounts the family controls,” Kris piped up.

“I used the shoulder-cannon on the man in London calling for the rejoining of Ireland under the English government,” Izabella said dreamily, blowing smoke rings. “Oh, Babushka, it was splendid. He flew up so high, he didn’t even leave a glimmer. I also dropped that pink poison-flower into the double-agent’s brandy, as instructed. He died in about twelve hours.”

Babushka shook her head. “We’ll have to have a talk with the chemists, kittens; that poison is supposed to be quicker,” she told them. “But in the meantime--let’s have some kholodets to celebrate another successful year!”

The two children cheered, and their babushka chuckled again.

(Babushka’s kholodets was made from a recipe passed down since before the Soviets, and most people who were given the honor of tasting it whispered to friends later that it was poisonous and had given them sores in their guts. All of Russia feared the Babushka and her grandchildren.)

6.

The squadron of soldiers stood their ground, as the heavy, pink-painted tank drove toward them with complete disregard for anything else. Other soldiers had given up trying to break its track; this squad would not.

Carefully, one of them set a small, shallow, rectangular dish on the ground. It had wheels much like the tank, and an electric motor. A demolition expert gently attached a very strong bomb. An enlisted soldier brought out a radio remote.

The dish with its bomb jerked into life and whizzed across the bare field, which was scarred and streaked but mostly whole. The soldier with the remote drove the dish with her tongue poking out of her mouth, eyes flicking over the terrain and to the pink tank.

The dish and bomb swooped neatly under the tank.

“COVER!” the demolition expert roared, and everyone dropped back to the trench. She pressed a small button and dove in too.

The bomb went off, and the power of it literally blasted the tank apart at the seams. As the soldiers took deep breaths to cheer, they saw two people-shaped objects flung into the air. Somehow, their voices carried over the explosions of their tank giving way.

“I told you, Bella, I told you they would have a sneaky bomb--”

“Shut up, you’re the one who wanted to save weight with thinner plates--”

The shouting became too faint, as the figures became nothing more than glints in the sky. The soldiers looked at each other uneasily. One of them, a corporal, who used to be with the police, opened his mouth to speak.

“Wasn’t that Izabella, the spy?” whispered one of the enlisted soldiers.

“Nah,” whispered the other, “Neither of ‘em were wearing fur coats.”

The corporal turned around and started thumping his head against the earthen side of the trench in a consistent rhythm. Why. Why was everyone so stupid. Why.

(Later, the corporal was demoted for leading a ragtag group of soldiers from other squads to do something so dangerous. When he pointed out that they had actually been led by a captain, said captain shrugged and answered, “Wasn’t me.” The corporal went to his quarters and got drunk.)

7.

Earth’s atmosphere was a boring place to be, but Izabella and Kristopher couldn’t really come down themselves; they had to wait for Gustav’s air balloon.

Izabella re-lit her cigar and puffed on it angrily. “This is your fault,” she grumbled, the thinness of the air softening her voice to a whisper.

“How is it my fault?” Kristopher snapped, throwing up his hands and immediately bringing them back down with a wince. Space always made his hands cold. “I told you there would be sneaks!”

“Then why did you make the tank so delicate?” Izabella retorted angrily. “Saving weight, saving gas, blah blah blah--Blyat! You’re worse than Anatoli.”

“Don’t you dare compare me to that labrat!”

The siblings continued bickering for several hours, floating and turning and twisting. Eventually they grabbed each other’s arms to argue at the same level, and the insults got truly vile, until Kristopher started crying. Izabella growled, but pulled him in against her and hugged her baby brother tightly.

“We’ll be fine, Kris,” she said. “Gustav is too afraid of Babushka to leave us up here forever.”

“I’m cold,” Kristopher sobbed, his tears drifting from his pale cheeks and falling into the clouds.

“I know, bubble-butt.” Izabella pressed their foreheads together. “When we get back to the ship, we’ll sit in front of the heater and watch that film you like, what is it? The Swan Princess? And we’ll drink hot cocoa and design a new tank, and you can tell me all the things I missed, and then we can paint each other’s nails. Alright?” Kristopher nodded. “Good. It’s okay.”

Not even ten minutes later, Izabella spotted the grey-blue balloon rising up to them slowly. “Ah!” she exclaimed, shaking Kristopher gently, “He’s here!”

(Returning to their base of operations on the warship, they did indeed watch The Swan Princess in front of the radiator, drinking hot cocoa. Gustav watched from the doorway for a moment, smiling softly, then walked away, leaving his children in peace.)

[mistaeq]

My first JJBA oc: Adonis

Y'all don't have to care... i just wanted to share him, since i DO care for my boy and i've been wanting to share him somewhere for some years . . . i adapted him to JJBA~

Name: Adonis Sergeyevich Lebedev-Nijimura

Age: 20

Comes from: Volgograd, Russia

Sexuality: pansexual

Pronouns: he/him

Personality: istp-a

Height: 6,5 feet

Weight: 85 kg

Hair: waist length, carrot, don't fucking touch it unless you're Okuyasu.

Eye color: purple

Blood type: B

Birthday: 1st April

Starsign: aries

Family: father [Sergey Lebedev], deceased mother [Aida Lebedeva (Protsenko as a maiden)], step mother [Dominika Lebedeva (Smirnov as a maiden)], older brother [Sascha Lebedev], younger step-brother [Nikita Lebedev], husband [Nijimura Okuyasu], adoptive daughter [Nijimura Reicho]

Stand name: Sugar Plum [Named by Rohan]

Likes: Himself, dancing, strawberry milk, he started drinking it in Morioh Cho because Okuyasu drinks it too, make up, Yukako - she's his best friend-, his hair, his ass, Okuyasu.

Dislikes: Himself, Kishibe Rohan, crowded places, giving too much affection, bugs, people touching his hair, people touching his face - apart from Okuyasu -, hot places, stinking.

Story [ TW // implied abuse and homophobia ]: Born in a rich family, all Adonis wanted was being a dancer. He studied a lot for this, he loved the environment and the air he could breathe inside a room where the space for dancing was enough. He didn't really care what type of dance. Just dance. He liked latin american dances, and how the dancers were dressed. A sweet бабушка (babushka) of his neighborhood who treated him like a grandson had gifted him a beautiful, shining suit for latin american dances for his birthday.

His father ripped it as soon as he saw it. He said only "faggots" wore that. Also, his father got mad because he had noticed his son has started using purple-ish grey makeup on his eyelids. And everyone knows what happened afterwards. His father's wife did nothing to ever help him, she just stood with what his father said. Adonis's biological mother died giving birth to him. His older brother, name's Sascha, had never forgiven him for this. But on one thing they agree: not liking their step-mother.

As soon as he became 18, he packed up his stuff, took the money he thought he deserved, and against his father's will - tbh, Sascha was quite happy - Adonis moved to a new country, in a cute, peaceful - NO - city: Morioh Cho. To be honest, Adonis didn't get much of the stuff he had back in Russia with him. But he made sure not to let in that hell the most precious friend he had. Duchess, his white cat.

Funny, how after Adonis's first steps inside the city, a golden, sharp arrow pierced his chest. That's how he met his first friends - NOT EVEN A LITTLE - who talked him into stuff like "stands", Dio, Higashikata Josuke, their father... Adonis couldn't deny the blond one was quite attractive. The black haired one looked like too many ice creams had fallen from his cone when he was a kid and his voice sounded like someone who had been smoking for 60 years.

All of this while his chest was spurting blood from every side. Pretty painful. Adonis hoped his eyeshadow was still okay. As soon as he started manifesting his stand, Nijimura Keicho understood that pretty boy couldn't do shit for his father. Adonis's stand was a delicate, orange colored, humanoid creature in white ballet shoes. It looked angelic. But its kicks were hell. They discovered this when Okuyasu tried to touch his hair. Oh boy. Adonis's stand manifested as if he was an expert already, and with a cry that sounded like "CHACHACHACHACHA", the poor guy was on the floor. His wound had healed.

"What are you, precisely?" he asked his stand, when the Nijimura brothers let him go because he was no use.

"CHA CHA!"

"Okay, nevermind." he huffed, when walking towards his new house, he saw a green haired, handsome guy, on the porch of a huge house, sketching something on a notebook. And he couldn't help but notice how that drawing guy's gaze was on him.

Rohan had never seen such a beautiful creature. Big purple eyes, pointy nose, plump lips, a perfect pale skin and beautifully straight carrot colored, long - really long, actually - hair. Broad shoulders and well toned arms, alternating with a wasp waist and right after, beautiful hips. Just by looking at him, Rohan could feel a sensat- WE'LL BE BACK AFTER A BREAK -

Curious, Adonis got closer to the mangaka.

"See something you like?" Rohan immediately understood from his accent, that he was in front of a foreigner. A foreign cutie.

"I'm pretty sure I've never seen you before, in Morioh Cho." Kishibe Rohan wasn't down for pleasantries. "Become my model or perish." a model? Was he an artist? And Adonis thought Morioh Cho was a calm city. This offer flustered him a bit.

"Yeah, I know, I'm pretty." The choice of adjective caught the mangaka's attention. In a positive way, though. Pretty. "What's in it for me, honey?" Sly, sly bitch, Adonis. Rohan held back a terrible blush. How could a random thug call him, Kishibe Rohan, honey?

"Are you serious right now? You want to know if I'll pay you? For just fucking staying still?" At this answer, Adonis raised an eyebrow, turned tail and started walking away. As soon as Rohan's eyes ran from his pale neck, to the belly his bordeaux crop top left uncovered, and imagined the legs hidden behind those kinda tight, elegant black trousers, the mangaka cleared his voice. "I'll pay you." those words fucking slipped from his mouth. Kishibe Rohan had never paid anyone for standing still.

