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kazlifeadventures · 6 years ago

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24th June. Still in Baku. Tour starts!

The tour has started! Met some of my new bus mates and went out for a traditional dinner near the hotel..yummm I've decided I love a local dish called dolma. I had the very tasty dolma version that was stuffed vegetables (egg plant, tomato, capsicum, stuffed with lamb mince ).

The next day we were up and off on a trip to the Gombustan mud volcanoes in the morning. A short bus trip out of Baku to meet the local taxis that take you the last few kms across the bumpy dirt roads to the volcanoes. The local taxis consisted of a variety of the old Soviet Ladas.. somehow I ended up in the two door one that was probably the oldest one there- it kinda looked like if it hit a pothole it would fall apart...😂. Everyone told tales of their crazy trip with bumps turns, cranking music. Ours was like driving miss daisy...we even ran out of fuel and watched our driver get out and refuel from his one litre water bottle of fuel...then pop the hood and check the oil and water. No music, as no radio, and the huge cracked windscreen was the complete picture.... Gotta love that Soviet engineering!

Azerbijan is reported to have the most mud volcanoes of any country, with the odd ‘volcanoes’, spread broadly across it. 350 of the 800 volcanoes of the world are in Azerbaijan. The local people call them “yanardagh” (burning mountain) amongst other names. The mud volcanoes were an interesting phenomena that were surprisingly cold and gluggy; the texture of sour cream. Yes I stuck my hand in it. 😁. Apparently it has some great properties and some amazing health benefits. Lucky me I seemed to be the only one that received a free bottle of the mud (old plastic 600ml pepsi bottle), from our taxi driver... I thanked him in Azerbaijani, and I guess strike one again for blonde hair and a smile, pretty sure they helped as well! *update on the bottle - I never used the mud, I gave it to one of my bus mates who is hopefully using it once they are back home.

After playing in the mud, it was off to see the 15000 year old Petroglpyhs in a nearby section of Gombustan state reserve. The reserve has more than 6,000 rock carvings, which depict such things as primitive people, animals, battle-pieces, ritual dances etc. It was hard to get them to come out in a photograph, as a lot of the details are very faint and more easily visible to the naked eye.

It was back into Baku for a walking tour around the old city with our local guide. Even though I had already explored the area by myself I went along as I love to hear the stories and the history from the local guides. We ended the day with a trip to a restaurant for some more Azerbaijani food (the highlight bring Plov - a pastry filled with rice and meat - so yum!) with our local guide, J-Lo (*not her real name, but she shall forever be known as J-Lo, and she will love all the photos we put on her phone when she left it with us).The night then ended with a stop high on the hill to see the flame towers in all their glory, lighting up the night sky.

Next day, heading to Sheki.

As we headed out from Baku on Wednesday 26th June, it was interesting to see the land changed to more greenery enroute, it was not so arid like the areas near Baku. On our way to Sheki we stopped in Shamakhi city, one of the oldest cities of Azerbaijan, where the first dynasty state of Shirvan was founded. It was always part of the major travel hub, with traders staying overnight enroute long the Silk Road. The city has been rocked by 11 major earthquakes over its lifetime as it is located in a very seismic area. As a result large parts of the city have been reconstructed. Our visit included a stop at Juma mosque an 8th century mosque purported to be the second oldest mosque in South caucasuses . Juma means ‘Friday’. Which is prayer day for Muslims. The Mosque has survived 8 of the 11 earthquakes in the area, rebuilt/repaired twice since its construction. It was probably one of the largest and prettiest mosques I have seen.

A visit to Yeddi Gumbez, the mausoleum known as the seven domes cemetery was next. Located a short distance from the mosque, high on a hill. Unfortunately alot of the domes have been destroyed over the years. With only 3 recognisable structures remaining. The Cemetery is very important and holds many important people like 16 members of the kings’ family.

We were then treated to lunch at local restaurant on our way to the village of Kish. For a lot of us this was our first introduction to the local speciality compote drink. A sweet compote made from locally grown fruits, that tasted a bit like cordial (depending on the fruit used to create it). Kish serves as the location of an inactive 12th or 13th Century Caucasian Albanian church. Not the Albanians from Albania, the Caucasian Albanians is a modern name for an ancient country in the Eastern Caucasus that was located where the present day republic of Azerbaijan capital is located.

We then headed off to Sheki city, another important Silk Road stop, with its population of approximately 63000. This was our stop for the night, but we also got to visit the amazing summer palace residence of the Shaki Khans (nope - not Shaka Khan - totally different era...) Built in 1797, and UNESCO listed, it stands on the outskirts of Shaki, and a huge amount of work has been carried out to restore it’s mainly timber structure.This was a surprise to see a structure with such intricate detail. No photos allowed inside, but it was fantastic to see so many of the huge heavy ‘shebeke’ windows. The Shebeke windows contained beautiful designed created using stained glass, inserted in framework that contains no nails or glue. They looked so much nicer from the inside with the light coming through them.