Adonis turned around, already far from the porch of Rohan's house, but not enough to pretend he didn't hear him. "Now that's what I like, artist boy." Only a thing Adonis would have wanted. For Rohan to see him with his white coat on. The one he used in Russia, where it was quite colder than Morioh Cho. A long, white coat, decorated with candid fur - not real fur, Adonis is highly against this. -

Rohan grew possessive of his model. Adonis couldn't care less. He still paid the rent for his house - with a little help from Rohan's payment -, but most of the time was spent in the mangaka's house, moving, posing on a couch, against a wall, or even just standing. The mangaka started buying clothes for him. And even if the russian boy was good at hiding it, he was growing so fond of his artist. So stunned by his gaze lingering around his body to transfer it on paper. So enamored with his ways.

Also, Rohan named his model's stand. Sugar Plum. Like The Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy, from The Nutcracker. He liked how flexible his elegant body was. So beautiful. So gorgeous. So pretty.

Adonis didn't need his family anymore. He had started his adventure in Morioh Cho. He had met love... in Morioh Cho. Or so he thought. Until he started needing attention from someone else...

[dmitrykuznichenko]

THE REVERSED  PERSPECTIVE

My childhood had passed overlooking St. Marco’s square with a corner of the Dodgers Palace slightly obstructing the view of canal.

I only can try to imagine, how the bassinette with a newly-born baby was brought from the hospital’s ward to our flat and by the hands of my young mother, carefully placed on the bed. The bassinette was positioned in such way that the eyes of the baby were facing the walls of the Dodgers Palace of Venice. In progression of several months, I started to blow raspberries. Fireworks of my saliva burst out, saluting to beauty I yet could not appreciate.

As I found out later from my Babushka, this view of Venice in the past was filled with chicken feathers and as a decorative cushion bludged on a fancy couch. It had a three coloured weave; cream, grey and black. In hypnotic repetition, the tapestry’s threads overlapped one another, creating a convincing illusion of depth, where columns and arches were overshadowed by the belltower spearing the clouds.

I have only overheard conversations to rely on, to be able to envisage how, back in 1917, without wiping their feet, came the Bolsheviks. Babushka’s family home was turned up-side-down. Bolsheviks tore everything that could have been torn, even my young Babushka’s earlobes, as the Red Proletarians ripped her earrings out. This view of Venice witnessed it all and was the sole fortunate item that escaped intact. That is why with so much sentiment and, also as a reminder what her life used to be, Babushka hung this tapestry on our wall. Instead of chicken feathers, the view of Venice now has a stiff board inserted inside it.

Whenever we talk about old architecture, we think of geometry and straightness of lines. Straight lines have this tendency of tilting towards the invisible vanishing point. I don’t like this idea and prefer the depictions on the Orthodox icons, with what is called a reversed perspective, where the vanishing point is actually, you. The reversed perspective brings the viewer into a picture and allows to participate, while the conventional perspective makes the one who looks, invisible.

I don’t even need to close my eyes to reverse the perspective of events and go back into that pigeon hole of our flat, in closest proximity to my dear Babushka leaning onto her ironing board next to a mountain of washing. All over again breathe in the tobacco presence of my father, only the tip of his head is visible above the edge of his draughtsman board while a smoke from his cigarette unhurriedly rises up and as if obeying the rules of conventional perspective, vanishes somewhere at the height of that tapestry with the view of St. Marco’s square. And of course, never to be forgotten, my mother’s complaining voice; how could one in these kind of living conditions be possibly preparing for medical school exams. Funny as it seems, those challenging living conditions made me want to draw. While my engineer father criticised the incorrectness of lines in my sketches, the tapestried view of Venice was not critical at all, on the contrary, it was accepting of me and encouraging. So, besides all the other things, this tapestried view of Venice also witnessed how my childhood eventually ran towards its vanishing point, and how the point of my graphite became more confident.

The real artist has to visit Venice at least once in his lifetime, my teacher in the Kharkov’s Academy of Fine Arts kept repeating. It only has taken me a half of a century and finally on the New Year’s Eve, I found myself squeezed by the crowds of tourists on the St. Marco’s square. A few steps away from me, a voice kept shouting that St. Marco’s square is the best spot in Venice to catch a Pokémon. Twelve pm on the dot, right above the Great Canal the fireworks erupted. Hundreds of selfie sticks towered above me, since everyone had to take the pictures of themselves with the fireworks on the background. Gold and silver medusas were exploding, spilling sparkles of their glamour all over the Venetian skyline. As if the descending smoke had a power of magnifying glass, those sparkles were magnified in the dark, but instead of sinking down into the harbour, drifted forwards in the direction of St. Marco’s Square. I was trying to get a sight of the buildings that lullabied and soothed me all through my childhood. But spooked by the self- adoring modern day crowds, Architectura shrunk and went all crooked, the Reversed Perspective was versing a Happy New Year. Now I had to share this sacred place with Pokémon and thousands of others. I felt like a child whose favourite toy was suddenly snatched; all through my lifetime I had this St. Marco’s square all to myself.

[bladengineer]

a loud house

Title: a loud house

Characters: Blitzkrieg Boys + Sasha Alexeyev (OC)

Word Count: 1558

Summary: Snippets of the Alexeyev Household – the home of teenage disasters, petty arguments, russian yelling and boisterous laughter all in-between.

It was almost ironic how time seemed to slow down when disaster was about to happen – infuriatingly more so, when you can’t prevent the said disaster in time. So, with a painful sounding thump!, Bryan slid another few inches forward on his belly over the wooden floorboards, arms outstretched as the expensive looking ming vase shattered into, what he felt like, a million of pieces. He could even feel the impact on his very finger tips, it made him both angry and irritated because oh fuck, that particular vase was Boss Lady’s favourite.

They’re so dead.

“We’re so dead,” he muttered horrified, wide eyes still glued to the pathetic heap of shards in front of him. Behind him, Spencer made a sound between a terrified squeak and pained groan. The two teenage boys proceeded to look at each other with various levels of fear and Bryan was sure, Spencer’s face journeyed through the entire stages of grief in a span of 10 seconds. He would’ve laughed if he wasn’t so hellbent on trying to convince himself that all of this was a fucked up nightmare – Boss Lady will ground their asses well into the next century.

“What was that sound?”

Speaking of the devil. They had to act quick if they wanted to keep their generous outdoor life privileges, so Bryan quickly heaved himself onto his knees and hastily tried to scrape the shards together, mindful of the sharp edges. He threw a panicked look over his shoulder.

“C’mon Spence! Help me, it was your fault anyway!”

To his confusion however, instead of helping him, Spencer’s face went somber as the telltale sound of footsteps ascending the nearby stairs rang through the house. Slowly, Spencer backed away from Bryan, regret in his eyes as he shook his head. Bryan gaped at him.

“Spencer. Don’t you dare–”

The blond stood within his room he shared with Ian, slowly closing his door, face hard.

“Long live the king, Bryan.”

“Spencer, I swear– did you just quote The Lion King at me?!” Bryan hissed, “Spence– Spencer, get your ass–”

The door clicked close and he could only stare at the door in absolute disbelief – betrayed, in cold blood, by his very own brethren. Was this how heartbreak felt like? He couldn’t mull over it too much when a shadow fell over him. Bryan cringed.

“Is that my favourite vase?”

Oh man, and he was really looking forward to that Friday Sale at the local Arts & Crafts Store.

Sasha lifted off the rattling pot lid, mindful of the hot steam emerging from underneath. She took a good whiff, smiling contently at the pleasant smell of food. Swiftly, she picked up the ladle she had put aside previously, stirring the contents in the pot. Attempting a taste, Sasha scooped some of the curry out of the pot, free hand clawing at the countertop next to her. After coming up empty, she furrowed her brows, finally looking away from the pot.

“Huh,” she mumbled. Weird, she was sure she left the fork from before right there. Shrugging, she turned down the heat, checked the rice cooker and then opened the drawer where she put all her cutlery. There, she fished out another fork, only to blink, stunned, again.

Where did her wire whip go? She could’ve sworn it wasn’t missing before, she didn’t even use it today. Now suspicious, she pierced a potato within the curry, blowing on it to dispel some of the heat before eating it. Deeming the curry ready, she went on to get the plates. To her surprise, when she opened the plate cabinet, she was greeted by the sight of the electric hand mixer.

“What on earth–” Sasha muttered, taking the utensil out of it’s wrong spot, only to notice how much lighter it felt than normal. Then, as if on cue, one of the surrounding plastic shells dropped from its unscrewed position, allowing Sasha to discover that the entire motor was missing inside.

A beat of silence. Then, she turned her gaze towards the ceiling.

“IAN!”

Snickering, Bryan took in Tala’s dismayed look and the split lip the other was sporting. Meanwhile, Sasha was busy brewing tea and fussing at the same time.

“I can’t believe you punched that kid at the festival!”

Tala grunted, “He deserved it.”

The woman gave him an unimpressed look.

“Well,” Bryan drawled, “the guy did try to kiss Astrid without her permission, he had it coming.”

“He deserved more than a punch,” Tala grumbled further, leaning his head back against the couch. The Alexeyevs had decided to visit the local festival for a fun day and a chance to meet up with one of Sasha’s former daughters Astrid Rundström, a sweet but incredibly shy young scandinavian woman, who had left the household to attend her scholarship at a prestigious art school abroad. She had been the first ‘sibling’ the boys had met, and though the woman towered over almost half of them, her personality was meek but kind. And despite initially low-key teasing her constantly how her looks didn't match her character, Tala had taken an incredibly protective stance on her – sure, the other boys did too, Ian was even ready to deck the guy at the festival after Astrid had broken into a fit of anxious tears, but Tala had always been the one to fend off unwanted attention.

“So you just break a guy’s nose?” Sasha’s voice brought him back from his reverie.

“He also lost a tooth,” Bryan informed unhelpfully her, which earned him a scornful glare from Tala. Realising his mistake, Bryan shrugged as if to say ‘my bad’ and ducked out of the living room, back outside.

The traitor.

Tala heard Sasha sigh and he watched how she craned her neck to look out of the window – no doubt trying to see if the others were still outside. Spencer and Ian had taken up the task to calm Astrid down, the youngest pelting a joining Bryan with snowballs in an effort to make Astrid smile again. The redhead prepared himself for a long lecture, when a small bag of special festival-only dried chocolate-covered strawberries was shoved under his nose. he looked up to see Sasha grinning down at him.

“Don’t tell your siblings, Pretty One,” she said, winking, “good job on that jerk.”

Tala snorted, taking the bag and opening it eagerly – he had a taste of them before and they were absolutely delicious.

“You’re so full of shit, Babushka.”

He got another bag from Astrid later, who smiled down at him serenely.

“Bryan, you absolute piece of shit!”

Tala’s screech greeted the entire family seated at the table in the morning as he came thundering down the stairs. Sasha, halfway through her usual morning tea, immediately looked up, appalled and ready to rip her second eldest a new one. That was, until she saw his face.

“Ay, Pretty One, what happened to your face?” she blurted out, causing the rest to finally turn around. Ian snorted into his cereal, immediately cackling loudly as he pointed at Tala, whose usual clear skin was now mottled with what looked like green paint. Spencer avoided eye contact altogether in favour of trying to conceal his twitching lips. Bryan, however, unabashedly grinned at Tala’s misfortune while taking a huge bite out of his peanut butter-strawberry jam toast. Icy blue eyes immediately zeroed in on him.

“You,” Tala hissed, “you did this!”

Bryan only shrugged, finishing his toast.

“Dunno what you’re talking about, Red, but I hope that teaches you not spill nice on other people’s sketch books.”

“Oddly specific for someone who doesn’t know what’s going on,” Spencer muttered behind his mug before taking a gulp. Sasha put her hands on her hips, ready for a lecture but Tala interrupted her as he leaned forward, glaring at Bryan with such ferocity, the other actually started sweating a little.

“I shall piss on everything you love,” he threatened and Bryan would’ve laughed if he didn’t know what Tala was truly capable of. Ian sniggered again.

“Kinky,”

Spencer choked on his drink.

“IAN!”

“Guys, this is a bad idea.” “Spence, you always think it’s a bad idea.”

“Yeah, because that shit usually blows up.” “Hey, you gotta sacrifice some things for innovation!”

“Well, your innovations always catch fire, Ian.”

“Uh, no they don’t.”

“The automatic potato peeler.”

“Self-serving coffee pot.”

“Automatic can opener slash jellybeans dispenser.”

“Oh god, that one was a mess.”

“You guys are all shitheads, you know that, right?”

“Shut up, pipsqueak, and fire it up.” “Don’t tell me what to do, Bryan!”

“10 bucks says it’s gonna blow up.”

“You’re on, Red!”

“Oh, fuck off, guys.”

“If you ain’t moving, I’ll do it myself then.”

“I– wait, Bryan, no! That– ouch! That is very sensitive, you can’t just–!”

“Eh, what could go wrong?”

“I really hate when you say that.”

“Zip it Spencer. Bryan, turn...whatever that is on.”

Sasha sat at her desk in her workshop, sketching up a new watch design, when a sudden explosion shook her room. Not a minute later, a barrage of angry russian floated through her open window, followed by roaring laughter. She shook her head, chuckling slightly.

My, what a handful they are.

She left her seat, sticking her head out of the window.

“Boys!”

[jaquesart]

Alright, so you might be asking “why must this artwork in particular have a post specially devoted to its creation?” 

Well, because it’s not just the artwork I’m going to be talking about, 

You might as well skip this now or just go straight to looking at the wips instead, ladies and gentlemen, but if ya’ll wanna hear something you guys need too just like sunflower boy here, you can stay too.

Alright so recently I’ve opened my commissions, for a number of reasons. To get to continue my craft since I’m finally confident enough to show the world what I can do. Frankly, my skill scares even me too actually, as it isn’t only digital media that I handled recently, but even managing small theatrical productions and heading the production of the set and what not.

So after the intro about me reminding myself about the accomplishments I’ve made this summer, I’ve gotten a lot of hindrances as well. There are certain situations I’ve been through like things that put us dangerously near the edge of being homeless and what not.

So I did what I expected to do, and started the artwork with a shade of red and a pose that probably mimicked what I felt, although even I couldn’t understand what that pose was. I didn’t know if I wanted him to be upset or expressing a feeling of coldness despite the sunflowers being there, rendering their existence in the artwork quite useless. 

I envisioned him to be bloodied or tearing, and the sketch was exactly that. Angry, sad, red, cold, and pained.

I began the stream, and again, a big thank you to @weirdhusk-y​ and @zombrie1999​ for coming and keeping me afloat as well as @ask-emilz-de-philz​‘s mun themselves for dropping by, I’m sure they saw the sketch. And in the beginning, nobody came. I sat in my chair waiting, hoping, for someone to come. Anyone to come, to give me a reason to stream. To tell myself that someone does want to watch. 

I had to slap myself internally, however, I told myself that regardless if anyone does come, I’m going to stream whether I like it or not. Although at the back of my mind, it was painful enough to know how many followers I had yet no one came. But then Zombrie came and it was reason enough for me to stay and draw for the first three hours. Weyl came the last three hours, and it was enough.

It was enough, I was enough. 

TL,DR: 

Things that aren’t planned might happen and sometimes bad thoughts get into your mind a split second before you do something you were so excited for or even before you were unsure of doing, but just take a deep breath. 

It’ll be hard, and it might feel heavy and painful at first. 

But for every second that you feel like there’s an infinite amount of darkness in the world, remind yourself that there must be an infinite amount of light, too.

So, chin up, sunflower. 

If your babushka, Boris, can smile after going through everything he’s been through, just remember that you’ll get through it too. 

Just be patient, keep looking for your sunlight.

[ethanfearon]

Visual Mark Research |  ASTRO-SLOTH

Over the last week i’ve been working on my visual mark since being given the brief, in class we did mindmap of us which essentially allowed us to make connections between different interests in our life to eventually make a visual mark in our head.

If you know me you know I LOVE space, its a huge interest of mine and most of my designs are based off it, but I also love sloths they are just my favourite animal of all time and I know that sounds pretty generic but hear me out. 

So for my visual mark I wanted to combine the two, a Space Sloth, this is something that I myself have never seen before in real life or on the internet so it was gonna be a fresh project.

I sketched out a brief way that I wanted my AstroSloth to look.

He is a simple sloth but you get the concept, he would look like an astronaut with a helmet and backpack and to integrate my love of illustrator as well I decided to try morph the bottom of his body into the tip of a pen of sorts.

I decided after that to take this idea to illustrator just to see how ti could look digitally.

This design was basic but it already pointed some digital flaws in my design, he didnt look out of this world and he looked a little like a babushka doll which really wasnt the design I was going for.

So decided to give him some colour to see if that would improve the design. 

During this session I redesigned the bottom half of his body completely so that it was one shape, I then redesigned the pen to be more like the illustrator pen.

After doing both of these things It came to me that Could make the illustrator pen into flames coming from a jetpack and that my sloth could infact be flying itself through space, I got very excited. 

At this point I got my first prototyped jetpack sloth, he’s pretty cool, the pen and jetpack idea worked really well together and adding some arms and legs and moving the pupils of his eyes really allowed the illustration to shine and I feel it really represents me as a visual mark. 

I added some detail to him in a later session to outline his helmet more vividly. 

After completely my initial outline for my AstroSloth and I decided to then add some colour to spruce him up a bit.

This is what he looks like using the colour palette that im currently using for my App Design, I think he looks pretty cool still but I wanted to see what he looks like with my monogram, wordmark and visual mark combined.

For this design I acted as if he was landing on the monogram, I feel that he really compliments the monogram and wordmark as it shows off my illustrative side with my sci-fi nerd side, however I think it might be too much of a contrast but im happy enough with the way he turned out.

I decided to do some more designs using him just to make sure.

using the stroke on the lines and decreasing the size means that he can always retain his appearance even at smaller sizes something that seems to happen to illustrative visual marks. 

However I noticed there was another visual mark I could take out of this design if I wanted to make it more abstract, his helmet. 

This would probably be as abstract as I could go but I feel it still looks really good for something so simple. 

And this is what it would all look like when combined. 

[b4bushka]

OK i am drawing stuff again

[travelguy4444]

How to Visit Azerbaijan: What to See, Do, & Suggested Itineraries

POSTED: 08/06/18 | August 6th, 2018

I don’t remember the first time I heard about Azerbaijan, but it’s always held an exotic allure to me. Azerbaijan — even the name sounds exotic — a place of…well, I didn’t know what. It just sounded intriguing and off the beaten path. I knew two things about Azerbaijan before I visited: it won the Eurovision Song Contest in 2011 and has a lot of oil money.

It was only in the last few years that I began to think in earnest about visiting.

But years passed without any progress toward that goal — until this June, on a whim, I went there with a friend. We had found a cheap flight from London, so off we went! Sometimes that’s all it takes to end up somewhere.

Azerbaijan matched my expectations: Baku was a modern city steeped in oil money with a recently built subway, fast Wi-Fi, and tons of Parisian-style and futuristic buildings while the rest of the country was incredibly rural with small towns surrounded by gorgeous mountains and farmland. In tiny villages, old men with canes sat in town squares gazing at passersby. Old babushkas with their backs bent and heads covered with scarves wandered past with groceries, off to make dishes for the family.

A visa to Azerbaijan costs $25. You have to get it beforehand and it can be applied for online. It takes three days to process (if you pay an additional $30, you can get one in three hours). You can stay in the country for up to ten days before you need to register with the police and provide an address of where you are staying (you just need one address and you don’t need to stay there the entire visit). Most hotels and hostels will help you do this. After registering, you’ll get the full 30 days in the country your visa allows.

But honestly, you don’t really need thirty days to visit Azerbaijan. In fact, even two full weeks would be a bit of a stretch. Baku is cool and can make for a fun few days, but outside the city, there really isn’t much to do besides hike and wander around some cute villages. Granted, that is pretty awesome, but, if you aren’t going on any major multi-day hikes, you’ll most likely get bored quickly.