Once we checked into our hotels in Sheki I then headed out to locate some of the local food we had been given the hot tip to try. As I was walking to the nearby town centre area I unfortunately encountered a bit of an issue with a local man who had followed me from the reception in the hotel. All ended well, but it gave me a bit of a reminder that maybe I need to not be nice to people all the time (never going to happen though!) I did get to try an amazing meal called ‘Piti’, an amazing meat based meal, that contains a broth, that you tip over bread that you have ripped up in a bowl with added sumac. You then mash the remaining ingredients in the mug that they come in (It’s a lamb meat cooked with chick peas, chestnuts and fat with local spices) I know it sounds yuck with the fat, but seriously so yummy!!! Those of us who’d met up at the restaurant then tried the local sweet of ‘Sheki Helva', a very sweet little morsel of rishta, stuffing and syrup.

Azerbijan means land of fire. Fitting really, given the huge amount of gas being mined in the area. It’s also a country that like most countries has had its share of rule by various other countries, with changes in its borders as a result, some only fairly recently and the source of conflict with its neighbour, Armenia. The country has an interesting and involved history, and I feel very fortunate that I have been able to visit and explore some of its treasures before it blooms into a major tourist destination.

As usual more photos to come!!

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unmgrc · 8 years ago

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Work-Life Balance: A Day out in Albuquerque

Katherine Peck, PhD Student in Anthropology, Winrock Fellow

It’s no secret that graduate school can be stressful. One of the keys to alleviating some of this stress is maintaining a good work-life balance – balancing coursework, research, and teaching with taking care of yourself.

Since starting grad school this fall, I’ve found one of the best ways to keep myself grounded is to explore Albuquerque. Engaging with the world outside of campus is a great way reset after a long week of work. Luckily, there’s no shortage of things to do in Albuquerque that will get you outside and won’t break the bank!

Petroglyph National Monument

Do you feel like getting outdoors, but aren’t in the mood for a long hike? Petroglyph National Monument is a 15-20 minute drive from campus. Take I-40 west towards downtown and get off Coors Blvd NW. Follow signs to the monument. Stop at the visitor’s center first and pick up a map of the trails or for a quick orientation to the site. The center runs a short video on the site’s history, and the ranger on duty can recommend a hike based on your interests. Just up the road from the visitor’s center, and for a small $2 parking fee, Boca Negra canyon features several short trails that will take you among the petroglyph-marked stones.

At the top of the Boca Negra trail. The rock alignments are likely the remains of old hunting blinds. Photo courtesy author.

The top of the trail also features great views of Albuquerque and the Sandia Mountains. If you only have a short time to spend out in the park, this is the area I would recommend. If you are willing to hike a little longer, try the Rinconada Canyon trail. The trail is a slightly longer loop (2.2 miles) but with little to no grade, and will take you past hundreds of petroglyphs. To complete both trails will take you most of the morning. For more hiking and more petroglyphs check out Piedras Marcadas canyon, which is slightly further afield than Rinconada or Boca Negra. The Monument also contains the Volcanoes day use area to the west, which has no petroglyphs, but features a trail through some of the cinder cones that dot the area’s skyline. Petroglyph is a great introduction to the history of Albuquerque and some of the stunning natural landscapes New Mexico has to offer.

See National Park Service website for more information about the park.

New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science

There are plenty of museums, shops, and restaurants to explore in Old Town. One standout is the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science. For an entry fee of $8, this museum is one of the more expensive trips on the list, but is well worth it! One of the museum’s permanent displays is a long series of corridors showing the history of New Mexico, from the Big Bang until today. You’ll walk through dark rooms detailing the beginnings of the universe, rooms dedicated to many of the different geologic periods (complete with fossils – many of which come from New Mexico!), and finally exhibits on the natural landscape of the state today. The museum also features a gem and mineral collection and rooms dedicated to astronomy and the science of sound.

The museum is family-friendly, but still a great experience for adults. Much like Petroglpyh National Monument, if you’re new to Albuquerque, the museum is a great way to learn about the history of the state. As a bonus, the Albuquerque Museum of Art and History is just down the street, and Explora (Albuquerque’s children museum) is right next door.

Check the NMMNHS website for information on traveling exhibits or IMAX showings.

Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument

Looking for something a little further afield? Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument is a little more than an hour’s drive outside of town. $5 per vehicle gets you into the Monument, where there are several hiking trails.

A view from the Slot Canyon trail. Photo courtesy the author.

The Slot Canyon trail, the first trailhead you encounter after entering the park, has views straight out of a geology textbook. A winding slot canyon (a scramble at times) slowly takes you up to the top of a mesa where you can see the eponymous “tent rocks” that give the monument its name.

The “tent rocks” viewed from the top of the slot canyon trail. The tougher capstones protect the rock underneath if from weathering, leading to the cone-shaped tops--similar to the rocks of Goblin Valley State Park in Utah. Photo courtesy the author.

Although it’s out of the way, Tent Rocks has become really popular in the past few years because of its picturesque rock formations. Head out early in the day to avoid crowds (and the sun).

Check out the BLM’s page for more information.

These are just a few suggestions for combating the stress and expectations of graduate school. Whether you get outdoors or schedule in time for some other personal hobby, maintaining balance between writing, researching, and leisure activities is essential for your well-being and progress in grad school.

#grad school #grad student #work life balance

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