What to See and Do in Azerbijian: One-Week Itinerary

Day 1 – Baku Before the discovery of oil, Baku was a sleepy little town passed over by the world. After oil was discovered in 1846, the city grew: large boulevards and buildings were built to emulate Paris as the nouveaux riches loved all things French. The city grew well into the early 20th century before subsequent world wars and Soviet rule pushed it off the world stage. Now, thanks in part to Eurovision and lots of oil money, Baku is a mix of its ancient core, the surrounding 19th-century Parisian-style neighborhoods, and the sprawling modern city with its futuristic buildings, expanding outward.

On your first day here, wander around the old city. Visit the Palace of the Shirvanshahs, which was built in the 15th century and includes a mosque, bathhouse, and mausoleum, as well the famous Maiden Tower with its great views of the city. (Fun fact: They still have no idea what this tower was built for.)

Afterward, go on a free walking tour with Baku Free Tour and then take in the Azerbaijan Carpet Museum (the country is famous for carpetmaking) and the National Museum of History, which has a lot of artifacts and few signs that will give you a decent understanding of the history of Azerbaijan.

Where to stay in Baku: Sahil Hostel. This hostel has comfortable beds, a nice common area, and incredible showers (they even have massage sprays). The staff is not that friendly but its central location and facilities as well the ease in which you can meet other travelers makes up for their sour demeanor.

Day 2 – Baku On your second day, wander some more around the city, take another free walking tour, enjoy a cooking class, stroll along the boardwalk along the Caspian sea is lovely, and explore Upland Park, which offers great views of the city as well, as it’s the highest point in town. There’s a funicular that goes all the way up if you want to avoid the stairs. Be warned: the funicular’s hours of operation change without notice. Here you’ll also find Martyrs’ Lane, a cemetery and memorial dedicated to those killed in World War II and the Nagorno-Karabakh War.

Additionally, nearby are the famous and iconic Flame Towers. Built in 2012, they are 182 meters (600 feet) tall and covered in LED screens displaying images of dancing flames (hence their name). One of them is a hotel with a restaurant at the top; the food there is supposed to be very good and fairly priced. I highly recommend watching the sunset over the city near the Flame Towers, then seeing the tower’s LED lights come on.

Day 3 – Baku Head out of town for a day trip to the four biggest attractions near Baku. First up are the mud volcanoes. Azerbaijan is home to nearly a third of the world’s mud volcanoes, which form when pockets of underground gas force their way to the surface. They’re like geysers, but with mud.

Next are the petroglyphs in Gobustan, home to 6,000 rock paintings that are up to 40,000 years old. The well-preserved sketches display ancient populations traveling on reed boats, men hunting antelope and wild bulls, and women dancing.

Then visit Ateshgah, a temple that has been used as a Hindu, Sikh, and Zoroastrian place of worship (now it’s a center for Zoroastrians). Each room has really detailed panels about the history of the temple, the pilgrims who visited, and the Zoroastrian religion. In the center of the complex is a flame representing God.

Finally, there is Yanar Dag (“burning mountain”), which is a natural gas fire that blazes continuously on a hillside. Marco Polo once described the land in this area as being on fire because of phenomena like this, but this is the only fire left. It’s kind of a disappointment as it’s really small. It’s not worth the journey, to be honest, but it’s included in most tours, so you’ll see it anyways.

None of the sites are too far from Baku and can all be done in a day. Most leave around 10 am and get back around 5 pm. I suggest taking a tour instead of going on your own as it makes getting to these sites easy. Only Ateshgah is reachable by public transportation. All the other sites will require a car. Lots of people on Couchsurfing offer to rides too. A full day tour will cost about $40 USD and include lunch.

Day 4 & 5 – Lahij Take a three-hour bus to Lahij (pop. 900) in the Caucasus Mountains (lots of day tours come here because the town is famous for copper wares — you’ll hear the clang of metalwork throughout the day). On your way, you’ll wind through the mountains, over bridges, and along a road so narrow you’ll feel like you’re going to fall off before you reach the town. When I was there, the road was partially out because of heavy rain and I was not a fan driving the narrow, gravel road to town!

But it was worth it!

Lahij is beautiful, with cobblestone streets, panoramic views of the valley, and old locals sitting in the town square eyeing the tourists that wander past on their way to hike for the day. There’s not much to do in Lahij itself. OK, there’s a tiny museum that takes five minutes, and you can ride a horse or shop if you want, but the real reason to visit is to go hiking. There are a lot of trails in the mountains around town, and it’s best to ask your guesthouse or the tourist office for information, as there’s no trail map. There are some ruins on the trail leading up from the nearby river and waterfall but be warned: it’s a steep 6 km up and the ruins (really just a wall) are easily missed.

Where to stay in Lahij: Lahij Guesthouse. This virtual chateau has spectacular views of the mountains, a garden, and incredible wood interiors and patios. It’s a stunning place and the owner Rustam is quite knowledgeable and can book anything you want. The breakfast will fill you for days and you can get an optional dinner each night (you should. It’s delicious!).

Day 5 (& 6?) – Sheki From there, head to Sheki via public bus, a famous stop on the Silk Road, and see the old caravanserai (inn with a courtyard), which housed traders and merchants back in the day. Built like a castle to protect merchants (high walls, one gate), it dates back to the early 18th century. Now, it’s a restaurant (skip it) and a hotel. Additionally, there’s a fortress and few churches in the old town fortress down the street from the caravanserai. All in all, you only really need a few hours to see everything in town.

Be sure to visit nearby Kis to see the Albanian church, which dates back to the fifth century and was restored with the help of Norwegians in the early 2000s.

Afterward, go to the Gelersen-Göresen ruins, which are a lot more expansive than those in Lah?c and provide some incredible views of the surrounding valley. I’d recommend taking a taxi there, as it’s an uncomfortable and not very scenic two-mile walk on open and exposed road. Your driver will wait (or might join you, like mine did).

Overall, you really only need a day for these sights. There’s not much to do, and the attractions aren’t that stellar. Sheki is a popular day trip from Baku and a weekend spot for locals, who head to the resorts located on the way to the ruins. The only reason I would stay longer is if you wanted to do some hiking and horseback riding in the area.

Where to stay in Sheki: Ilgars Hostel. Ilgar is an incredible host. This homestay is really basic. No A/C, simple accommodations, very basic bathroom. It’s cheap but you’re staying in Ilgar’s home with his family and he’s an awesome host, who speaks fluent English and knows everyone in the area. There’s nothing he can’t help with!

Day 7 – Back to Baku Spend the day heading back to Baku to enjoy a last night in the big city before you head home.

What to See and Do in Azerbijian: A Two-Week Itinerary

Want to spend some additional time in the country? Great! There are a bunch of other places worth visiting too. Here are more suggestions on what to see and do in Azerbijian if you’re staying longer:

Days 1, 2, & 3 – Baku Follow the Baku itinerary from above.

Days 4 & 5 – Quba Head north by bus to the mountain town of Quba for a cooler climate, old mosques, and traditional carpets in beautiful alpine surroundings. There’s a lot of hiking here, too, and many people also visit Tenghi Canyon. You can also stop in Khinalig, a major Zoroastrian center, or Krasnaya Sloboda, the only all-Jewish town outside of Israel, populated by the Juhuro, or Mountain Jews.

Where to stay in Quba: Hostel Bai Guba. A very basic hostel next to some hiking trails, this place also offers airport transfers. Dehne Ailevi Istirahet Merkezi is a slightly more expensive option, but it’s an excellent place to stay. There is a restaurant onsite and a really nice garden and terrace.

Days 5 & 6 (& 7?) – Lahij Follow my Lahij suggestions from above and spend another day or three hiking the mountains. There are some famous multi-day hikes in the area if you want to camp. A guide is highly recommended for longer hikes; your guesthouse or the tourist office can arrange one for you.

Days 7 & 8 – Sheki Follow the itinerary listed in the above section and use your extra time for hiking or horseback riding!

Day 9 – Qabala Once strategically located along the middle of the Silk Road, this dusty, old, not-so-small town now houses several ancient monuments, including a thousand-year-old defense tower, a 13th-century mosque, and a mausoleum. Take an early bus from Sheki and spend the night here. All the attractions are close together so you can easily see the town in a day. There’s really nothing else worth sticking around for.

Where to stay in Qabala: Kahran Hostel. This is a newly opened hostel in a good neighborhood located next to some great cafes, bars, and restaurants. It’s a social environment and the staff is really helpful.

Day 10 – Ganja Azerbaijan’s second biggest city dates back to the sixth century. There’s an attractive square near another caravanserai (similar to the one in Sheki), some traditional churches, a very odd house made from bottles, and the Tomb of Nizami Ganjavi, the country’s most famous 12th-century poet (he’s kind of a national hero). It’s a good stopover on the way south.

Where to stay in Ganja: Old Ganja Hostel. It’s located right in the center of the city, and the staff is friendly and helpful.

Days 11 & 12 (13?) – Lankaran

Before heading back to Baku, go south visit this sleepy resort town on the Caspian Sea. See the Old Prison and Lighthouse (Stalin was actually a prisoner here for a while), visit the ancient bazaar, the 18th-century Fortress, and the 19th-century mosque. You can spend a good day sightseeing here and then another on the beaches further south in Kenaramesha. If you have more time, take a day trip to the Ghizil-Agaj State Reserve, which is home to about 250 bird species. You can take organized tours from town.

Where to stay in Lankaran: Khan Lankaran Hotel. There are not many hostel options in Lankaran, but this hotel is affordable and incredibly cozy. The restaurant serves Azerbaijani and European food, as well as local drinks.

Day 13 – Head back to Baku before heading home.

*** Whenever I leave a place, I always ask myself: On a scale of 1 to 10, how likely am I to come back? I feel like I’m a 6 with Azerbaijan.

I loved my time there and, if I were in the region again, I would definitely visit again to do some longer hikes I missed this time. But I don’t think I’d go out of my way to go again unless there was a compelling reason.

That said, I found the people incredibly warm and hospitable. Even though we couldn’t communicate a lot (outside Baku, English is not widely spoken), we pantomimed and communicated nonverbally, which led to some fun and lots of laugh over the confusion of trying to figure out what we were both trying to communicate. The food in the country is excellent: a mix of Turkish and Mediterranean styles, with lots of rice, chicken, fresh vegetables, and spices. The landscape is stunning with lush valleys and farmland and the raw beauty of the Caucasus mountains in the north. And, Azerbijian is very safe too, as the government doesn’t want to anything to ruin the tourism sector and, being a quasi-dictatorship, has the power to make sure nothing does.

All in all, Azerbaijan is an awesome destination. It’s easy to get to, super cheap once you arrive (you can live large on $30 USD a day), and beautiful. Azerbijian definitely a place you shouldn’t miss, especially if you want something a little exotic, cheap, and filled with outdoor activities.

Book Your Trip to Azerbaijan: Logistical Tips and Tricks

Book Your Flight Find a cheap flight to Azerbaijan by using Skyscanner or Momondo. They are my two favorite search engines. Start with Momondo.

Book Your Accommodation You can book your hostel in Azerbaijan with Hostelworld. If you want to stay elsewhere, use Booking.com as they consistently return the cheapest rates. (Here’s the proof.)

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. I never ever go on a trip without it. I’ve been using World Nomads for ten years. You should too.

Need Some Gear? Check out our resource page for the best companies to use!

Want More Information on Europe? Be sure to visit our robust destination guide on Europe for even more planning tips!

Photo credits: 5, 6, 7

The post How to Visit Azerbaijan: What to See, Do, & Suggested Itineraries appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

source https://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-blogs/azerbaijan-itinerary/

[jeffreyclinard]

How to Visit Azerbaijan: What to See, Do, & Suggested Itineraries

POSTED: 08/06/18 | August 6th, 2018

I don’t remember the first time I heard about Azerbaijan, but it’s always held an exotic allure to me. Azerbaijan — even the name sounds exotic — a place of…well, I didn’t know what. It just sounded intriguing and off the beaten path. I knew two things about Azerbaijan before I visited: it won the Eurovision Song Contest in 2011 and has a lot of oil money.

It was only in the last few years that I began to think in earnest about visiting.

But years passed without any progress toward that goal — until this June, on a whim, I went there with a friend. We had found a cheap flight from London, so off we went! Sometimes that’s all it takes to end up somewhere.

Azerbaijan matched my expectations: Baku was a modern city steeped in oil money with a recently built subway, fast Wi-Fi, and tons of Parisian-style and futuristic buildings while the rest of the country was incredibly rural with small towns surrounded by gorgeous mountains and farmland. In tiny villages, old men with canes sat in town squares gazing at passersby. Old babushkas with their backs bent and heads covered with scarves wandered past with groceries, off to make dishes for the family.

A visa to Azerbaijan costs $25. You have to get it beforehand and it can be applied for online. It takes three days to process (if you pay an additional $30, you can get one in three hours). You can stay in the country for up to ten days before you need to register with the police and provide an address of where you are staying (you just need one address and you don’t need to stay there the entire visit). Most hotels and hostels will help you do this. After registering, you’ll get the full 30 days in the country your visa allows.

But honestly, you don’t really need thirty days to visit Azerbaijan. In fact, even two full weeks would be a bit of a stretch. Baku is cool and can make for a fun few days, but outside the city, there really isn’t much to do besides hike and wander around some cute villages. Granted, that is pretty awesome, but, if you aren’t going on any major multi-day hikes, you’ll most likely get bored quickly.

What to See and Do in Azerbijian: One-Week Itinerary

Day 1 – Baku Before the discovery of oil, Baku was a sleepy little town passed over by the world. After oil was discovered in 1846, the city grew: large boulevards and buildings were built to emulate Paris as the nouveaux riches loved all things French. The city grew well into the early 20th century before subsequent world wars and Soviet rule pushed it off the world stage. Now, thanks in part to Eurovision and lots of oil money, Baku is a mix of its ancient core, the surrounding 19th-century Parisian-style neighborhoods, and the sprawling modern city with its futuristic buildings, expanding outward.

On your first day here, wander around the old city. Visit the Palace of the Shirvanshahs, which was built in the 15th century and includes a mosque, bathhouse, and mausoleum, as well the famous Maiden Tower with its great views of the city. (Fun fact: They still have no idea what this tower was built for.)

Afterward, go on a free walking tour with Baku Free Tour and then take in the Azerbaijan Carpet Museum (the country is famous for carpetmaking) and the National Museum of History, which has a lot of artifacts and few signs that will give you a decent understanding of the history of Azerbaijan.

Where to stay in Baku: Sahil Hostel. This hostel has comfortable beds, a nice common area, and incredible showers (they even have massage sprays). The staff is not that friendly but its central location and facilities as well the ease in which you can meet other travelers makes up for their sour demeanor.

Day 2 – Baku On your second day, wander some more around the city, take another free walking tour, enjoy a cooking class, stroll along the boardwalk along the Caspian sea is lovely, and explore Upland Park, which offers great views of the city as well, as it’s the highest point in town. There’s a funicular that goes all the way up if you want to avoid the stairs. Be warned: the funicular’s hours of operation change without notice. Here you’ll also find Martyrs’ Lane, a cemetery and memorial dedicated to those killed in World War II and the Nagorno-Karabakh War.

Additionally, nearby are the famous and iconic Flame Towers. Built in 2012, they are 182 meters (600 feet) tall and covered in LED screens displaying images of dancing flames (hence their name). One of them is a hotel with a restaurant at the top; the food there is supposed to be very good and fairly priced. I highly recommend watching the sunset over the city near the Flame Towers, then seeing the tower’s LED lights come on.

Day 3 – Baku Head out of town for a day trip to the four biggest attractions near Baku. First up are the mud volcanoes. Azerbaijan is home to nearly a third of the world’s mud volcanoes, which form when pockets of underground gas force their way to the surface. They’re like geysers, but with mud.

Next are the petroglyphs in Gobustan, home to 6,000 rock paintings that are up to 40,000 years old. The well-preserved sketches display ancient populations traveling on reed boats, men hunting antelope and wild bulls, and women dancing.

Then visit Ateshgah, a temple that has been used as a Hindu, Sikh, and Zoroastrian place of worship (now it’s a center for Zoroastrians). Each room has really detailed panels about the history of the temple, the pilgrims who visited, and the Zoroastrian religion. In the center of the complex is a flame representing God.

Finally, there is Yanar Dag (“burning mountain”), which is a natural gas fire that blazes continuously on a hillside. Marco Polo once described the land in this area as being on fire because of phenomena like this, but this is the only fire left. It’s kind of a disappointment as it’s really small. It’s not worth the journey, to be honest, but it’s included in most tours, so you’ll see it anyways.

None of the sites are too far from Baku and can all be done in a day. Most leave around 10 am and get back around 5 pm. I suggest taking a tour instead of going on your own as it makes getting to these sites easy. Only Ateshgah is reachable by public transportation. All the other sites will require a car. Lots of people on Couchsurfing offer to rides too. A full day tour will cost about $40 USD and include lunch.

Day 4 & 5 – Lahij Take a three-hour bus to Lahij (pop. 900) in the Caucasus Mountains (lots of day tours come here because the town is famous for copper wares — you’ll hear the clang of metalwork throughout the day). On your way, you’ll wind through the mountains, over bridges, and along a road so narrow you’ll feel like you’re going to fall off before you reach the town. When I was there, the road was partially out because of heavy rain and I was not a fan driving the narrow, gravel road to town!

But it was worth it!

Lahij is beautiful, with cobblestone streets, panoramic views of the valley, and old locals sitting in the town square eyeing the tourists that wander past on their way to hike for the day. There’s not much to do in Lahij itself. OK, there’s a tiny museum that takes five minutes, and you can ride a horse or shop if you want, but the real reason to visit is to go hiking. There are a lot of trails in the mountains around town, and it’s best to ask your guesthouse or the tourist office for information, as there’s no trail map. There are some ruins on the trail leading up from the nearby river and waterfall but be warned: it’s a steep 6 km up and the ruins (really just a wall) are easily missed.

Where to stay in Lahij: Lahij Guesthouse. This virtual chateau has spectacular views of the mountains, a garden, and incredible wood interiors and patios. It’s a stunning place and the owner Rustam is quite knowledgeable and can book anything you want. The breakfast will fill you for days and you can get an optional dinner each night (you should. It’s delicious!).

Day 5 (& 6?) – Sheki From there, head to Sheki via public bus, a famous stop on the Silk Road, and see the old caravanserai (inn with a courtyard), which housed traders and merchants back in the day. Built like a castle to protect merchants (high walls, one gate), it dates back to the early 18th century. Now, it’s a restaurant (skip it) and a hotel. Additionally, there’s a fortress and few churches in the old town fortress down the street from the caravanserai. All in all, you only really need a few hours to see everything in town.

Be sure to visit nearby Kis to see the Albanian church, which dates back to the fifth century and was restored with the help of Norwegians in the early 2000s.

Afterward, go to the Gelersen-Göresen ruins, which are a lot more expansive than those in Lah?c and provide some incredible views of the surrounding valley. I’d recommend taking a taxi there, as it’s an uncomfortable and not very scenic two-mile walk on open and exposed road. Your driver will wait (or might join you, like mine did).

Overall, you really only need a day for these sights. There’s not much to do, and the attractions aren’t that stellar. Sheki is a popular day trip from Baku and a weekend spot for locals, who head to the resorts located on the way to the ruins. The only reason I would stay longer is if you wanted to do some hiking and horseback riding in the area.

Where to stay in Sheki: Ilgars Hostel. Ilgar is an incredible host. This homestay is really basic. No A/C, simple accommodations, very basic bathroom. It’s cheap but you’re staying in Ilgar’s home with his family and he’s an awesome host, who speaks fluent English and knows everyone in the area. There’s nothing he can’t help with!

Day 7 – Back to Baku Spend the day heading back to Baku to enjoy a last night in the big city before you head home.

What to See and Do in Azerbijian: A Two-Week Itinerary

Want to spend some additional time in the country? Great! There are a bunch of other places worth visiting too. Here are more suggestions on what to see and do in Azerbijian if you’re staying longer:

Days 1, 2, & 3 – Baku Follow the Baku itinerary from above.

Days 4 & 5 – Quba Head north by bus to the mountain town of Quba for a cooler climate, old mosques, and traditional carpets in beautiful alpine surroundings. There’s a lot of hiking here, too, and many people also visit Tenghi Canyon. You can also stop in Khinalig, a major Zoroastrian center, or Krasnaya Sloboda, the only all-Jewish town outside of Israel, populated by the Juhuro, or Mountain Jews.

Days 5 & 6 (& 7?) – Lahij Follow my Lahij suggestions from above and spend another day or three hiking the mountains. There are some famous multi-day hikes in the area if you want to camp. A guide is highly recommended for longer hikes; your guesthouse or the tourist office can arrange one for you.

Days 7 & 8 – Sheki Follow the itinerary listed in the above section and use your extra time for hiking or horseback riding!

Day 9 – Qabala Once strategically located along the middle of the Silk Road, this dusty, old, not-so-small town now houses several ancient monuments, including a thousand-year-old defense tower, a 13th-century mosque, and a mausoleum. Take an early bus from Sheki and spend the night here. All the attractions are close together so you can easily see the town in a day. There’s really nothing else worth sticking around for.

Day 10 – Ganja Azerbaijan’s second biggest city dates back to the sixth century. There’s an attractive square near another caravanserai (similar to the one in Sheki), some traditional churches, a very odd house made from bottles, and the Tomb of Nizami Ganjavi, the country’s most famous 12th-century poet (he’s kind of a national hero). It’s a good stopover on the way south.

Days 11 & 12 (13?) – Lankaran

Before heading back to Baku, go south visit this sleepy resort town on the Caspian Sea. See the Old Prison and Lighthouse (Stalin was actually a prisoner here for a while), visit the ancient bazaar, the 18th-century Fortress, and the 19th-century mosque. You can spend a good day sightseeing here and then another on the beaches further south in Kenaramesha. If you have more time, take a day trip to the Ghizil-Agaj State Reserve, which is home to about 250 bird species. You can take organized tours from town.

Day 13 – Head back to Baku before heading home.

*** Whenever I leave a place, I always ask myself: On a scale of 1 to 10, how likely am I to come back? I feel like I’m a 6 with Azerbaijan.

I loved my time there and, if I were in the region again, I would definitely visit again to do some longer hikes I missed this time. But I don’t think I’d go out of my way to go again unless there was a compelling reason.

That said, I found the people incredibly warm and hospitable. Even though we couldn’t communicate a lot (outside Baku, English is not widely spoken), we pantomimed and communicated nonverbally, which led to some fun and lots of laugh over the confusion of trying to figure out what we were both trying to communicate. The food in the country is excellent: a mix of Turkish and Mediterranean styles, with lots of rice, chicken, fresh vegetables, and spices. The landscape is stunning with lush valleys and farmland and the raw beauty of the Caucasus mountains in the north. And, Azerbijian is very safe too, as the government doesn’t want to anything to ruin the tourism sector and, being a quasi-dictatorship, has the power to make sure nothing does.

All in all, Azerbaijan is an awesome destination. It’s easy to get to, super cheap once you arrive (you can live large on $30 USD a day), and beautiful. Azerbijian definitely a place you shouldn’t miss, especially if you want something a little exotic, cheap, and filled with outdoor activities.

Book Your Trip to Azerbaijan: Logistical Tips and Tricks

Book Your Flight Find a cheap flight to Azerbaijan by using Skyscanner or Momondo. They are my two favorite search engines. Start with Momondo.

Book Your Accommodation You can book your hostel in Azerbaijan with Hostelworld. If you want to stay elsewhere, use Booking.com as they consistently return the cheapest rates. (Here’s the proof.)

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. I never ever go on a trip without it. I’ve been using World Nomads for ten years. You should too.

Need Some Gear? Check out our resource page for the best companies to use!

Want More Information on Europe? Be sure to visit our robust destination guide on Europe for even more planning tips!

Photo credits: 5, 6, 7

The post How to Visit Azerbaijan: What to See, Do, & Suggested Itineraries appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

from Traveling News https://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-blogs/azerbaijan-itinerary/

[melissagarcia8]

How to Visit Azerbaijan: What to See, Do, & Suggested Itineraries

POSTED: 08/06/18 | August 6th, 2018

I don’t remember the first time I heard about Azerbaijan, but it’s always held an exotic allure to me. Azerbaijan — even the name sounds exotic — a place of…well, I didn’t know what. It just sounded intriguing and off the beaten path. I knew two things about Azerbaijan before I visited: it won the Eurovision Song Contest in 2011 and has a lot of oil money.

It was only in the last few years that I began to think in earnest about visiting.

But years passed without any progress toward that goal — until this June, on a whim, I went there with a friend. We had found a cheap flight from London, so off we went! Sometimes that’s all it takes to end up somewhere.

Azerbaijan matched my expectations: Baku was a modern city steeped in oil money with a recently built subway, fast Wi-Fi, and tons of Parisian-style and futuristic buildings while the rest of the country was incredibly rural with small towns surrounded by gorgeous mountains and farmland. In tiny villages, old men with canes sat in town squares gazing at passersby. Old babushkas with their backs bent and heads covered with scarves wandered past with groceries, off to make dishes for the family.

A visa to Azerbaijan costs $25. You have to get it beforehand and it can be applied for online. It takes three days to process (if you pay an additional $30, you can get one in three hours). You can stay in the country for up to ten days before you need to register with the police and provide an address of where you are staying (you just need one address and you don’t need to stay there the entire visit). Most hotels and hostels will help you do this. After registering, you’ll get the full 30 days in the country your visa allows.

But honestly, you don’t really need thirty days to visit Azerbaijan. In fact, even two full weeks would be a bit of a stretch. Baku is cool and can make for a fun few days, but outside the city, there really isn’t much to do besides hike and wander around some cute villages. Granted, that is pretty awesome, but, if you aren’t going on any major multi-day hikes, you’ll most likely get bored quickly.

What to See and Do in Azerbijian: One-Week Itinerary

Day 1 – Baku Before the discovery of oil, Baku was a sleepy little town passed over by the world. After oil was discovered in 1846, the city grew: large boulevards and buildings were built to emulate Paris as the nouveaux riches loved all things French. The city grew well into the early 20th century before subsequent world wars and Soviet rule pushed it off the world stage. Now, thanks in part to Eurovision and lots of oil money, Baku is a mix of its ancient core, the surrounding 19th-century Parisian-style neighborhoods, and the sprawling modern city with its futuristic buildings, expanding outward.

On your first day here, wander around the old city. Visit the Palace of the Shirvanshahs, which was built in the 15th century and includes a mosque, bathhouse, and mausoleum, as well the famous Maiden Tower with its great views of the city. (Fun fact: They still have no idea what this tower was built for.)

Afterward, go on a free walking tour with Baku Free Tour and then take in the Azerbaijan Carpet Museum (the country is famous for carpetmaking) and the National Museum of History, which has a lot of artifacts and few signs that will give you a decent understanding of the history of Azerbaijan.

Where to stay in Baku: Sahil Hostel. This hostel has comfortable beds, a nice common area, and incredible showers (they even have massage sprays). The staff is not that friendly but its central location and facilities as well the ease in which you can meet other travelers makes up for their sour demeanor.

Day 2 – Baku On your second day, wander some more around the city, take another free walking tour, enjoy a cooking class, stroll along the boardwalk along the Caspian sea is lovely, and explore Upland Park, which offers great views of the city as well, as it’s the highest point in town. There’s a funicular that goes all the way up if you want to avoid the stairs. Be warned: the funicular’s hours of operation change without notice. Here you’ll also find Martyrs’ Lane, a cemetery and memorial dedicated to those killed in World War II and the Nagorno-Karabakh War.

Additionally, nearby are the famous and iconic Flame Towers. Built in 2012, they are 182 meters (600 feet) tall and covered in LED screens displaying images of dancing flames (hence their name). One of them is a hotel with a restaurant at the top; the food there is supposed to be very good and fairly priced. I highly recommend watching the sunset over the city near the Flame Towers, then seeing the tower’s LED lights come on.

Day 3 – Baku Head out of town for a day trip to the four biggest attractions near Baku. First up are the mud volcanoes. Azerbaijan is home to nearly a third of the world’s mud volcanoes, which form when pockets of underground gas force their way to the surface. They’re like geysers, but with mud.

Next are the petroglyphs in Gobustan, home to 6,000 rock paintings that are up to 40,000 years old. The well-preserved sketches display ancient populations traveling on reed boats, men hunting antelope and wild bulls, and women dancing.

Then visit Ateshgah, a temple that has been used as a Hindu, Sikh, and Zoroastrian place of worship (now it’s a center for Zoroastrians). Each room has really detailed panels about the history of the temple, the pilgrims who visited, and the Zoroastrian religion. In the center of the complex is a flame representing God.

Finally, there is Yanar Dag (“burning mountain”), which is a natural gas fire that blazes continuously on a hillside. Marco Polo once described the land in this area as being on fire because of phenomena like this, but this is the only fire left. It’s kind of a disappointment as it’s really small. It’s not worth the journey, to be honest, but it’s included in most tours, so you’ll see it anyways.

None of the sites are too far from Baku and can all be done in a day. Most leave around 10 am and get back around 5 pm. I suggest taking a tour instead of going on your own as it makes getting to these sites easy. Only Ateshgah is reachable by public transportation. All the other sites will require a car. Lots of people on Couchsurfing offer to rides too. A full day tour will cost about $40 USD and include lunch.

Day 4 & 5 – Lahij Take a three-hour bus to Lahij (pop. 900) in the Caucasus Mountains (lots of day tours come here because the town is famous for copper wares — you’ll hear the clang of metalwork throughout the day). On your way, you’ll wind through the mountains, over bridges, and along a road so narrow you’ll feel like you’re going to fall off before you reach the town. When I was there, the road was partially out because of heavy rain and I was not a fan driving the narrow, gravel road to town!

But it was worth it!

Lahij is beautiful, with cobblestone streets, panoramic views of the valley, and old locals sitting in the town square eyeing the tourists that wander past on their way to hike for the day. There’s not much to do in Lahij itself. OK, there’s a tiny museum that takes five minutes, and you can ride a horse or shop if you want, but the real reason to visit is to go hiking. There are a lot of trails in the mountains around town, and it’s best to ask your guesthouse or the tourist office for information, as there’s no trail map. There are some ruins on the trail leading up from the nearby river and waterfall but be warned: it’s a steep 6 km up and the ruins (really just a wall) are easily missed.

Where to stay in Lahij: Lahij Guesthouse. This virtual chateau has spectacular views of the mountains, a garden, and incredible wood interiors and patios. It’s a stunning place and the owner Rustam is quite knowledgeable and can book anything you want. The breakfast will fill you for days and you can get an optional dinner each night (you should. It’s delicious!).

Day 5 (& 6?) – Sheki From there, head to Sheki via public bus, a famous stop on the Silk Road, and see the old caravanserai (inn with a courtyard), which housed traders and merchants back in the day. Built like a castle to protect merchants (high walls, one gate), it dates back to the early 18th century. Now, it’s a restaurant (skip it) and a hotel. Additionally, there’s a fortress and few churches in the old town fortress down the street from the caravanserai. All in all, you only really need a few hours to see everything in town.

Be sure to visit nearby Kis to see the Albanian church, which dates back to the fifth century and was restored with the help of Norwegians in the early 2000s.

Afterward, go to the Gelersen-Göresen ruins, which are a lot more expansive than those in Lah?c and provide some incredible views of the surrounding valley. I’d recommend taking a taxi there, as it’s an uncomfortable and not very scenic two-mile walk on open and exposed road. Your driver will wait (or might join you, like mine did).

Overall, you really only need a day for these sights. There’s not much to do, and the attractions aren’t that stellar. Sheki is a popular day trip from Baku and a weekend spot for locals, who head to the resorts located on the way to the ruins. The only reason I would stay longer is if you wanted to do some hiking and horseback riding in the area.

Where to stay in Sheki: Ilgars Hostel. Ilgar is an incredible host. This homestay is really basic. No A/C, simple accommodations, very basic bathroom. It’s cheap but you’re staying in Ilgar’s home with his family and he’s an awesome host, who speaks fluent English and knows everyone in the area. There’s nothing he can’t help with!

Day 7 – Back to Baku Spend the day heading back to Baku to enjoy a last night in the big city before you head home.

What to See and Do in Azerbijian: A Two-Week Itinerary

Want to spend some additional time in the country? Great! There are a bunch of other places worth visiting too. Here are more suggestions on what to see and do in Azerbijian if you’re staying longer:

Days 1, 2, & 3 – Baku Follow the Baku itinerary from above.

Days 4 & 5 – Quba Head north by bus to the mountain town of Quba for a cooler climate, old mosques, and traditional carpets in beautiful alpine surroundings. There’s a lot of hiking here, too, and many people also visit Tenghi Canyon. You can also stop in Khinalig, a major Zoroastrian center, or Krasnaya Sloboda, the only all-Jewish town outside of Israel, populated by the Juhuro, or Mountain Jews.

Days 5 & 6 (& 7?) – Lahij Follow my Lahij suggestions from above and spend another day or three hiking the mountains. There are some famous multi-day hikes in the area if you want to camp. A guide is highly recommended for longer hikes; your guesthouse or the tourist office can arrange one for you.

Days 7 & 8 – Sheki Follow the itinerary listed in the above section and use your extra time for hiking or horseback riding!

Day 9 – Qabala Once strategically located along the middle of the Silk Road, this dusty, old, not-so-small town now houses several ancient monuments, including a thousand-year-old defense tower, a 13th-century mosque, and a mausoleum. Take an early bus from Sheki and spend the night here. All the attractions are close together so you can easily see the town in a day. There’s really nothing else worth sticking around for.

Day 10 – Ganja Azerbaijan’s second biggest city dates back to the sixth century. There’s an attractive square near another caravanserai (similar to the one in Sheki), some traditional churches, a very odd house made from bottles, and the Tomb of Nizami Ganjavi, the country’s most famous 12th-century poet (he’s kind of a national hero). It’s a good stopover on the way south.

Days 11 & 12 (13?) – Lankaran

Before heading back to Baku, go south visit this sleepy resort town on the Caspian Sea. See the Old Prison and Lighthouse (Stalin was actually a prisoner here for a while), visit the ancient bazaar, the 18th-century Fortress, and the 19th-century mosque. You can spend a good day sightseeing here and then another on the beaches further south in Kenaramesha. If you have more time, take a day trip to the Ghizil-Agaj State Reserve, which is home to about 250 bird species. You can take organized tours from town.

Day 13 – Head back to Baku before heading home.

*** Whenever I leave a place, I always ask myself: On a scale of 1 to 10, how likely am I to come back? I feel like I’m a 6 with Azerbaijan.

I loved my time there and, if I were in the region again, I would definitely visit again to do some longer hikes I missed this time. But I don’t think I’d go out of my way to go again unless there was a compelling reason.

That said, I found the people incredibly warm and hospitable. Even though we couldn’t communicate a lot (outside Baku, English is not widely spoken), we pantomimed and communicated nonverbally, which led to some fun and lots of laugh over the confusion of trying to figure out what we were both trying to communicate. The food in the country is excellent: a mix of Turkish and Mediterranean styles, with lots of rice, chicken, fresh vegetables, and spices. The landscape is stunning with lush valleys and farmland and the raw beauty of the Caucasus mountains in the north. And, Azerbijian is very safe too, as the government doesn’t want to anything to ruin the tourism sector and, being a quasi-dictatorship, has the power to make sure nothing does.

All in all, Azerbaijan is an awesome destination. It’s easy to get to, super cheap once you arrive (you can live large on $30 USD a day), and beautiful. Azerbijian definitely a place you shouldn’t miss, especially if you want something a little exotic, cheap, and filled with outdoor activities.

Book Your Trip to Azerbaijan: Logistical Tips and Tricks

Book Your Flight Find a cheap flight to Azerbaijan by using Skyscanner or Momondo. They are my two favorite search engines. Start with Momondo.

Book Your Accommodation You can book your hostel in Azerbaijan with Hostelworld. If you want to stay elsewhere, use Booking.com as they consistently return the cheapest rates. (Here’s the proof.)

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. I never ever go on a trip without it. I’ve been using World Nomads for ten years. You should too.

Need Some Gear? Check out our resource page for the best companies to use!

Want More Information on Europe? Be sure to visit our robust destination guide on Europe for even more planning tips!

Photo credits: 5, 6, 7

The post How to Visit Azerbaijan: What to See, Do, & Suggested Itineraries appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

from Traveling News https://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-blogs/azerbaijan-itinerary/

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How to Visit Azerbaijan: What to See, Do, & Suggested Itineraries

POSTED: 08/06/18 | August 6th, 2018

I don’t remember the first time I heard about Azerbaijan, but it’s always held an exotic allure to me. Azerbaijan — even the name sounds exotic — a place of…well, I didn’t know what. It just sounded intriguing and off the beaten path. I knew two things about Azerbaijan before I visited: it won the Eurovision Song Contest in 2011 and has a lot of oil money.

It was only in the last few years that I began to think in earnest about visiting.

But years passed without any progress toward that goal — until this June, on a whim, I went there with a friend. We had found a cheap flight from London, so off we went! Sometimes that’s all it takes to end up somewhere.

Azerbaijan matched my expectations: Baku was a modern city steeped in oil money with a recently built subway, fast Wi-Fi, and tons of Parisian-style and futuristic buildings while the rest of the country was incredibly rural with small towns surrounded by gorgeous mountains and farmland. In tiny villages, old men with canes sat in town squares gazing at passersby. Old babushkas with their backs bent and heads covered with scarves wandered past with groceries, off to make dishes for the family.

A visa to Azerbaijan costs $25. You have to get it beforehand and it can be applied for online. It takes three days to process (if you pay an additional $30, you can get one in three hours). You can stay in the country for up to ten days before you need to register with the police and provide an address of where you are staying (you just need one address and you don’t need to stay there the entire visit). Most hotels and hostels will help you do this. After registering, you’ll get the full 30 days in the country your visa allows.

But honestly, you don’t really need thirty days to visit Azerbaijan. In fact, even two full weeks would be a bit of a stretch. Baku is cool and can make for a fun few days, but outside the city, there really isn’t much to do besides hike and wander around some cute villages. Granted, that is pretty awesome, but, if you aren’t going on any major multi-day hikes, you’ll most likely get bored quickly.

What to See and Do in Azerbijian: One-Week Itinerary

Day 1 – Baku Before the discovery of oil, Baku was a sleepy little town passed over by the world. After oil was discovered in 1846, the city grew: large boulevards and buildings were built to emulate Paris as the nouveaux riches loved all things French. The city grew well into the early 20th century before subsequent world wars and Soviet rule pushed it off the world stage. Now, thanks in part to Eurovision and lots of oil money, Baku is a mix of its ancient core, the surrounding 19th-century Parisian-style neighborhoods, and the sprawling modern city with its futuristic buildings, expanding outward.

On your first day here, wander around the old city. Visit the Palace of the Shirvanshahs, which was built in the 15th century and includes a mosque, bathhouse, and mausoleum, as well the famous Maiden Tower with its great views of the city. (Fun fact: They still have no idea what this tower was built for.)

Afterward, go on a free walking tour with Baku Free Tour and then take in the Azerbaijan Carpet Museum (the country is famous for carpetmaking) and the National Museum of History, which has a lot of artifacts and few signs that will give you a decent understanding of the history of Azerbaijan.

Where to stay in Baku: Sahil Hostel. This hostel has comfortable beds, a nice common area, and incredible showers (they even have massage sprays). The staff is not that friendly but its central location and facilities as well the ease in which you can meet other travelers makes up for their sour demeanor.

Day 2 – Baku On your second day, wander some more around the city, take another free walking tour, enjoy a cooking class, stroll along the boardwalk along the Caspian sea is lovely, and explore Upland Park, which offers great views of the city as well, as it’s the highest point in town. There’s a funicular that goes all the way up if you want to avoid the stairs. Be warned: the funicular’s hours of operation change without notice. Here you’ll also find Martyrs’ Lane, a cemetery and memorial dedicated to those killed in World War II and the Nagorno-Karabakh War.

Additionally, nearby are the famous and iconic Flame Towers. Built in 2012, they are 182 meters (600 feet) tall and covered in LED screens displaying images of dancing flames (hence their name). One of them is a hotel with a restaurant at the top; the food there is supposed to be very good and fairly priced. I highly recommend watching the sunset over the city near the Flame Towers, then seeing the tower’s LED lights come on.

Day 3 – Baku Head out of town for a day trip to the four biggest attractions near Baku. First up are the mud volcanoes. Azerbaijan is home to nearly a third of the world’s mud volcanoes, which form when pockets of underground gas force their way to the surface. They’re like geysers, but with mud.

Next are the petroglyphs in Gobustan, home to 6,000 rock paintings that are up to 40,000 years old. The well-preserved sketches display ancient populations traveling on reed boats, men hunting antelope and wild bulls, and women dancing.

Then visit Ateshgah, a temple that has been used as a Hindu, Sikh, and Zoroastrian place of worship (now it’s a center for Zoroastrians). Each room has really detailed panels about the history of the temple, the pilgrims who visited, and the Zoroastrian religion. In the center of the complex is a flame representing God.

Finally, there is Yanar Dag (“burning mountain”), which is a natural gas fire that blazes continuously on a hillside. Marco Polo once described the land in this area as being on fire because of phenomena like this, but this is the only fire left. It’s kind of a disappointment as it’s really small. It’s not worth the journey, to be honest, but it’s included in most tours, so you’ll see it anyways.

None of the sites are too far from Baku and can all be done in a day. Most leave around 10 am and get back around 5 pm. I suggest taking a tour instead of going on your own as it makes getting to these sites easy. Only Ateshgah is reachable by public transportation. All the other sites will require a car. Lots of people on Couchsurfing offer to rides too. A full day tour will cost about $40 USD and include lunch.

Day 4 & 5 – Lahij Take a three-hour bus to Lahij (pop. 900) in the Caucasus Mountains (lots of day tours come here because the town is famous for copper wares — you’ll hear the clang of metalwork throughout the day). On your way, you’ll wind through the mountains, over bridges, and along a road so narrow you’ll feel like you’re going to fall off before you reach the town. When I was there, the road was partially out because of heavy rain and I was not a fan driving the narrow, gravel road to town!

But it was worth it!

Lahij is beautiful, with cobblestone streets, panoramic views of the valley, and old locals sitting in the town square eyeing the tourists that wander past on their way to hike for the day. There’s not much to do in Lahij itself. OK, there’s a tiny museum that takes five minutes, and you can ride a horse or shop if you want, but the real reason to visit is to go hiking. There are a lot of trails in the mountains around town, and it’s best to ask your guesthouse or the tourist office for information, as there’s no trail map. There are some ruins on the trail leading up from the nearby river and waterfall but be warned: it’s a steep 6 km up and the ruins (really just a wall) are easily missed.

Where to stay in Lahij: Lahij Guesthouse. This virtual chateau has spectacular views of the mountains, a garden, and incredible wood interiors and patios. It’s a stunning place and the owner Rustam is quite knowledgeable and can book anything you want. The breakfast will fill you for days and you can get an optional dinner each night (you should. It’s delicious!).

Day 5 (& 6?) – Sheki From there, head to Sheki via public bus, a famous stop on the Silk Road, and see the old caravanserai (inn with a courtyard), which housed traders and merchants back in the day. Built like a castle to protect merchants (high walls, one gate), it dates back to the early 18th century. Now, it’s a restaurant (skip it) and a hotel. Additionally, there’s a fortress and few churches in the old town fortress down the street from the caravanserai. All in all, you only really need a few hours to see everything in town.

Be sure to visit nearby Kis to see the Albanian church, which dates back to the fifth century and was restored with the help of Norwegians in the early 2000s.

Afterward, go to the Gelersen-Göresen ruins, which are a lot more expansive than those in Lah?c and provide some incredible views of the surrounding valley. I’d recommend taking a taxi there, as it’s an uncomfortable and not very scenic two-mile walk on open and exposed road. Your driver will wait (or might join you, like mine did).

Overall, you really only need a day for these sights. There’s not much to do, and the attractions aren’t that stellar. Sheki is a popular day trip from Baku and a weekend spot for locals, who head to the resorts located on the way to the ruins. The only reason I would stay longer is if you wanted to do some hiking and horseback riding in the area.

Where to stay in Sheki: Ilgars Hostel. Ilgar is an incredible host. This homestay is really basic. No A/C, simple accommodations, very basic bathroom. It’s cheap but you’re staying in Ilgar’s home with his family and he’s an awesome host, who speaks fluent English and knows everyone in the area. There’s nothing he can’t help with!

Day 7 – Back to Baku Spend the day heading back to Baku to enjoy a last night in the big city before you head home.

What to See and Do in Azerbijian: A Two-Week Itinerary

Want to spend some additional time in the country? Great! There are a bunch of other places worth visiting too. Here are more suggestions on what to see and do in Azerbijian if you’re staying longer:

Days 1, 2, & 3 – Baku Follow the Baku itinerary from above.

Days 4 & 5 – Quba Head north by bus to the mountain town of Quba for a cooler climate, old mosques, and traditional carpets in beautiful alpine surroundings. There’s a lot of hiking here, too, and many people also visit Tenghi Canyon. You can also stop in Khinalig, a major Zoroastrian center, or Krasnaya Sloboda, the only all-Jewish town outside of Israel, populated by the Juhuro, or Mountain Jews.

Days 5 & 6 (& 7?) – Lahij Follow my Lahij suggestions from above and spend another day or three hiking the mountains. There are some famous multi-day hikes in the area if you want to camp. A guide is highly recommended for longer hikes; your guesthouse or the tourist office can arrange one for you.

Days 7 & 8 – Sheki Follow the itinerary listed in the above section and use your extra time for hiking or horseback riding!

Day 9 – Qabala Once strategically located along the middle of the Silk Road, this dusty, old, not-so-small town now houses several ancient monuments, including a thousand-year-old defense tower, a 13th-century mosque, and a mausoleum. Take an early bus from Sheki and spend the night here. All the attractions are close together so you can easily see the town in a day. There’s really nothing else worth sticking around for.

Day 10 – Ganja Azerbaijan’s second biggest city dates back to the sixth century. There’s an attractive square near another caravanserai (similar to the one in Sheki), some traditional churches, a very odd house made from bottles, and the Tomb of Nizami Ganjavi, the country’s most famous 12th-century poet (he’s kind of a national hero). It’s a good stopover on the way south.

Days 11 & 12 (13?) – Lankaran

Before heading back to Baku, go south visit this sleepy resort town on the Caspian Sea. See the Old Prison and Lighthouse (Stalin was actually a prisoner here for a while), visit the ancient bazaar, the 18th-century Fortress, and the 19th-century mosque. You can spend a good day sightseeing here and then another on the beaches further south in Kenaramesha. If you have more time, take a day trip to the Ghizil-Agaj State Reserve, which is home to about 250 bird species. You can take organized tours from town.

Day 13 – Head back to Baku before heading home.

*** Whenever I leave a place, I always ask myself: On a scale of 1 to 10, how likely am I to come back? I feel like I’m a 6 with Azerbaijan.

I loved my time there and, if I were in the region again, I would definitely visit again to do some longer hikes I missed this time. But I don’t think I’d go out of my way to go again unless there was a compelling reason.

That said, I found the people incredibly warm and hospitable. Even though we couldn’t communicate a lot (outside Baku, English is not widely spoken), we pantomimed and communicated nonverbally, which led to some fun and lots of laugh over the confusion of trying to figure out what we were both trying to communicate. The food in the country is excellent: a mix of Turkish and Mediterranean styles, with lots of rice, chicken, fresh vegetables, and spices. The landscape is stunning with lush valleys and farmland and the raw beauty of the Caucasus mountains in the north. And, Azerbijian is very safe too, as the government doesn’t want to anything to ruin the tourism sector and, being a quasi-dictatorship, has the power to make sure nothing does.

All in all, Azerbaijan is an awesome destination. It’s easy to get to, super cheap once you arrive (you can live large on $30 USD a day), and beautiful. Azerbijian definitely a place you shouldn’t miss, especially if you want something a little exotic, cheap, and filled with outdoor activities.

Book Your Trip to Azerbaijan: Logistical Tips and Tricks

Book Your Flight Find a cheap flight to Azerbaijan by using Skyscanner or Momondo. They are my two favorite search engines. Start with Momondo.

Book Your Accommodation You can book your hostel in Azerbaijan with Hostelworld. If you want to stay elsewhere, use Booking.com as they consistently return the cheapest rates. (Here’s the proof.)

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. I never ever go on a trip without it. I’ve been using World Nomads for ten years. You should too.

Need Some Gear? Check out our resource page for the best companies to use!

Want More Information on Europe? Be sure to visit our robust destination guide on Europe for even more planning tips!

Photo credits: 5, 6, 7

The post How to Visit Azerbaijan: What to See, Do, & Suggested Itineraries appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

from Traveling News https://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-blogs/azerbaijan-itinerary/